Acronyms

1. Introduction

The Higher Education Targeted Research Programme provides funding to teams or individuals for worthy and high quality research through several application-based and formula-driven grant schemes. These schemes aim to maintain and strengthen Australia’s knowledge base and research capabilities by developing an effective research and research training system, focused on the higher education sector.

2. Objectives

The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) Scheme aims to:

• attract top quality international postgraduate students to areas of research strength in higher education institutions; and
• support Australia's research effort.

3. Description

The IPRS Scheme was established to maintain and develop international research linkages. It is publicised in overseas countries (except New Zealand).

Under the IPRS Scheme, students are offered the opportunity to obtain a postgraduate qualification and to gain experience with leading Australian researchers. The scholarships are available to international students, at either PhD or Masters level, who will undertake quality (fundamental or applied) research.

The requirements, conditions and benefits contained in these guidelines apply to students commencing in 2000 and to continuing IPRS students. If continuing students would be disadvantaged by any condition in these guidelines, in comparison with the relevant condition in the guidelines covering the year of their IPRS, the original condition will apply.

3.1 Funding

The IPRS Scheme annually supports 300 new scholarships. Each participating institution is provided with a quota to offer to the most highly qualified applicants.

Funding allocations are determined using a formula which gives equal weight to international research higher degree load and completions, each taken over the two most recent years for which data are available. The number of students given scholarships in the current year and the preceding three years is also taken into account.

A scholarship covers tuition fees at individual institutions and health insurance premiums for a period of two years for a Masters by research degree and three years for a PhD degree, with a possible extension in certain circumstances. IPRS do not provide for living allowances, travel, thesis expenses, the cost of English language testing or tuition fees for bridging or ELICOS courses.

Institutions may, at their discretion, provide benefits from their own funds additional to those provided by the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).

4.1 Applicant eligibility

To be eligible for an IPRS, applicants must:

• be citizens of any overseas country except New Zealand;
• have commenced full-time study for a higher degree by research in the year for which the award is to be allocated. The degree must be undertaken at one of the participating Australian higher education institutions, as listed at Appendix 1;
• be enrolled in an area of research concentration. These are areas in which the participating institution has particular strength, has concentrated its research resources and has attracted external funding;
• satisfy all institutional academic entry requirements for a Masters by research or Doctoral programme, including the English proficiency levels set by individual institutions for international students;
• not hold a PhD degree deemed the equivalent of an Australian PhD degree;
• not hold an Australian-equivalent Masters by research degree if seeking an IPRS to undertake a Masters programme;
• not be studying currently on a scholarship sponsored by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and seeking to apply for an IPRS scholarship for the period immediately following the AusAID-funded study.

A student may be awarded a second IPRS to undertake a PhD if the previous IPRS was for a Masters by research degree that was completed. The second IPRS must be counted against the quota allocated to the institution for the year for which the scholarship is awarded.

This requirement may be waived where a student completes his/her first IPRS during the year and immediately proceeds to a PhD in the same year. In this case, the second IPRS should be counted against the quota allocated to the institution for the following year. The maximum period of tenure for the second IPRS is reduced by the amount of time the student has already been enrolled for the PhD in the previous year.

4.2 Cross-scheme eligibility

Scholarship holders may concurrently receive a stipend or living allowance or any other type of allowance from any source, except:

• an Australian Government scholarship scheme (for example, the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, the Australian-European Awards Programme, the Development Training Programme, Australian Development Cooperation Scholarships (ADCOS); or
• any scheme to which the Australian Government makes a substantial contribution (such as the Fulbright Programme).

5.1 Application procedure

Applicants must apply directly to participating institutions, as listed at Appendix 1, which are responsible for the receipt and processing of applications.

5.2 Timetable

6.1 Selection procedure

Applications are ranked in order of academic merit by participating institutions, taking into account the eligibility criteria.

6.2 Offer of grant

The institution:

• makes offers of scholarships directly to applicants; and
• submits a Selection list to DEST, by 1 May of the year for which the scholarship was awarded, of those students who have accepted a scholarship. This information is to be provided on the Selection list proforma available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/aiprss.htm

Offers may be made for commencement of the award in either semester 1 or semester 2. The award of an IPRS is tied to the specific and unconditional offer of placement by the participating institution in a full-time postgraduate research degree programme.

