Science Graduate
Scholarship 2015
Information Sheet
Overview
The Science Graduate Scholarship provideds up to
$11,000 to support graduates of science undertaking an
approved Graduate Entry Teaching (GET) course. Up to
100 scholarships will be provided to support study
commencing in 2015.
The Scholarship contributes to fulfilling the Victorian
Government’s commitment to boost the engagement and
learning outcomes in science of Victorian primary and
secondary students.
Scholarship Eligibility
Scholarship applicants will need to meet requirements for
GET course entry for study commencing in 2015.
Scholarships are only available to those who are selected
into a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for their
GET course of study. To apply for a CSP course, an
applicant must be an Australian citizen, an Australian
permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen.
In addition to meeting the qualification and admission
requirements for course entry, scholarship applicants who
will undertake a primary teaching course are also required
to have completed undergraduate or postgraduate study in
the science field.
Scholarship applicants who will undertake a secondary
teaching course will need to meet the qualification
requirements with at least one method area in the
sciences. Minimum requirements are an approved
university degree (or equivalent) that includes at least a
sub-major study as prescribed in the Victorian Institute of
Teaching (VIT) Specialist Area Guidelines for science.
For information on the minimum levels of study and a
guide for you to assess your teaching areas (methods)
see: VIT: Assessment of Qualifications
Graduate Entry Teaching (GET) Courses
GET refers to the teaching courses that require completion
of an appropriate undergraduate qualification (or
Science Graduate Scholarship – Information Sheet
equivalent) for entry. GET courses are often also called
postgraduate courses. For details of approved courses
see: VIT: Approved initial teacher education programs.
Applications for GET courses are made through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). For a small
number of courses, applications can also be made directly
to the University.
Scholarship applicants must separately apply for course
entry and meet VTAC and university selection requirements and timelines. For VTAC GET course application
details and to make an application see www.vtac.edu.au
When applying for course entry you will be required to
nominate either two single teaching methods or one
double method for each course entry preference. You
need to ensure that you meet the academic prerequisites
for the method studies you nominate. If you are unsure of
your eligibility after reviewing available documentation you
should contact the university directly. It is your responsibility to list teaching methods for which you are eligible
otherwise course and scholarship selection is unlikely.
A scholarship award will be dependent on selection
into an approved primary or secondary GET course
with an appropriate science method study.
Scholarship Benefits
The 2015 intake of the Science Graduate Scholarship
provides 100 scholarships with individual recipient
payments of up to $11,000 available. Scholarship
payments are made as follows:
1.
$3,000 paid upon commencement of an approved
primary or secondary GET course
2.
$3,000 paid at the midpoint of the course
3.
$4,000 paid to those who go on to teach in a Victorian
government school
4.
$1,000 paid at the beginning of the second year of
continuous service in a rural school.
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In order to receive the third and fourth payments the
graduate teacher must have secured employment in a
Victorian Government school in a teaching position of 12
months or longer. Employment must also commence by
the beginning of the second school term following course
completion. To receive the fourth scholarship payment
recipients would need to have commenced their teaching
career in a Victorian government rural school.
Scholarship holders will also be eligible to apply for
additional financial incentives available to final year
student teachers under the Department’s Teaching
Scholarship Scheme. Further information is available at:
www.teaching.vic.gov.au.
Taxation
The first two scholarship payments made while
undertaking study are characterised under existing
taxation laws as exempt income for recipients completing
their studies full-time. For scholarship recipients
completing their studies part-time the payment will not be
characterised as exempt income and appropriate tax
instalments withheld.
Subsequent scholarship payments are regarded as
assessable income and appropriate tax instalments are
withheld. Independent financial and taxation advice should
be sought to determine individual tax situations.
Scholarship Selection
All applicants who meet the scholarship eligibility
requirements will be considered. Selection priority will be
given to applicants who:

