UQ’s most successful and largest New Colombo Plan Scholar cohort to date was announced by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) today. All 11 shortlisted UQ students were awarded NCP Scholarships.
“Exceptional applications from our 2025 NCP Scholarship recipients demonstrate both academic excellence and strong alignment to the NCP program objective - to foster meaningful connections between Australia and the Indo-Pacific region,” Katie Smith said, the Sponsored Students Unit Senior Coordinator.
“NCP Scholars show an inspiring commitment to deepening their understanding of this vital and dynamic part of the world and UQ is proud to support their journeys.”
For the 2025 NCP Scholarships, DFAT updated guidelines to increase the number of scholars traveling to our region, emphasising language study through a new 'Language Stream'.
Successful 2025 NCP Scholar Hannah Smith is UQ’s first student to apply for the Language Stream, focusing her 18-month study on Japanese at Waseda University.
Hannah is studying toward a Bachelor of International Studies (Japanese Advanced and Economics).
She is the first member of her family to attend university, making her award of an NCP Scholarship especially significant.
“I plan to start my program with a year in Waseda's Japanese Language Program, an immersion course for students studying Japanese,” Hannah said.
“During the semester breaks, I’m planning to intern at two different translation companies in Tokyo to give me valuable work experience, and to help me figure out what areas of my Japanese need improvement.
“After that, I plan to spend six months at a language school that focuses on the Japanese used in professional workplaces.
“I’ll focus on picking up useful vocabulary that isn’t always taught in class, making an effort to use new grammar and words in everyday conversations, immersing myself fully in the language.”
Japan’s Waseda University is also an important strategic partner to UQ.
“UQ and Waseda University share academic and research exchanges including global mobility and incoming study abroad, and we look forward to visiting them again in 2025,” Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Partnerships) Mr Brett Lovegrove said.
“I am delighted to see Hannah Smith and the other ten NCP Scholars investing their academic and research experience in our broader Indo-Pacific region.”
“I congratulate all 11 of UQ’s 2025 NCP Scholars. It is particularly pleasing that the high calibre of their applications was recognised by DFAT’s New Colombo Plan Secretariat,” Mr Lovegrove said.
UQ’s 2025 NCP Scholars
- Elliott Collins, UQ Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy, Economics (Honours), will study at University of Hong Kong for 6 months.
- Angus Duncan, UQ Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours), to study at Taiwan’s National Cheng Chi University (6 months).
- Nicholas Egan, UQ Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics (Honours), will study at National University of Singapore (13 months).
- Emily Graham, UQ Bachelors of Science (Marine Biology) / Laws (Honours), to study at Université de la Nouvelle-Calédonie, New Caledonia (16 months).
- Siddesh Karekal, UQ Bachelor of Advance Finance and Economics, to study at National University of Singapore (6 months).
- Matilda Keenan, UQ Bachelor of International Studies, to study at The University of Tokyo (6 months).
- Xander Minzenmay, UQ Bachelor of Advanced Business (honours) (International Business), to study at Singapore Management University (12 months).
- Amlan Nag, UQ Bachelors of Computer Science (Machine Learning) / Mathematics (Statistics), will study at University of Hong Kong (7 months).
- Hannah Smith, UQ Bachelor of International Studies (Japanese Advanced and Economics), to study at Waseda University, Japan (18 months).
- Shanice Timotius, UQ Bachelors of Commerce (Finance) / Laws (Honours), National University of Singapore, for 12 months.
- Kieran Tran, UQ Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Electrical / Mathematics (Applied Mathematics), to study at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (5 months).
Each of these students will include an internship / mentorship / research or language study within the academic components of their program.
New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholarships are offered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and are open to eligible Australian undergraduates currently studying at Australian universities.
Under the 2025 NCP Mobility Program, the Australian Government will also provide The University of Queensland with over $1.5 million. This funding will support 252 Mobility grants for UQ undergraduates to participate in study, language training, and internships in the Indo-Pacific, across 18 projects.
Advice for applicants: Australia's inaugural Pacific Fellow, NCP Scholar Liam Lyttle's, top tips for future applicants
