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Prizes and Scholarships Procedures

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Section 1 - Overview

(1) These procedures outline the roles and responsibilities relevant to the establishment, management and administration of coursework prizes and scholarships awarded by the University.

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Section 2 - Scope

(2) These procedures apply to:

  1. coursework prizes and scholarships awarded by the University;
  2. all University Representatives involved in the management, administration and promotion of coursework prizes and scholarships awarded by the University; and
  3. all eligible Candidates and recipients of coursework prizes and scholarships awarded by the University.
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Section 3 - Procedures

Establishment of and Changes to Prizes and Scholarships

(3) The University will establish prizes and scholarships in accordance with the Prizes and Scholarships Rule.

(4) All offers to establish a new prize or scholarship whether University or donor funded must be directed to Advancement, Communications and Events.

(5) Proposals for the establishment of, or changes to, a University funded prize or scholarship can be made by any section of the University. The section of the University making the proposal or changes must consider funding and gain the relevant stakeholder support and endorsement prior to submission for formal approval. The proposal drafter should liaise with Advancement, Communications and Events regarding this. If approved, the section of the University making the proposal will be responsible for funding the prize or scholarship.

(6) Proposals for the establishment of donor-funded prizes or scholarships must take into consideration requirements under the Advancement Rule and Advancement Policy.

(7) Where a scholarship or prize proposal is approved and established, or new amendments agreed upon, Advancement, Communications and Events must brief Student Success on the new or amended Terms and Conditions.

(8) The approved Terms and Conditions of a prize or scholarship will be recorded by Advancement, Communications and Events in the Records Management System, and updated by Student Success on the University website. Student Success will then administer the prize or scholarship in accordance with the Terms and Conditions.

(9) Discretionary powers are vested in the University, which enables it to alter the Terms and Conditions of the prize of scholarship where necessary, to the extent that such alteration must be made to meet the original agreement as closely as possible.

(10) Advancement, Communications, and Events will review the prize or scholarship in the final year of the funding agreement and contact the donor to ascertain whether the prize or scholarship will be renewed or withdrawn before the next selection cycle.

(11) Advancement, Communications, and Events in consultation with the donor and the decision-making body detailed in the Terms and Conditions may decide to withdraw a prize or scholarship. If a prize or scholarship is withdrawn or is not renewed when the term expires, it is deleted from the register after the last time it is awarded.

Conditions and Eligibility Criteria for Selection and Award of Prizes and Scholarships

(12) The criteria on which a prize or scholarship is to be awarded are set out in the Terms and Conditions. Prizes and scholarships may be bestowed on the basis of one or more of the following eligibility or ranking criteria:

  1. academic merit;
  2. demonstration of other outstanding achievements, abilities, leadership or community service;
  3. demonstration of financial hardship;
  4. demonstration of educational disadvantage;
  5. indigenous student status; and/or
  6. membership of any targeted equity group.

(13) Continuing prizes and scholarships must include the criteria for continuation within their Terms and Conditions.

(14) Selection of recipients must be a comparative and competitive process. Candidates deemed eligible for consideration must be ranked on the basis of the extent to which they demonstrate that they satisfy the selection criteria. This may be done in consultation with the donor, as is appropriate based on the relevant agreement with the donor.

(15) In ranking candidates, regard must be given to the application and supporting material, if any, and candidates may be interviewed.

(16) Where a candidate meets the selection criteria for a prize or scholarship, it will be awarded only if the candidate is deemed of sufficient merit.

(17) Awarding of all prizes shall be subject to the following conditions unless expressly provided to the contrary in the approved prize Terms and Conditions:

  1. the candidate has satisfied all conditions of the selection criteria for the prize;
  2. all the work required for the prize has been completed by the candidate while enrolled at the University of New England;
  3. the candidate is not repeating the unit or other work upon which the award of the prize is based;
  4. in the case of eligibility based on declared marks, where two or more students obtain the same mark, the prize is to be shared;
  5. in the case of eligibility on the basis of performance in any single unit for which a mark is declared, the student obtains an overall mark of at least 75%; and
  6. in the case of eligibility on the basis of performance in any sequence of units or in a course for which marks are declared, the student obtains a grade point average of at least 6 (75%).

