Varying your degree

If you are seeking credit recognition for mandatory coursework, you will need to complete a Credit Recognition online form in ResearchMaster prior to the coursework census date.  You will also need to upload any official academic transcripts, qualifications or other documentary evidence that supports your application.  Once you submit the online form, it will automatically forward to your supervisor and faculty for approval, before being sent to the Graduate Research School (GRS) for processing.  You will be able to login to ResearchMaster to track its status.

To change from part-time to full-time study (or vice-versa), you first need to discuss this with your supervisory panel. If agreed, submit a Change of Study Load online form in ResearchMaster, which will automatically forward to your principal supervisor and faculty RAO for endorsement before it reaches GRS for processing. This must be done within the session of the requested change and before the coursework census date. You will be able to log in to ResearchMaster to track its status.

To make changes to your supervisory panel, you will need to consult with the panel first, then complete a Change of Supervisor online form in ResearchMaster.  Once submitted, it will automatically forward to your principal supervisor and faculty RAO for endorsement, and then to GRS for processing.  You will be able to login to ResearchMaster to track its status.

If your residency status changes, you will need to complete a Change of Residency online form in ResearchMaster. Once you submit the online form, it will automatically forward to your principal supervisor and then the faculty RAO for endorsement, before it reaches GRS for processing. This must be done before the research census date and the changes will be reflected in the next session of your degree.  You will be able to login to ResearchMaster to track its status.

To change your thesis title, you need to discuss this with your supervisory panel first, then complete a Change of Thesis Title online form in ResearchMaster. Once you submit the online form, it will automatically forward to your principal supervisor and then the RAO for endorsement, before it reaches GRS for processing. This must be done within the session of the requested change and before the research census date.  You will be able to login to ResearchMaster to track its status.

If you're a PhD student wishing to downgrade to a master's degree, or a master's student wishing to upgrade to a PhD, you will need to submit one of the following forms before the next coursework census date:

• Upgrade from a master's to doctoral degree form 
• Downgrade from a doctoral to a master's degree form
• Course transfer application form

If you would like to add or remove a non-mandatory coursework subject from your study plan, you will need to complete a Variation of Program online form in ResearchMaster.  Please allow sufficient time for faculty consideration and approval before the coursework census date for that session. Once the form has been submitted, you can login to ResearchMaster to track its status.

If you need to temporarily suspend your studies, you can request a leave of absence—the minimum period of leave is 8 weeks (56 days).  The request needs to be submitted through the Leave of Absence online form in ResearchMaster with supporting documentation by the session census date. Further details can be found in the LOA Guidelines. Except in exceptional circumstances, a leave of absence:

• can only be requested after you have completed at least six months of your candidature
• can be granted for a maximum of one year, which includes any other absence periods you may have taken in previous research degrees.

Note: International students should check their visa requirements before applying for a leave of absence.

The Department of Education sets a maximum time to complete for all graduate research degrees. In some cases, the maximum period for completion can be extended if you can demonstrate that exceptional circumstances have prevented you from completing on time.

To apply for an extension of candidature, you must have the support of your principal supervisor and faculty RAO and be able to provide evidence that the circumstances impacting your study were genuinely beyond your control.

You will need to complete an Extension of Candidature online form in ResearchMaster and the Completion Timeline template. Once the forms have been submitted, they will automatically be forwarded to your principal supervisor and then the RAO for endorsement before it reaches GRS for processing. GRS must receive the form no earlier than six months and no later than two months before your EWS date. If you are a scholarship holder and also need to extend your scholarship, you will need to submit a separate request using the Scholarship Extension Form. 

Please also note that students who commenced at UTS in or after the Autumn 2018 session and exceed their EFTSL, will be liable for the Domestic HDR Overtime Levy. Refer to RTP Fees Offset overtime and special consideration (domestic students only) for further details. You may also be eligible to apply for a Domestic HDR overtime administrative levy scholarship.

If you need to withdraw from your course, please discuss this with your faculty first. Once you are ready, submit a Course Withdrawal online form on ResearchMaster.

Course withdrawal is effective from the date you lodge your application. If you withdraw before submitting your thesis, you will receive a ‘Withdrawn’ result for the thesis component of your studies. If you withdraw after submitting your thesis, you will receive a ‘Fail’ result for the thesis component of your studies.

