This policy document is currently under review to reflect The Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2023-2026, which came into effect on 5 December 2023. Until this has been reviewed, the new Enterprise Agreement will take precedence over the provisions outlined in this document.

Procedure: Study leave for professional staff

Purpose

To outline the procedure for staff applying for and taking study leave.

Procedure

Study leave for professional staff is provided for under the ANU Enterprise Agreement and the Staff Leave policy.
The provisions for study leave are outlined in the table below:

Leave type	Qualification	Entitlements & accruals (pro rata for part time staff)	Conditions
Study Where the professional staff member undertakes a course of study*, which the delegate determines will improve the performance of the staff member.	Full time and part time continuing professional staff	Up to 8 hours per week, to attend classes, tutorials, flexible or online learning events and/or examinations during normal working hours. This may be on an aggregated semester or annual basis where courses are presented in blocks.	Where appropriate lectures are not available outside normal working hours. May be required to make up any study leave time taken in excess of 5 hours per week by work outside normal working hours, subject to the requirements of the work area.
		Up to 2 weeks per calendar year for residential study for approved distance education course.	Where the residential course exceeds 2 weeks, the delegate may approve additional leave.
		0.5 day for each final exam in addition to actual time of examination.
		2 days prior to exam period in addition to actual time of examination.	For distance education exams.
Training	Trainee technical officer	Up to 12 hours per week to attend classes and examinations.	May be required to make up no more than 4 hours, by work outside normal working hours, subject to the requirements of the work area.
	Trainees -Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 1 or above	As prescribed by the training authority
	Apprentices	As per the relevant apprenticeship scheme

*Course should be recorded and approved in staff member's Performance and Development Review (PDR) eForm.

For trainee technical officers, the University will pay compulsory course fees (excluding fees for amenities, student unions and costs of textbooks and equipment), and provide on-the-job training relevant to the needs of the University and, as far as practicable, coordinated with the prescribed course.
For professional staff other than trainee technical officers, the delegate may approve reimbursement of tuition fees (pro rata for part time staff), in accordance with clause 8 through 11 below.

Application process

A staff member undertaking an approved course will be eligible to be paid study leave where classes and examinations are not available outside normal working hours. Applications for approval of a course should be made to the delegate. The application should include a copy of the official timetable as well as details of the classes/residential sessions that the staff member proposes to attend.
In determining whether or not to approve the course the Delegate will take into account:

The operational requirements of the local work area;
The wider University context;
The training and development needs of the individual;
The potential for improvements to the work performance of the staff member; and
Whether the staff member has previously attempted and failed the study course/subject.

Applications from Indigenous staff should also be considered in the light of the Career Development policy and the objectives and targets contained in the ANU Reconciliation Action Plan and applicable Indigenous employment strategies which aim to improve the attraction and retention of Indigenous staff.
If the delegate approves the course, the staff member should submit an online leave application.
A delegate must exercise their delegation to approve a leave application in accordance with the conditions and approval arrangements specified in this procedure.
Approval of leave beyond those provided for through this procedure requires approval of the Director, Human Resources or the Vice-Chancellor.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees means those fees paid directly to the educational institution in relation to the course and do not include student contribution amounts payable by students enrolled in a Commonwealth supported place or those by FEE-HELP students, or any general purpose fees.
The delegate may approve the reimbursement of tuition fees upon the successful completion of an approved course. The amount to be reimbursed will be determined by the delegate.
Applications for reimbursement of tuition fees should be made in writing to the delegate. The application should include copies of the relevant receipts as well as evidence of successful completion of the course.
Where reimbursement has been approved, the University and the staff member will enter into an agreement regarding the terms and conditions attached to the reimbursement. The agreement may include a requirement that the staff member continue in employment with the University for a given period of time after completion of the course (or repay the cost of tuition if they leave the University).

Workers compensation

Periods of absence from the staff member's normal place of work to undertake an approved course of study are deemed to be periods at work for the purposes of workers compensation.

Delegations relevant to this procedure

000183: Approve leave of absence of general and academic staff
000220: Purchase goods and services (including the signing of related purchasing contracts) within budget limit in one transaction or series of transactions (excluding GST)

Information	Printable version (PDF)
Title	Study leave for professional staff
Document Type	Procedure
Document Number	ANUP_000551
Version
Purpose	To outline the procedure for staff applying for and taking study leave.
Audience	Staff
Category	Administrative
Topic/ SubTopic	Staff - Leave & Absences

Effective Date	7 Aug 2018
Next Review Date	30 Jun 2024

Responsible Officer:	Chief People Officer
Approved By:	Chief Operating Officer
Contact Area	Human Resources Division
Authority:	ANU Enterprise Agreement 2017 – 2021
Delegations	183, 220
Information generated and received by ANU staff in the course of conducting business on behalf of ANU is a record and should be captured by an authorised recordkeeping system. To learn more about University records and recordkeeping practice at ANU, see ANU recordkeeping and Policy: Records and archives management.

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