(1) This Procedure is effective from 11 August 2023. (2) This Procedure outlines the requirements for scholarships awarded according to the Research Training Program (RTP) and Deakin University Postgraduate Research Scholarship (DUPRS) schemes. (3) This Procedure applies to students applying for or enrolled in a higher degree by research (HDR). The Procedure does not refer to scholarships other than RTP and DUPRS. (4) This Procedure is pursuant to the Higher Degrees by Research policy. (5) A Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship awarded by the University may include: (6) The value of the respective parts of the RTP Scholarships are determined by the Commonwealth Government. (7) The DUPRS Stipend is paid at the same rate as the RTP Stipend. (8) Students who are enrolled on a part-time basis and receive a RTP or DUPRS Stipend will receive a stipend of 50% of the full-time rate. Part-time awards are not usually exempt from taxation and students should seek independent advice on their personal taxation situation. (9) The value of the RTP and DUPRS Allowances can be viewed on the Deakin scholarship website. (10) To be eligible for a RTP Stipend, RTP Fees Offset, RTP Allowance or DUPRS a student must be a domestic or international student enrolled in a HDR course of study at Deakin University. (11) To be eligible for a RTP Fees Offset a student must not be receiving an equivalent award or scholarship from the Commonwealth designed to offset HDR fees. (12) To be eligible for a RTP or DUPRS Stipend a student must not be receiving income from another source to support that student’s general living costs while undertaking their course of study, if that income is greater than 75% of the base RTP or DUPRS Stipend rate. Income unrelated to the student’s course of study or income received for the student’s course of study but not for the purpose of supporting general living costs is not to be taken into account. (13) Prospective and current students must apply for a RTP or DUPRS Stipend through the approved application process. (14) Applicants for a RTP or DUPRS Stipend must meet all of the following criteria: (15) Current students can apply for a RTP or DUPRS Stipend and will be assessed by the relevant Faculty/Institute taking into account HDR progress and relevant research publications and other research experience. Current students may not apply after they have completed more than: (16) RTP and DUPRS Stipends will be awarded as the result of a competitive selection process outlined in the ranking guidelines on the University’s website. The selection process will be fair and available equally to all students who meet the eligibility criteria. (17) Domestic students will initially be awarded a Deakin University (DU) Fees Offset and may be awarded a RTP Fees Offset during the course of their study as per clause 22. (18) International and domestic students will be awarded a RTP Fees Offset based on the following: (19) RTP or DU Fees Offset or RTP or DUPRS Stipend offers will be in writing and include: (20) To be eligible to receive a RTP or DUPRS Overseas Student Health Cover allowance, an international student must have been awarded a RTP or DUPRS Stipend. (21) Students receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend will be enrolled as on-campus full-time students. Part-time or off-campus enrolment may be approved at the discretion of the University where an applicant is able to demonstrate significant carer commitment or a medical condition that precludes them from enrolling full-time. Off-campus enrolment may be approved where the research of the student requires it. Part-time or off-campus enrolment will be approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development. (22) Commencing students must start their studies according to the date prescribed in the RTP or DUPRS Stipend letter of offer or the offer will lapse. Extensions of no more than twelve months may be approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development in exceptional circumstances. (23) The University must advise a student receiving a RTP Scholarship or DUPRS of any changes to scholarship support. (24) A RTP Fees Offset may be awarded for: (25) A RTP Fees Offset will be extended by the duration of any intermission taken and may be extended as part of an extension approved according to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Academic Progress procedure. (26) A RTP or DUPRS Stipend may be awarded for: (27) The duration of a RTP or DUPRS Stipend or RTP Fees Offset will be reduced by any periods of study undertaken towards the degree prior to commencement of the stipend or during suspension of the stipend. The RTP or DUPRS Stipend will be increased by any periods of approved paid sick or parental leave. (28) An extension to the RTP or DUPRS Stipend of up to six months may be granted for doctoral students where the research has been delayed due to circumstances that are beyond the student’s control and relate to the conduct of the research rather than of a personal nature (including illness or work commitments). The student must apply using the online form for the extension before the end of the stipend and must be making satisfactory progress at the time of the application. (29) The University will make fortnightly RTP or DUPRS Stipend payments in arrears directly to the student’s Australian bank account. (30) A student receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend is permitted to undertake a