Ad Hoc Scholarships—Regulations

Preamble

Ad hoc scholarships are administered by the Scholarships Committee on behalf of various internal and external funding agencies. The committee considers that there is a clear distinction between a scholarship awarded for educational purposes, and the employment of a postgraduate student on a research project. The committee expects that candidates will normally be selected, after advertisement in open competition, on the basis of academic merit. In the absence of specific alternative regulations accepted by the University, all ad hoc scholarships must conform with the following regulations.

1. Each scholarship is awarded for educational purposes only.

2. Candidates must hold a degree from a recognised university, normally of at least 2A honours standard or its equivalent.

3. A scholarship holder must be enrolled as a full-time candidate for a higher degree in this University.

4.(1) A scholarship may be awarded—

(a) as a full scholarship; or

(b) subject to (4) and (5), to supplement another award; or

(c) to extend scholarship support for a limited period.

(2) Subject to (3), a full scholarship is awarded for the normal duration of the candidate's course which for a master's degree is up to two years and for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy is at least three years.

(3) For an enrolled student the period of tenure of a full scholarship is reduced by the period of enrolment already completed.

(4) A supplementary scholarship may be awarded only with the permission of the respective donors and of the Scholarships Committee and provided that the regulations governing the supplementary scholarship do not contravene those attached to the primary award.

(5) The value of a supplementary scholarship will not exceed 75 per cent of the value of the primary award.

5.(1) Except where an award is made to supplement another award, or to extend scholarship support for a limited period, the minimum living allowance for a scholarship will not normally be approved at a level less than a University Postgraduate Award.

(2) Other allowances, such as relocation costs, sick leave, maternity leave and costs towards thesis preparation may be given.

6.(1) The University does not require that a student receiving a scholarship undertake employment and such a requirement cannot form part of any agreement.

(2) Scholarship holders may undertake part-time employment but such employment must not exceed an average of eight hours per week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

(3) The head of the school in which a scholarship holder is enrolled is responsible for ensuring that part-time employment is not undertaken to the detriment of the scholarship holder's study programme.

7.(1) A scholarship holder is permitted to take recreation leave of up to four weeks annually at a time mutually agreeable to the scholarship holder and his or her supervisor.

(2) No more than 20 days' recreation leave, calculated on a pro-rata basis, may be accumulated and leave must be taken during the tenure of the award.

8. The Board of the Graduate Research School or the appropriate Faculty Higher Degrees Committee conducts a review of progress for each scholarship holder, either at the end of each year or at a time determined by the body concerned, and, on the basis of that review, may suspend or terminate the scholarship where one of the following has occurred:

(a) unsatisfactory academic progress;

(b) non-compliance with the conditions of the award;

(c) failure to resume full-time study at the conclusion of a period of suspension;

(d) failure to obtain approval for holding the award on a part-time basis where the scholarship holder has changed from full- to part-time enrolment.

9. Where an award has been suspended or terminated due to an assessment of unsatisfactory progress the candidate has the right of appeal under the University's appeal regulations.

10. In the event that a funding for a scholarship funded by an external agency is withdrawn for any reason and the duration and funding of the scholarship are not within the control of the University, the University is not liable for the provision of alternative scholarship support.

11.(1) Scholarship holders who intend to change or suspend their enrolment or to withdraw from their course, must inform their supervisor, head of school and the Scholarships Office at least two weeks in advance.

(2) Any overpayments made as a result of failure to comply with (1) will be recovered from the scholarship holder.

12. A scholarship holder is not under any bond at the conclusion of their studies.