Attachment 4
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: DRAFT DISCUSSION PAPER
1.
Background
This document has been developed to complement the discussion paper on Exemption and FeePay Scholarship Scheme for Domestic Students. It describes the existing International Scholarship
Scheme and English Language Scholarship Scheme, both of which are supported by the Office of
the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Development). In addition, the document canvasses
the development of a Fee-Pay Scholarship Scheme for international students, funded at the
Faculty level.
The range of international higher degree research scholarships offered by the University is also
described.
2.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) International Scholarship
Scheme
Purpose
The purpose of the International Scholarship Scheme is to assist Faculties to develop strategic
relationships in particular regions and/or with particular overseas partners by providing “central”
funds to support the offering of tuition fee scholarships to international students.
The scheme’s funds are derived from an off-the-top allocation from gross international tuition fee
income. Each Faculty receives an allocation of funding, which is used to reimburse at the
School/Centre level the teaching and learning component of tuition fee scholarships provided to
international students.
Parameters and Eligibility
Faculties have full discretion to offer tuition fee scholarships to international students according
to their strategic priorities, within the parameters listed below.
1.
Faculties may provide tuition fee scholarships to international students on a strategic
basis and as part of their internationalisation plans.
2.
Eligibility for scholarships should be limited to those international students from
institutions or particular regions, with which the Faculty wishes to build a stronger
partnership commitment. It would be expected that new scholarships would not be
provided to existing international students, that is, international students who have
already commenced a UQ program, and therefore provide no leverage in terms of a
Faculty’s internationalisation plans.
3.
The scheme applies to undergraduate, postgraduate coursework or higher degree research
students.
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4.
Academic merit should be a major determinant of eligibility within the context of the
strategic intent of the scheme.
5.
Tuition fee scholarships may be awarded only on a full (100%) or partial (50%) basis.
Administration
Faculties are responsible for developing selection mechanisms to allocate scholarships within the
parameters detailed in the section above.
The Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) allocates funds to
Faculties on an annual basis to be used to reimburse schools/centres for the teaching and learning
costs of providing tuition fee scholarships to international students.
Business Services administers the scholarship funds on behalf of the Office of the Deputy ViceChancellor (International & Development) and the Faculties. Following their allocation of
scholarships, Faculties provide advice to Business Services on their list of scholarship recipients.
Business Services attaches the student to the relevant Third Party Contract (TPC) within SI-Net.
During the fee distribution process, Business Services reimburses the Faculty for the teaching and
learning component of the tuition fee scholarship. Non-Faculty components are not reimbursed.
At the end of each semester, Business Services provides Faculties with a report, which details
expenditure against each Faculty’s allocation. Faculties are subsequently asked to report to the
Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) on the allocation of their
scholarship funds and the strategic objectives and outcomes achieved.
3.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) English Language
Scholarship Scheme
Purpose
As a relationship building exercise the Deputy Vice Chancellor (International & Development)
has initiated an English Language Scholarship program for prospective international students who
are applying to study for a Research Higher Degree at The University of Queensland. This
initiative aims to attract excellent PhD candidates who otherwise would not be eligible for entry
to UQ.
The Scheme’s funds are sourced from a pool of funds created from an off-the-top allocation from
gross international tuition fee income. The pool is used to support this Scheme, as well as to pay
agent commissions and the University’s CRICOS registration.
Parameters and Eligibility
To be eligible for an English Language Scholarship (ELS), students must meet the following
criteria:
1.
Students must be in receipt of a scholarship from a government ministry or another type
of government or aid organization scholarship, which has been approved by the Deputy
Vice-Chancellor (International & Development) for participation in this scheme; and
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2.
The student must be in receipt of a Conditional Offer of a place in a research higher
degree program to be undertaken wholly at UQ. The offer letter must contain no
conditions other than compliance with the English Language Proficiency entry
requirement; and
3.
Students must have a valid English Language Proficiency Entry score that is no more
than (the equivalent of) 0.5 IELTS Overall Band score below the English Language
Proficiency requirement, and no less than one band below the writing band score of 6,
(that is no less than 5) for entry to a research higher degree at UQ. TOEFL scores will
also be accepted. The minimum TOEFL score required is 525 with a TWE 4.
Note: Government-sponsored candidates enrolled off-shore in collaboratively supervised PhD
programs are eligible, as long as the student was enrolled for three years equivalent full-time at
UQ and the EAP course was undertaken here in Brisbane at UQ-ICTE.
List of Eligible Scholarship Bodies to date –
Vietnam
MOET - Ministry of Education and Training
DOSTE - Department of Science, Technology and Education
Oman
Ministry of Higher Education
Other Government Ministries and Agencies in the Sultanate of Oman
Staff of the Sultan Qaboos University
Columbia
ICETEX
Thailand
Government Scholarship holders
Malaysia
Government Scholarship holders
Administration
Eligible candidates for an ELS are identified by the International Admissions Section during the
processing of applications for Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy programs.
Applications are sent to the relevant School for academic assessment and then to the Office of
Research and Postgraduate Studies for final assessment. The Director of the Graduate School
gives final approval for an ELS to eligible candidates.
Once the ELS has been accepted by the candidate all relevant parties are notified (IED, ICTE, the
relevant School and Business Services). Business Services establishes bank accounts and makes
arrangement for the fortnightly payment of a stipend. ICTE submits a claim for tuition fees to
Business Services through IED.
4.
Proposed Fee-Pay Scholarship Scheme for International Students
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The Commonwealth Government’s implementation of a new funding regime for higher education
provides an opportunity for Faculties to offer students (including international students) Fee-Pay
Scholarships.
In allocating a Fee-Pay Scholarship to an international student, a Faculty will pay all or part of the
student’s tuition fees for a specified period of time, such as for a semester to the duration of the
program. The student has no discretion over the use of the scholarship fund.
The cost of Fee-Pay scholarships will be borne by the Faculty allocating the scholarship.
Purpose
The purpose of the Fee-Pay Scholarship Scheme is to enable Faculties to offer additional meritbased scholarships to prospective students, as well as to provide assistance with tuition fees for
enrolled high achieving international students, particularly those who are experiencing some
financial difficulty.
Parameters and Eligibility
Selection of Fee-Pay Scholarship recipients will be based on either academic merit and financial
disadvantage or academic merit.
To be eligible, students must


