Scholarships and Awards Policy
Australian Catholic University and various benefactors fund a number of scholarships and awards to support and recognise the achievements of students. Some are open to all enrolled students; others are restricted to students in particular courses or at particular campuses.
For further information visit the Scholarships website.
The Scholarships and Awards Policy establishes the general rules for the award and administration of student scholarships and awards funded by the Australian Government, Australian Catholic University (ACU) and donors.
This policy applies to scholarships and awards administered by Australian Catholic University. It excludes sponsorships, Graduate Research Scholarships and staff scholarships administered by Human Resources.
Terms used in this Policy and associated Procedures are consistent with the ACU Glossary of Terms. In addition, the following words and expressions have the meanings listed below:
An academic scholarship is awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement to a student to support their studies by providing financial and/or other relevant support.
A merit scholarship is awarded to a student to support their studies by providing financial and/or other relevant support on the basis of merit. Criteria for these scholarships may include academic and/or other merit.
An equity scholarship is awarded to a student to assist their studies by providing financial and/or other relevant support on the basis of financial need or other disadvantage and may include additional eligibility criteria
An award recognises a student’s academic or other achievement and may be a financial reward, voucher, membership or other entitlement.
4.1 Scholarships and awards:
- are awarded at the discretion of the University;
- are subject to funding being available;
- can be associated with, or named after donors;
- must be awarded through open and accountable selection processes; and
- will not be awarded if it is considered that there is no candidate of sufficient merit.
4.2 All scholarships and awards must:
- specify eligibility and selection criteria;
- in the case of scholarships, be subject to the standard scholarship application period(s) endorsed by the Academic Administrative Committee, unless an exception is approved by the Academic Registrar; and
- be published in a register on the ACU website.
5.1 Marketing and External Relations are responsible for:
- sourcing philanthropic donor funds for scholarships;
- liaising with donors to negotiate eligibility and selection criteria for new, or for changes to existing, scholarships, for approval by the Academic Registrar;
- the stewardship of relationships with donors of scholarships and awards of more than $2,500 in value;
- the promotion and publicity of donor funded scholarships to prospective students;
- the conduct of scholarships and awards ceremonies.
5.2 The governance and administration roles for scholarships and awards are distributed as follows.
5.2.1 The Scholarships Office is responsible for Commonwealth Scholarships and ACU scholarships established through donations, bequests, or by the University, including international student scholarships.
5.2.2 Faculties, Schools, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Students Learning and Teaching (DVC (SLT)) and Associate Vice-Chancellors are responsible for awards of less than $2,500 in value.
5.2.3 Each of the organisational units in 5.2.1-5.2.2 are responsible for scholarships and awards by:
- obtaining approvals for their conditions and amendment;
- publishing the details on the relevant register;
- promoting scholarships and awards to current students;
- determining recipients against published criteria;
- implementing procedures for their administration and payment; and
- fulfilling reporting and compliance obligations.
6.1 The acceptance of donations for scholarships and awards must be approved according to the Delegations of Authority Policy and Register.
6.2 For ACU scholarships administered by the Scholarships Office
- all conditions for new scholarships require the approval of the Academic Registrar;
- any amendment to the criteria on which a scholarship is awarded requires approval by the Academic Registrar;
- amendments to written expression, the membership of selection committees, donor name, value of scholarship, or the number of scholarships available for any scholarship may be made by the Scholarships Office; and
- in all cases must be tabled at Academic Administrative Committee (AAC) for noting by Academic Board
6.3 The conditions for Faculty, Students Learning and Teaching, School and Campus awards must be:
- approved by the relevant Faculty Board, the DVC (SLT) or the relevant Associate Vice-Chancellor; and
- tabled at Academic Administrative Committee (AAC) for noting by Academic Board.
7.1 All scholarships will be subject to application.
7.2 Recipients will be selected against the published criteria.
7.3 Where the published criteria require academic assessment and/or are specific to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, advice will be sought consistent with Section 7.2 of the Procedures.
7.4 Academic merit will be a determining factor in the awarding of merit scholarships and awards. Academic merit will be assessed on either performance in year 12, studies at ACU or in other prior studies; it may include demonstration of professional competence in professional experience and/or performance in community engagement activities.
7.5 Equity scholarships will be awarded on the basis of financial need or other disadvantage. In the event of applicants being equally ranked, academic merit, as above, will be the determining factor.
