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Commonwealth Scholarships

(Scholarships and Grants are subject to change and are awarded based on conditions current at the time of award)

Legend for scholarship icons (new window)

• Basic eligibility requirements
• Application process
• Selection process
• Offer
• Value of scholarships
• Payments
• Ongoing eligibility requirements
• Duration of scholarships
• Leave
• Transfer of scholarships
• Termination
• Provision of false information
• Confidentiality
• Grievance procedures

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In 2004, the Federal Government established the Commonwealth Scholarships (CS) program (previously named Commonwealth Learning Scholarship).  The program aims to facilitate choice in higher education and to increase higher education participation by students from low socio-economic backgrounds, particularly indigenous students and students from rural and regional areas. The CS program consisted of two types of scholarships

• Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships (CECS), with up to four years of funding, to assist with general education costs
• Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships (CAS), with up to four years of funding, to assist with accommodation costs

 A student of the University of South Australia may be awarded a CECS and a CAS concurrently.

In 2008, an additional five new scholarships are being offered:

• Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships, with up to two years of funding, to assist with general education costs for Associate Degree (CECS-Associate Degree)
• Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships, with up to two years of funding, to assist with accommodation costs for Associate Degrees (CAS-Associate Degree)
• Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships, with up to one year of funding for general education costs, to assist Indigenous students to undertake an eligible enabling course (CECS-Indigenous Enabling)
• Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships, with up to one year of funding for general education costs, to assist Indigenous students to undertake an eligible enabling course (CAS-Indigenous Enabling)
• Indigenous Access Scholarships, a one off scholarship payment, to assist Indigenous students to undertake either an eligible enabling course or an undergraduate course (Indigenous Access)

The information below provides details of the Commonwealth Scholarships program, including eligibility requirements and administration procedures.

 

Basic eligibility requirements:

To be eligible for a CS in 2008, students are required to:

• Be an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa (this is different to being a permanent resident).
• Meet the low socio-economic status criterion.  Students must be able to substantiate claims of financial hardship.
• Meet the full-time student requirements. Students must be enrolled as a full-time student for the duration of the scholarship period to be eligible (75% or more load or 13.5 units of more for the half year). There are two scholarship periods for CS from 1 January to 30 June and 1 July to 31 December. Some students may be deemed full-time in exceptional circumstances (for example, students with a disability or significant carer responsibilities), and in this case a minimum of 50% load applies.
• Not already have completed the requirements of a program of study equivalent to an Australian bachelor’s or higher level award unless each such award is a prerequisite to their current undergraduate program of study and there is no alternative pathway into that program of study at UniSA

In addition to the basic eligibility requirements each scholarship type has its own specific eligibility requirements detailed as follows:

• Eligibility Requirements for CECS
• Eligibility Requirements for CAS
• Eligibility Requirements for CECS-Associate Degree
• Eligibility Requirements for CAS-Associate Degree
• Eligibility Requirements for CECS-Indigenous Enabling
• Eligibility Requirements for CAS-Indigenous Enabling
• Eligibility Requirements for Indigenous Access

Students are not eligible if they:

• Are a permanent resident
• Are full-fee paying students
• Are enrolled part-time (unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the student from studying full-time, for example, students who have a disability or significant carer responsibilities)
• Hold a bachelor degree or higher level award unless each such award is a prerequisite to their current undergraduate course of study
• Are already in receipt of the specific scholarship for which they are applying
• Are in receipt of a UniSA Study Grant or UniSA Priority Grant.

Application process

UniSA has a new Scholarships Management System which students can access by logging into the myUniSA student portal and clicking on My Studies. This will display a 'my Scholarships' link (on the right hand side of the page) which will take you to the my Scholarships home page. You can apply for CS scholarships listed on the home page under ‘Scholarship groups I may apply for’. For more information visit Frequently Asked Questions.

2008 Mid-year Online applications (Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships and Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarships only) will open from 14 July 2008 and closes 5pm 08 August 2008. Students will be notified of the application opening via their myUniSA student portal announcements.

To apply, students must meet the eligibility requirements and be able to provide evidence that they are financially and educationally disadvantaged. One of the ways that you can verify financial disadvantage is by showing that you are in receipt of a means tested Centrelink Benefit (e.g. Youth Allowance, Austudy, Abstudy etc), and/or a Health Care Card. Not all Centrelink benefits are means tested (opens new window).

Specific details of the required supporting documentation will be communicated to each applicant via their student email account, after their application form has been submitted.

Selection process

Applicants are ranked against the CS eligibility criteria and UniSA equity considerations.

