University of New South Wales - Graduate Research School - UNSW PhD Student Completion Scholarship

Guidelines and Instructions for Applicants: Semester 2, 2009

Applications for Semester 2 Completion Scholarships have now closed. Applicants will be notified of the outcome on July 14 2009.

Aim
Duration and Funding
Eligibility to Apply
Applications
Assessment
Conditions of the Scholarship
Timeline for Applications
Further Information

1. Aim

The UNSW PhD Student Completion Scholarships are designed to enable PhD students in the final stages of their candidature, who have not received any scholarship or other financial support during their candidature, to spend uninterrupted time (up to 6 months) to complete their thesis. Up to 5 scholarships, valued at approx. $10,000 each were made available via a competitive application process for successful completion in Semesters 1 and 2 2009.

2. Duration and Funding

Awards are available for six months
Scholarships are tax-free and will be paid fortnightly in arrears to a value of half of the standard APA (ie approx $10,000)

3. Eligibility

To be eligible for consideration of the award of a completion scholarship, applicants must:

not have previously held or be currently receiving any other scholarship (eg APA, APAI, EIPRS, Faculty or School scholarships) or any other form of financial support
be a currently enrolled PhD student at UNSW
enrol on a full-time basis in semester 2, 2009 (latest date for enrolment is 31 August 2009) and consistent with this enrolment status, work full-time on the thesis in semester 2, ie. devote 35-40 hours per week to candidature
be in the writing-up stage and have completed their data collection or equivalent
be able to complete their thesis in semester 2, 2009 and be able to submit their thesis for examination by no later than 31 March 2010
have their applications supported by their supervisor and Postgraduate Coordinator confirming that the programme outline is realistic and expressing confidence that a submission by 31 March 2010 at the latest will be achieved
have their application endorsed by the Head of School with an agreement that 50% of the scholarship will be repaid if the student fails to submit by 31 March 2010

4. Applications

Applicants must lodge the UNSW PhD Student Completion Scholarship Application Form providing the following information to the Graduate Research School:

Part 1: Applicant’s Information - including a completion plan which clearly outlines how the Scholarship will be used to finalise the PhD, including information on:

the sections of research that have already been completed at the time of application;
the chapters that are in draft or final form;
work that remains to be done to complete the PhD in the 6 months;
a timetable indicating how the Scholarship period will be used to bring the PhD to submission for examination.

Part 2: Statements of Support

Statement of support from the applicant’s supervisor – commenting on the applicant’s completion plan and whether the scholarship period will provide adequate time to bring the PhD to submission for examination.
Statement of support from the School Postgraduate Coordinator – commenting on the proposed completion plan, and the likelihood that the PhD will be completed by the end of the Scholarship period based on the information provided by the applicant and supervisor.
Endorsement by the Head of School – commenting on the proposed completion plan and agreeing to repay 50% of the scholarship should the scholarship holder fail to submit by 31 March 2010.

Note: The applicant is responsible for ensuring completion of the relevant sections by the supervisor, Postgraduate Coordinator and Head of School and submitting the completed application to the Graduate Research School by the specified closing date.

5. Assessment

Applications will be reviewed by an Assessment Committee comprising the Dean of Graduate Research and two Associate Deans for Research/Research Training from relevant Faculties.

Assessment will be based on the:

quality of the application
completion plan and the likelihood of the thesis being completed and submitted for examination by 31 March 2010
statements of support and endorsement from the supervisor, Postgraduate Coordinator and Head of School

Successful applicants will be notified on 14 July 2009.

6. Conditions of the Scholarship

Successful applicants will be required to sign an acceptance form agreeing to the following:

Successful applicants will be required to enrol full-time in semester 2, 2009 (latest date 31 August 2009).
Leave of absence will not be available during semester 2 unless there are exceptional circumstances.
During the term of the scholarship, progress must be monitored on a regular basis by the supervisor, in accordance with timelines outlined in the completion plan.
Failure to make satisfactory progress in line with the timeline may result in the cessation of scholarship payments.
Lodgement of a Notification Of Intention To Submit thesis form is required by 1 December 2009.
Completion of a mid-Scholarship report on progress made by 1 December 2009. In this report applicants will need to document the progress made and indicate the timetable for submission by the thesis deadline date of 31 March 2010. The Supervisor will need to confirm the details indicated in the report by signing the form before it is returned to the Graduate Research School. Failure to submit the form by 1 December 2009 will result in immediate cessation of the Scholarship.
Submission of the thesis for examination is required by 31 March 2010.

7. Timeline

Mon 1 June 2009: Applications open on GRS website
Fri 3 July 2009: Applications close
Tue 14 July 2009: Applicants notified of outcome
Mon 31 Aug 2009: Latest date for acceptance of scholarship and enrolment FT for semester 1 2009
Tue 1 Dec 2009: Notification of Intention to Submit form and mid-Scholarship report due
Mon 31 Mar 2010: Last date to submit thesis for Semester 2 2009

8. Further Information

Dominic Mooney, Project Officer, Graduate Research School
email: d.mooney@unsw.edu.au or phone: 02 9385 6736 Monday to Friday