Australian Postgraduate Award (APA)
awarded at CurtinUniversity of Technology
Conditions of Award 2006
Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarships are awarded to students of exceptional research potential undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR). APAs are provided to assist with general living costs.
The requirements, conditions and benefits contained in these Conditions apply to students commencing an APA in 2005 and to continuing APA students. If continuing students would be disadvantaged by any condition in these Conditions, in comparison with the relevant condition in the Conditions covering the year their APA was awarded, the original condition will apply.
1.Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for an APA, a student must:
(a)have completed a Bachelor Degree with First Class Honours, or be regarded as having an equivalent level of attainment; and
(b)be undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR); and
(c)be enrolled as a full-time student, unless the student has gained approval for a part-time APA under section 3 of these Conditions; and
(d)be a domestic student; and
(e)if undertaking:
(i)a Research Masters, not hold a Research Doctorate or a Research Masters degree or an equivalent research qualification; or
(ii)a Research Doctorate, not hold a Research Doctorate degree or an equivalent research qualification; and
(f)not previously have held an Australian Government-funded postgraduate research scholarship (excluding an Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship), unless it was terminated within six months of the scholarship’s payments commencing; and
(g)not be receiving an equivalent award, scholarship or salary providing a benefit greater than 75% of the APA stipend rate to undertake the HDR. Income earned from sources unrelated to the course of study is not subject to the 75% rule.
2.Duration of an APA
(a)The duration of a full-time APA is three years for a student undertaking Doctoral studies, and two years for a student undertaking Masters studies. The duration for a part-time APA is six years for doctoral studies and four years for Masters studies.
(b)A Doctoral candidate may apply for a maximum extension of up to six months, provided the student is making satisfactory progress, and the grounds for the extension must relate to the study and be beyond the control of the student.
No extensions are available for Masters candidates.
(c)The duration of an APA will be reduced by any periods of study undertaken:
(i)towards the degree prior to the commencement of the APA; or
(ii)towards the degree during suspension of the APA (unless the study was undertaken as part of an Australian Government financially supportedEndeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship or award); or
(iii)previously while receiving an Australian Postgraduate Course Award (APCA);
3.Part-time APA
(a)Curtin may approve a part-time APA where an applicant has exceptional circumstances, such as:
(i)carer responsibilities for a pre-school child; or
(ii)carer responsibilities for school-aged children as a sole parent with limited access to outside support; or
(iii)carer responsibilities for an invalid or disabled spouse, child or parent; or
(iv)a medical condition, which limits the capacity to undertake full-time study (supported by medical certification).
In approving a part-time award, the institution must be satisfied that the award holder’s circumstances are such that it would not be reasonable to expect the student to study on a full-time basis. Part-time APAs are not available to applicants seeking to undertake paid employment on a full-time, or on a substantial part-time basis, and recipients are subject to the same restrictions on employment as full-time APA holders.
(b)A part-time APA holder is expected to progress at half the rate of a full-time APA holder. The time limits for receipt of a part-time APA are double those for a full-time APA.
(c)APA holders approved to study part-time may revert to full-time study at any time with the permission of the institution.
(d)Stipends for part-time APAs are not tax-exempt.
4.Conversion of Degrees
(a)APA holders may convert from a research Mastersdegreeto a Doctoral degree, or from a Research Doctoral degree to a research Masters research degree and continue to receive their APA.
(b)An APA holder who completes a research Mastersdegree may continue the APA for Doctoral studies provided there is no interval between Masters andDoctoral candidature, or that such an interval is covered by suspension of the APA.
(c)The maximum duration of a converted APA becomes that for the new degree minus periods of study undertaken towards the related degree prior to the conversion.
5.Suspension of an APA
(a)APA holders may apply for a suspension of their APA for up to twelve months. The approval of suspensions will be at the discretion of Curtin.
In exceptional circumstances, students may apply for suspensions beyond twelve months, but any suspensions beyond twelve months must be approved by the Dean, Graduate Studies, who must be satisfied that the exceptional circumstances are beyond the student’s control and warrant a further suspension of the APA.
(b)APA holders will not normally be allowed to suspend their scholarship within six months of taking up the award or prior to having their candidacy approved.
(c)Periods of suspension should be covered by a Leave of Absence to cease the enrolment as periods of study undertaken towards the degree during suspension of the APA must be deducted from the maximum period of its tenure.
