2027 Interpreter Scholarship Program
The Interpreter Scholarship Program works to improve the supply, quality and use of language services in Victoria by offering scholarships to eligible students seeking to undertake the following courses, commencing in 2027:
- Diploma of Interpreting
- Advanced Diploma of Interpreting
- Profession Ready Interpreter and Translator course.
Each year, the program includes a range of languages that have been identified as needing more certified interpreters. This year, scholarships are on offer to students seeking to undertake the courses in one of the following languages:
- Diploma: Khmer, Thai and Urdu
- Advanced Diploma: Cantonese, Italian and Spanish
- Profession Ready: Amharic, Burmese, Chin languages, Dari, Dinka, Filipino/Tagalog, Hazaragi, Hindi, Karen, Kayah/Karenni, Macedonian, Oromo, Pashto, Sinhalese, Somali and Swahili. Other new and emerging community languages will also be considered upon application.
Eligibility
The RMIT certifications are suitable for bilingual people who are seeking to learn or develop professional interpreting and translating techniques.
To be eligible for scholarships to support study in 2027, you must:
- live in Victoria
- speak one of the targeted languages
- be an Australian citizen, or have permanent residency (consideration will be given to people seeking asylum)
- apply, meet the RMIT entry requirements and pass screening tests for the RMIT University course (Diploma of Interpreting, Advanced Diploma of Interpreting, Profession Ready Interpreter and Translator course) for the targeted language
- remain enrolled and meet attendance requirements for each unit at RMIT University for the duration of the program
- complete the application and the documentation required for meeting the entry requirements for the eligible RMIT University course by the respective application closing dates
- sit your eligible NAATI test within approximately 12–18 months of course completion in the highest qualification available to you.
Priority will be given to applicants that meet all listed eligibility requirements. Applications may close early once all available scholarships have been fully allocated.
Please note: We require a minimum number of participants for each language.
In cases of low enrolment in the Diploma or the Advanced Diploma program, students may instead be offered the option to enrol in the Profession Ready Interpreter and Translator course.
Supporting information
Information sessions will be made available soon for interested 2027 applicants.
How to apply
Applications for the 2027 Interpreter Scholarship opened on Sunday 9 August 2026. You are required to apply for the scholarship for your chosen interpreting course via the RMIT University online portal.
For more information on eligibility criteria and targeted languages for the 2027 Interpreter Scholarship and how to apply, visit:
- Diploma of Interpreting
- Advanced Diploma of Interpreting
- Profession Ready Interpreter and Translator course.
Supporting Victoria's future interpreters
Since 2003, the Victorian Government has offered scholarships to support students undertaking a range of translating and interpreting courses at RMIT University.
Over the last 20 years, we have helped more than 1500 people gain certification with the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI).
On average, over 66 per cent of Victorian migrants speak a language other than English, and over 33 per cent speak English only (ABS, 2021).
The scholarships aim to bolster Victoria's supply of qualified and certified interpreters so that non-English speakers have better access to crucial government services, such as health care, justice and housing support.
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