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Policy Paper4 Commonwealth Learning Scholarships ProgrammeThe Commonwealth Learning Scholarships Programme will be introduced from 2004 to assist rural and regional, low socio-economic status (SES) and Indigenous students, who are Australian citizens or holders of Australian permanent humanitarian visas, with costs associated with higher education. There will be two scholarships – one for educational costs and one for accommodation costs. Both will be merit based, non-repayable and will target students from low income backgrounds. Commonwealth Learning Scholarships
will be distributed to institutions on the basis of their proportion of
full-time low-SES students, taking into account their ability to increase
the number of low-SES students attending their institution. Institutions
will be responsible for the allocation of Commonwealth Learning Scholarships
to individual students. The Commonwealth will provide guidelines for the
allocation of these scholarships but individual institutions will determine
their own selection and allocation processes. 4.1 Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships (CECS)Some 26,000 full-time students from low SES backgrounds and 2,500 full-time Indigenous students commence university studies each year. Many of these students face particular challenges in meeting their education costs. Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships will be introduced to provide full-time undergraduate Commonwealth supported students with a scholarship of $2,000 per year for up to four years. Priority will be given to full-time students from low socioeconomic and/or Indigenous backgrounds. In 2004, 2,500 new CEC Scholarships will be provided. By 2007, 5,075 new scholarships will be awarded each year and approximately 17,630 students will be in receipt of a CEC Scholarship. CECS will be funded at a cost of $84.4 million over four years. 4.2 Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships (CAS)Around 10,000 students from rural and isolated areas, many of whom are from low socio-economic and/or Indigenous backgrounds, move away from home each year to commence higher education. For many of these students and/or their parents, the cost of accommodation represents a significant burden. Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships will help alleviate this burden.
The scholarships will provide full-time undergraduate Commonwealth supported
students from rural and regional areas with $4,000 per year for up to four
years to assist them with accommodation expenses where they have to move to
undertake a higher education. In 2004, 1,500 scholarships will be offered,
allocated on the basis of academic merit. By 2007, 2,030 new scholarships
will be awarded each year and approximately 7,550 students will be in
receipt of a CAS. The Commonwealth will provide $75.8 million over four
years to the CAS programme. 4.3 International ScholarshipsThe Government is establishing a new scholarships programme, the
‘Endeavour Programme’ under which high-performing students from around the
world will be able to study in Australia. It will cover a total of 395
awards each year, including existing and new awards. In this Budget the
Government is committing an additional $7.9 million over four years for 30
new scholarships. It will also provide additional funding of $1 million a
year for Australian language teachers to undertake short-term awards in the
country whose language they teach, to update their skills and understanding
of contemporary culture. 4.4 More scholarships for postgraduate research studentsThe Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) Scheme enables the Commonwealth 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. In 2002, the Commonwealth 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. Over four years an additional $1 million will be provided to enable young researchers (doctoral or post-doctoral) to participate, with industry members, in overseas specialist forums in their field, to enhance their capability and understanding of international developments. Funding will provide for three programmes each year of two weeks of overseas travel for the young researchers.
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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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