Funding

This funding scheme is open to UNSW Arts and Social Sciences research students to support costs integral to their research. 2021 application dates are as follows: 

Round 1 

• Applications open 2 November 2020. 
• Application close 30 November 2020. 

Round 2 TBC, tentative dates below:

• Applications open 1  March 2021.
• Application close 31 March 2021. 

Round 3 TBC, tentative dates below:

• Applications open 1 June 2021.
• Application close 30 June 2021. 

Round 4 TBC, tentative dates below:

• Applications open 2 August 2020.
• Application close 31 August  2020. 

Application Process:

Any applications which do not meet all eligibility criteria outlined in the funding guidelines will automatically not be considered for funding. You must read and understand the guidelines in full. 

Applications include two parts:

1. The relevant online application form.
2. The completed HDR Faculty Funding Template, including all related supporting documentation, in a single PDF document. This template requires:
   • A breakdown of the costs requested, plus a 100-word justification for each item.
   • A travel itinerary, if relevant to the request.
   • A letter of support from your supervisor, which meets the standards outlined in the funding guidelines.
   • Evidence of your most recent successful RPR result, less than 1-year-old.
   • Evidence of ethics approval, or an ethics statement.
   • Screenshot of requesting pre-travel approval. 
   • Quotes and/or receipts for all funding items requested.
   • If funding is being sought to support a second research grant, you must include a statement with a clear justification as to why a second grant is necessary. This includes providing a detailed report of the activities and outcomes achieved as a result of the first grant, and identifying how the second grant will be necessary for the completion of the thesis.

HDR candidates intending to undertake fieldwork or off-campus data collection must adhere to the fieldwork guidelines for HDR candidates and supervisors.

HDR candidates who are required to submit a pre-travel approval must submit their request as per the below travel guide. 

The funding scheme is open to HDR candidates enrolled in one of the six Schools or Centres within UNSW Arts & Social Sciences, or in Nura Gili, to support costs essential to their research. It is intended as a contribution towards minor essential expenses not elsewhere funded. Examples include books, printing and photocopying, entry fees to relevant archives and museums.

2020 funding is available in two rounds, budget permitting: 

Round 1

• Applications open 1 May 2020.
• Application close 31 May 2020.

Round 2

• Applications open 1 October 2020.
• Application close 30 October 2020.

Before you apply, please refer to the 2020 funding guidelines. When you have gathered the required documentation and are ready to apply, you may do so via the online application form. 

From August until the end of 2020, applicants who would have applied to the Faculty for domestic conference funding for either a physical or online conference, should instead apply for PRSS through the GRS. Please see the 'UNSW Conference Funding' tab of the following webpage, and refer to the information under 'applications for special consideration'. https://research.unsw.edu.au/scholarships-and-financial-support

The following information is for reference only. Applications received by the Faculty through this scheme will be re-directed to PRSS. 

This funding scheme is open to UNSW Arts and Social Sciences research students (except Scientia Candidate who should use their career development funds for this) to support costs related to their presentation at one domestic conference. 

Applications will be accepted on a continuing basis and should be submitted for the current calendar year only. Associate Dean of Research Training, Professor Dorottya Fabian will assess the applications and determine the outcome of each application.

No applications will be considered after 1st October

Application Process:

Any applications which do not meet all eligibility criteria outlined in the 2020 funding guidelines will automatically not be considered for funding.

Applications include two parts:

1. The relevant online application form.
2. The completed HDR Domestic Conference Funding Template, including all related supporting documentation, in a single PDF document. This template requires:
   • A breakdown of the costs requested, plus a 50-100-word justification for each item.
   • A travel itinerary and conference details
   • Final/Provisional conference program structure
   • Evidence of acceptance for presentation at the conference
   • Evidence of your most recent successful APR result, less than 1-year-old.
   • Evidence of ethics approval, or an ethics statement.
   • Screenshot of requesting pre-travel approval. 
   • Quotes and/or receipts for all funding items requested.

HDR candidates other than Scientia Scholarship holders intending to present at Domestic conferences in 2020, may apply under this scheme for one conference per candidate per year. Funds are limited and it is expected that candidates will book early bird registration and participate in the entire event if airfare is required. 

We offer two equity scholarships, of the value of $5000 per year for up to a maximum of 3 years, to either domestic or international higher degree research candidates.

