Revised: July 2009
POLICY AND GUIDELINES
Research Fellows and Postgraduate Students
FACULTY GRANTS AND LEAVE COMMITTEE
This policy applies only to Fellows and Students of the Faculty of Education.
University‑wide policies are accessible through http://www.vuw.ac.nz/home/about_victoria/policy.html
Contents
I.
The Faculty Research Committee (FRC) is authorised to make grants for
2
II.
FRC Grants are contestable
2
III.
Application Checklist
3
IV.
Enrolment
3
V.
Oracle GMS
3
VI.
Human Ethics Committee Approval
4
VII.
Field Trips, Travel, Accommodation, Vehicle Costs
4
VIII.
Conference Grants
5
IX.
Financial Responsibility
6
X.
Grant Approval
7
XI.
Performance Report
7
XII.
Acknowledgement of FRC Support
7
XIII.
Further Information
8
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I.
The Faculty Grants and Leave Committee (FGLC) is authorised to make grants
for:
PhD Candidates:
Limited to a maximum of $2,000 in any calendar year and limited to $6,000 for the entire
duration of the PhD programme.
However, exceptionally, on account of the applicant’s merit, the Grants and Leave
committee can decide to grant more than $2000 per year, while remaining within the overall
limitation of $6000 over the whole PHD programme. This is by no way an automatic
entitlement and it will be applied solely for research‑related application, (not for Conference
attendance) and for those who are far enough through their research such that it is unlikely
that any further funded would be needed.
The same yearly and overall limitations apply to part‑time students, regardless of the
number of years they are enrolled in the PHD Programme.
Research Fellows (on less than two years’ contract):
Limited to a maximum of $2,000 per annum and limited to a maximum of $6,000 for the total
period of the fellowship.
Masters by Thesis:
Limited to a maximum of $2,000 for the total period of the Masters by Thesis enrolment.
II.
FGLC Grants are contestable:
The FGLC will consider applications for:
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Purchase of materials, such as audio and video tapes, printer cartridges, computer disks,
paper etc.;
Transcription costs;
Resource provision – photocopying, internet costs (if remote use is required), inter-loans
and expenses.
Research related travel in New Zealand and in exceptional cases overseas;
Attending conferences in the appropriate discipline (see Point X).
Funding for research related expenses (e.g. field trips, library costs, internet costs,
photocopying, transcription, consumables etc) will get priority over conference
funding.
The FGLC will not consider applications for:
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Thesis production costs (e.g. binding);
Assets or equipment purchase;
Software or any other computer related costs;
The provision of a Research Assistant;
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
A grant to a staff member, the effect of which is to provide income to a postgraduate
researcher for the research, which is the subject of that researcher’s personal
postgraduate research project.
Students should be aware that the sole purpose of the research grants allocated to
them is to help them complete their research thesis in due time. Their applications will
be assessed in relation to this objective.
III.
Application Checklist:
These grants are contestable and the process of selection is competitive, and
therefore, the quality of the application is important. Please note that incomplete
applications will not be accepted.
So please ensure you:
1) Give a title and a full description of your project. The ‘Project overview’ box in Oracle
GMS allows 150 words, the ‘Description’ box allows 500 words and the ‘Other
information’ box allows 250 words. Applicants should take full advantage of these
word limits to give the FGLC an adequate view of the project and funding
requirements;
2) Provide a realistic budget (you should be able to spend the money within 12 months);
3) Upload your letter of approval from the Human Ethics Committee if appropriate;
4) Upload your HRG travel quote if appropriate;
5) Upload your letter of acceptance for your conference paper, if appropriate;
6) Upload a written statement of support from your supervisor, if appropriate;
7) Upload any itinerary of your activity to be paid for with the grant if appropriate;
8) Upload any document which supports your application with information which has not
been covered adequately on the form or on other uploaded documents.
IV.
Enrolment:
Applications will not be considered unless you are fully enrolled, whether on a full‑time or
part‑time basis. You must be fully enrolled for the entire duration of your grant.
V.