limited amount of part-time employment, provided the work does not interfere with the progress of the research degree. Approval must be sought for periods of part-time work amounting to more than six hours per week averaged over a year. The Head of Academic Unit must certify that the work does not interfere with the progress of the research and the statement must be lodged with the HDR Candidature Manager. (31) A student receiving a RTP Fees Offset is permitted to undertake part-time employment. For international students, their employment must also be compliant with their visa conditions. (32) To be eligible for a RTP or DUPRS relocation allowance, the applicant must have been awarded a RTP or DUPRS Stipend and need to relocate to the Melbourne, Geelong or Warrnambool campuses from interstate or overseas to take up the stipend. The University will provide a contribution towards the cost of relocation, including the costs of relocating eligible adults or child/ren. The student must meet the following requirements: (33) Students will continue to receive their RTP Fees Offset during paid and unpaid industry placement, research internships, professional practice or similar enrichment activities. The RTP Fees Offset will not be extended beyond the original duration in such cases. (34) Students may continue to receive their RTP or DUPRS Stipend during industry placements, research internships, professional practice activities or other similar enrichment activities where the activities are unpaid. If the activities are paid, the RTP or DUPRS Stipend may continue if the income is 75% or less than the student’s RTP or DUPRS Stipend rate as in clause 12. The RTP or DUPRS Stipend will not be extended in such cases. (35) Students receiving a RTP Scholarship will receive at least the minimum resources specified in the Minimum resources for research degree students. (36) Students receiving a RTP Scholarship will be supervised according to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Supervision procedure. (37) Any change to the student’s project must be approved according to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Admission, Selection and Enrolment procedure. Changes to the project or principal supervision will not normally be approved unless exceptional circumstances arise during the tenure of the stipend. (38) Students transferring to the University from another institution who are in receipt of an RTP Stipend may continue to receive the stipend if they are eligible under the competitive selection process as determined by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development. Students transferring to the University from another institution who are in receipt of an RTP Fees Offset may continue to receive the offset if they are eligible as in clause 18. Students transferring from Deakin to another institution will be provided a candidature statement on request outlining the student’s RTP scholarship information. (39) Students who are approved to change from full-time to part-time or part-time to full-time will have their RTP Fees Offset, RTP or DUPRS Stipend adjusted accordingly. (40) Students who are approved to transfer between research degrees will have their RTP Fees Offset, RTP or DUPRS Stipend adjusted accordingly with the duration based on the commencement date of their initial HDR enrolment and allowing for any intermissions or approved leave. (41) Students are entitled to receive up to 20 working days’ paid recreation leave and 10 working days’ paid sick leave for each year of the RTP or DUPRS Stipend (full-time equivalent). These leave entitlements may be accrued over the life of the stipend but will be forfeited when the stipend is terminated. The agreement of the student’s supervisor must be obtained before recreation leave is taken. (42) A student who is not able to work on their research apart from the leave described in clause 41 must apply for intermission or parental leave according to the Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Admission, Selection and Enrolment procedure. This will be leave without pay unless the requirements of clauses 43-48 are met. (43) Students who receive RTP or DUPRS Stipend payments during a period of leave without pay will be required to repay monies received they are not entitled to. Any overpayment will either be automatically recovered in full upon return from leave, or the student will be invoiced for payment. (44) Students are entitled to receive additional paid sick leave for periods of illness where the student has insufficient sick leave entitlements available under clause 41. A medical certificate must be provided to receive this entitlement. The additional paid sick leave will be: (45) Sick leave entitlements (including additional sick leave) may also be used to cover leave for students with caring responsibilities for immediate family. A medical certificate is required for absences of carer’s leave in excess of three consecutive working days or when absences of less than three working days exceed a maximum of five working days in any academic year. For absences up to two weeks per year, family carer’s leave must be approved by the student’s principal supervisor. The notification requirements for sick leave in excess of two weeks per year also apply where that leave is taken as carer’s leave. (46) Students who have completed 12 months of their RTP or DUPRS Stipend are entitled to a maximum of 60 working days paid parental leave during the duration of