Destination Australia Scholarship

_{This Scholarship is available to both Domestic and International students commencing at Charles Sturt University in Session 1 2024}

Am I Eligible?

To be eligible for this Scholarship you must:

1. be a commencing Charles Sturt University student in 2024
2. be enrolled as a full-time student
3. be enrolled as an internal student
4. be residing in a regional area at the commencement of and during the study period
5. meet citizenship and visa requirements as follows:
   1. Australian/New Zealand Citizenship
   2. permanent Australian residency
   3. valid student visa for the duration of the scholarship
6. have accepted an offer to a full-time study program that is delivered at a regional campus of the successful applicant
7. be enrolled at Charles Sturt University in one of the courses below at the designated campus

To continue to be eligible for this Scholarship, you must, by the census date of each subsequent session:

• maintain ongoing residency in a regional area as defined by the 2016 Australian Geography Standard Remoteness Structure, for the duration of each study period.
• remain enrolled in the full-time study program for the duration of the scholarship studying at the regional campus of the successful applicant.
• meet initial eligibility criteria and
• maintain a Grade point average (GPA) of 4.0 or higher

Where a course includes study outside a regional area (for example, for a clinical placement), residency away from the regional area is permitted for no more than one study period (not exceeding 6 months) per qualification where the qualification is longer than two years. In cases where the requirements of a compulsory placement exceed the permitted study period away from regional area, approval must be sought from the Department of Education by the university.

Guidelines

1. The Destination Australia scholarship is valued at $15,000 per annum. Students will receive two equal payments of $7,500 in the first and second session, for the duration of the degree, on the condition that ongoing eligibility criteria is met.
2. The scholarship is payable in cash (EFT) to the personal bank account that you have registered with Charles Sturt University. Payment will be processed within 6 weeks of session census dates.
3. To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must have met all of the eligibility criteria by the HECS-Help census date. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
4. The University receives a high volume of applications for scholarships; meeting the eligibility criteria may not guarantee applicants a scholarship offer.
5. The University reserves the right to recoup scholarship payments if your circumstances change and you no longer meet the eligibility criteria.
6. The Scholarships Office will be responsible for the assessment, allocation and administration of this grant.

Terms and Conditions

By accepting the scholarship offer you agree to:

• fulfil all requirements as set out in these guidelines;
• consent to Charles Sturt University accessing your student records for the purposes of assessing and administering the scholarship
• the scholarship office making contact with you every session to ensure you remain eligible
• provide any change of individual circumstances in writing to the Scholarships Office scholarships@csu.edu.au;
• provide information and participate in surveys for promotional purposes and review of this scholarship
• accept the terms and conditions of this scholarship.
• The University reserves the right to undertake audits of individual student’s records to ensure adherence to these guidelines.

Policy

A scholarship recipient should be aware that payments may be regarded as income by Centrelink and/or ATO it is the responsibility of the recipient to seek independent advice with respect to implications resulting from receiving this scholarship.

(a)     Full-time students - scholarships are considered to be tax exempt income for students who are studying full time at university.

(b)     Part-time students - generally, scholarship funding provided to part time students, regardless of their employment status, is not considered to be tax exempt income. However, as long as the scholarship funding is used for non-tax deductible expenses it may be classified as exempt income.

Please seek independent taxation advice regarding your personal circumstance where required or visit Is your scholarship taxable?

Charles Sturt University will treat any information provided by the applicant within the terms of relevant privacy legislation. See Charles Sturt privacy policy for further information

Due to privacy laws, any discussion of a grant application or recipient will only take place with the grant applicant/recipient.

The information collected will be used by authorised University staff to assess eligibility and administer the scholarship program. The information may also be used for assessment purposes for other scholarships, grants and equity programs across the University. Recipient names and email addresses may be made available to departments within the University for marketing and research purposes. No details will be used externally for any reason without the recipient’s consent. Students should be aware that they provide information of their own free will.

Personal and health information provided by the applicant will not be made available to any person within the University or external organisation for any other purpose without the applicant’s consent, except where it may be a legal requirement of the University to provide information.

Frequently Asked Questions

What supporting documentation do I need to submit with my application?

Examples of documentation can be but are not limited to:

• Proof of residency
• Any other relevant documentation that supports your application
• Answers to the questions outlined in the application form

You’re considered to be in financial need if you are in receipt of an eligible means-tested Centrelink benefit or are in financial hardship (finding it hard to pay for basic necessities). Supporting documentation will be required to demonstrate financial need.

Payments will be made by electronic funds transfer (EFT) to your nominated bank account. Payments will be made in two instalments per year, after the census date of sessions 1 and 2, subsequent to you maintaining eligibility.

Simply go to the student portal and click on the My Details section.

Can I apply for this scholarship when I’m on a Leave of Absence?

Scholarships cannot be deferred. Scholarship recipients who defer their studies or take a Leave of Absence will have their scholarship withdrawn and the scholarship will not be paid.

Charles Sturt University will terminate your scholarship offer if:

• you cease to meet the eligibility criteria;
• you are guilty of academic misconduct;
• the scholarship was awarded on the basis of false or misleading information.

Do I have to tell Centrelink or the Australian Tax Office about my scholarship?

A scholarship recipient should be aware that payments may be regarded as income by Centrelink or ATO it is the responsibility of the recipient to seek independent advice with respect to implications resulting from receiving this scholarship.

How long do I have to provide further documents/information if the Scholarship Office contact me and request it?

If your application has been made incomplete and you have been requested to provide additional information or documents you have 48 hours from the date you receive the notification to provide the requested information.

How to Apply

Forms and Documents

Application

Complete an online application form on the portal below.

Applications will be assessed in accordance with the eligibility criteria and supporting documentation.

Applications with incorrect or no requested supporting documentation will be assessed on what is provided.

You may be assessed as eligible but not receive an offer due to quota restrictions.

There are no interviews required.

Conditional Offer

• Eligible students will be made a conditional offer of scholarship which is conditional on meeting the eligibility criteria at Census date.
• Students who have not met the eligibility criteria at Census date will have their conditional offer withdrawn.

Outcome

All applicants will be informed in writing of the outcome of their application.

Acceptance

Successful applicants are required to accept their scholarship offer.

Offers not accepted by the offer expiry date will be withdrawn.

Already applied?

Please note: Foundation, CSU Global and Research scholarship applications will not be listed here. They use a separate application system.