Selection process

  • After applications close, shortlisted candidates will be contacted to complete the next stage of the process.
  • Shortlisted candidates who require an IELTS certificate will be invited to undertake the IELTS test at a date and time arranged by Aus4Skills.
  • Shortlisted candidates with the required IELTS result will be invited to participate in an interview.
  • Successful candidates will be notified in August of the selection year.
  • Awardee travel will be subject to meeting any requirements that apply from the Australian Government and relevant State and Territory governments.

Tips for Interviewing

The interview is intended to be as relaxed as possible, but preparation and practice is key. Before your interview you should:

  1. Review all information about the Australia Awards Scholarships provided on the website. If you have specific questions, contact the Aus4Skills team.
  2. Prepare a list of points that you would like to highlight about yourself, to make sure the interviewers get a good understanding of who you are, your work experience, and your personal and career aspirations.
  3. Review your application, as the interviews usually include a question to clarify or expand something you have written in your application.
  4. Make sure you are familiar with your chosen field of study and chosen university, and are able to justify why you have chosen them.
  5. Think about your career goals and how studying in Australia would be useful for you to achieve those goals.
  6. Make sure you are prepared to discuss with the interview panel how you intend to use the knowledge gained from Australia to make a contribution to your community, organisation or Vietnam as a whole.
  7. Try to prepare for possible questions that you think might be asked at the interview, and examples of your own experiences that you think will be relevant to reference in the interview. Questions are normally open ended and require much more than yes, no or maybe answers. It would be good to prepare and practice responses to such questions. Even if the questions you are asked in the interview are different from the ones you prepared for, practicing will make you more confident and familiar with how to answer questions.
  8. Find a friend or colleague to roleplay an interview with you. You should also take a turn to roleplay the interviewer so you are familiar with what it feels like to ask questions as well as answer them.

During the interview

Depending on the context, interviews might be conducted in person or through live online video interview.

Online interview

If an online interview is required, applicants and interview panel members log into the same video call via Zoom and have the interview in real time.

In-person interview

If the interview is in person, on the day of your interview, you should arrive at the interview venue at least 20 minutes before your scheduled time. This allows time to have your application documents checked and make sure you are not rushed or stressed before commencing. You will be informed about what documents to bring in the interview invitation letter.

There will usually be three interviewers on the panel, who will sit behind a table, and take turns to ask you questions. 

Interview structure 

  1. The interview will be conducted in English. If you have difficulty remembering a word in English or expressing a particular phrase or concept you can ask the Vietnamese member of the panel to assist you.
  2. Be direct and to the point when responding to questions.
  3. If you are presented with a difficult question, take time to understand what is being asked and seek clarification if needed.
  4. Some questions may need you to provide examples in your answer, such as your experience in a particular situation.  When giving examples, it is always better if you talk about your own personal experience.
  5. At the end of the interview, you will be given an opportunity to ask questions or provide comments. Feel free to say something that may not have been discussed but might add important information to your application or interview.

Note:

If you have a disability and require adjustments at the interview, we encourage you to inform one of our staff ahead of time.