(18) The value of a prize or scholarship is stated in the Terms and Conditions. The minimum value, unless otherwise agreed, of a prize will be $500 and of a scholarship will be $5000 per annum.

(19) The University has the authority to make the final decision on the selection of prize and scholarship recipients subject to funding being available.

Selection of Prize Recipients

(20) In October of each year, Student Success notifies the relevant decision-making body of available prizes and the timelines for selecting the recipient(s) of each prize.

(21) The decision-making body identifies potential prize recipients for which no application is required using the relevant student information system.

(22) The decision-making body will select and approve prize recipients and notify Student Success and Advancement, Communications and Events within the advised timeline. 

(23) Student Success will notify successful recipients including instructions for accepting the prize and the offer lapse date by when successful applicants must accept their prize.

(24) When the recipient has accepted the prize, Advancement, Communications and Events will annually note the prize recipient's name on the University website.

Application for Scholarships and Selection of Recipients

(25) Candidates for a scholarship must apply using the manner specified and by the due date published by the University each application round. Further information and assistance on applying for scholarships is available at UNE’s scholarships webpage.

(26) An application must be accompanied by all required documentation which has been properly certified by either the issuing body or people qualified to certify documents (where applicable). Scanned documents will be accepted but applicants should be prepared to provide original documents or original certified copies of required documents upon request at any time.

(27) The Scholarships team in Student Success will, with assistance from Advancement, Communications and Events as required, receive and assess applications against the specific selection criteria in the Terms and Conditions. If the scholarship is donor-sponsored, the input of the donor may be sought in accordance with the Terms and Conditions. Following assessment and any donor input, the Scholarships team will provide advice to the relevant decision-making body regarding suitable recipients of scholarships.

(28) The relevant decision-making body will consider advice from the Scholarships team and donor (where applicable) and make the final decision regarding the selection of scholarship recipients. Following selection, Student Success will advise all successful applicants in writing of the outcome of their application, set an offer lapse date by when successful applicants must accept their scholarship, and ensure that the successful scholarship recipients formally accept the offer and the Terms and Conditions.

(29) After the recipient has accepted the scholarship, Student Success will advise Advancement, Communications and Events, who will advise the donor (where applicable).

Management of Scholarship Candidature

(30) When recipients are required to meet certain conditions to be eligible for payment(s), Student Success will:

  1. ensure each recipient is eligible for payment before each payment is made;
  2. notify recipients in writing if they become ineligible to receive payments;
  3. where possible, in liaison with the Financial Performance and Analytical Services Directorate, recover any overpayments made to recipients; and
  4. in consultation with Advancement, Communications and Events, determine if conditions can be varied or waived for a particular recipient, according to the respective Terms and Conditions.

Duration or Continuation of a Scholarship

(31) Students who are granted a period of approved leave will normally forfeit their scholarship unless stated otherwise in the Terms and Conditions. If not stated in the Terms and Conditions, only under exceptional personal circumstances, supported by documentary evidence, can a Student apply for a suspension of their scholarship. The Student will need to make a case on why they should be allowed a suspension of their scholarship and submit to Student Success. Advancement, Communications, and Events will present the student's case to the donor where appropriate.

(32) If the recipient of a scholarship is granted a suspension of their scholarship and does not resume their course of study and take up the scholarship within a period of no more than one year, the scholarship will be withdrawn.

(33)  The Terms and Conditions for any individual scholarship may specify that, in the event that the recipient of a scholarship 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 award monies otherwise payable to the recipient will:

  1. revert to the scholarship fund; or
  2. be subject to donor renegotiation/approval; or
  3. made available the following year.

Prize and Scholarship Recipients

(34) To retain eligibility for prize and scholarship payments, recipients must:

  1. accept their offer as instructed before the offer lapse date;
  2. provide banking details as required and ensure that these remain current for the duration of payments;
  3. comply with any associated Terms and Conditions; and
  4. notify Student Success of any planned or actual changes to their enrolment that may affect their eligibility or payments immediately prior to making any such changes.

