Postgraduate Research Support Scheme

Eligibility

• The University Postgraduate Research Support Scheme eligibility requirements apply to all students, but your faculty or school may specify additional, stricter eligibility requirements. You need to review the relevant PRSS guidelines to ensure you understand all eligibility requirements.
• You need to meet the following requirements to be eligible to apply for and receive PRSS.
• These are the minimum requirements to receive PRSS funding and many faculties and schools impose additional requirements in their PRSS guidelines. You must review the specific guidelines as well as the minimum requirements below.

Be currently enrolled

• On the closing date, your candidature cannot exceed the following full-time (or part-time equivalent) periods:
  • four years full-time if you are a doctoral student
  • two years full-time if you are a master’s by research student.
• If you have currently suspended your studies, but are due to re-enroll before PRSS funds are allocated, you may apply in the research period immediately before your return to candidature. You need to have recommenced your enrolment to be considered eligible to receive funds. Some faculties or schools may impose stricter enrolment requirements and may not award funds to suspended students.
• If you are under examination, you are not eligible to apply for or receive PRSS funding.

Have satisfactory progression

• You must not have exceeded the normal period of candidature.
• At a minimum, you need to have completed preliminary appraisal activities (please refer to the PRSS Procedures and Schedule 1 of the Progress Planning and Review for Higher Degree by Research Students Policy). Refer to your faculty or school guidelines for any additional eligibility criteria.
• You need to have received at least a ‘meets/exceeds’ outcome in your most recent progress review, if you have completed a progress evaluation meeting before applying for PRSS.
• If you have not yet passed probation, you need to provide evidence that you have completed all required preliminary appraisal activities.
  • If you commenced your candidature from January 2021 onwards, the preliminary appraisal milestone must be completed in RECS. A printout of this milestone completion (with approval from your lead supervisor) will be sufficient.
  • If you commenced your candidature in July 2020 and have not had the opportunity to complete your probation (e.g. if you suspended your studies), a formal letter/email from your Lead Supervisor will be required to confirm you have completed the preliminary appraisal activities.
  • Preliminary appraisal activities are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Progress Planning and Review of Higher Degree by Research Students Policy.

Benefits

• You are only eligible to receive a maximum of $3500 per year in PRSS funding. Applications may be submitted for funding across one or more of the funding categories described above. You should refer to your faculty or school PRSS guidelines to check their restrictions on the number of categories you may apply for in one application.

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Application Process

Before you commence your application, make sure your preferred bank account details are correct in Sydney Student. Go to ‘My finance’, ‘Your finances’, then select ‘Bank details. If your application is successful and your details are missing or incorrect, this will cause significant delays in the payment of your awarded funds.

Along with your personal and contact information, in your application you will be asked:

• the course started and required thesis submission dates
• lead supervisor’s name and email address
• information about any scholarships you have
• details of the funds you are requesting
• the justification for that funding
• how the activity or equipment will contribute towards the completion of your degree
• your achievements related to your research.

In your application you will need to include:

• A justification statement
  Include a brief statement justifying the need and planned use of the funds, and benefits to your candidature.
• Evidence of research-related achievement
  Where possible, include evidence of your publications (in the press or submitted), conference presentations, internal reports, or other scholarly activities. This shows satisfactory progress through your previous achievements relative to the opportunity and stage of candidature.
• A letter of support from your supervisor
  This can be an email or a formal letter. You will need to upload a copy of this letter as part of your application.
• Evidence of completing preliminary appraisal activities (where probation has not yet been passed)
  • If you commenced your candidature from January 2021 onwards, this needs to be a printout of the milestone completion (with Lead Supervisor approval) from RECS.
  • If you commenced your candidature in July 2020 and have not had the opportunity to complete your probation (e.g. if you have been suspended), a formal letter/email from your Lead Supervisor will be required to confirm the completion of your preliminary appraisal activities.
  • Preliminary appraisal activities are outlined in Schedule 1 of the Progress Planning and Review of Higher Degree by Research Students Policy

You should not submit multiple applications. If you are applying across multiple funding categories, you should submit only one application which includes the details of all funding types you are applying for. Submission of multiple applications will cause delays in processing.

Each faculty and school have developed guidelines on how applications will be assessed and ranked. You should review the relevant guidelines before completing your application.

You should combine all your documents ready for upload before you start the application. If you have problems or need further help, you can email hdrac.ops@sydney.edu.au.