1. Selection will be made on the basis of financial need and equity considerations.
2. Special consideration will be given to Indigenous students as a percentage of applications.
3. Applicants will be ranked according to a total score derived from a set of weighted financial need, equity and educational disadvantage indicators.
4. The weightings may be adjusted to ensure that members of the University’s equity priority areas are represented in the ranking.
5. In the case of a tied score, applicants will be separated on the basis of the University’s equity priorities for the current year.  Otherwise, applicants will be separated on the basis of academic merit.

Offer

• Successful applicants will receive an Offer of Acceptance of a Scholarship and request for Banking Details via the Student Portal - 'myScholarships'.  This will detail the rights and responsibilities of both the student and the University in regard to the scholarship(s). The student will be required to accept the scholarship(s) on the Student Portal - 'myScholarships' homepage under ‘my Offered scholarships’ and provide Banking Details before any payment can be made.
• Students who accept an offer of a CS must agree to provide personal information relevant to assessing their ongoing eligibility to UniSA, on request.
• Students have the option to provide their contact details for submission to Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), if requested, for purposes related to students’ receipt of a CS.
• Unsuccessful applicants will receive a notification via their UniSA student email account to that effect.

Value of scholarships

The value of a CS in 2008 is as follows:

• Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship - $2,162 a year
• Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship - $4,324 a year
• Indigenous Access - $4,080 one off payment

Payments

Payments are made directly to the student by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), are subject to the satisfaction of ongoing eligibility requirements for each scholarship period, and are made as follows:

• For all CECS and CAS – one payment totalling 50% of the annual value of a CECS in each scholarship period (twice a year). The first payment will be made within six weeks of the student accepting their offer. Subsequent payments will be made within six weeks of the census dates for study periods 2 and 5, after ongoing eligibility has been established (that is, by mid-May and by mid-October).
• Indigenous Access - 50% after acceptance of scholarship offer and balance of 50% within six weeks thereafter.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

In order to maintain ongoing eligibility for a CS, the scholarship holder:

• Must maintain satisfactory academic progress, according to the University’s Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual
• May transfer to another undergraduate program at the University of South Australia, but must maintain continuous full-time enrolment (unless there are exceptional circumstances), including periods of leave
• Must continue to meet the CS basic eligibility requirements and specific eligibility requirements for the awarded scholarship(s)
• Must maintain continuous full-time enrolment during the scholarship period.

It is the scholarship holder’s responsibility to advise Student and Academic Services of any changes to their circumstances which would make them ineligible for the Scholarship: SAS-scholarships@unisa.edu.au

The University will undertake a process to review and verify the scholarship holder’s ongoing eligibility for the CS each scholarship period (twice a year – at the beginning and middle of the calendar year).

Duration of scholarships

The maximum duration a student may receive a Commonwealth Scholarship is:

• CECS - eight scholarship periods
• CAS - eight scholarship periods
• CECS-Associate Degree - four scholarship periods
• CAS-Associate Degree - four scholarship periods
• CECS-Indigenous Enabling - two scholarship periods
• CAS-Indigenous Enabling - two scholarship periods
• Indigenous Access – One off payment

This excludes periods of approved leave.

Leave

The scholarship holder may take periods of leave in accordance with University Policy A - 48.0 Enrolment.  Scholarship payments will be deferred for such periods of leave.

Transfer of scholarships

1. Commonwealth Scholarship holders who transfer from another Higher Education Provider to the University of South Australia will not automatically have their previously awarded scholarship honoured.
2. University of South Australia students who hold a scholarship from other Higher Education Providers may apply to the University of South Australia and will be assessed for a CS according to the University’s selection criteria.
3. The University may award a CS for the remainder of the student’s CS duration. Students who have received part of a CS at another institution must declare any previous CS support they have received.
4. Commonwealth Scholarship holders who transfer from University of South Australia to another Higher Education Provider will not be able transfer their CS.

Termination

The scholarship holder’s CS will be terminated:

• If the scholarship holder ceases to meet the eligibility criteria, other than during a period in which the scholarship holder is on approved leave; or
• Once the maximum duration of the scholarship has been reached; or
• If the scholarship holder fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined in the University’s policies (Assessment Policies and Procedures Manual)

Provision of false information

If the University of South Australia knows or has reason to believe that a student in receipt of a CS has provided false or misleading information, the University is required to re-assess the student’s entitlement to the CS and notify DEST of the suspected offence and provide DEST with a copy of the student’s application and any other relevant information requested by DEST.

Confidentiality

• All information provided by applicants will be treated as confidential, according to University Policy A.46, Confidentiality of Students’ Personal Information. Your personal information can only be released in special circumstances, where the law requires, or where you give permission.
• Application information for unsuccessful applicants will be destroyed 60 days after the scholarships are awarded for the year.

Grievance procedures

Grievances will be resolved in accordance with University policy C17.2, Policy and Procedures for the Resolution of Student Grievances and must be submitted within twenty (20) working days of receiving notification of the outcome of the selection process.

 

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