Eligibility

This scholarship is open to applications from international and domestic HDR candidates. You must be currently enrolled either full-time or part-time and on-track for timely completion: 4 years full-time-equivalent for PhD or 2 years FTE for Masters of Research (MRes). This scholarship is not available to Scientia scholarship holders.

HDR candidates can be nominated to the Higher Degree Committee by supervisors and/or Postgraduate Coordinators if they are:

1. International HDR candidates on home country scholarships of a lesser value than the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) or University International Postgraduate Award (UIPA).
2. International and local HDR candidates with a disability or illness.
3. HDR candidates with carer responsibilities.
4. Domestic HDR candidates who relocate from remote or regional areas to attend university.
5. Domestic HDR candidates living in areas identified as socio-economically disadvantaged.

Nomination process

Candidates must fill out an Equity Scholarship Application Form, describing how they meet the eligibility criteria in less than 500 words. Any additional reasons and supporting documentation may be included as appropriate. 

The application should be submitted to the supervisor and the Postgraduate Coordinator for endorsement. Endorsed applications are then submitted to the HDR Team Leader, Amy Stansfield.

Assessment and Allocation of funds

The collated nominations will be assessed by a subcommittee of the HDC once per semester, when that semester’s admission and scholarship offers have been finalized.

There are new scholarships available for Term 3 and Term 4, 2020. Applications for these scholarships are open now and will close on 16 November 2020. For this round of scholarships, in addition to the above eligibility criteria, the Faculty may also consider supporting candidates who have been financially impacted by COVID-19. 

Responsibility of Recipient (and supervisor)

Each subsequent year’s funding will be conditional on declaration by the candidate that the circumstances for which they received the scholarship remain unchanged. The HDR candidates must submit this declaration by email to the HDR Team Leader, copying in their supervisor(s). 

If the candidate’s circumstances resolve during candidature, the top-up equity scholarship will then be re-allocated to another deserving HDR candidates in the same cohort/year of candidature for the remaining period of the scholarship’s value.

This funding scheme supports eligible HDR candidates with the production of a Research Masters or Doctorate Thesis. It is intended as a contribution towards thesis editing and proofreading costs, not elsewhere supported. 

Apply now with the HDR Faculty Thesis Editing and Proofreading Guidelines and Application Form.
 

The  Arts and Social Sciences International Doctoral Practicum Fund is designed to support the exchange of doctoral candidates. 

Under this program, two inbound HDRs will be funded ($5,000 each) to undertake supervised research in the faculty. Two outbound HDRs will be funded ($5,000 each) to undertake supervised research at an approved overseas university.

Please note, this scheme does not support conference/workshop participation as such but is intended for a visit of at least 4-6 weeks and up to 1 Term (10 weeks). The aim is to provide candidates with the opportunity to experience different research cultures and to work with a supervisor / supervisory team, preferably leading to co-publication.

Applications are considered around September each year for a program in the following year.

2020 Incoming Candidates

Natalie Nesvaderani, from Cornell University (USA) under the supervision of Dr. Saida Hodzic for collaboration with Caroline Lenette in the School of Social Sciences on displaced youth, advocacy, and participatory filmmaking in Iran. Intended time at UNSW: February 17, 2020 - March 27, 2020

Xia Li, from the New School, Columbia University (USA) & Renmin University (China) under the supervision of Professor Mark W. Frazier for collaboration with Bingqin Li and others in the Social Policy Research Centre on educational inequality of rural workers' children in China. Intended time at UNSW: September 2020 - October 2020

Jana Berg, from DZHW (Deutsche Zentrum fur Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung GmbH), Hannover (Germany) under the supervision of Professor Dr Monika Jungbauer-Gans for collaboration with Sally Baker in the School of Education on organisational support for refugees at German higher education institutions. Intended time at UNSW: Oct 19 - Nov 29, 2020

2020 Outgoing Candidates

Meng Xia, from the School of Humanities & Languages, under the supervision of Yi Zhang, to University College Dublin (Ireland) for collaboration with Professor Anne Fuchs on history, memory and narrative in Chinese new-immigrant fictions. Intended time in Dublin: April 2020 - July 2020

Giselle Newton, from the Centre for Social Research in Health, under the supervision of Christy Newman, to Roskilde University (Denmark) for collaboration with Professor Rikke Andreassen on affinities and intimacies among donor-conceived peers. Intended time at Roskilde: August 25 - October 4, 2020

Joshua Han, from the School of the Arts & Media, under the supervision of Louise Ravelli, to Örebro University (Sweden) for collaboration with Dr Jonathan Lilliedahl on a social semiotic account of music-movement correspondences. Intended time at Örebro: 16/3/2020 - 14/6/2020

Expression of Interest Process

Proposals for funding under the Doctoral Practicum program will be evaluated by the Higher Degree Research Committee.

