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Procedure: Scholarships, grants and bursaries (coursework)

Purpose

To provide support to the Student financial awards policy, outline the responsibilities of the University and provide further detail on how to implement and comply with the policy.

Procedure

Establishment

  1. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) approves the establishment, amendment and disestablishment of all coursework scholarships, grants and bursaries (‘student financial awards’) offered within ANU, ensuring they are in alignment with the ANU Student financial awards policy.
  2. Any person, group or organisation within or beyond the University may propose the establishment of a student financial award.
  3. Proposed student financial awards meet the definition from the Policy: Glossary - student policies and procedures, and principles detailed in the Student financial awards policy.
  4. Each student financial award has a single owner (‘the Owner) which may be a college, school or service division; a completed Award Establishment Form (including charge code); and an approved Conditions of Award prior to publication or promotion.
  5. To propose a student financial award, the Owner completes the Award Establishment Form available from the Coursework Scholarships Office, with advice from relevant stakeholders. The Coursework Scholarships Office drafts a Conditions of Award based on the Award Establishment Form and in consultation with the Owner.
  6. The final Conditions of Award is endorsed by:
  • the relevant Associate Dean(s) (or delegate);
  • the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit (Dean or Director) (or delegate); and
  • the University Registrar, Division of Student Administration & Academic Services.
  1. The final Conditions of Award is approved or not approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic). The Coursework Scholarships Office shares the decision with the Owner and relevant stakeholders.
  2. When approval has been given, the Coursework Scholarships Office:
  1. enters the student financial award details into the student administration system; and
  2. publishes the student financial award on the ANU Scholarships website (if applicable); and
  3. uploads the Award Establishment Form, the Conditions of Award and the record of endorsements, approval and denials in the University’s Electronic Records Management System (ERMS).
  1. Prior to promotion, the Owner conducts a financial health check on the account to ensure the financial commitment can be met for the duration of the student financial award for that intake. The financial health check is kept on record with the student financial award records for that intake.
  2. The Owner is responsible for ensuring the student financial award is appropriately promoted, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Eligibility and Selection

  1. Selection from the pool of eligible applicants is transparent, consistent and documented in line with the principles of the Student financial awards policy and the Conditions of Award.
  2. Where there is an application process, the application form or process will be published on the webpage promoting the student financial award.
  3. Applicants meet the prescribed eligibility requirements before being considered for selection for a student financial award.
  4. Depending on the Conditions of Award criteria, the recipient(s) may be selected through an automated process or by committee.
  5. Where selection is not through an automated process, the Owner (or delegate) is responsible for convening a selection committee. The selection committee includes at least three people and has regard to gender and diversity balance. The committee may consider more than one student financial award. The Head of the Owner’s organisational unit (Dean or Director) (or delegate) approves selection decisions.
  6. Where selection requires consideration of multiple eligible applicants, the Owner records an order of offer (i.e. merit list) for all applicants to ensure that any available student financial award is offered to the next ranked eligible applicant. The Owner uploads the merit list to ERMS with the student financial award documents for that intake.
  7. Prior to offering the student financial award, the Owner ensures the selected recipient adheres to the University’s concurrent student financial award position:
  1. At any one time, a coursework student may hold:
  • Multiple ANU Access scholarships, and
  • One ANU Academic or Sport scholarship, and
  • One ANU Residential sponsorship, and
  • Multiple grants and bursaries.
  1. A recipient’s student financial award package does not exceed the total annual limit set by Academic Quality Assurance Committee and published by the Coursework Scholarships Office on the ANU Scholarships website.
  1. Where an applicant is eligible to receive multiple student financial awards that will take them over the financial limit at the point of commencement, the applicant is offered a package based on the priorities as follows:
  1. Awarding the combination that gives the highest total value.
  2. Awarding the combination that gives the highest first-year value.
  3. Awarding the combination that gives the longest duration of funding.

Offers and outcomes

  1. The Owner notifies the Coursework Scholarships Office of all selection decisions prior to offers being sent.
  2. The Owner (or delegate) ensures offer letters are sent to successful recipients, unsuccessful applicants are notified and responses from recipients are appropriately actioned.
  3. It is the recipient’s responsibility to seek independent advice on any agreement they are asked to enter into.
  4. Recipients agree to the Conditions of Award as a condition of accepting the student financial award.
  5. All documentation relating to awarding of a student financial award is recorded in each recipient’s individual student file in ERMS (application, outcome notification, response and retraction where required).
  6. Receipt of a student financial award is recorded by the Coursework Scholarships Office on the official academic transcript of the recipient (if applicable).

Payment

  1. Recipients are responsible for seeking independent taxation advice regarding their own individual circumstances. Student financial awards may be regarded as taxable income if a recipient is enrolled on a part-time basis or is providing services or student intellectual property as a condition of the student financial award.
  2. Unless the recipient enters into a voluntary withholding agreement with the University, tax will not be withheld from student financial award payments and any tax obligations are met by the recipient.
  3. The Owner is responsible for ensuring that payments are made to the recipient in accordance with the relevant ANU policies and procedures and the Conditions of Award.
  4. Any relevant ongoing eligibility checks required by the Conditions of Award are completed by the Owner and stored in the recipient’s individual student file in ERMS.

