Conditions of the Dean’s Doctoral Scholarship (Regional)
1. Purpose of the Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional)
The Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) aims to encourage Faculty of Health Sciences academic staff members engaged in teaching and research at the regional campuses to pursue a doctorate. The successful candidate must enrol in a doctorate within the Faculty and may retain an academic position up to a time fraction of 0.3 during the tenure of the scholarship. Note that preference will be given to full time staff members, although part time staff members with a time fraction of at least 0.6 may also apply.
2. Administration of the Award
2.1 The conditions governing the Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) will be overseen by the Dean and will be consistent with the La Trobe University Postgraduate Scholarships.
2.2 The Faculty will pay the scholar all entitlements under the award.
3. Eligibility
3.1 To be eligible to take up and retain a Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional), a person must:
(i) be an academic staff member of the Faculty engaged in teaching and research through a regional campus at the time of application. Research-only staff are not eligible. Note that preference will be given to full time staff members. Part time staff members may apply providing they meet the stated criteria.
(ii) be enrolled in a full-time doctoral research program in the Faculty of Health Sciences;
(iii) be an Australian citizen; or have been granted permanent resident status and lived in Australia for at least the 12 months prior to application. This includes New Zealand citizens who are granted Permanent Residency status on arrival, but who must also satisfy the residency rule;
(iv) not be in receipt of another equivalent award, scholarship or salary to undertake the proposed program of study (an ‘equivalent' stipend being one that is more than 75% of the base Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) stipend rate);
(v) not previously have held an Australian Postgraduate Award or a La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship for more than 3 months.
(vi) have applied for a La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarship or Australian Postgraduate Award simultaneously with this application.
(vii) not have already completed a degree at the same level as the proposed candidature, or at a higher level.
4. Duration of a Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional)
Normally the award will be taken up no later than 31 March in the year for which the award is offered; any extension beyond this date, arising from exceptional circumstances, must be approved by the Dean. The Dean reserves the right to withdraw the offer of the award if an applicant does not reply to the offer by the date specified or does not commence studies by the allowed date. Continuation of the scholarship after one year is contingent on satisfactory progress being maintained by the candidate. Satisfactory progress must be endorsed by the relevant Head of School and supervisor.
The Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) is tenable as follows:
4.1 A full-time award may be held for up to three years.
4.2 Except in exceptional circumstances as determined by the Dean, an award holder is expected to submit a thesis for examination in the minimum possible time, that is within three years of commencement of the scholarship.
4.3 Normally, periods of study already undertaken towards the degree prior to the commencement of the scholarship or undertaken during suspension of the scholarship will be deducted from the maximum period of tenure. Such deductions will be on a one-to-one basis for every day of full-time candidature. Variations to this must be approved by the Dean.
4.4 An annual renewal of the scholarship may be made, subject to satisfactory academic progress, to the maximum period indicated above.
5. Other conditions
5.1 Successful applicants must apply for some form of external research support within the first 2 years of candidature. Evidence must be provided of applications for external funding in the first two years of candidature. If successful in one of these, the Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) will be terminated.
5.2 Applicants must provide evidence of support from their Head of School when applying for the scholarship.
6. Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) benefits
The stipend and all allowances are in line with the La Trobe University Postgraduate Scholarships.
6.1 Stipend
The Scholarship provides a stipend which matches the stipend provided by the La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarships and will be paid fortnightly direct to a recipient's bank account. Full-time stipend payments are indexed annually and may be tax-exempt.
6.2 Other allowances and benefits
6.2.1 Research Training Scheme place
Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) holders will normally hold a funded Research Training Scheme place by virtue of their enrolment.
6.2.2 Thesis allowance
An allowance matching the amount provided by the La Trobe University Postgraduate Research Scholarships scheme for costs associated with the production of a Doctoral thesis will be paid upon presentation of signed and dated receipts. Original receipts from the persons who provided the services, showing the amount paid by the award holder, the date of issue of the receipt, the service provided and the name, address and telephone number of the person who supplied the goods/services are required. The allowance does not include such costs as purchase of computer equipment or software. The allowance is payable only for the number of copies required by the University (4 soft-bound and 2 hard-bound copies).
