Skip navigation to main content

You are here: UNE Home / Sciences / Policies / Postgrad-res-support-scheme

Postgraduate Research Support Scheme 2004

(Faculty of The Sciences)


This is a scheme introduced by the Faculty of The Sciences to provide support for enrolled postgraduate research students. The Faculty recognises the greater need for operating funds for science-based postgraduate projects and will provide additional funding above the $500 stipulated under the 'Minimum Facilities for UNE Postgraduate Research Students' policy. Under the scheme, funds are directly allocated to Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students in Schools based on their higher degree research enrolment status. In 2003, the total allocation was about $300,000.

 

What are the eligibility criteria for support?

1. Currently enrolled (including international students)

Enrolled PhD students

  • full-time ($1500) or part-time ($750) students are eligible for funds if their candidature is less than 3.5 full-time years (7 full-time semesters) or equivalent at the time of re-enrolment.

Enrolled Masters by research students (> 66% research thesis component)

  • full-time ($1500) or part-time ($750) students are eligible for funds if their candidature is less than 2 full-time years (4 full-time semesters) or equivalent at the time of re-enrolment.

Notes:

  1. The stated rates are for 2004 only, and will be revised annually by Faculty.
  2. Each School may retain a portion of the allocation for general postgraduate research expenditure, therefore the actual allocation per student will vary from School to School. Each HoS should advise Faculty Finance at the start of the academic year on actual allocations. HoS may use discretion to increase allocations to students of greater support need and decrease allocations to students who are already supported by other substantial operating funds. However, such arrangements require prior consent by all involved (ie. the affected students and respective principal superviors).
  3. Each supervisor may pool a portion of the allocation from research students under his/her principal supervision (see 3. below). Such arrangements have to be advised to the relevant HoS at the start of the academic year.

 

2. Satisfactory progress towards timely completion of the degree

Funding may not be considered if the students did not have satisfactory progress (as evidenced by the 6-monthly progress reports) and/or the period of candidature has been exceeded.

 

3. Support by principal supervisor

At the beginning of the year, a brief budget on expenditure of the funds has to be discussed with and signed off by the principal supervisor. A principal supervisor may decide, after consulting with the students concerned, to pool a portion of the allocation towards specific expenditure (eg lab consumables, specialist software) which will benefit the group of students under his/her principal supervision.

 

Typical expenses that will be supported include:

  1. Conference expenses.
  2. Expenses in connection with the use of, or a visit to use specialist facilities or to learn specialist techniques directly related to the student's research, but which were beyond those normally provided by the School.
  3. Fieldwork and/or lab-work related expenses.
  4. Purchase of specialist books, periodicals, software that are essential to the student's research, but are not normally available or difficult to obtain in the University.
  5. Purchase of computer or other equipment that are essential to the student's research and are above and beyond the infrastructure provided by the School.

Expenses that will not be supported include:

  1. Cost of training courses and/or workshops not directly related to the student's research.
  2. Cost of conference expenses if already covered by other grants (eg. K&D Mackay Postgraduate Conference Scholarship).

How are these funds administered?

  1. All funds are administered by the Faculty. At the beginning of each year, Heads of Schools will receive a list of fund codes for all eligible students in each School. HoS should advise Faculty Finance on changes to the standard allocations (see Notes under 1. above).
  2. Order forms, ITJs, A8s, etc. must state the postgraduate student's name with the principal supervisor's signature to verify that the student's allocation will be charged for the expenditure.
  3. No provision exists to carry forward any unused funds. Schools need to acquit funds by the end of February in the following year and return funds not claimed/awarded for re-allocation.
  4. Debit balances will be carried forward to the following year's allocation.

 

Document created: March 2003
Last updated: April 2004
Associate Dean (Research)
Last reviewed: May 2003
Faculty Research & Research Training Committee
Last review of rates: 4 February 2004
Faculty Management Group