Governance

  1. The University Coursework Scholarships Committee is an advisory body for student financial award matters.
  2. The University Coursework Scholarships Committee serves as the selection committee for all student financial awards offered through the direct domestic admissions process.
  3. A selection committee member declares any conflict of interest in the selection process in accordance with the University’s Conflict of interest and commitment policy and procedure.
  4. The Owner nominates a delegated authority who is responsible for the academic decision-making including but not limited to part time enrolment, deferment and academic performance.
  5. In reviewing the academic performance of student financial award recipients, the delegated authority refers to the processes outlined in the Conditions of Award.
  6. The Coursework Scholarships Office compiles an annual report to the University Coursework Scholarships Committee on all coursework student financial awards. The report includes information as outlined in the University Coursework Scholarships Committee Charter and a summary of the annual audit results.
  7. Annual audits are undertaken by Owners. Each year 10% of active student financial awards belonging to each Owner are audited. Audits focus on student financial awards:
  1. Documentation to support the student financial award lifecycle is present, stored appropriately and complete. This allows for a complete history of the student financial award to be understood quickly to support changes.
  2. Selection has occurred according to the relevant governing documentation, the Student financial awards policy, this procedure and the Conditions of Award.
  3. Payments have been made correctly according to the relevant Conditions of Award and to the correct number of recipients during the preceding year.

and recipients:

  1. Actions taken for each recipient are completed fully and in accordance with the governing documents: the Student financial awards policy, this procedure and the Conditions of Award.
  2. Documentation that represents each activity undertaken for or by the recipient is present and stored appropriately.
  3. Any required remediation plans.
  1. The Coursework Scholarships Office makes available templates and other guidance documents for Owners to support the audit process
  2. At least every five years, each student financial award is re-validated to ensure alignment with the Student financial awards policy and principles, coursework scholarship strategy and the original intention of the student financial award. The Owner reviews the Conditions of Award and the Award Establishment Form and completes the Award Review Form, in consultation with key stakeholders.
  3. Outcomes of the revalidation exercise are submitted to the Coursework Scholarships Office. Any amendments made to the Conditions of Award will follow the standard approval process as outlined in Clauses 6-8 of this procedure.
  4. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or Head of the Owner’s organisational unit may trigger a shorter revalidation cycle for specific student financial awards on the basis of viability, audit outcomes or if the student financial award is not offered for a minimum of two consecutive years.
  5. Amendments can be made to a student financial award at any time by following the re-validation process, making clear the impact the changes will have on existing recipients, if any.
  6. Student financial awards can be disestablished after all awards have ceased through an Award Disestablishment Form, which outlines the cessation plan for promotional materials, financial accounts and donors, if applicable. The request is:
  • endorsed by the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit;
  • approved by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic).

Disputes regarding award of a student financial award

  1. Disputes regarding student financial awards are submitted in writing to the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit (Dean or Director) (or delegated authority) within 20 working days of notification of the result of the application. The Head of the Owner’s organisational unit has the authority to request a review via the delegate who approved the original decision within 20 working days.
  2. Upon receiving the findings of the review, the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit upholds or does not uphold the original decision within 20 working days and communicates the final decision to the applicant. Where the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit is unable to review the decision within 20 working days, the applicant is contacted and advised of the date by which an outcome will be reached.
  3. Disputes on University-wide student financial awards are submitted in writing to the University Registrar (or delegated authority) within 20 working days of notification of the result of the application. The University Registrar has the authority to request a review via the delegate who approved the original decision within 20 working days.
  4. Upon receiving the findings of the review, the Registrar upholds or does not uphold the original decision within 20 working days and communicates the final decision to the applicant. Where the University Registrar is unable to review the decision within 20 working days, the applicant is contacted and advised of the date by which an outcome will be reached.
  5. Procedural appeals on student financial awards are submitted in writing to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) (or delegated authority) within 20 working days of notification of the result of the application. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) has the authority to request a review via the delegate who approved the original decision within 20 working days.
  6. Upon receiving the findings of the review, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) upholds or does not uphold the original decision within 20 working days and communicates the final decision to the applicant. Where the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) is unable to review the decision within 20 working days, the applicant is contacted and advised of the date by which an outcome will be reached.
  7. If the Head of the Owner’s organisational unit, University Registrar, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) or their delegated authority was involved in the decision regarding a student financial award being disputed they delegate their decision-making authority. The Owner is responsible for any funding shortfall as a result of a decision regarding a student financial award under dispute.

Information

Printable version (PDF)
Title Scholarships, grants and bursaries (Under review)
Document Type Procedure
Document Number ANUP_009607
Version
Purpose This procedure provides support to the Scholarships (Coursework) Policy and outlines University and individual responsibilities, and provides further detail on how to implement and comply with the policy.
Audience Students-Graduate-Coursework, Students-Undergraduate, Staff, Prospective Students
Category Academic
Topic/ SubTopic Students
 
Effective Date 15 Nov 2022
Next Review Date 14 Nov 2027
 
Responsible Officer: Registrar, Student Administration
Approved By: Academic Board
Contact Area Division of Student Administration and Academic Services
Authority: Australian National University (ANU Foundation) Statute 2018
Delegations 294, 296-304, 316

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.