the RTP or DUPRS Stipend if they have, or will have, primary responsibility for the care of a newborn child during the leave. Students who are adopting a child who is at the date of adoption 12 months of age or older are entitled to paid leave for a continuous period of six weeks commencing from the date of placement. (47) Students who are partners of those giving birth or adopting while receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend are entitled to a period of five working days’ parenting leave at the time of the birth or adoption if they: (48) Any claim under clauses 46-47 must be accompanied by one of: (49) Parental leave claims must be approved as part of an application for intermission. (50) Students on intermission or parental leave must notify the HDR Candidature Manager of their return to candidature no less than fourteen days prior to the approved date of return. Failure to do so may result in payments being delayed. (51) A student receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend may be permitted to undertake fieldwork or research overseas when this is considered essential for the completion of the student’s course by the student’s principal or executive supervisor and Head of Academic Unit. In such cases the award may be received while the student is overseas for up to 12 months, or in special cases for up to 18 months. Paid overseas study will be permitted only if adequate supervision can be maintained and the student remains enrolled at the University. Applications for overseas study must be lodged with the HDR Candidature Manager prior to commencement of the overseas work and approved by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development. (52) A student receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend will not generally be allowed to undertake fieldwork or research overseas in the first six months of their candidature. (53) The University may permit a student receiving a RTP or DUPRS Stipend to conduct part of the research at other organisation/s provided that the student remains enrolled at the University and adequate support and supervision can be arranged. (54) A student may not engage in any other academic course of study leading to a qualification that is not an essential part of their HDR program. (55) The RTP Fees Offset or RTP or DUPRS Stipend will be terminated (or the offer withdrawn) if any of the following criteria apply: (56) Where the student submits their thesis for first examination the stipend will be terminated two weeks after the thesis is submitted. (57) Where a RTP or DUPRS Scholarship has been terminated, the student may request a review of the decision by the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development. The decision of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development is final. (58) Students who have concerns or complaints about any actions taken under this Procedure may ask to have the matter resolved according to the Student Complaints Resolution procedure. (59) Students who receive any type of RTP Scholarship must acknowledge the Commonwealth’s contribution to their work in any publications that relate to the research project carried out during their degree. This requirement extends to the student’s supervisors or other parties who publish research arising from the student’s work. (60) Acknowledgement according to clause 59 must be in a prominent place and in an appropriate form and must include the mention of the student’s support through an ‘Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship’. (61) Domestic students supported or offered support under the former Research Training Scheme must be offered RTP Fee Offset support for a period necessary to provide at least equivalent support to that which the student would have received under the Research Training Scheme. (62) International students supported or offered support under the former International Postgraduate Research Scholarships must be offered RTP Fee Offset and RTP Allowance support for a period necessary to provide at least equivalent support to that which the student would have received under the International Postgraduate Research Scholarships. (63) Students supported or offered support under the former Australian Postgraduate Awards must be offered RTP Stipend and RTP Allowance support for a period necessary to provide at least equivalent support to that which the student would have received under the Australian Postgraduate Awards. (64) For the purpose of this Procedure:Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) Scholarships procedure
Section 1 - Preamble
Section 2 - Purpose
Section 3 - Scope
Section 4 - Policy
Section 5 - Procedure
RTP scholarships
Scholarship value
Eligibility for scholarships
Application and selection
Enrolment
Duration
Payments and employment
Industry Placements, Research Internships, Professional Practice Activities
Resources for students
Changes to enrolment
Leave entitlements
Research overseas or at other institutions
Other enrolment
Termination and review
Acknowledgement of RTP Scholarship
Continuing students
Section 6 - Definitions
View Current
This is the current version of this document. To view historic versions, click the link in the document's navigation bar.
In exceptional circumstances the Pro Vice-Chancellor Researcher Development may approve the accrual of any part of the paid sick leave entitlement available under clause 44(b) in advance of when that leave entitlement would otherwise accrue.