Institutions are reminded of their obligation to ensure that students are made aware of the conditions of their enrolment and the rules and responsibilities that come with the scholarship.

Confirmation of the IPRS is subject to the written acceptance of the offer of scholarship by the student.

Scholarships which are declined, or terminated in semester 1, may be offered to other applicants in rank order, within the institution’s allocation, provided the students are able to commence by

31 August of that year.

6.3 Conditions of grant

Applicants should familiarise themselves with the Conditions of Grant which are available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/aiprss.htm

6.3.1 Tenure

An IPRS award may be held, initially, for:

• six semesters to support a PhD programme; or
• four semesters to support a Masters by research programme.

The scholarship is to commence on or after 1 January 2000. It is expected that all awardees will have commenced study by the start of semester 2.

No IPRS holder should commence study after 31 August of the year for which the scholarship was awarded. If exceptional and documented circumstances prevent a student commencing by this date, the matter should be referred to DEST for consideration.

6.3.2 Extension of the scholarship

An institution may grant an IPRS holder an extension of up to two semesters, one semester at a time. Approval cannot be given for a second (additional) semester extension before work has commenced in the first. The institution must be satisfied that the grounds for extension are beyond the control of the candidate and are related to his or her studies rather than of a personal nature such as sick leave.

When an application for a second (additional) semester extension is approved by the institution, the institution must advise DEST of the extension by completing the proforma at Appendix 2 which requires a statement from the Chair of the Scholarships, or Higher Degree, Committee.

No DEST-funded support is possible under this Scheme:

• beyond eight semesters for a PhD student; or
• beyond six semesters for a Masters student.

6.3.3 Suspension of the scholarship

An institution may agree to the suspension of a scholarship for a cumulative period of up to twelve months during the tenure of an IPRS award. Grounds for suspension should be in accordance with the usual practice of the institution in relation to students on similar awards. Failure of the IPRS holder to resume study or to make arrangements to extend a period of suspension will result in the award being terminated.

In exceptional circumstances an IPRS holder can request a further extension up to a maximum of an additional twelve months. The institution must apply to the Executive Manager, Programme Management Group, Research Branch, DEST, to seek the Minister's approval of the suspension.

The application will only be considered if there are exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the student.

A suspension, or accumulated periods of suspension, of more than twelve months' duration without the written permission of the Minister will be a breach of these guidelines and the IPRS will be terminated immediately.

6.3.4 Termination of the scholarship

An IPRS will be terminated:

• if the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the offer of scholarship, and no suitable alternative arrangements can be made for continuation of the postgraduate degree;
• when the student ceases to be a full-time research student;
• on the death, incapacity, resignation or withdrawal of the student;
• upon the granting of Permanent Resident status to the student. An IPRS should not be terminated on application for Permanent Resident status even if, pending the outcome of the application, the student is transferred by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) from a student visa to a temporary resident visa; or
• if the IPRS holder does not resume study at the conclusion of a period of suspension or does not make arrangements to extend that period of suspension.

DEST must be advised of terminations in the Annual Report.

6.3.5 Transfer of course

An institution may approve a student's request to change from the research area indicated in the original placement/scholarship offer, providing:

• the new research area is one of the areas of research concentration in that institution; and
• there will be no extension of the period of the new course arising from the change of research area beyond the period of the original placement/scholarship offer, including any previously approved extensions. The only exception to this rule is where the change of research area results from circumstances relating to the research which are outside the control of the student and the institution.

The institution is required to include advice on any such changes in the Annual Report.

6.3.6 Transfer of an IPRS between participating institutions

If unforeseen and exceptional circumstances arise, such as the student’s supervisor leaving the institution and no suitable replacement being available, the student may request a transfer to another institution, provided that at least six months of the study programme has been completed.

If, within the first six months of the study programme, exceptional circumstances make it impossible for an IPRS holder to continue studying at the institution which provided the grant, the Scholarships Officer should refer the issue to DEST for consideration.

Transfer arrangements are agreed between institutions, subject to the IPRS holder being offered a research degree place at the new institution. Details of individual transfers must be included in the Annual Report submitted to DEST so that funding adjustments can be made.

If the new course cost is greater than the old course cost, the receiving institution must first seek DEST approval for the transfer detailing the circumstances surrounding the transfer.

The transfer of an IPRS does not constitute sufficient grounds for a subsequent extension of the grant.

