Frequently Asked Questions About the Research Block Grants

I have a student who receives an APA part-time because she has family commitments. She is now applying for maternity leave. Should the entitlement to maternity leave of 12 weeks be treated as a hard limit of 12 weeks or should it be treated as 12 weeks Full-Time Equivalent (FTE), giving 24 weeks part-time?

All APA periods specified for full-time students should be treated as FTE for part-time students.

I want data on the success rate of students applying for APAs. Where can I find this on your website?

DEST does not maintain records of APA applicants because HEPs administer the scheme on our behalf. You may be able to obtain data by approaching the HEPs directly.

How much will my university receive from DEST for each RTS place?

The Department does not fund individual RTS places. Eligible HEPs are allocated a “block” of funding each year to support the most students they can within the funding envelope.

I have seen documents with data on high and low cost courses for the RTS. Where can I find the latest data.

DEST no longer uses this data to calculate RTS funding since the removal of the separations element from the RTS formula.

I am a researcher and I'm interested in historical data on competitive grants obtained by universities. Can you supply me with detailed data for every university?

DEST does not publish detailed data gathered through the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC). Universities Australia   has collated historical data which can be found on their research page.

If you can’t find the information you need in these Frequently Asked Questions or on the programme web pages at www.dest.gov.au/research/rbgrants, you can write to us at the following email addresses:

• Research Block Grants: RBGrants@dest.gov.au  
• Overseas students: AEIhotline@dest.gov.au
• Higher education student and staff data: university.statistics@dest.gov.au  

If a new edition from a previously claimed book has “substantial new knowledge and constitutes original research” then it can be counted as a book providing it meets all other requirements.

Can I obtain HERDC research publication data for universities on a discipline code basis for the year?

No. The HERDC only collects aggregate numbers of Books, Book Chapters and Journal Articles and Conference Papers.

A researcher from this university has published a research book in a country that does not use ISBNs but rather their own system of book registration numbers. Can this system be accepted for the purpose of the HERDC count?

No. DEST does not accept any other book registration number other than the International Standard Book Number (ISBN).

I am a university administrator and one of our researchers made a substantial contribution to an encyclopaedia. Can we report this in our HERDC return?

You will need to determine if the encyclopaedia article meets all the requirements for a Book Chapter under the HERDC specification. If it does, it can be reported in the HERDC return.

I am a university administrator and one of our externally funded research projects was cancelled and we repaid all the money we received. How do I report this in the HERDC return?

You should reduce the amount of the relevant income category by the amount you have repaid and report a negative amount if required.

Following consultation with the Higher Education Sector, the department has not maintained the Register of Refereed Journals since 31 December 2005. Individual Universities are now responsible for determining whether a Journal satisfies the criteria in accordance with the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) specification.

Australian Postgraduate Awards are only available to Australian citizens, permanent residents or New Zealand citizens undertaking a Higher Degree by Research (HDR). Information on the support available to overseas students can be obtained by writing to: AEIHotline@dest.gov.au

I am a student who will be undertaking HDR studies full-time while working part-time in an area directly related to my area of study. Does the 75% rule apply to this income?

No. The 75% rule removes your APA eligibility only if your salary is paid to undertake the HDR and is greater than 75% of the APA stipend rate for that year.

If the scholarship is paid to undertake the HDR you are not eligible to continue receiving an APA because you have grant or stipend income greater than 75% of the APA rate.

I am a PhD student receiving an APA and working part-time. How much can I earn before it affects my APA?

There is no restriction in the APA guidelines on how much you can earn from paid employment as long as you are not receiving the salary to undertake your HDR. Your higher education provider may have rules limiting paid employment, so you should also check with them.

DEST does not publish application forms for APAs because HEPs administer the scheme on our behalf. Each individual HEP has their own application procedures and methods for determining which students will receive an APA, so you will need to contact your HEP for assistance. General information on scholarships can be found at http://www.goingtouni.gov.au  

Scholarships paid to full-time students for educational purposes are treated as exempt income under Section 51-10 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. APAs are paid for educational purposes but it is your responsibility to determine if your circumstances meet all the requirements laid down by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

I have to pay tax on my part-time APA. Won’t I be financially disadvantaged compared to a full-time student?

The part-time APA rate includes an additional amount to compensate for the tax liability likely to be incurred by part-time students.

DEST does not control the tax status of scholarship income. This is determined by the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 which is administered by the ATO.

The ATO has indicated that it is the status of the student rather than the scholarships that is important.  Scholarships paid to full-time students for educational purposes are treated as exempt income tax under Section 51-10 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. It is your responsibility to determine if you are considered a full-time student by your HEP and if your circumstances meet all the requirements laid down by the ATO.

Centrelink is the organisation that can advise you of any impact that APA income may have on your entitlements. They can be contacted through their website www.centrelink.gov.au  

Can I take leave, including maternity leave, whilst receiving an APA?

Yes, the APA guidelines contain provisions covering leave entitlement but these are applied at the discretion of your HEP. You should contact the graduate studies office to see what leave you may apply for.

Applications should be made directly to the higher education provider at which you are interested in studying. For more information please visit http://www.goingtouni.gov.au    

RTS places are available for both full-time and part-time students, however DEST provides RTS funds to higher education providers to administer on our behalf and it is up to individual HEPs to determine which students will receive support. You will need to contact your HEP to establish what support you may be eligible for.

I already have a research degree from another university. Am I still eligible for an RTS place to do a second research degree at an Australia university?

You may be eligible for full RTS support for your second HDR but only if your HEP chooses to support you under the RTS. You should contact your HEP to see what support you may be eligible for.

RTS students may transfer to another eligible HEP, provided the new HEP wishes to enrol the student and has sufficient RTS funds available to support the student.

Yes, but your remaining period of entitlement will vary depending on your circumstances. You should contact your HEP to discuss your remaining eligibility.

If your HEP allows you to change your course of study, you may retain some RTS entitlement depending on your specific circumstances. You should contact your HEP to discuss your remaining eligibility.

Only Australian HEPs listed on Tables A & B of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) are eligible for RTS funding.

You will need to contact the HEP where you will be studying to find out what level of support you may receive. HEPs are responsible for administering the RTS on behalf of DEST and it is up to them how the select students for support.

Only Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are eligible for support under the RTS. You will need to contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and ask them if your visa meets these tests of eligibility. They can be contacted from their website at http://www.immi.gov.au        

Only a higher degree by research student can be supported under the RTS and individual HEPs decide which students they will support. You should contact the HEP where you will be studying to see what support you may be eligible for. If you are not sure where you will be studying, further information on universities, courses and financial support can be found at http://www.goingtouni.gov.au    

DEST does not keep records of student RTS entitlement. You will need to contact the HEP where you are studying for that information. You should also be aware that any transfer is subject to the new HEP accepting you and having sufficient RTS funds to support you.