| Action |
Effect
|
Comment
|
| Withdrawal from degree and subsequent resumption of study in the same course or another course at the same level |
If at least three years have elapsed since previous enrolment, student may be granted maximum RTS funding entitlement for the course.
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 RTS- this applies even if the student enrols at a different institution, with a different research topic.
|
Faculties should check very carefully to see what prior candidature exists before approving admission to the proposed new course. Institutions where the candidate was formerly enrolled are obliged to provide relevant data when requested to do so.
If prior candidature is not relevant to current enrolment, a full period of candidature may be given to the student for the new research enrolment at the same level. However, for the purposes of funding, prior candidature will apply if less than three years has elapsed since the previous candidature.
|
| Withdrawal from degree and subsequent resumption of study in a degree at a different level |
Where a student will be taking up an RTS place for a course at a different level, the prior candidature is not deducted. The institution will receive full RTS entitlements.
|
It is important that we distinguish between students who are upgrading/
downgrading between Masters/
PhD and students who are starting a new research program at a different level.
|
| Change of course |
Where an RTS student changes his or her course of study to another HDR degree at the same level, the period of entitlement remains unchanged.
|
For example, if a student has completed one year of a research masters and then changes to a different research masters, the student will only be entitled to an RTS place for the new degree for a further one year.
|
| Enrolment in a research degree following the completion of another research degree at the same or different level: ie Enrolment in doctorate following completion of research masters or Enrolment in research masters following completion of PhD or Enrolment in second PhD following completion of a first PhD or Enrolment in second research masters following completion of a first research masters |
For example, where an RTS student completes a research masters and proceeds to a doctorate, he or she will be entitled to the maximum two years funding for the research masters and another four years for the doctorate.
If a students completes the research masters in less than two years, the remaining funding cannot however be added on to the four year entitlement for the doctorate.
|
Since there is now a weighting of 2:1 for doctorate and research masters completions (instead of 3:1 as formerly was the case), faculties may wish to give serious consideration to admitting students to a research masters program which they are required to complete before proceeding to a second research program, the doctorate.
|
| Upgrade from a research masters to a doctorate |
Where an RTS student commences a research masters and subsequently upgrades to a doctorate, the student will be limited to a maximum of four years' funding.
|
Upgrade earlier rather than later is probably the better option. However, rigorous transfer procedures should apply- it is better to get a masters completion, than no completion at all.
|
| Downgrade from a doctorate to a research masters |
Where an RTS student, for whatever reason, downgrades to a masters, he or she will be limited to two years' funding.
If the student has already exceeded two years of funding before downgrade, no further entitlement to Commonwealth funding can be given.
|
Again rigorous confirmation procedures at the end of the first full-time equivalent year should occur, with a recommendation to downgrade to masters at a point in candidature that will allow the continuation of funding for a sufficient period to allow completion of the masters.
It is suggested that the Doctorate Regulations should be amended to facilitate a conversion to masters without the need to withdraw from the doctorate and then apply for admission to masters.
|
| Transfer to another institution |
RTS students may transfer to another participating institution provided the new institution has an RTS place, or the student will be admitted on a fee-paying basis or 'carried'.
Where the student will be taking up an RTS place at the SAME level, the relinquishing institution will need to provide a statement on the EFTSL thus far consumed, so the receiving institution can calculate the extent of remaining RTS entitlement.
|
Before considering a prospective student’s admission, a faculty must be informed as to the remaining EFTSL entitlement. This must be taken into account in deciding whether an offer of candidature will be made.
|