Oracle GMS:
All applications for FGLC grants are required to be submitted online in a software
programme called Oracle GMS (Grant Management System).
An Oracle Access Form can be downloaded from the Education website:
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/education/student-administration/postgraduate research
grants.aspx
This form needs to be first completed (select RT -Web Forms ‑ Grants Applications and
Inquiry) and submitted to Oracle Help, Central Finance, RS 303 by faxing to 463 5251 (as
stated on the form).
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Any queries about this form or Oracle access can be directed to Oracle‑Help@vuw.ac.nz.
Once Oracle Help have received your completed Oracle Access Form they will contact you
in approximately one week with your Oracle username and password and they will also
organise an Oracle GMS training session for you if require one. The training session will take
approx 45 minutes and it will be organised to take place during a time that suits you.
Please note that Oracle GMS can only be accessed on campus.
In special circumstances, (e.g. if there is any particular problem with computer access, or if
the student is a distance student), the Supervisor or Head of School may use their own
Oracle GMS username and password to submit the Faculty Research Grant application on
behalf of their student.
When filling in your grant application in Oracle GMS please note:
 Project Start Date – this is the date that you would like your grant funding to begin
(usually ASAP, i.e. today’s date)
 Project End Date – this is the date that you no longer require grant funding (usually
within 12 months).
 Role ‘Project Manager’ – select yourself as the ‘Key Member’
 Role ‘Associate Investigator’ – select your Supervisor as the ‘Key Member’
The Project End Date must be before your enrolment expires or aligned with your
enrolment expiry date.
VI.
Human Ethics Committee Approval:
All applicants who are planning to work with human subjects must obtain approval from the
Faculty Human Ethics Committee before the research grant can be drawn upon. Human
Ethics Committee guidelines and application forms can be downloaded from the Research
Office website http://www.victoria.ac.nz/postgradlife/pages/pages_current_pg/ethics.html
If an Ethics application has been submitted to the Human Ethics Committee and initially
assessed but full approval has not been granted yet, applicants may enter ‘pending’ on the
ethics status field of the application form. The grant will be conditional on Ethics approval
notification.
VII.
Field Trips, Travel, Accommodation, Vehicle Costs:
Grants for travel will only be approved for research related travel and to conferences.
Field Trips:
Allowance for field trips where accommodation costs are not involved is up to $30 per day.
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Travel:
All applicants applying for a grant for travel must read, understand, and comply with the
Travel Policy available through http://www.victoria.ac.nz/education/studentadministration/postgraduate research grants.aspx
Air travel must be booked by using the University’s preferred supplier, HRG New Zealand
Please note: if you have a quote from HRG and you can see a cheaper fare advertised on
the internet, please go back to the HRG consultant and ask them to match it. If they cannot
do this please contact the Faculty Committee Administrator or Jonathan Winkworth –
Procurement Advisor on 04 463 5904 immediately.
The Travel Policy also states:
“Domestic and trans‑Tasman airfares may be booked directly with airlines [by your School
Administrator] using their web based booking systems on the strict condition that the travel is
paid for using a University Purchase‑Card. It is expected that the traveller and/or travel
co‑ordinator: (i) is aware of any special conditions pertaining to the purchase of such tickets
and minimises the potential risk with “use it or lose it” airfares; and (ii) have obtained
permission from the Approving Manager.”
Please note: that School Administrators are not obliged to do this for students and
may decline due to workload constraints etc.
Accommodation:
Where accommodation costs are involved, applicants are asked to make arrangements that
are as economical as is reasonable in the circumstances. The FGLC can grant an
appropriate per diem allowance of up to $61 per night for NZ and up to $86 per night for
overseas. All internal travel should be included within this per diem allowance.
Vehicle Costs:
Applicants are strongly encouraged, whenever it’s possible, to travel by plane (or train) and
rent a car at their research location in NZ rather than using their own car. In any case, the
most economical way of transportation should be used when spending the Faculty’s money.
If applicants intend to use their own car anyway, they will be requested to provide an
alternative quote for an airfare + a car rental, and the money awarded to them will be based
on this quote if it is a cheaper option.
