Scholarship Conditions

Students should know that an ADS scholarship is not a personal gift, but rather an agreement between the student and the Australian Government under which the student must agree in writing to abide by certain conditions in return for which the Australian Government also makes certain commitments.

Students who are offered a scholarship will be asked to sign a statement that they will comply with the conditions of the scholarship. The home country government may also impose conditions on the scholarship. These will be outlined in the supplementary information.

Main Scholarship Conditions

In accepting an Australian Development Scholarship, the student will be asked to:

agree that the scholarship offered is for the appropriate field and level of study;
acknowledge that no additional study under the scholarship will be considered;
comply with conditions set down by the training institution, including not changing enrolment without the prior agreement of AusAID;
agree to study full-time, achieve satisfactory academic progress and meet all course requirements set out by the education institution;
agree not to engage in employment outside vacation periods without agreement from AusAID and not beyond the restrictions applying to their visa;
acknowledge that the scholarship may be withdrawn by the Australian Government;
agree to return home promptly upon the completion of the scholarship;
agree to advise AusAID immediately should the student marry a person who is not a citizen in the student’s country of citizenship;
acknowledge that if the student changes their visa from an AusAID student visa during the period of this scholarship or within two years of scholarship completion, that they may incur a debt to the Commonwealth of Australia to the total value of the scholarship;
agree to ensure that the education institution has a current record of their residential and postal address in Australia;
agree to the disclosure of information regarding their progress (set out in full in the scholarship acceptance form); and
agree to act in a manner that will not bring disrepute to themself, their family, their country or AusAID during the scholarship.

Conditions for returning home

Students are expected to return to their home country for at least two years after completing their scholarship to contribute to the economic and social development of the country. AusAID does not agree with students obtaining private student visas at the end of their scholarship in order to stay in Australia to undertake further study. AusAID and its Minister have the power to support or not support applications from students for certain visas with the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs.

Visa Conditions

ADS students have visas that allow them to enter Australia more than once. However, the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs should be notified if a student travels overseas during their scholarship for longer than one month.

Work placements, internships and clinical practice

Some study programs will include the opportunity to undertake work placements on internships for practical experience. AusAID may only approve this if:

work experience is an integral part of the study program, and the qualification cannot be obtained without completing the work experience; or

membership of a professional association in the student’s home country is necessary if the student is to be able to use the knowledge and skills which have been gained in Australia, and that membership is dependent on work experience not available in the home country.

Work experience to gain membership of an Australian association is not approved where work experience could be undertaken in the student’s home country to gain membership of the relevant association at home.

All work placements must be identified in the institution’s original offer of a place. Work placements must not be longer than 12 months.

Overeas fieldwork conditions

Students enrolled in Master by research programs, combined Master coursework and research programs (where the research accounts for more than 50 per cent of the scholarship), can receive funding to do overseas fieldwork in their home country. If approved, funding includes one return economy airfare to the home country, and the stipend will continue throughout the period of fieldwork.

If a student is receiving an accompanied rate stipend, they will continue to receive this rate regardless of whether or not their family accompanies them on the fieldwork trip or stays in Australia. The maximum period for overseas fieldwork is eight months for Master students.

Any such provision for fieldwork must be noted in the placement offer from the institution, and students should submit a proposal to the supervisor and AusAID Liaison Officer at least six months in advance. The proposal should include an outline of the fieldwork, proof that the fieldwork is essential to the course, an itinerary, an indication of arrangements for supervision during the fieldwork, and an assessment of how the fieldwork might affect the length of the scholarship (fieldwork should not make the scholarship any longer).

Other general conditions

Students must comply with the laws of Australia or risk the termination of their scholarship.

ADS Extensions

An extension is defined as any increase to the length of an ADS and/or an increase in the cost of the ADS. Only one extension of six months for legitimate academic reasons will be approved for the ADS, and only in the second or subsequent years. Legitimate reasons for an extension include unforeseen and exceptional circumstances that are beyond the control of the Student and Institution. It does not include health issues, family matters, academic failure or a death in the family.

Conditions on repayment of scholarship costs

Students will usually be required to repay the total cost of their scholarship if they apply to change their visa from an ADS student visa, without returning to their home country for at least two years after completing their scholarship. The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs will alert AusAID to any such visa applications from ADS students.