Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PGR Fieldwork Scholarship

1. Background

a. This Scholarship has been established to provide financial assistance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research students who are undertaking research in any area across the University to conduct fieldwork.

b. Funding from this scholarship can be used for any area of fieldwork including however not limited to travel, accommodation, working with community, access to libraries and other archives etc.

2. Eligibility

a. Applicant must be an Australia Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student as identified in University of Sydney’s Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Identity Policy 2015.

b. Applicants must be currently enrolled in a Masters by Research, PhD or Doctorate by Research at the University of Sydney.

c. Applicants must have successfully completed their confirmation of candidature as approved by the relevant school/faculty Associate Dean.

d. Applicants must be conducting research at the University of Sydney.

e. Applicants must be applying for funding to be used for the specified research project in the application only.

f. Applications are to fund expenses expected to be incurred in the next 6 months from the scholarship offer date. Applicants must provide the date of the intended fieldwork when applying. Fieldwork and related expenses that have commenced and/or incurred prior the award of the scholarship are not eligible. 

g. Applicants who have been previously awarded this Scholarship may be eligible to re-apply when their previous Scholarship ends.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship on the basis of:

I. Area of study and/or research proposal,

II. A personal statement which demonstrates how the field work aligns directly to the to the overall research proposal for their degree and how the funds will support their research, and

I. A detailed budget. The budget must include details and the cost of each activity funds are being requested. This includes but is not limited to accommodation, flights, and payments to community.

b. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship by a selection committee chaired by the Pro-Vice-Chancellor Indigenous (Academic) (or their nominated delegate) and at least two other committee members.

4. Value

a. The Scholarship is valued up to $10,000. The amount awarded and the period of award will be indicated in the offer letter.

b. The Scholarship value will be paid in one instalment after award of the scholarship.

c. Deferral of the Scholarship is not permitted without the prior permission of the Pro-Vice- Chancellor Indigenous (Academic) (or their nominated delegate), and it is transferable to another faculty or University school if the fieldwork activity remains the same as per the scholarship application. The scholarship is not transferrable to another university.

d. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funds.

e. No other amount is payable.

5. Scholarship requirements

a. The Scholarship must be utilised within 6 months of award.

b. Within four weeks of the completion of fieldwork, recipients of the scholarship must send a short report to dvciss.scholarships@sydney.edu.au outlining:

I. Key achievements, outcomes and outputs from the fieldwork.

II. Any significant deviation (20% or more) from each line item in the submitted budget and an accompanying rationale.

A template can be provided to the student if needed.

6. Research Overseas

a. The Scholarship recipient may conduct their research fieldwork outside Australia. The Scholarship recipient must be enrolled full-time at the University and receive approval to count time away. All periods of overseas research are cumulative and will be counted towards a student's candidature.

7. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds paid to the student, the University may require the student to repay awarded amounts and any other payments made to the student in connection with the Scholarship. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct 2023 (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Student Charter 2020 and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

b. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the Scholarship period. In addition, by accepting this Scholarship, the student consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this Scholarship being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.