6.3.7 Conversion between Masters and Doctoral awards

IPRS holders may convert from a Masters degree by research to a PhD degree, or from a PhD degree to a Masters degree by research, during the tenure of the award. The maximum award duration of a converted award becomes that for the new candidature.

6.3.8 Visa entitlements and requirements

Visa entitlements and requirements are at Appendix 3.

6.3.9 Health care cover

Details of the arrangements for Overseas Student Health Cover are at Appendix 4.

6.3.10 Course tuition fees

Students must be enrolled in courses that are registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) and DEST will pay only the course tuition fees specified on the CRICOS. Institutions are responsible for checking that the information on the CRICOS is correct. Fees set out in the institution’s letter of offer to students and in the Annual Report must be the same as those advised to DEST for the CRICOS.

6.3.11 School education for dependants

As Australian Government-funded scholarship holders, IPRS students are not required to pay the national fee for any of their dependants attending government primary and secondary schools in Australia.

Dependants of IPRS students may be offered places in Australian schools on the same basis as Australian students in government schools.

6.3.12 Employment

IPRS holders may undertake limited paid part-time work but this must not interfere with their study programme (which must be full-time) and cannot be accepted as grounds for an extension of the scholarship.

6.3.13 Compulsory general service and student union fees

An IPRS covers:

• only compulsory fees, such as student union or activity fees; and
• costs associated with overseas fieldwork only if they have been included in the tuition fee reported to DEST for the CRICOS. Where an institution does not include them on the CRICOS, the letter of offer must state that the prospective student will be responsible for the payment of these costs.

7.1 Reporting requirements

Institutions are required to submit to DEST:

• an Annual Report on the use and expenditure of grant funds by 1 March for the previous grant year. Details of the requirements for the Annual Report are at Appendix 5; and
• a Selection list of IPRS acceptances for the current year intake by 1 May. Details of the requirements for the Selection list are at Appendix 6.

DEST reserves the right to suspend payment of further instalments of any current grant until the appropriate reports have been received.

7.1.1 Failure to provide reports

Where an institution fails to submit satisfactory reports, as required, the Minister may, under section 108 of the HEFA, determine that funds have not been used in accordance with conditions applicable to the grant, and that all or part of the grant must be repaid. In this case, DEST may withhold the remainder of the institution's payments under the Scheme for the current year or initiate recovery of grant moneys.

7.2 Monitoring and evaluation

The progress of IPRS students must be monitored on a regular basis by institutions.

Reviews of ARC/DEST schemes are undertaken periodically, as deemed necessary. Persons nominated by DEST are to be given full access to all accounts, records, documents and premises relevant to the research being funded by DEST.

7.3.1 Payments

The Scheme operates on a calendar year and funding is calculated on a per semester basis, to a maximum course duration. Payments will be made to institutions fortnightly in accordance with section 111 of the HEFA. Funds must be used only for purposes approved under the Scheme otherwise they must be returned. Any interest earned by institutions from funds held may be used to offset the cost of administering the Scheme.

Details of the conditions for payment of IPRS students’ fees are at Appendix 7.

7.3.2 Acquittals

Any refunds due to DEST, or claims for additional expenditure, will be offset against the current year’s granting allocation, following advice provided in the Annual Report.

8.1 Roles and responsibilities

Broadly, roles and responsibilities under the Higher Education Targeted Research Programme are as follows.

8.1.1 The Minister

The Minister for Education, Science and Training, under the Higher Education Funding Act 1988 (HEFA), has responsibility for approving:

• the mechanism for allocation of funds awarded for research;
• research funding schemes' objectives, guidelines and associated conditions;
• the expenditure, carryover and recovery of Research Programme funds; and
• variations to grants and the reallocation of unused funds.

8.1.2 Australian Research Council

The ARC, under the Employment, Education and Training Act 1988, provides advice on research policy, and recommendations on the allocation of funding resources, to the Minister.

8.1.3 DEST staff

Staff of the Higher Education Research Branch, DEST, on behalf of the Minister’s delegates, are responsible for:

• providing advice to the Minister on the allocative mechanisms;
• providing advice to the Minister, the ARC and institutions on the operation of the schemes; and
• administering the range of research funding schemes and mechanisms, including providing secretariat support to the ARC during selection meetings.