Supporting Documentation
A range of documents may be required to provide
evidence in support of your scholarship application and
assist the selection process. You may need to provide:
Citizenship: Evidence that confirms your right to
permanent residence in Australia if not an Australian or
New Zealand citizen.
Ethnicity: A statutory declaration attesting to your
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage or a letter of
support from your community elders.
Teacher Education Program: Evidence of enrolement in
an approved primary or secondary graduate entry teacher
education course for study commencing in 2015.
Qualifications: Official academic transcripts of post
secondary courses including evidence of course
completion or copies of online results in respect to any
current or incomplete studies. Official translations should
also be provided for any document not in English. Do not
include VCE or Year 12 results.
Resume: A current resume that includes any vocational,
professional or academic achievements you want to
highlight. Detail your work experience and particularly
highlight any experience in the science field.
All documentation must be of good quality and legible.
Scholarship Application
To apply for the Science Graduate Scholarship:

Complete GET courses entry

Complete the online application available at:
www.education.vic.gov.au/sciencegraduatescholarship
meet qualification requirements for science, physics or
chemistry method areas

Upload all required supporting documentation

have work history in the science field


have honours or higher postgraduate qualifications
Meet all scholarship and university requirements and
timelines.

have excellent academic results

are an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander

satisfactorily complete the online application which will
include a questionnaire component. The questionnaire
component will be timed and will you will need to set
aside at least 40-60 minutes to complete this task. The
questionnaire will involve rating a number of
statements about yourself, along with completing
mathematics and language tasks. Its purpose is to
assist in the shortlisting and interview process by
identifying factors that will assist in the selection of
high quality teachers.
Key Dates
14 January 2015
Applications open
3 February 2015
Applications close at 11.00 pm
February 2015
Shortlisted applicants interviewed
March 2015
Scholarship offers made
April 2015
Payments made to successful
applicants
The selection process will also include a face to face
interview held between February and March 2015 for
shortlisted applicants. If your application is short-listed,
you will be advised of arrangements regarding interview
times and locations.
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Science Graduate Scholarship – Information Sheet
Science Graduate Scholarship
2015 Frequently Asked Questions

Successfully complete the approved teacher education
course within the specified timeframe detailed in the
scholarship agreement.
What if I fail to complete the teaching course?
Are international students eligible?
No. Scholarships are only available to applicants who are
selected into a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) for
their teacher education. To apply for CSP courses, in
addition to meeting academic and course prerequisites,
you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or an
Australian permanent resident.
Are qualified teachers or current teacher
education students eligible?
No. Qualified teachers or current students completing
teacher education courses are not eligible to apply for this
scholarship. To be eligible applicants need to have
previosly completed studies in a science related area and
be commencing an approved pre-service teacher
education course for primary or secondary teaching in
2015.
Scholarship holders who fail to complete their teacher
education program may be required to refund the
scholarship amount in full.
What happens after I finish the course?
Scholarship recipients will be encouraged to explore the
opportunities available in Victorian government schools
and the range of supply and recruitment initiatives offered
by the Department. Employment after graduating is not
guaranteed.
Recipients securing approved employment in a Victorian
government school will be eligible for additional benefits
under the Science Graduate Scholarship. For further
details see Scholarship benefits outlined above.
Additional information
Email: science.scholarship@edumail.vic.gov.au
What if I don’t have studies in the science
field? Should I still apply?
No. The scholarship is specifically targeted to attract
graduates with studies in the science field into the primary
and secondary teaching profession. The Science Graduate
Scholarship contributes to fulfilling the Victorian
Government’s commitment to boost the engagement and
learning outcomes in science of Victorian primary and
secondary students.
When are the interviews held and offers
made?
Interviews for shortlisted applicants will be held between
16 and 27 February 2015. Scholarship offers are
scheduled to be made by the end of March 2015.
Can I defer the scholarship offer?
No. Recipients will generally not be able to defer the
scholarship offer.
What do I have to do if I get a scholarship?
Scholarship recipients will be expected to:

Sign an agreement accepting the scholarship offer,
terms and conditions

Provide
evidence
of
course
enrolment,
commencement and academic progress throughout
your studies; and
Science Graduate Scholarship – Information Sheet
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