Monash celebrates excellent scholarship and mobility program support in New Colombo Plan funding

Monash University has been awarded funding under the Australian Government’s New Colombo Plan (NCP) Mobility program to support students to study in China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea from 2026.

In addition, 21 Monash students have been awarded prestigious NCP Scholarships in the Australian Government's latest round which enables high-achieving undergraduates to live, study and gain professional experience in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 2026 round places a stronger emphasis on Asian language capability, prioritising students undertaking language study as part of their degree. This reinforces Monash’s continued leadership in the Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by deep regional engagement and an extensive international campus network.

Monash University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) and Senior Vice-President, Professor Craig Jeffrey said the 2026 cohort of scholars is the largest from the University since the program was established in 2014.

“The experience of living abroad – often for the first time – is deeply formative. Immersion in new cultural and professional contexts shapes students’ perspectives and ambitions in ways that are directly relevant to their learning, building the awareness and capability required to engage with and address challenges of an interconnected world,” Professor Jeffrey said.

“These 21 students will join thousands of Monash students who travel abroad each year, brimming with ideas, knowledge and curiosity. The benefits are much more than individual academic achievement.

“It is the ultimate act of soft diplomacy: the more high-quality students we educate, the more impact we have globally, the more connected and engaged we become as a society.”

Selected from a national pool, the 21 Monash recipients represent a wide range of disciplines including law, engineering, biomedical science, information technology and the humanities. The Scholarship provides financial support for students’ short and semester study, language training and work-integrated learning in the Indo-Pacific, with programs ranging from one semester to 19 months.

Kenneth Law, a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce student who’ll be studying at the National University of Singapore, feels the grant sets him on track to his bigger career goals. “Receiving this scholarship feels like the bridge between where I've been and where I'm going – from building AI systems at CommBank to understanding how Singapore approaches the same challenges from a completely different regulatory and cultural lens,” Mr Law said. “I'm eager to develop the technical expertise, language skills, and regional networks that will let me contribute to Australia-Asia fintech collaboration for decades to come.”

Meanwhile Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student Somaya Hydari is excited about the immersive cultural opportunities the scheme affords. "I’m so grateful to have received this scholarship, and I can’t wait to immerse myself fully in the culture of Singapore," Ms Hydari said. "Building on my high school Mandarin skills has always been a long term goal, and this opportunity finally lets me do that. It’s the kind of experience that opens your world a little wider, and I’m so excited to embrace every moment."

Upon completion, the 2026 Scholars will join a growing network of Monash New Colombo Plan alumni. Since the program’s launch in 2014, 96 Monash students have been awarded New Colombo Plan Scholarships, with alumni going on to contribute to diplomacy, industry, research and public policy across the Indo-Pacific.

The full list Monash’s 21 successful 2026 NCP Scholars is as follows:

  • Aidan Gall: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at National Chengchi University
  • Anila Mcloughlin: a Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at the University of Malaya
  • Eamon Somerville: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at the University of Tokyo
  • Ella Bindley: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at National Taiwan University
  • Joseph Prowse: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Computer Science student, who will be studying at Waseda University
  • Kenneth Law: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce student, who will be studying at the National University of Singapore
  • Luigi Yanto: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) student, who will be studying at the University of Hong Kong
  • Malcolm Kilfoyle: a Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) student, who will be studying at Hiroshima University
  • Nathaniel Louey: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Peking University
  • Oliver Hair: a Bachelor of Biomedical Science student, who will be studying at Peking University
  • Olivia Pert: a Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Gadjah Mada University
  • Patrick Prowse: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics student, who will be studying at National Taiwan University
  • Ryan Sim: a Bachelor of Science student, who will be studying at Keio University
  • Ruby van Beveren: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Biomedical Science student, who will be studying at the National University of Singapore
  • Samuel Bevacqua: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Nanjing University & Peking University
  • Samuel Gibson: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Peking University
  • Sandra Binoy: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Seoul National University
  • Somaya Hydari: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts student, who will be studying at Singapore Management University
  • Ying Xin Sim: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Information Technology student, who will be studying at Seoul National University
  • Zachary Warton: a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Science student, who will be studying at Tohoku University
  • Zoe Wilkinson: a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Global Studies student, who will be studying at Gadjah Mada University