University College Postgraduate Research Scholarship (UCPRS) (Stipend based)

Information and Guidelines for Award Holders

Introduction
A limited number of University College Postgraduate Research Scholarships (UCPRS) are available to postgraduate research students each year. UCPRS are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and research potential. Students should be aware that the scheme is subject to review at any time.

Selection Process
Selection is based on academic merit and research potential. Competition for awards is intense and in recent years all new award holders had degrees of Honours 1 standard or its equivalent. Students completing an Honours degree are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply
Applicants wishing to study at UNSW@ADFA who have applied for an IPRS or APA are automatically considered for a UCPRS and do not need to submit a separate UCPRS application. Consistent with application procedures at UNSW, there are two annual application rounds. Applications must be lodged with the Research Office by 30 April or 31 October.

Please see the Information and Guidelines for Award Holders for further details.

Photocopies must be certified by a Justice of the Peace or a member of staff of the Research Office or the proposed School.

Transcripts should indicate that all the requirements for the degree have been completed. They should also include a copy of the official grading system and, if possible, the Honours result to ensure accurate ranking.

Students are responsible for providing their referees with the academic report forms. Students are strongly advised to check with referees prior to the closing date to ensure that the reports have been sent to the College. Two referees' reports should be sent to the Research Office as soon as possible and no later than 30 April or 31 October. Referees must send their reports directly to the Research Office. Applications will not be processed without referees' reports.

Students are required to contact the Head of the School in which they wish to carry out the research, to discuss the suitability of the proposed program of study and the availability of a supervisor.

An application for scholarship requires the submission of an application for admission to postgraduate studies. Forms are available on the web. Unsuccessful applications will be destroyed after one year.

Eligibility

Awards are only available to students who:

• will undertake a full-time Masters by Research or PhD on campus;
• have completed at least four years of higher education;

For example:

• a four year bachelor degree
• a three year bachelor degree plus an Honours year
  (or Masters preliminary or equivalent postgraduate qualification)
• two three year degrees
  Awards are only available to students who:

Preference will not be given to students who:

• have already completed a Masters by Research degree or its equivalent unless they are proposing to undertake a PhD;
• have already completed a PhD by research or its equivalent;
• have already held an APA, APAI(Industry), or an Australian Government funded Postgraduate Research Award.

Tenure
The award is normally provided for three years for a PhD and two years for a Masters by research.

PhD students may be granted an extension of up to six months if their research is delayed by circumstances beyond their control. The circumstances must relate to the research and not be of a personal nature. Any application for extension requires the support of the supervisor and Head of School and is granted at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Research) or nominee through the Research Office.

Students should commence the award by the beginning of the appropriate academic Session. In exceptional circumstances students can seek deferral for up to one Session. Requests for deferral are considered on merit and cannot be assumed.

Benefits

Stipend
Award holders will receive an annual award of the current APA stipend rate with an additional top-up of $1200. The stipend is paid in fortnightly instalments. Scholarships can not be converted into a lump-sum payment.

Thesis Allowance
An award holder who submits his/her thesis may claim the allowance upon submission or not more than six months after termination of the award. The award provides up to $420 for a Masters thesis and $840 for a PhD for costs associated with the production of up to 6 copies of the thesis. All claims must be validated by official receipts and will be verified before processing. Only genuine claims will be met. All claims require the approval of the Associate Dean (Research) or nominee.

Relocation Expenses
Where the award holder must move between Australian cities to take up the award, a claim may be submitted for the student, his/her spouse and dependants for:

• Travel Allowance within Australia up to a maximum amount equivalent to the economy class or student airfare for the scholarship holder, spouse and any dependants to the new city; or
• Removal Expenses within Australia of $490 for each adult and $245 for each child - with a maximum claim of $1415.00.

Travel and removal expenses are considered at the discretion of the Associate Dean (Research) or nominee and should not be assumed.

Leave Arrangements

Leave (except sick and maternity leave), approval of overseas study and suspension of the award may only be requested after the award holder has been in receipt of the assistance for at least six months.

Recreation Leave
Up to 20 days a year will be approved at a time agreed to by the supervisor. Recreation leave can be accrued but must be taken during the period of tenure.

Suspension
An award holder may request suspension of the award for up to 12 months. Where the student is able to demonstrate that he/she is unable to return to study, the suspension maybe extended for a limited period. Where the suspension is due to illness a medical certificate must be provided. Periods of study undertaken towards the degree during a period of suspension of the award, must be deducted from the maximum period of time. Before a scholarship can be restored after suspension the student and supervisor will need to complete a "Commencement of Study" form and confirm the recommencement date. Failure to resume studies after an approved period of suspension will result in termination of the award.

Sick Leave
Recipients are eligible for up to 10 days sick leave each year and this may be accrued. If these limits are exceeded, an additional 12 week period of suspension may be available. Periods of sick leave in excess of the 10 days annual entitlement will result in an extension of the award. Where a scholarship recipient is required to take sick leave to care for a sick child or family member, the leave will be considered 'sick leave'.

Primary Carer Leave
Once UCPRS holders have completed twelve months of their award, they are entitled to a maximum of twelve weeks paid primary carer leave during the tenure of the award. Periods of paid primary carer leave are in addition to the normal duration of the UCPRS. UCPRS holders who have not completed twelve months of their award may access unpaid primary carer leave through the suspension provisions.

Transfer of Awards

• Masters to Phd

A Masters by research award may be converted to a PhD award or vice-versa provided the student's progress merits it, the topic is deemed to be suitable and the College has funds available. The award cannot be extended to cover the PhD if there is a break in the award between completion of the scholarship for the Masters program and the upgrade to the PhD.

• Between Institutions

This award is not tenable at any other institution or any other campus of UNSW.

Other Sources of Income
Students are permitted to undertake employment or receive income only with the permission of their supervisor and Head of School. The employment or source of income must not interfere with their research or their ability to undertake full-time study. Income from employment or another source, that is paid to support the research, cannot exceed $13,500 per annum. The award holder can elect to suspend their award if they receive income that exceeds the allowance limit. However, if they continue to undertake study, the period of study will be deducted from the duration of their award on resumption of the award.

Relinquishment
An award will be terminated two weeks after the thesis is submitted or at the end of the award, whichever is the earlier.

The award will be terminated:

• if the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or the student is not fulfilling obligations or has not met the criteria for satisfactory progress; or
• when the student ceases to be a full-time research student; or
• on the death, incapacity, resignation or withdrawal of the student, or
• if the cumulative periods of suspension exceeds twelve months, and prior approval has not been obtained for further suspension, or
• if the student is absent from study without the prior approval of their supervisor, or
• if the student fails to return to study after an approved period of leave, suspension or overseas study, or
• if the student accepts another equivalent scholarship award or salary which is payable for the research and provides a benefit greater than $13,500 per annum, or which is not approved by the supervisor.

An award holder is required to give at least 14 days notice of the intention to voluntarily relinquish the award.

Obligations of Award Holders
The student must advise the Research Office within 14 days of any change to the information provided in connection with their application, eg. a change of address, the intention to suspend their award or periods of illness. Students must advise Student Administrative Services when they are about to submit their thesis.

Students must diligently apply themselves to the successful completion of the degree and comply with degree conditions.

Renewal
Each year the student, the supervisor and the Head of School will be asked if renewal of the award is required and recommended.

Both the supervisor and Head of School must approve applications by candidates for an extension of the award.

UCPRS Application form (82kb)

UCPRS Academic Referee's Report (98kb)