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Fact SheetUpdate March 20067. Commonwealth ScholarshipsAs part of the Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future reforms to higher education, the Australian Government has increased the number and range of scholarships available to students at Australian higher education institutions by: introducing Commonwealth Learning Scholarships for undergraduate students; enabling higher education providers to offer scholarships which exempt students from fees and student contribution amounts; introducing new scholarships for international students; and increasing the number of Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) for postgraduate students. Commonwealth Learning ScholarshipsThe Commonwealth Learning Scholarships Programme was introduced in 2004 to assist students from low socio-economic status backgrounds with the costs associated with higher education. Scholarships are available to full-time undergraduate students who are Australian citizens or holders of permanent humanitarian visas. There are two scholarships – one for educational costs and one for accommodation costs. Both are awarded on a competitive basis and are non-repayable. The allocation of Commonwealth Learning Scholarships to eligible higher education providers takes into account their proportion of full-time low socio-economic status, Commonwealth-supported undergraduate students, and their student enrolments in the target equity groups. Within the Australian Government's broad guidelines, individual higher education providers determine their own application and selection processes, and award scholarships. Commonwealth Learning Scholarships are not treated as income for Social Security and Veterans Affairs pensions and allowances or for ABSTUDY. Commonwealth Education Costs ScholarshipsMany students from low socio-economic status backgrounds and Indigenous students face particular challenges in meeting their education costs. Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships have been introduced to provide such students with a scholarship of approximately $2,000 per year (indexed annually) for up to four years to assist with their education costs. Higher education providers must give special consideration to Indigenous students when selecting scholarship recipients to ensure a fair proportion of scholarships are awarded to Indigenous students. Since 2004, 12,576 scholarships have been allocated to higher education providers, with funding totalling over $26 million in 2006. Commonwealth Accommodation ScholarshipsThe cost of accommodation can be a significant burden for students (and/or their parents) from regional and remote areas who need to move away from home to commence higher education, particularly those from low socio-economic status and/or Indigenous backgrounds. Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships provide selected students from low socio-economic status backgrounds from regional and remote areas with approximately $4,000 per year (indexed annually) for up to four years to assist them with accommodation costs when they move to undertake higher education. Since 2004, 10,049 scholarships have been allocated to higher education providers, with funding totalling over $41 million in 2006. Fee or student-contribution Exemption ScholarshipsThe Higher Education Support Act (2003) generally requires students to be charged a student contribution amount or tuition fee. Under the Our Universities: Backing Australia’s Future reforms, higher education providers are able to award students eligible for a Commonwealth supported place or a domestic fee-paying place an Exemption Scholarship for a course of study. These scholarships will make students exempt from payment of all student contribution amounts and tuition fees for any units of study undertaken as part of that course of study. Higher education providers will offer Exemption Scholarships at their own expense. Exemption Scholarships are not treated as income for Social Security and Veterans Affairs pensions and allowances or for ABSTUDY. International ScholarshipsThe Government has established the Endeavour Programme to showcase Australia's education sector and its research strengths and attract high-performing students from around the world to study in Australia. Currently the Australian Government invests $25 million per year for the Endeavour Programme. This is an academically elite, two-way global programme. It currently brings about 1,000 high achieving students and scholars from Europe, the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Pacific to Australia each year to undertake short or long term study or research in a broad range of disciplines. It also encourages Australian students to undertake study or research overseas as part of their undergraduate or postgraduate education and to learn other languages. More scholarships for postgraduate research studentsThe Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) Scheme enables the Australian Government to support Australian postgraduate students of exceptional research promise to undertake a higher degree by research. The scheme offers a stipend and allowances for relocation expenses and for thesis production. The Australian Government supported approximately 4,500 postgraduate students through the provision of APAs. The number of new scholarships awarded will be increased by 31 by 2007 in line with population growth, to maintain the opportunities available for Australia’s most talented research students. This will enhance institutional and national research capacity. Contact Details
Commonwealth Learning
Scholarships
Students and other members of the public Telephone: 1800 020 108 Email: dest@mailus.com.au Higher education providers Telephone: 02 6240 9335 Email: scholarships@dest.gov.au
International
Scholarships Email: endeavour.scholarships@dest.gov.au
Postgraduate Research Scholarships Director, Research Policy and Programmes Team Innovation and Research Systems Group Department of Education, Science and Training Telephone: 6240 5040 Email: rbgrants@dest.gov.au |
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Any comments or
queries should be sent to:
highered@dest.gov.au
Department of Education, Science and Training
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