UTS offers a range of research scholarships for current students. To apply for your chosen scholarship, complete the online scholarship application form and submit it along with a current CV that details your academic and professional achievements, previous research experience, and any prizes and awards you have won – use our CV template if you need help. You will be notified of the outcome of your application approximately two to three (2-3) months after the advertised closing date for that scholarship.

Please note that you can only hold one primary stipend scholarship at a time, unless your faculty has nominated you for an ongoing top-up scholarship. If you are a current UTS scholarship recipient and have been awarded an external scholarship, please contact us at grs@uts.edu.au. 

Faculty-funded scholarships
Faculty-funded scholarships are managed by UTS faculties and are only sent to GRS once they have been approved at faculty level. Tuition fee request forms for International Research Scholarships must also be approved by your faculty before they can be processed at GRS. For questions about faculty-funded scholarships, please speak to your faculty research administrator.

Unsuccessful applications
If your scholarship application is unsuccessful, you can apply for subsequent scholarship rounds.

As a current research student (domestic or international), you can accept your scholarship on MyStudentAdmin by completing the following steps:

• log in to MyStudentAdmin
• go to the ‘Scholarships’ tab. The scholarship/s you have been offered will appear on this page
• click ‘Accept’ on the scholarship you intend to accept
• enter your bank details, acceptance reason, and proposed start date and reason
• click ‘Save’.

Once you have completed this process, your scholarship status will change from ‘Offered’ to ‘Pending Bestowal’. Once the Graduate Research School has confirmed your eligibility and authorised your payments, your scholarship status will change to 'Active'.  You will receive a payment confirmation email to your student email once payment has been made.

If your status is showing as ‘Lapsed’, please email us at grs@uts.edu.au.

If you’re unable to start your research degree in the session your scholarship has been awarded, you may be able to defer your scholarship funding until the following session, if within the same calendar year. It is unlikely that you will be able to defer until the next calendar year. Please check your scholarship Conditions of Award for deferment options, or email us at grs@uts.edu.au for advice.

Doctoral students may be eligible for research scholarship extensions of up to six months (maximum). Please refer to your scholarship Conditions of Award to check your eligibility.  If your scholarship is managed by the Graduate Research School (i.e. RTPS, UTSD, CRS, RES, IRTP, UTSP, IRS), you will need to complete the HDR scholarship Extension Form and attach all relevant supporting documentation (see form). If your scholarship is sponsored by a faculty, institute, or external organisation, please contact the funder for information on applying for an extension. Please note that you will need your supervisor’s approval to extend your scholarship.

Your scholarship may be terminated if you:

• have submitted your thesis for examination
• have reached the maximum duration of your scholarship
• change your study load or the details of your candidature
• provide false or misleading information, engage in misconduct or make unsatisfactory research progress
• withdraw from your course.

Check your scholarship Conditions of Award for more information on scholarship termination. Please notify the Graduate Research School of any changes to your candidature to avoid being overpaid.

If you’re transferring from UTS to another institution, you may be able to take your scholarship with you. Please check your scholarship Conditions of Award for information on scholarship transfers.

Research scholarship payments are made every fortnight. Once your scholarship status is showing as ‘Active’ in MyStudentAdmin, you will receive a scholarship confirmation email that details your payment date, first lump sum amount and consecutive fortnightly amounts. If your bank details change, please update them in the ‘Financial Details’ section of MyStudentAdmin. The Graduate Research School cannot update your bank details for you.

If you receive a scholarship to support your graduate research studies, you may be entitled to leave benefits as part of your scholarship funding.

Types of scholarship leave include:

• suspension of scholarship (for leave of absence from your candidature. Please note that you will need to apply via the online form in ResearchMaster to apply for a leave of absence and access this type of leave)
• paid maternity leave benefit (up to 84 days of additional payment. Please note that you will need to apply via the online form in ResearchMaster to apply for a leave of absence and access this type of leave)
• paid parenting leave benefit (up to 5 days of additional payment)
• extended paid sick leave benefit (up to 84 days of additional payment)
• unpaid leave (you remain enrolled but pause your scholarship payments).

