Avondale Policies

Commonwealth Scholarships Selection Policy and Procedure



Avondale College invites eligible students to apply for the following Commonwealth Scholarships.

  • Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship (CAS)
  • Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship (CECS)
  • CAS- Indigenous Payment [Commonly referred to as Indigenous Access Scholarship (IAS)]

POLICY  

Avondale College uses a selection process for the allocation of Commonwealth scholarships that is in line with the Commonwealth Scholarship Guidelines (Education) 2008, pursuant to section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

Please note:   'Guidelines' in the procedures below refer to the Scholarship Guidelines (Education) 2008 pursuant to section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.  In some instances the guidelines are quoted to identify relevant criteria.

PROCEDURE FOR SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS OF COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS  

  • Students wishing to receive a Commonwealth Scholarships must complete and submit an Avondale College Commonwealth Learning Scholarships Application Form. 
  • To be considered, a submitted application must be complete with all required supporting documentation attached.
  • The date by which applications for Commonwealth Scholarships must be submitted will be published on the Avondale College web site. No applications can be considered after the relevant census date of the relevant semester.
  • Completed application forms are to be returned to the Scholarships Officer by one of the following means:
    In person, to:
    Private and Confidential
    Scholarships Officer
    Academic Office
    Avondale College
    Lake Macquarie Campus

    By post, to:  
    Private and Confidential
    Scholarships Officer]
    Academic Office
    PO Box 19
    Cooranbong  NSW  2265
  • Applications will be considered by the Avondale College Financial Assistance Committee. 
  • A student can only be awarded one type of scholarship from each of the respective CECS and CAS categories at any one time. The exception to this is a student awarded a CAS-Indigenous Payment will also be provided with a CECS and, where eligible, a CAS relevant to the student s program of study [as per section 2.5.5 (14)(b) of the Guidelines].
  • Scholarships will only be awarded to a student who meets the basic eligibility criteria outlined in the Guidelines, as follows:
    1. Is an Australian citizen or the holder of a permanent humanitarian visa.
    2. Is enrolled in an undergraduate course at Avondale College leading to a higher education award.
    3. Has a Commonwealth Supported Place (i.e. is a HECS-HELP student).
    4. Meets the low socio-economic background criteria in section 2.10.5 of the Guidelines by either demonstration of a means tested Commonwealth income support payment (for example Austudy, ABSTUDY, Youth Allowance, etc) or on the basis of a comprehensive assessment by or on behalf of Avondale College. Assessment of low socio-economic status for the CAS-Indigenous Payment also takes into regard geographical isolation, stability of financial status, and family circumstances.
    5. Is a full time student (i.e. enrolled in at least 75% of an equivalent full time load) unless there are exceptional circumstances which prevent the student from studying on a fulltime basis. This is to be determined by the Financial Assistance Committee, as per the section 2.10.10 of the Guidelines.
    6. Has not already completed the requirements of a course of study (with any provider) regarded by Avondale College to be equivalent to, or higher than, an Australian bachelors award, unless each such award is a prerequisite to their current undergraduate course of study or graduate diploma(or equivalent postgraduate  course of study) in an area of National Priority required for initial registration and there is no alternative pathway into that course of study at that eligible scholarship provider. 
    7. Is not concurrently holding scholarships with different providers.
  • In addition to the above criteria, applicants for the CAS must meet the regional and remote area requirements as per section 2.10.15(2) of the Guidelines. These include:
    1. Within the four years immediately preceding the commencement of the current course of study:
      1. the student has lived in a regional or remote area of Australia for a total of at least three years; or
      2. the student has completed the final two years of schooling in a high school or college in a regional or remote area; or
      3. it was necessary for the student to live away from their regional or remote home to complete the whole or the majority of their secondary schooling at a high school or college in a major city; or
      4. the student has lived in a regional or remote area of Australia for a total of at least two years, and the student has relocated from the regional or remote are of Australia to undertake vocational education and training (eg TAFE) for a maximum of two years duration immediately preceding the commencement of their undergraduate course; and
    2. it was necessary for the student to move from the regional or remote area in order to undertake higher education study; and 
    3. as a result of (b), the student will incur additional accommodation costs; and
    4. the student is enrolled as an internal student in units of study that form part of the course of study the student is undertaking unless the student can demonstrate the need to move.
  • Applicants for the CAS-Indigenous Payment must meet the following criteria in section 2.10.1.(19) of the Guidelines, as follows:
    1. be an Australian citizen; and
    2. be an Indigenous person. A person will be considered to be an Indigenous person for the purposes of a Commonwealth Scholarship where the person:
      1. is of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; and
      2. identifies as an Australian Aboriginal of Torres Strait Islander; and 
      3. is accepted as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander in the community in which he/she lives or has lived.
        [ where this status is disputed or uncertainty exists as to the Aboriginality or Torres Strait Islander status of a student, evidence will be required to establish that he or she is an aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person. The following documentation is acceptable in confirming a student s status as an Indigenous person: an affirmation signed by the student, declaring that he/she identifies as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; and a letter signed by the Chairperson of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander incorporated organisation in a community in which the student lives or has previously lived]; and
    3. be a commencing student who has:
      1. accepted the offer of a place; or
      2. been enrolled; or
      3. is undertaking a course;
        in an undergraduate course of study or an eligible enabling course with a provider as a Commonwealth supported student.
    4. meet the low socio-economic status requirements specified in paragraph  2.10.5 of [the] Guidelines ; and
    5. meet, or intend to meet, the full-time student enrolment requirements specified [i.e at least 75% of an equivalent full time load] ; and
    6. not already have completed the requirements of a course of study   equivalent to or higher than an Australian bachelor s award.
  • Special consideration will be given to Indigenous students applying directly for a CAS or CECS and who are not awarded a CAS-Indigenous Payment. A fair proportion of the applicants as defined in section 2.15.5(3) of the Guidelines who meet the eligibility requirements for either of the Commonwealth Scholarships will be awarded to Indigenous students.
  • If the number of applicants exceed the number of available Commonwealth Scholarships, preference may be given to students who are not in receipt of another type of scholarship.

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