6.Transfer of an APA
(a)APAs are allocated to institutions based on their research performance and any request by a student to transfer an award requires the support of both their home institution and the new institution. The decision to grant a transfer is at the discretion of either or both the home institution and the new institution. Transfers will normally be approved only if there are exceptional circumstances relating to the request, such as the student’s supervisor leaving the home institution with no suitable replacement supervisor being available. Transfer arrangements must be agreed between institutions, subject to the APA holder being offered a higher degree place at the new institution.
For students who commenced their APA from 2002 onwards, the new institution must be able to support any such transferring students from within its allocated funding for the APA Scheme and no additional funding will be provided. Transfer arrangements for 2002-onwards students are subject to the new institution agreeing to support the student from within its allocated APA funding. APA funds are not transferable between institutions for 2002-onwards students.
(b)The transfer of an APA does not constitute sufficient grounds for a subsequent extension of the award.
7.Termination
(a)An APA must be terminated:
(i)if the student ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified in section 1 of these Conditions, other than during a period in which the APA has been suspended or during a period of leave in accordance with section 11 of these Conditions;
(ii)if, in the opinion of Curtin, the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the offer of the APA;
(iii)if Curtin determines that a student has committed serious misconduct, including but not limited to the provision of false or misleading information in terms of Section 8 of these Conditions;
(iv)when the student ceases to be a full-time student and when approval has not been obtained from the institution to hold the APA on a part-time basis;
(v)on completion of the course of study, or the death, incapacity, resignation or withdrawal of the student, unless completing a Masters degree and undertaking a Doctoral degree under section 4 of these Conditions;
(vi)if the APA holder does not resume study at the conclusion of a period of suspension, or does not make arrangements to extend that period of suspension;
(vii)if the APA holder fails to maintain satisfactory progress; and/or
(ix)if the APA holder accepts another equivalent award, scholarship or salary to undertake their research higher degree providing a benefit greater than 75% of the base APA stipend rate and the APA holder does not comply with the requirements of Section 9.
(b)If an APA is terminated, it cannot be re-activated unless the termination occurred in error.
8.Provision of False Information
(a)If Curtin University of Technology knows or has reason to believe that a student in receipt of an APA has provided false or misleading information to Curtin University of Technology in relation to the APA, Curtin University of Technology must immediately:
(i)re-assess the student’s entitlement to the APA; and
(ii)notify the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) of the suspected offence and provide a copy of the student’s application and any other relevant information requested by DEST.
9.Stipend and Allowances
9.1Annual APA Stipend
(a)Curtin will provide each full-time APA student with the approved annual stipend of $19,231, which is exempt from taxation. Where a full-time APA student is not enrolled over the full period of the year, because of a late commencement or periods of suspension, Curtin will provide at least the proportion of the annual stipend for the period in which study is undertaken for that year.
(b)Part-time APA holders are only entitled to the approved part-time stipend rate of $10,254. Part-time stipends are not exempt from taxation. The part-time rate is adjusted for taxation so that part-time award holders receive half the amount paid to full-time award holders.
(c)The APA stipend rates are indexed each year in accordance with the Higher Education Operating Grant Index.
(d)APA holders are permitted to:
(i)obtain funds for fieldwork, equipment or other expenses not covered by the award;
(ii)obtain funding for overseas travel costs from other Australian Government awards or any other source; and
(iii)receive income derived from part-time work undertaken within the Conditions set by Curtin.
9.2Relocation allowance
Students may be eligible for a relocation allowance in addition to the annual stipend for the cost of relocating themselves, their spouses and dependants to a new place of residence where this is necessary to enable the student to take up the Higher Degree by Research (HDR) at Curtin.
Relocation Allowance is paid at the rate of $505 per adult and $255 per child up to an absolute maximum of $1,455.
9.3Thesis allowance
(a)Students may be eligible for a thesis allowance in addition to the annual stipend for the cost of producing a Masters or Doctoral thesis. The allowance must be claimed within one year of submission of the thesis and no more than two years after termination of the APA.
(b)The thesis allowance is paid at $375 for a Masters thesis and $750 for a Doctoral thesis. The allowance is a contribution to the costs of production of the thesis and does not include costs such as purchase of computer equipment.
The thesis allowance is also payable for costs associated with the re-submission of a thesis, or the lodgement of bound copies of the thesis following approval, provided that the claim is made within one year of the re-submission or lodgement date. The combined total of allowances for submission and re-submission must not exceed the approved maximum amount.