To check the leave entitlements for your scholarship, refer to your scholarship Conditions of Award. Please also review Section 11 of the UTS Student Rules before you submit your leave request.

Please note that taking a leave of absence without applying for additional paid benefits will result in the temporary suspension of your scholarship payments and candidature. If you apply for additional paid leave benefits without a leave of absence, your candidature’s EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) will continue to be consumed as you are not on leave and are not suspending your candidature. 

Before you apply for scholarship leave, you will need to check the entitlements for your scholarship (see the ‘Scholarship leave benefits’ section above). Discuss your leave requirements with your supervisor to determine whether you should remain enrolled or take a leave of absence from your studies. Once you have submitted your documents, you will receive an email from the Graduate Research School notifying you of the outcome of your requests.

Taking a leave of absence
If you need to take a leave of absence, please log in to the online form in ResearchMaster, review the HDR leave guidelines and submit a leave of absence request. If your leave of absence application is successful, your scholarship suspension will be processed automatically.

Applying for additional paid leave benefits
If you qualify for additional paid leave benefits such as extended paid sick leave, paid maternity or paternity leave, please complete the Research Scholarship Additional Paid Benefits Application Form and submit it, along with any supporting documentation outlined on the form, to your supervisor.

At the end of your approved leave period, your candidature and scholarship payments will automatically resume. If your intended return date changes, please submit an application for an additional leave of absence on ResearchMaster before the research census date of the session in which you intend to return.

Depending on your scholarship, you may be permitted to make changes to your study load (i.e. from full-time to part-time or vice versa). It’s important to check your scholarship Conditions of Award before you make any changes to ensure you will remain eligible for funding. Please note that your application may not be considered if you are requesting part-time study to accommodate employment opportunities.

If your Conditions of Award permit a change in study load, you will need to complete a Change of Study Load online form. If your change request is successful, you will receive an email confirmation for your candidature and another for your scholarship.

Paying tax 
You may be required to pay tax on your scholarship income depending on your individual circumstances and the type of scholarship you have been awarded. We strongly advise you to visit the Australian Taxation Office website or call their enquiry line for more information and to seek independent tax advice.

Submitting your TFN
The Australian Taxation Office may ask you for your tax file number (TFN). To submit it, complete the ATO’s Tax File Number Declaration Form and send the completed form to payroll@uts.edu.au along with your student ID number.  

Requesting a PAYG summary
If you need proof of income in the form of payslips or a PAYG summary, UTS can provide these documents via email. To request a payslip, please email grs@uts.edu.au with your student ID number and details of your request. For PAYG summaries, please email payroll@uts.edu.au.

As a scholarship holder, you may be eligible for additional allowances to support your research program. These include:

• relocation allowances if you need to move from within Australia to Sydney for your UTS research degree
• conference attendance allowances (Vice Chancellor’s Conference Fund)
• thesis completion funding (Thesis Completion Support Grant)
• reimbursement of thesis editing costs.

To check your eligibility for these allowances, please review your scholarship Conditions of Award (CoA).

Relocation allowances are available for expenses incurred from within Australia to Sydney. You will need to apply within six months of your scholarship start date.

Reimbursement allowances are available for thesis editing and proofreading costs (unless stipulated otherwise in your CoA). You will need to apply within 12 months of your thesis submission date and attach an original tax invoice to your application form.

For relocation and reimbursement allowances, please complete the Scholarship Allowance Claim Form or contact the Graduate Research School at grs@uts.edu.au. 

The Research Training Program (RTP) Fees Offset scholarship is funded by the Australian Government. If your offer letter states that you have been awarded an RTP Fees Offset scholarship, you will receive the funding in the form of a fee waiver for the maximum period of time allowed for you to complete your research program, rather than as a lump sum in your bank account. For details of the RTP, please visit the Department of Education and Training.

All graduate research students receive skills development funding from UTS – you may have seen this listed on your offer letter as an ‘additional contribution’ valued at $5,000-$10,000 per annum. This funding takes the form of skills development workshops, student orientations and events, and competitive student grants such as the Vice Chancellor's Conference Fund (VCCF) and Thesis Completion Support Grant (TCSG). You will not receive this funding in cash.