3.3.1 Regular financial support
There are different reasons for discussing portability (e.g. the need to travel during the period of study to seek eligible medical treatment). However, this report focuses on portability of financial support for the purposes of studying abroad. In general, a secondary non‐school, tertiary or Masters & Doctorate level student who is studying overseas is eligible for ABSTUDY assistance where:21
The student is enrolled on a full‐time or concessional study‐load basis in an approved course at a Australian higher education institution which approves the overseas study and is prepared to credit the results of study at the overseas education institution toward the approved course, and
The student meets the normal study‐load requirements in respect of the approved Australian course
Subject to the Living Allowance and Fares Allowance provisions, students approved to study overseas do not receive any additional entitlements over and above their entitlements if studying at an approved Australian institution. A secondary non‐school, tertiary, or Masters and Doctorate Level student approved for ABSTUDY while studying overseas is entitled to the Away From Home rate of Living Allowance.
Students approved to study overseas may receive Fares Allowance entitlements, for travel within the overseas country, if their circumstances overseas would entitle them to Fares Allowance if these conditions were experienced in Australia, e.g. the student’s family is
21 See the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations at http://deewr.gov.au/ (and
http://deewr.gov.au/Indigenous/Schooling/Programs/Documents/ABSTUDYPolicyManual2009.pdf) Eligibility for approved Australian HEIs
The student must also ensure they remain enrolled in an approved course at an Australian higher education institution. Where a student defers their enrolment from the Australian higher education institution and is still enrolled at an overseas institution, they will no longer be eligible for ABSTUDY assistance.
In other words, students cannot use they normal support for degree mobility: they must be enrolled in a HEI in Australia and study abroad as part of their Australian studies. However, «[…] there is no limit to the period of assistance for secondary non‐school, tertiary or Masters and Doctorate students who are undertaking overseas study, provided other eligibility and reasonable time conditions are met […]»
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posted to a remote area overseas. Fares allowance to travel between Australia and the overseas country is not available. Youth Allowance and AUSTUDY If overseas absence is for the purpose of undertaking overseas study as a part of a full‐time Australian course, this is covered for the entire period of the overseas study. In other words, short term mobility if supported.22
3.3.2 Additional funds for student mobility
There are two forms of funding specifically targeting mobility, namely (a) awards for foreigners to enter Australia, and (b) to support Australians wishing to go abroad for the purposes of tertiary study. Foreigners who wish to study in Australia may be eligible for one of the many private scholarships, listed in the database at
http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/Scholarships. Aside these options, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) offer the so‐called «Australia Awards»23. The Australia Awards are comprised of two streams, namely (a) an «achievement stream» to target students, researchers and professionals to come to Australia and for Australians to do the same offshore and (b) a «development stream» that builds capacity in developing countries. The former stream provides for example the so‐called «Endeavour Awards», merit‐based scholarships providing opportunities for citizens of the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia and for Australians to undertake study, research and professional development abroad24. The latter include initiatives such as the «Australia Awards» to promote knowledge, education links and enduring ties between Australia and its neighbours through an extensive scholarship programs.25
Australians wishing to study abroad can avail themselves (in addition to the above‐ mentioned «Endeavour Awards») of several options26, including OS‐HELP. These are loans available to Australian undergraduate students who wish to study at an overseas institution for part of their degree. HELP loans are not available for an Australian student who is enrolled at an overseas institution completing a qualification that will be awarded by the overseas institution27. Moreover, there are several scholarships offered by the Australian government or in cooperation with recipient countries, for example:28 Fullbright Scholarships 22 See: Department for Family, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, at http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/about‐fahcsia/international/policy/portability‐of‐australian‐income‐support‐ payments#table1 23 See: http://www.australiaawards.gov.au/ 24 See: http://www.innovation.gov.au/InternationalEducation/EndeavourAwards/Pages/default.aspx 25 See: http://ausaid.gov.au/australia‐awards/Pages/default.aspx 26 See: http://www.studyoverseas.gov.au/financialassistance/financial.html 27 See: http://studyassist.gov.au/sites/studyassist/helppayingmyfees/pages/os-help-loans-and-study-overseas 28 See: http://www.studyoverseas.gov.au/financialassistance/scholarships.html
The German Government’s Goethe Institute language programs for teachers and students of German
Australasian Centre for Italian Studies (ACIS) Cassamarca Scholarships: scholarships of up to $6000 each for Australasians wishing to undertake research in Italy the following year
The Walter Mangold Trust Fund Study Abroad Scholarship: to assist young Australians who are going abroad to study a language for a period of between three months and one year. The designated languages for 2012 Study Abroad Scholarships are Indonesian, Japanese, Chinese and Spanish
Australia‐Korea Foundation Scholarship Program: to promote people‐to‐people and institutional links covering the spectrum of Australiaʹs relations with Korea
Japanese Government Monbukagakusho Scholarships: to Australian undergraduates who wish to study at Japanese universities for 12 months
The Baudin Travel Grants: to encourage Australian nationals to study for a semester or a full academic year at a French university at an undergraduate level (3rd year), postgraduate level (master 1 or 2: years 4 or 5 of university studies, or PhD)