8.1.4 Higher education institutions and other organisations

Research Offices of higher education institutions and other organisations are the first points of contact for parties interested in grant opportunities and are responsible for:

• maintaining records on the receipt and expenditure of grant funds;
• exercising quality control over grant applications; and
• ensuring compliance with grant conditions.

8.2 Privacy of individuals

Documents containing personal information are handled and protected in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act 1988 which sets standards for the collection, storage, use and disclosure of, and access to, personal information. Personal information is disclosed only with permission of the individual to whom it relates or where the Act allows.

8.3 Freedom of information

All documents are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 unless exempt in accordance with the provisions of the Act.

8.4 Confidentiality

Information contained in applications is regarded as confidential unless otherwise stated and will be received and treated as confidential by DEST, the ARC, institutions and assessors.

8.5 Intellectual property

The institution must adhere to an intellectual property policy, approved by the institution’s governing body, which has as one of its aims the maximisation of national benefits arising from research.

8.6 Insurance and liabilities

By accepting funds under an ARC/DEST research scheme, institutions agree to indemnify the Commonwealth from any expense arising from any action that may be made or brought against the Commonwealth resulting from activities funded under the Scheme. Institutions are responsible for taking out appropriate insurance.

8.7 Contact points

For further information, the institution’s Scholarships Office should be contacted in the first instance.

General information on the IPRS and other ARC/DEST grant schemes is available at:

Web site address: http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/aiprss.htm

Higher Education Institutions in Receipt of Commonwealth Funding on a Triennial Basis

Appendix 2: Notification to DEST of additional extension

This notification is in respect of an IPRS student’s second semester extension (bringing the total scholarship tenure to a maximum of 8 semesters for a PhD student or 6 semesters for a Masters student)

Institution: ……………………………………………………………………………………………..…

Student name (family name, given name/s): .…………………………………………………………..

Date of birth: ………………………..

Course (PhD, Masters): ……………. Date course commenced: ..……………………………

Statement from the Chair of the Scholarships, or Higher Degree, Committee

The above student’s application for a second semester extension of IPRS has been approved.

I confirm that the student has met the requirements necessary for such an extension as set out in the IPRS Guidelines ie. the institution is satisfied that the grounds for extension are beyond the control of the candidate and are related to his or her studies rather than of a personal nature.

In approving the above application, I am satisfied that the need for an extension does not arise from inadequate supervision or facilities and that the institution has met the requirements of the IPRS guidelines in respect of the expected level of postgraduate research support.

Signature: ………………………………………………….. Date: …………………………

Name (block letters): ……………………………………………………

Position: …………………………………………………………………

Confirmation of enrolment

The institution is required to provide the student with a duly authorised Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) to enable the student to apply for a visa to enter Australia.

The COE must not be sent until written acceptance of the scholarship offer has been received from the student.

• Students and their dependants who meet requirements are issued with Class 560 visas which permit multiple entry.
• Students who are planning to depart and return to Australia at any time during their course should ensure that they hold a valid visa for re-entry.

Visa for ‘package’ course

For students who require pre-course English Language Training (ELT), the placement offer is considered to be a "package" course where:

• all elements of the study programme have been arranged and approved in advance by the offering institution; and
• the student provides a COE for the ELT programme and evidence of provisional enrolment in the principal course.

Waiver of fees

IPRS students are not required to pay for visa application fees for themselves and their dependants because they are sponsored by the Australian Government.

Extension of stay

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure they hold a valid visa while in Australia. If a visa expires, the student may be removed from Australia

Where a student is granted an extension to their IPRS, they are also normally required to renew their student visa. Under new arrangements, international students are required to have a medical check up before applying for a renewal of their visa. The compulsory medical examination and X-ray are administered through Health Services Australia (HSA) and in 1999 the cost was between $160 and $200 per person. Further details can be obtained from the HSA web site at:

http://www.healthoz.com.au/

Appendix 4: Health care cover

IPRS students and their dependants are required to join the Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) scheme.

DEST meets the OSHC costs on behalf of the students and their dependants.

The arrangements and conditions relating to OSHC are set out in the Memorandum of Understanding Concerning the Operation of the Overseas Student Health Cover, to which the signatories are DEST, the former Department of Health, Housing and Community Services, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Health Insurance Commission.

For detailed information on OSHC provisions, brochures are available from Medibank Private.