8.1 A student may hold more than one ACU scholarship, in addition to any Commonwealth Scholarship, concurrently, provided that the combined value of the ACU scholarship(s) does not exceed $10,000 per annum. This figure excludes the value of any Commonwealth Scholarship, ACU travel scholarship or award by any organisation external to ACU.
8.2 Students who are continuing or fixed-term staff of ACU are not eligible for any scholarship covered by this policy.
8.3 Students may not defer any scholarship unless the particular conditions explicitly allow this under certain circumstances.
9.1 Where a scholarship is awarded ‘for the length of the course’, the duration will be calculated on the basis of the standard course requirements, as specified in the course rules, and/or up to a maximum duration negotiated with the donor as specified in the conditions of the scholarship. In the case of a double degree, unless the scholarship is awarded for the duration of both components, the scholarship will be for the standard duration of a single undergraduate pass degree only.
9.2 Where a scholarship is awarded for a continuing period of more than one semester the recipient must be enrolled in the course at the census date for the relevant study period.
9.3 The conditions for the continuation of a scholarship will include a requirement that students must gain a minimum grade of Pass in all units in which they were enrolled in the previous study period. Exceptional personal circumstances, supported by documentary evidence, may be taken into consideration if the student has not satisfied this requirement.
9.4 Where the eligibility criteria for a scholarship specify that the recipient be enrolled at a particular campus, the scholarship will be discontinued if the recipient no longer studies at that campus.
9.5 The recipient of a scholarship awarded for a continuing period of more than one semester may apply for a suspension of the scholarship if they interrupt their course of study. If the recipient of a scholarship does not resume their course within one academic year, the award will be withdrawn.
9.6 The conditions for any individual scholarship may specify that, in the event that the recipient withdraws from or fails to make satisfactory progress in their course of study, or fails to satisfy other requirements for continuation of the scholarship, the balance of the monies otherwise payable to the recipient will either:
- revert to the fund; or
- be awarded to the next eligible applicant; in that case:
- the amount of the scholarship available will be the original value less any amount already paid to the first recipient; and
- the duration of the scholarship will be the normal duration less any period of time during which it was held by the first recipient.
10.1 Where there is a fund maintaining the scholarship, the annual value of the scholarship shall be a maximum of 90 percent of the annual income from the fund to allow for capital growth for inflation.
10.2 Income from a fund will be added to and become part of the fund.
10.3 Monies payable in any year to the recipient of a scholarship will be paid at such times, and in such amounts, according to Schedule A unless otherwise agreed with the donor and approved by the Academic Registrar. Normally the value of a scholarship will be paid in equal instalments, with a minimum of one payment after the census date of each semester for the duration of the award.
10.4 Unless otherwise stated, the amount of each payment is calculated on the basis of full-time enrolment, that is, 0.375 EFTSL per semester. If the student undertakes a lesser load, payments will be made on a pro rata basis subject to the conditions of the award. Enrolment status is normally not relevant in the case for the payment of an award.
10.5 Scholarship payments may affect student’s eligibility for financial support by the Australian Government. Recipients must be advised that it is their responsibility to ascertain any such impacts.
11.1 A list of the recipients of all ACU scholarships and awards administered by the Scholarships Office, Faculties, DVC(SLT) or Associate Vice-Chancellors with a value of $1,000 or more will be reported to AAC twice per year for noting by Academic Board.
11.2 Recipients of academic and merit scholarships, or awards with a value of $1,000 or more must be recorded on the Student Management System and included on the recipients’ Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).
If the recipient of a scholarship fails to comply with any condition of that scholarship, the scholarship may be cancelled or suspended until such time that the conditions are met.
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this policy, the Academic Registrar may, in any case deemed appropriate, vary, dispense with or suspend any requirement of or prescription in this policy or in the conditions for individual scholarships or awards. Any such action will be reported to the Academic Administrative Committee at its next meeting.
Main round scholarship payment schedule 2017
Census Date | 31 March 2017 |
Send payment request to MER/Faculty | 14 April 2017 |
Send payment request to Finance | 2 May 2017 |
Expected payment to students | 10 May 2017 |
Page last updated: 2017-10-24
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/1281443
Page last updated: 2017-10-24
Short url: https://handbook.acu.edu.au/1281443