The allowance cannot be claimed prior to submission of the thesis but must be claimed within 6 months of the date of submission and no more than two (2) years after termination of the award.
6.2.3 Receipt of top-up funding, awards, etc.
Award holders may enter into contractual arrangements and receive top-up funding from industry. They also may obtain funds for fieldwork, equipment or other expenses not covered by the award. Funding for overseas travel costs may be obtained from Australian Government awards or any other source.
Award holders also may receive minor awards, allowances or other earnings which are supplementary to the Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional), or income derived from part-time work undertaken with the University's guidelines.
Top-up funding may not exceed 75% of the base Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) stipend rate.
Scholarship holders are recommended to seek advice from their financial consultant regarding possible taxation implications associated with any top-up funding.
6.2.4 Family Allowance Benefits
Scholarship holders with dependent children may be eligible for Family Payment from Centrelink. You should contact Centrelink without delay, as benefits are not payable retrospectively, for details of this and other programs for which they might be eligible (for example, Rent Assistance, Guardian Allowance or Health Care Cards).
7. Method of application
7.1 Calls for application for the Dean's Doctoral Scholarship (Regional) will be made around September/October each year, for commencement of the scholarship in the following year.
7.2 Candidates proposing to submit an application should:
in the first instance discuss the application with their Head of School/Director of Centre;
submit the following documentation to the Associate Dean (Research):
- a copy of the candidate's La Trobe University ‘Application for Masters/Doctoral Candidature and/or Postgraduate Scholarship' which has previously been submitted to the Research and Graduate Studies Office;
- a summary of supporting information including current and proposed work arrangements;
- a signed letter of support from their Head of School.
7.3 Applications should be submitted to Neil McDonald, Manager, Research Division by 5.00 pm on Friday, 30 October, 2009.
7.4 Applications will be considered by a Sub-Committee chaired by the Associate Dean (Research) or his/her nominee.
7.5 All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application by the end of December in the year of application.
7.6 Candidates wishing to appeal the decision of the Committee should write to the Dean within 14 days of receiving notification of the original application decision. Appeal applications should clearly outline the basis for the appeal. Documentation not submitted with the original application will not be considered.
8. Additional Employment
8.1 Scholarship holders may supplement the stipend by undertaking a paid part-time academic position in the Faculty up to a maximum time-fraction of 0.3. Existing academic appointments may be converted to facilitate this.
8.2 Part-time employment must not interfere with the award holder's study program.
9. Academic Progress Reports
9.1 The University Higher Degrees Committee (HDC(R)) requires all Doctoral candidates to submit a progress report at least once a year, usually in July or August. The appropriate form will be forwarded by the University Research and Graduate Studies Office at the relevant time. Failure to submit a progress report by the due date may result in suspension of payment of the scholarship. Some scholarship holders, especially in the first year of receipt of the scholarship, may be required to submit an additional report.
9.2 If the HDC(R) on the advice of the supervisor and the Head of School, does not consider that academic progress is satisfactory, the scholarship may be temporarily suspended or terminated.
10. Absence from the University
While an award holder is expected to continue a program of study and research during the period for which the award is held (i.e. there are no breaks between academic terms or academic years) leave of absence may be granted in the following circumstances:
10.1 Recreation leave
Scholarship holders are entitled to paid recreation leave each year calculated on a pro-rata basis. No more than twenty days recreation leave may be accumulated and leave must be taken during the tenure of the scholarship. The supervisor's agreement, which may not be unreasonably withheld, must be obtained before leave may be taken. No leave loading is payable on the scholarship component of the leave taken. However, scholarship holders who continue to hold a part-time academic position will be eligible for the normal pro-rata leave associated with that position.
