Fees

Research degrees

The Commonwealth Government in August 2004 announced changes to the research training funding arrangements administered by the Department of Education, Science and Technology (DEST), which commenced in 2000.

The Research Training Scheme (RTS) provides HECS exemptions for Commonwealth-funded higher degree by research (HDR) students for the duration of an accredited HDR course, up to a maximum of four years full-time equivalent study for a doctorate by research (including a professional doctorate which meets the research program criteria), and two years’ full-time equivalent study for a masters by research. RTS students may be enrolled full time or part time.

All students who were enrolled prior to September 2000 (or were on a period of approved suspension at that time) are able to complete their studies under the funding arrangements that applied to them at the time. The RTS therefore supports:

• HDR students who commenced after September 2000
• Continuing Research HECS-exempt HDR students who enrolled prior to September 2000
• Any continuing HECS-liable HDR students enrolled prior to September 2000.

The RTS Guidelines stipulate that research students who are granted an extension beyond their maximum entitlement can no longer be funded by the Commonwealth. It is expected that students registered for HDR complete within their maximum entitlement.

When any HDR student (including pre-2001 students) withdraws from studies, the following applies if, at a later date, the student resumes study in the same course or another course at the same level:

• If three years have elapsed since previous enrolment, the student may be granted the maximum period allowed for the course under the RTS
• If less than three years have elapsed since the previous enrolment, the student will have the period of any prior enrolment deducted from the maximum period allowed for the course under the RTS. This restriction applies even if the students enrol at a different institution.

RTS students may have a period of suspension (or accumulated periods) of up to 12 months (beyond which approval is at the discretion of the University). Periods of suspension do not count towards RTS entitlement.

Where a student completes a research masters and progresses to a doctorate, the entitlement is two years’ maximum for the masters and four years’ maximum for the doctorate study. This applies whether or not there is an interval between the two programs. (If the research masters is completed in less than two years, the doctorate maximum entitlements remains set at four years.)

Where a student commences a research masters and then is successfully upgraded to a research doctorate, the RTS funding entitlement is limited to a maximum of four years. Similarly, if a student is required (for any reason, academic or personal) to downgrade from doctorate to masters, and has already held an RTS place for more than two years at that point in time, no further Commonwealth funding is available.

RTS students may transfer to another institution provided there is an RTS place available. The assumption is that a transferring student’s research would either be continued or modified to meet the requirements of the new institution: the student’s enrolment details and remaining RTS entitlement are part of the transfer.