Inbound Candidates

Successful proposals (max 4 pages) will be required to:

• Articulate the mechanisms that will ensure that the student will be integrated into a relevant research program of the School or Centre.
• Indicate the potential benefits to the student of undertaking research at UNSW with the nominated supervisor.
• Indicate potential to develop longer-term research relationship with student’s home university/supervisor.
• Endorsement from home and UNSW supervisors and UNSW Postgraduate Coordinator (PGC).
• Applicants must be in their upper years of candidature and progressing well with their research thesis. This can be demonstrated by a copy of a formal annual review of progress, if available, or by a statement of the local supervisor or postgraduate research authority.

Successful inbound applicants must apply for the Study Abroad Research Program after they are notified of the outcome of their funding application. Instructions on this will be emailed to successful applicants and their supervisors. Please note that applicants to this program are required to meet UNSW’s minimum English Language Requirements.

Outbound Candidates

Successful proposals (max 4 pages) will be required to:

• Demonstrate the benefit to the  candidate of conducting research at the overseas institution and how they will be integrated in the host institution’s research culture.
• Describe existing or developing collaborative relations with the potential supervisor(s).
• Applicants must be in their 2nd or 3rd year of candidature with satisfactory progression towards timely completion.
• Endorsement of  UNSW and host supervisor(s), UNSW PGC and the local authority of postgraduate research (e.g. Head of Department, Director of Postgraduate Research or equivalent).

Eligible university partners:

• Any overseas member of Universitas 21.
• PLuS Alliance partners: Arizona State University, King’s College London.
• Chinese Foreign Affairs University, Nanjing University, Renmin University of China, Shanghai International Studies University, Sun Yat-sen University, Tsinghua University, Wuhan University, Xi’an Jiaotong University (China); The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong) O.P. Jindal Global University, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (India).

Universities with staff with whom UNSW supervisors have existing or developing collaborations or well-established research links will also be considered. However, priority will be given to strong applications from / to eligible university partners.

How to Apply

Applications for 2020 programs are now closed.

Principles and Criteria for funding

HDR candidates experiencing financial hardship may apply to the UNSW Arts & Social Sciences HDR Emergency Hardship Fund. This fund is designed to cover expenses up to a maximum of $2000 for items including but not limited to:

•    Unexpected health costs.
•    Unexpected necessity to relocate (rental accommodation, domestic matters).
•    Unexpected caring responsibilities/costs.
•    Unexpected loss of income - including end of Research Training Program (RTP) in 8th semester.
•    Unexpected reasonable and necessary other one-off costs, for example, urgent domestic repairs, etc.

Eligibility and Application

This fund is open to applications from international and domestic HDR candidates currently enrolled either full-time or part-time and who are on track for timely completion (4 years FTE for PhD or 2 years FTE for MRes).

Applicants must provide documentation (bills, receipts, correspondence) for their request and have their Supervisor and the PGC endorse their request.

Only in exceptional cases will the school of UNSW Arts & Social Sciences fund or contribute to the cost of the same cause more than once. HDR candidates are encouraged to find their own longer-term solution if they are experiencing ongoing issues.

Applications will be accepted on a continuing basis and should be submitted to HDR Team Leader, Amy Stansfield. Associate Dean of Research Training, Professor Dorottya Fabian will assess the applications and determine the outcome of each application.

Download the HDR Emergency Hardship Funding Form.

Other sources of emergency/hardship funding

We offer a range of other emergency financial support for students experiencing financial hardship. Follow the links for more information:

• Arc Emergency Help
• UNSW Student Financial Assistance
• HDR candidate Loans – GRS process

HDR candidates may obtain financial support through a number of different funding schemes administered by the Graduate Research School. This includes living allowances, tuition fee support scholarships, short term scholarships, grants, conference funding, and, in exceptional circumstances, student loans. 

Visit the Graduate Research School website for more information.