10.2 Sick leave
A scholarship holder may take up to two weeks paid sick leave a year within the tenure of their scholarship. For medically substantiated periods of illness lasting longer than two weeks, research students may receive up to three months paid sick leave which is additional to the normal duration of the award. Applications for paid sick leave for periods longer than three days must be accompanied by a medical certificate, signed and dated by a registered medical practitioner.
10.3 Maternity leave
10.3.1 The normal maternity leave provisions for La Trobe University employment prevail.
10.3.2 During the period of claimed paid maternity leave, scholarship holders should request to have their employment revert to full-time and suspend their scholarship and candidature. This will allow the School and Faculty to claim reimbursement for replacement employees and allow the scholarship holder to be paid up to 3 months maternity leave on full pay.
10.4 Field studies: locally or overseas
10.4.1 The HDC(R) may approve a candidate conducting substantial amounts of the required study at organisations outside the higher education system. In such cases the University remains responsible for the academic aspects of the award holder's candidature and must ensure adequate support, supervision, training and research freedom for the candidate.
10.4.2 Provided HDC(R) has approved fieldwork away from the University, the Dean may permit continuation of the scholarship during the approved fieldwork period.
Note: The HDC(R) normally will not approve periods for overseas research earlier than six (6) months into the candidature. In any case such periods will be approved only if adequate supervision is provided, the candidate remains enrolled on a full-time basis, the research work can be credited to the candidate's course of study and the research is essential for the completion of the degree.
10.5 Suspension of a scholarship
10.5.1 In special circumstances and with the approval of the principal supervisor and the Head of School, it may be possible to suspend the scholarship for up to twelve (12) months within the tenure of the award. Such suspensions normally will not be approved earlier than six (6) months into the candidature.
10.5.2 Periods of study undertaken towards the degree during suspension of the award will be deducted from the maximum period of scholarship tenure.
10.5.3 The period of tenure of a scholarship will not be reduced when a scholarship holder suspends both candidature and the scholarship for the permitted period.
10.5.4 Students who discontinue their studies but suspend rather than relinquish their scholarships will (subject to also meeting the University's requirements relating to suspension of candidature) keep open the option of resuming their scholarship at a later date.
11. Termination of Scholarship
11.1 A scholarship will be terminated upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the scholarship tenure, whichever is earlier.
11.2 A scholarship will be terminated if the holder does not resume study at the conclusion of a period of suspension, and does not make arrangements to extend that period of suspension.
11.3 The scholarship may be terminated before the completion of the period of tenure if after due inquiry, the Dean concludes that a scholarship holder has not fulfilled the requirements of the scholarship or has not met the eligibility criteria, or HDC(R) determines that the student has not been making satisfactory academic progress.
11.4 A scholarship will be terminated on the death, incapacity, or withdrawal of the holder.
12. Relinquishment of Scholarship
A scholarship holder is expected to give at least ten (10) working days notice of intention to relinquish the scholarship.
13. Right of Appeal
13.1 Scholarship holders may, at any time, request a review by the Dean of any decisions made by the Dean in relation to the scholarship.
13.2 Such requests must be made in writing to the Dean within thirty (30) days of the date of receipt of the disputed decision, setting out the reasons in full.
13.3 Notwithstanding 11.1 and 11.2 above, in accordance with the appeal procedures of the University, a scholarship holder may exercise the right of appeal directly to the University Ombudsman.
14. Specific obligations of the Scholarship holder
14.1 A scholarship holder will diligently and to the best of his/her ability apply him/herself to the successful completion of the degree within the period of the award.
14.2 Scholarship holders will abide by the National Health and Medical Research Council codes on human and animal experimentation, guidelines established by the Recombinant DNA Monitoring Committee of the Australian Government and rulings of the Safety and Ethics committees of the University.
14.3 All scholarship holders are required to conform to the regulations, policies and guidelines of the University governing their candidature, including disciplinary provisions.
15. Other provisions
Any areas not covered by the above conditions will subject to a decision by the Dean and will normally follow University regulations for similar scholarships and awards.