(c)In exceptional circumstances, students may apply for a waiver of the relevant time limit on claiming the thesis allowance with any decision remaining at the discretion of Curtin. Curtin must be satisfied that the exceptional circumstances were beyond the student’s control and warrant an extension of the period in which a thesis allowance may be claimed.
9.4Allowance claims
Curtin will make reimbursement payments to APA students on provision of receipts and or tax invoices for all payments. Students will receive full reimbursement for the eligible claims they make, up to the approved maximum amount. This includes reimbursement for any GST amounts specified in the receipts provided.
10.Eligibility for Concurrent Awards or Scholarships
(a)An APA holder may receive a concurrent award or scholarship to undertake their research higher degree if:
(i)the concurrent award or scholarship provides a benefit less than 75% of the base APA stipend rate; or
(ii)the APA is suspended for the period of the concurrent award or scholarship and the period of study undertaken towards the research higher degree during suspension of the APA is deducted from the maximum period of its tenure.
(b)Income earned from sources unrelated to the course of study is not subject to the 75% rule.
11.Tuition Fees Exemption During Award
All scholarship holders will also receive a Research Training Scheme (RTS) place for the duration of the scholarship. The RTS provides a waiver of tuition fees associated with the chosen degree program.
12.Leave Entitlements
(a)Curtin will grant an APA holder the following leave entitlements.
(i)APA holders are entitled to up to 20 working days paid recreation leave and 10 working days paid sick leave for each year of the APA. The entitlements may be accrued over the life of the APA but will be forfeited when the APA is terminated.
(ii)Students are entitled to receive additional paid sick leave of up to a total of twelve weeks during the life of the APA for periods of illness lasting longer than ten days, for which a medical certificate has been provided.
Sick leave entitlements (including additional sick leave) may also be used to cover leave for students with family responsibilities.
(iii)Students who have completed 12 months of their APA are entitled to a maximum of 12 weeks paid maternity leave during the duration of the APA. Periods of paid maternity leave are in addition to the normal duration of the APA. APA holders who have not completed twelve months of their award may access unpaid maternity leave through the suspension provisions. Paid leave may also be approved if the student has adopted a child.
(iv)Students who are partners of women giving birth and who have complete 12 months of their APA, may be entitled to a period of parenting leave at the time of the birth or adoption.
13.Employment
(a)APA holders may undertake part-time work subject to their Supervisor being satisfied that the work will not interfere with the student’s study program.
There is no limit on how much income an award holder can receive from part-time work. However, this income will not be tax-exempt.
(b)A full-time student is permitted to undertake a limited amount of part-time paid employment during the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday: no more than 8 hours of employment per week throughout the year apart from periods of annual leave (4 weeks) and the Christmas/New Year closure. Paid employment hours include preparation time.
(c)Fractional-time or casual academic-equated appointments will not be permitted unless there is compliance with 13 (b).
(d)Volunteer work or service to University committees will not be permitted unless there is compliance with 13 (b)
(e)The University does not require scholarship holders to undertake employment.
14.Research Overseas
(a)The University may approve students conducting up to 12 months of their research outside Australia. Approval will only be granted if the research is essential for completion of the degree.
(b)The University will only approve overseas research if there is adequate supervision, the student remains enrolled and the work can be credited to the student's postgraduate program.
(c)The student must have gained candidacy prior to undertaking research overseas.
15.Research at Other Organisations
The University may approve a student conducting substantial amounts of research at organisations outside the higher education system provided that adequate support, supervision, training, and research freedom for the student is available at the other organisation and on the understanding that the University will still be responsible for the student.
16.Specific Curtin Obligations
(a)The University has a code of supervision of postgraduate research degrees.
(b)The University will be fair and equitable in the use of its discretionary powers.
(c)The right of students to appeal against decisions is recognised. The University will advise students of appropriate appeal mechanisms for resolution of any disputes which might arise during their candidature.
(d)The University will pay the student all entitlements under the award.
17.Specific Student Obligations
(a)Students shall diligently and to the best of their ability apply themselves to the successful completion of the degree.
(b)The student shall abide by the NH&MRC Codes on Human and Animal Experimentation, Conditions established by the Australian Government's Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee, and rulings of the Safety and Ethics committees of the University.
(c)An award holder is required to conform to the regulations (including disciplinary provisions) of the University.
(d)Students must provide all reports required by the University including an annual progress report submitted through the Divisional Graduate Studies Officer (DGSO). If the University does not consider that progress is satisfactory the award will be terminated or the student placed on conditional status.