Resource Support for Higher Degree Research Students

The Graduate School of Education values the contribution of postgraduate research (HDR) students to the research and intellectual vigour of the Graduate School. To enable postgraduate students to effectively participate in the academic environment and successfully complete their research program, the Graduate School endeavors to provide resources to assist in this endeavour.

1.Coverage/eligibility

Funding is available while you are currently enrolled in your thesis subject in a research-classified postgraduate degree. For example:

• PhD Education
• Doctor of Education (Research Classified)
• Master of Educational Psychology/Doctor of Philosophy (research component only)
• Master of Education (Thesis only)
• Master of Education (Coursework with Minor Thesis, Research Classified)
• Master of TESOL (Coursework with Minor Thesis, Research Classified)
• Master of Modern Languages (Coursework with Minor Thesis, Research Classified)
• Master of Information Technology in Education (Research Classified)
• Master of Assessment and Evaluation (Research Classified)

2. Policy

2.1 Photocopying

• Photocopier pin numbers are allocated to postgraduate research students via the administrative staff member allocated to photocopying/printing duties for their floor/building;
• Up to 2,000 copies can be made per annum. Students who exceed this limit will have their pin number disabled until the following year.

2.2 Email

An email account is automatically set up for students as they enrol, and it can be activated online. We strongly recommend that you activate your University email account as soon as possible, and check it regularly, as many important emails are automatically sent to this account, and you may need your login and password to access other university services.

2.3 Statistical Services

The Statistical Consulting Centre (SCC) provides statistical services to postgraduates, including up to 10 hours of statistical advice to Masters by Research and PhD students. More information is available at their website. Requests in excess of this standard can be funded from the annual $1000 allocation for Fieldwork and Conference funding.

2.4 Inter-Library Loans

• Inter-library loans, thesis requests in excess of this standard or international loan requests can be funded from the annual allocation for Fieldwork and Conference funding.
• Please use the online request form available.

2.5 Fieldwork and Conference Funding

Policies in this area are reviewed from time to time, to ensure that funding continues to be available and reflect the intended purpose. As at September 2008, we have spent all the money allocated to us by the Graduate School of Education, so only absolutely essential expenditure will be approved.

2.5.1 How is funding allocated?

• The primary intent of these funds is to provide conference and/or fieldwork support to enable the acquisition or presentation of data and information about your research.
• The total amount of research funds available to a postgraduate student will not exceed $1000 in any one calendar year.
• Multiple or cumulative requests for funding can be submitted in any year, with the condition that the total funding for that year will not exceed $1000.
• Money allocated must be spent in the year in which it was awarded. Funds cannot therefore be accumulated across years i.e. 2008 funds can only be requested for research activity completed during 2008.
• Funds are provided on presentation of receipts.
• Money allocated must have been spent only on the approved research project .

2.5.2 What’s funded?

Conferences
Funding can be requested to support the attendance and presentation of a paper at a local, interstate or international conference directly related to your thesis. The following guidelines apply:

• You must be either presenting a paper or participating in a workshop/forum or be closely involved in a related activity.
• Documentation is required to indicate the acceptance of a paper or participation in a workshop.
• Conference-related costs that may be reimbursed include airfares, accommodation, and conference registration, for which you have receipts. Our emphasis is on reimbursing major costs which would otherwise be a barrier to attendance.

Fieldwork
Funding can be requested to support interstate or international travel for data collection, archival research or other fieldwork activities that are directly related to your thesis. The following guidelines apply:

• Prior to any travel, you must seek approval from your supervisor
• You must must submit any relevant forms to the School of Graduate Research (SGR) relating to leave, in particular overseas travel leave. Approval of Overseas Study Leave will be contingent upon the current Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) advice in respect to level of safety of overseas destination. The Department's Smart Traveller web site contains current information on the level of safety of overseas destinations.
• Students must ensure they have adequate travel insurance for the period of travel. For more information, visit the Risk Management Office insurance website.

2.5.3 What else is funded?

• The main purpose of these funds is to support significant costs associated with your research. Those costs have to be clearly and directly related to your thesis topic, and they have to be essential.
• If your project needs specialist software or hardware, you should first request information about equipment loans via Research Services and postgraduate computer labs via ed-IT, or your supervisor. We may already have the software or equipment you need. For example, Ed-IT has digital voice recorders available for loan. Check with us first.
• Transcription or translation services, providing your supervisor agrees they are necessary. Again, check with us first.

2.5.4 What is not funded?

• We will not pay for the purchase of general-purpose software, hardware, stationery, journals, books or other publications, nor will we pay for lunches or snacks. General skills training, such as UpSkills courses, general statistics courses or thesis writing workshops are also excluded. We will not pay for thesis editing or proofreading
• We will no longer fund thesis binding. We have funded this in the past, in some circumstances, but the costs created an unsupportable burden on the primary pruposes for which we provide funding.
• Payment of participants in surveys or focus groups.

3. Application Process

Applications for Fieldwork and Conference Travel will be accepted throughout the year and should be made to:

Postgraduate Research Support
Research Services,
Melbourne Education Research Institute
Level 4, Alice Hoy Building
University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010

• Submit your request on the Graduate School of Education Postgraduate Research Student Funding application form along with receipts for approved items. Application forms are available from this website [see below].
• The funds will only be reimbursed on the provision of original tax invoices/receipts.
  
• You will also need to attach a Student Payment Request form to the application. If this is your first request, or you have changed your banking details, you will also need to attach an Application for Student Supplier form. These forms are also available from the Themis web site.
• The Associate Dean (Research and Research Training) will make the final decision to approve or not approve requests for support on a case-by-case basis.

 

4. Forms

• 4.1 - Postgraduate research student funding application form
• 4.2 - Student payment request form
• 4.3 - Application for student supplier