Responsible officer: Deputy Vice-Chancellor

Designated officer: Director, Student Administration

Council approval: Council Resolution C04/65, 7 December 2004

Last amended: Vice-Chancellor 8 February 2008

Related policies:

• Academic Rules
• Student Conduct and Discipline Policy
• Student Grievance Policy
• Scholarships, Bursaries and Prizes Policy

Related legislation:

• Higher Education Support Act 2003

Overview

Commonwealth Scholarships provide financial assistance to students from low socio-economic backgrounds to assist with general education and accommodation costs. The University of the Sunshine Coast is allocated a number of scholarships annually and is required to maintain a selection policy and procedure which is publicly available as part of the conditions attaching to that allocation.

Policy

1. The University will select students to be awarded Commonwealth Scholarships in accordance with the Guidelines for Commonwealth Scholarships (the Guidelines) made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

1.1 A student will not be selected for a Commonwealth Scholarship unless the University is satisfied that the student meets, or will meet before the Commonwealth Scholarship payment is made, the eligibility criteria for Commonwealth Scholarships as set out in the Guidelines.

1.2 Applications will not be considered where hard copy documentary evidence specified in the application form, is not supplied.

2. The University policy and application, selection and offer procedures and associated information and forms shall be available on the University web site and the student portal and a link provided to the Guidelines on the Department of Education Science and Training website.

3. In any year the University may deem students eligible to apply for and to receive both a Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship and a Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship or to be the holder of any other University, donor or community scholarship.

4. Special consideration will be given to Indigenous students who apply for Commonwealth Scholarships so that, as a minimum, Indigenous students shall be awarded scholarships in proportion to the number of indigenous applicants.

5. Where the University receives more applications for Commonwealth Scholarships than there are scholarships they will rank students according to their measured economic and personal hardship based on information supplied and supported by documentary evidence, and their level of academic achievement.

6. The University will not take over the payment of a scholarship awarded to a student by another University, where the student transfers to University of the Sunshine Coast. The transferring student may apply for a University of the Sunshine Coast Commonwealth Scholarship at the next available opportunity and will be considered on the basis of the University of the Sunshine Coast selection criteria and in relation to other applicants. Such students will be eligible for only the balance of the initial scholarship awarded by the other University.

7. Students who are awarded a scholarship, but who withdraw from their program of study or are cancelled by the University for failure to re-enrol or pay outstanding fees and charges, and later re-enter, will not be able to access their initial scholarship. They must apply again for a Commonwealth Scholarship and if successful, will be paid only the balance of the initial scholarship.

8. Students who are awarded a scholarship and defer or take leave of absence in accordance with University Academic Rules shall have their scholarship held for the period of deferment or leave and may take up the scholarship on their return to study, subject to proof of continuing eligibility under the Guidelines.

9. Students who are awarded a scholarship are required to make satisfactory academic progress. The University will monitor academic performance and may terminate a Commonwealth Scholarship if a student is identified as at risk of exclusion and placed on monitored enrolment under the Unsatisfactory Academic Performance and Exclusion Rules.

10. Students who wish to appeal decisions arising from the Commonwealth Scholarships selection process may do so using the procedures established by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and outlined in the Procedures for the Selection of Students for Commonwealth Scholarships.

11. Students who are found to have provided misleading or inaccurate information about their financial and personal circumstances may be disciplined under the Student Conduct and Discipline Policy.