be an international student and
demonstrate financial disadvantage and/or academic merit.
Where financial disadvantage is a criterion, the student must provide documentary evidence of
financial hardship. The information and evidence provided should be sufficient to enable the
Faculty Selection Committee to assess comprehensively the student’s financial situation.
With regard to the academic merit criterion, evidence of previous and current academic
performance may include Year 12 or international equivalent or academic records from tertiary or
post-secondary-level study.
Administration
Scholarships will be awarded under this Scheme in Faculty-managed application rounds each
year.
In allocating Fee-Pay Scholarships, Faculties must ensure they comply with The Fairness
Requirements described in Subdivision 19-D of HESA. The requirements state that “the
University must treat fairly all of its students; and all of the persons seeking to enroll with it”. In
conjunction with these requirements, the University’s own equity provisions and associated
legislative framework require equal treatment of all eligible students.
Faculties will administer the scholarship after their award, particularly in terms of interacting with
recipients and ensuring their on-going eligibility for the scholarship.
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The cost of Fee-Pay Scholarships for international students will be borne by the relevant Faculty
in the form of (1) foregoing the direct income for the teaching and learning component of tuition
fee scholarships and (2) paying the “non-Faculty” components of tuition fee scholarships.
There will need to be discussion with Business Services to determine the best method for
managing payment (and subsequent reimbursement of non-Faculty components) of the tuition fee
scholarships.
(NB: With regard to providing assistance to international students experiencing financial
hardship, such students will still need to meet DIMIA’s student visa requirements for
international students, which require demonstration of financial capacity).
5.
International Postgraduate Research Awards
A number of scholarships are available for internationals students wishing to undertake research
programs at The University of Queensland. These are as follows.

International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS)
This award is funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Education,
Science & Training. The scholarship covers the tuition fees payable for each year of the
approved program.

University of Queensland International Postgraduate Research Scholarship
(UQIPRS)
The UQIPRS provides a living allowance for the duration of the approved program. This
award is available only to those students eligible to apply for an IPRS.

University of Queensland Graduate School Award (UQGSA)
This award, formerly known as the University of Queensland Postgraduate Research
Scholarship (UQPRS), provides a living allowance and is available to those international
students who have already started a PhD or research masters degree and are looking for a
scholarship to complete the degree.

University of Queensland School Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships may be awarded by individual academic schools at UQ.
Such scholarships may take the form of tuition fee grants or full or partial stipends to
cover living expenses. Schools may also provide payment in return for research or
tutorial assistance. International applicants who apply for a place in a postgraduate
research degree program and who have excellent academic or research records will be
considered automatically for a school grant/award, on the basis of information provided
in the application for Admission as a Postgraduate Student form.
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