Mileage is paid at: (as per IRD rate)
 1 to 3000 km ‑ 62 cents per kilometre
 3001 and over – 19 cents per kilometre for each kilometre over 3000
VIII.
Conference Grants:
Students presenting papers at conferences will get priority over students simply attending
conferences (while research‑related grants still hold a higher priority than any conference
grant.) ‘Workshops’ or ‘forums’ are considered lower priority for funding than presenting at a
research based conference or symposium.
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Applications for a grant to present a paper at a conference must be accompanied by
an acceptance letter or a date of when notification of acceptance is expected. Any
approved grant will be conditional on an acceptance letter being provided to Faculty
Committee administrator.
Conference grant funding eligibilities are as follows:
Overseas Conference Grant:
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Accommodation – $86 per diem
Conference Fee ‑ $588 maximum
Total Eligibility ‑ $2,000 maximum (as per grant maximums p.2)
NZ Conference Grant:
 Accommodation ‑ $61 per diem
 Conference Fee ‑ $398 maximum
 Total Eligibility ‑ $978 maximum
IX.
Financial Responsibility:
Responsibility for operating within the amount granted lies with the grant holder. Payments
will be limited to the amount granted.
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All original receipts should be kept, as payment is generally dependent on production
of receipts: you should submit these to claim reimbursement after the grant is approved.
Print outs of internet transactions or photocopies of credit card statements are not
acceptable.
Invoices must state that it is a tax invoice and provide the GST number.
For invoices to be paid by VUW they must be paid out to Victoria University of Wellington
C/O the grant holder.
Invoices should be signed that the goods have been received.
The only time original receipts are not required is when the cost is charged directly to the
grant and paid by VUW (such as the Library).
Attach a copy of the Purchase Order Number where appropriate.
If you have never made a claim before or have changed your bank account, attach a
deposit slip or have the bank produce a print‑out of your bank account number.
Keep a record of all claims and payments.
All Finance documents can be downloaded on the Education website:
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/education/student-administration/postgraduate research
grants.aspx
The Reimbursement of Expenses Request Form
The Expenditure Types List can be found in the ‘Managing your Fund’ document
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And accompanying documentation must be submitted to:
Tony Arnold,
Education Finance Adviser,
Room 308,
Tennant Building,
Tel: 463 9538
e: Tony.Arnold@vuw.ac.nz
VUW Purchase‑Card transactions pertaining to your grant need to be coded (by your School
Administrator) for Central Finance, at least one month before your grant closes.
If a grant is overspent, it will be the responsibility of the recipient of the grant to pay back the
excess amount within a reasonable time. No new application will be considered if there is an
unadjusted overspent grant in your name.
All grants must be spent by the closing date of the grant and this should normally be
within 12 months from the date of approval unless special arrangements have been
made to the contrary. A fresh application will be required to replace a lapsed grant.
Extensions up to three months will be approved only in exceptional situations and must be
requested before the project end date is reached from the Faculty Committee Administrator.
X.
Grant Approval:
Once a grant application has been approved, the grant will be set up in Oracle GMS and an
approval letter with information on how to claim the grant will be sent applicant.
XI.
Performance Report:
Successful applicants are required to submit a Performance Report to the FGLC on the use
of their grant by one month after the closure of their grant. No new application will be
considered until the previous grant is utilised in full and a Performance Report is submitted.
Performance Reports are done in Oracle GMS.
XII.
Acknowledgment of FGLC Support:
Where research work is completed with the support of a FGLC grant is published, the
publication should contain a reference to that support.
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XIII.
Further Information:
For more information, contact any of the following:
Convener of FGLC:
Faculty Committee Administrator:
Liz Jones
Associate Dean (Academic)
Liz.Jones@vuw.ac.nz
Phone: 463 5939
Room GR 3-06,
Gray Building,
Karori Campus.
Beth Smith
Faculty Committee Administrator
Beth.Smith@vuw.ac.nz
Phone: 463 9586
Room GR 3-14,
Gray Building,
Karori Campus.
(Note: FCA does not work on Mondays)
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