The Annual Report, covering the period 1 January to 31 December, is due on 1 March of the year after the funding is received and must include:

• the total annual amount paid by the institution to IPRS holders;
  
• a list of all current IPRS holders, grouped by year of award and alphabetically within years. Refer only to students previously notified to DEST on the institutional Selection list as awarded an IPRS, plus any transferees;
  
• the name of the former institution if a student has transferred in;
  
• details of the annual course cost, actual course cost and the amount of Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC) paid for each IPRS holder;
  
• confirmation of the report’s correctness by the senior Scholarships Officer and by the Bursar of the institution (or equivalent senior financial officer);
  
• information consistent with the audited statements provided by the institution to DEST in accordance with sub-section 23(5) of the HEFA;
  
• details of variations including suspensions, extensions and transfers (in and out); and

• details of IPRS holders who have withdrawn or relinquished their awards, including the date the award ceased and, if the award is re-allocated, details of the new IPRS holder.

The report must be provided on the proforma available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/aiprss.htm

and be transmitted to DEST by ‘ftp’ or as a file attachment to an e-mail.

In addition, a signed hard copy is required.

Appendix 6: Requirements for the Selection list

The Selection list, which shows the ranking of eligible applicants by academic merit for the current year, is due on 1 May. It must be provided on the proforma available on the World Wide Web at:

http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/aiprss.htm

and be transmitted to DEST by ‘ftp’ or as a file attachment to an e-mail.

In addition, a hard copy, certified correct and signed and dated by the Chair of the institution’s Selection Committee (or delegate), whose official position appears below the person’s signature, is required.

The Selection list should include all students who have accepted a scholarship and sufficient reserves, based on previous history and the number of scholarships allocated to the institution, to cover withdrawals.

Details that must be included in the Selection list

Rank (Column 1) - Rank number eg. 1, 2, ....20

Family name (Column 2)

Given name/s (Column 3)

Gender (Column 4) - M or F

Date of birth (Column 5) - dd/mm/yy

Country of citizenship (Column 6)

Course name (Column 7) - as listed in the institution’s handbook

RFCD (Column 8) - Research Fields, Courses and Disciplines classification (6-digit code) in the Australian Standard Research Classification 1998 published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics

SEO (Column 9) - Socio-Economic Objective classification (6-digit code) in the Australian Standard Research Classification 1998 published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Level (Column 10) - Level of the course: PhD, PD (Professional Doctorate) or M (Masters)

Payment of fees for IPRS students who obtain permanent resident status in Australia

An IPRS student who is granted permanent resident status in Australia has a liability under the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS).

Permanent resident status is recognised from the date stamped on the student's passport, not the date on which the application for permanent resident status was lodged.

DEST will not pay the semester tuition fees when an IPRS student has:

• obtained permanent resident status by the census date for that semester; and
• satisfied section 41 of the Higher Education Funding Act 1988, that is, completed a HECS Payment Options Form at enrolment, and by the census date.

If an IPRS student obtains permanent resident status after the census date in a semester, the student will be classified as an international student for the remainder of that semester and DEST will pay the tuition fees applying to the student for that semester. From the following semester, the student will be classified as a permanent resident and must cease to be an IPRS holder. This information should be provided to DEST in the Annual Report.

Payment of fees in cases of late withdrawal

DEST will cover the semester tuition fees of a student who withdraws from a course for whatever reason after the HECS census date (31 March for first semester; 31 August for second semester).

Partial payment of fees

In cases where an IPRS scholarship has not been re-allocated to another student, DEST will cover partial tuition fees if a student:

• after accepting an offer of a place, gives a minimum of four weeks' written notice before the commencement of the semester of an inability to undertake the course. DEST will cover an administrative fee of up to 10 per cent of the semester tuition fees; or
• withdraws from a course for whatever reason within the first four teaching weeks of the semester. DEST will cover 50 per cent of the tuition fees for the semester (including an administrative fee of up to 10 per cent).

The policy on partial payment applies equally to commencing students and continuing students.

Circumstances in which fees are not payable

DEST will not provide funds for students:

• who do not take up the scholarship, if that scholarship has been re-allocated to another student; or
• whose offer of a place is withdrawn by the institution or the institution is unable to provide the degree course; or
• (for continuing students) who fail to meet progression rules and are thus not permitted to re-enrol.