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).
General information
Payment
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 and CAS 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-April and by mid-September).
Payment follows the UniSA Academic Calendar.
Duration of scholarships
The maximum duration a student may receive a Commonwealth Scholarship is:
- CECS - Indigenous - 8 scholarship periods
- CAS - Indigenous - 8 scholarship periods
- CECS-Indigenous Enabling - two scholarship periods
- CAS-Indigenous Enabling - two scholarship periods
- CECS - PG - 4 scholarship periods
This excludes periods of approved leave.
Leave
The scholarship holder may take periods of leave in accordance with University Policy A - 48 Enrolment. Scholarship payments will be deferred for such periods of leave.
Transfer of scholarships
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 DIICCSRTE of the suspected offence and provide DIICCSRTE with a copy of the student's application and any other relevant information requested by DIICCSRTE.
Confidentiality
- All information provided by applicants will be treated as confidential, according to University Privacy Policy. 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, 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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Basic eligibility requirements
- 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. 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), and/or a Health Care Card. Not all Centrelink benefits are means tested.
- 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 (minimum 75% load or minimum 13.5 units for the half year). There are two scholarship periods for Commonwealth Scholarship:
- From 1 January to 30 June, and
- 1 July to 31 December.
Some students may be deemed full-time in exceptional circumstances (e.g. students with a disability or significant carer responsibilities).
- 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 listed above each scholarship type has its own specific eligibility requirements which is listed under each scholarship.
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
- Are in receipt Relocation scholarship from Centrelink if they are in receipt of the Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (CAS)-Indigenous OR Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship(CAS)-Indigenous Enabling
- Are enrolled externally if they are in receipt of the Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (CAS)-Indigenous OR Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (CAS)-Indigenous Enabling the student must be enrolled as an internal student in a unit of study that forms part of the program of study the student is undertaking. Some students may have exceptional circumstances preventing them from enrolling in any internal units. Some students enrolled externally may be deemed eligible in exceptional circumstances. For example, students with a disability or significant carer responsibilities.
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In order to maintain ongoing eligibility for a Commonwealth Scholarship (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 understand the condition and ongoing requirements and to advise and provide information to the Scholarship Office of any changes to their circumstances which would make them ineligible for the Scholarship. Information must be provided by the relevant census date: Scholarships.Prizes@unisa.edu.au
Please note additional load from previous scholarship periods (half years) will not be carried forward. Load is calculated after the nominated study period census dates. No retrospective payment will be made for late enrolments.
The University will undertake a process to review and verify the scholarship holder's ongoing eligibility for the Commonwealth Scholarship twice a year after the relevant census date in study period 2 and study period 5 of the calendar year (UniSA Academic Calendar)).
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Offer
- Conditional Commonwealth Scholarship offers will be made by SATAC during the admission cycle while UniSA will offer any outstanding Commonwealth Scholarship after census date.
- Successful applicants will receive an Offer of Acceptance of a Scholarship and request for Banking Details via my Scholarships. 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 my Scholarships homepage under 'my Offered scholarships' and provide Banking Details before any payment can be made
- Students who accept an offer of a Commonwealth Scholarship 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, Employment and Workplace Relation (DIICCSRTE), if requested, for purposes related to students' receipt of a Commonwealth Scholarship.
- Unsuccessful applicants will receive a notification via their UniSA student email account to that effect.