Payment

(35) Student Success will administer all payments to prize and scholarship recipients in liaison with Financial Performance and Analytical Services.

(36) The value of a scholarship will normally be paid in equal instalments. Payment of instalments will commence in the first trimester of enrolment in which the scholarship was awarded and will continue in consecutive trimester/s of enrolment providing the student has satisfied any Terms and Conditions. Payments will be made after the census date in the relevant trimester/s.

(37) Unless otherwise stated, the amount of each scholarship payment is calculated on the basis of full-time enrolment, that is, 24 credit points per trimester. If the student is permitted to undertake a lesser load, payments will be made on a pro rata basis subject to the Terms and Conditions and the agreement of the donor.

(38) The value of a prize will be paid in accordance with its Terms and Conditions.

(39) Payment to recipients of prizes and scholarships will be made electronically into Australian bank accounts.

(40) The University will not provide advice to recipients about any financial or taxation implications for individual students. Students will be informed that their prize or scholarship may affect income tax liability or government payments and that they should consult the Australian Taxation Office and/or Services Australia.

Advertising and Marketing

(41) Advancement, Communications and Events will maintain up to date prize and scholarship Terms and Conditions information on the University website and provide information to relevant officers for use in publications for which they have responsibility within the University.

(42) Student Success will maintain scholarship application information on the University website and determine appropriate ways of promoting the scholarships to eligible students.

Records Management

(43) A Records Container must be established for each prize and scholarship in the University’s Records Management System. All decisions regarding the prize or scholarship must be recorded in the relevant container, including: 

  1. the decision regarding approval of the prize or scholarship;
  2. establishment information;
  3. all versions of the approved Terms and Conditions;
  4. copies of all relevant signed agreements and/or contracts;
  5. all documents related to funding;
  6. all records regarding the selection and awarding process, including applications, decision outcomes, correspondence and payment.
  7. recipient details, including proof of meeting eligibility criteria; and
  8. all communications publicly and to any relevant donor around awarding of the prize or scholarship.

(44) All student communication must be saved in either the Student Relationship Management System or the student’s file in UNE’s Records Management System.

(45) Where a decision-making body is responsible for the selection and award of a prize or scholarship, a Records Container must also be established for that body. All records regarding the selection and awarding process, including applications, meeting minutes and reports and correspondence must be saved in the Container.

(46) For assistance with the establishment of Records Containers or other records advice, University Representatives should contact the records team at records@une.edu.au.

Authority and Compliance

(47) The Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic Innovation), pursuant to the Prizes and Scholarships Rule, makes these procedures.

(48) University Representatives and Students must observe these Procedures in relation to University matters.

(49) These Procedures operate as and from the Effective Date.

(50) Previous Procedures relating to prizes and scholarships are replaced and have no further operation from the Effective Date of this new Procedure.

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Section 4 - Definitions

(51) Candidate is a Student or prospective Student or graduate of the University who has met the requirements to be considered for the bestowal of a Prize and/or Scholarship, including submission of an application where that is required.

(52) Effective Date is the date on which this procedure will take effect.

(53) Prize is an award made on the basis of academic performance that carries no condition for further study. The benefit is usually financial but may include a certificate or some other form of recognition.

(54) Scholarship for the purposes of this Rule, means any scholarship or bursary and is an award usually made on the basis of academic merit and/or equity providing a benefit to a student undertaking a course of study. The benefit is usually financial and may include full or partial remission of fees, costs associated with studying and/or living allowance or stipend.

(55) Student means an Admitted Student or an Enrolled Student, at the relevant time.

  1. Admitted student means a student who has been admitted to a UNE course of study and who is entitled to enrol in a unit of study or who has completed all of the units in the UNE course of study.
  2. Enrolled student means a student who is enrolled in a unit of study at UNE.

(56) University Representative means a University employee (casual, fixed-term and permanent), contractor, agent, appointee, UNE Council member, adjunct, visiting academic and any other person engaged by the University to undertake some activity for on behalf of the University. It includes corporations and other bodies falling into one or more of these categories.