The Federal Government has announced the outcomes of the 2026 New Colombo Plan (NCP), confirming a significant expansion in the number of Australian university students who will undertake study and work-based experiences in the Indo-Pacific next year.
Following reforms introduced earlier in 2025 to strengthen Australia’s engagement with the region, 328 undergraduate students have been offered NCP scholarships for 2026 — a 50 per cent increase on the previous year. The government has indicated it intends to grow the scholarship program to 500 places by 2028.
Students will undertake study, language training and internships across a range of Indo-Pacific locations, with increased placements in Indonesia and India, and a first cohort assigned to Timor-Leste.
The government has also expanded the program’s structure through a new Semester Program, which has awarded 1,247 grants across 160 projects. These grants support longer-term, in-country experiences combining academic study with language learning.
Language education continues to be a prominent component of the NCP, with more participants expected to study Bahasa Indonesia, Mandarin, Japanese and Vietnamese in 2026. Officials have emphasised the role of language skills in broadening Australia’s understanding of the region.
Among this year’s scholarship recipients, ANU student Lily Kelsey has been selected as the 2026 NCP Language Fellow. Kelsey will undertake full-time Indonesian language training at Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta and complete an internship focused on trade policy. She said the program offers an opportunity to strengthen language capability and develop a deeper understanding of Indonesia’s culture and economy.
The NCP’s Mobility Program will also continue, with 1,635 mobility grants awarded for short-term placements across countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Fiji and China. These programs run for four to nine weeks and aim to provide students with structured exposure to regional institutions and contexts.
For the first time, NCP mobility projects may also be delivered at Australian offshore campuses in the Indo-Pacific, a shift intended to provide additional pathways for students to gain in-region experience while contributing to the growth of Australia’s transnational education presence.
Announcing the 2026 outcomes, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the expanded opportunities will contribute to strengthening Australia’s regional capabilities and understanding.
The government states that the skills and experience developed through the NCP are intended to contribute to Australia’s long-term engagement with the Indo-Pacific.
