THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF LAW

GRADUATE STUDIES IN LAW

RESEARCH STUDENTS FACULTY RESEARCH GRANTS

1. Objectives

The objectives of the provision of these funds are:
• To assist each research student to complete a thesis.
• To cover some of the costs for research students of fieldwork, research journeys, conference attendance and related research expenses.
• To complement the provision to research students by the Faculty of Law of other facilities and services, such as rooms and computers.

2. Non competitive grants

2.1 Eligibility
Non competitive grant money is available to full-time research students located in the Faculty of Law, enrolled in a PhD, MPhil or SJD undertaking the thesis, as follows:

• PhD students in their first three years of enrolment $ 500 per year (max $1500)
• SJD students in their first two years of thesis enrolment $ 500 per year (max $1000)
• MPhil in their first year of enrolment $ 500 per year (max $ 500)
Unused amounts will be carried over to the next year. Unspent amount is not payable in cash. Advances cannot be made on a future year’s grant.

2.2 Allowable expenditure
The grant money is to be used for thesis related expenses such as the following:
• Research field trips outside Canberra;
• Conference registration;
• Travel and accommodation for conferences; associated child-care costs;
• Incidental research expenses (eg inter-library loans, photocopying, postage)

2.3 Procedures
All expenditure is subject to approval by the Director, Higher Degree Research Program or her/his nominee. Claim forms are available from the Assistant Student Administration Manager (Asst SAM) and must be submitted through her/him together with receipts or other proof of expenditure or charging, for payment by the Finance and HR Unit.

3. Competitive Grants

3.1 Eligibility
Competitive grants are available to all research students up to the maximum amount indicated. This maximum amount is the total available grant per student (whether full-time or part-time) during the entire course of their degree and is not an amount per year. The maximum amount of grant for each research student is as follows:
• PhD students $2000
• SJD students $1000
• MPhil $ 500
In any one year there will normally be a limit on the total funding available for competitive grants. Thus each application will be considered in the light of both the total funding available and of other applications.

3.2 Allowable expenditure
The grant money is to be used for thesis related expenses such as the following:
• Fieldwork outside Canberra.
• Research journeys outside Canberra.
• Conference registration.
• Travel and accommodation for conferences; associated child-care expenses.
• Equipment for fieldwork or research journeys.
• Related research expenses.
Expenses for partners accompanying research student are not allowable. Telephones, postage, passports, photocopying, printing or computers expenses are not allowable.

3.3 Application Procedures
Applications should be lodged prior to expenditure. Applications must be in writing and sent to the AsstSAM and include the following:
• Name, thesis topic, stage of enrolment (eg third year of PhD), and scholarship held, if any.
• Statement of purpose of grant eg aims of proposed fieldwork/research journey; nature of conference and extent of participation in conference.
• Itinerary, including locations and research work to be undertaken.
• Details of expenses to be incurred, including travel, accommodation and any other relevant expenses, together with evidence of these expenses or basis for reasonable estimates of these expenses.
• Total grant sought.
• Statement of all other sources, including scholarships, for which a grant has been sought or is available and when notification of success of application to other sources will be given.
• Any likely future applications for a grant, if known.
• Supervisor’s comments on the application. Supervisor’s comments on the application, whether favourable or unfavourable, are not determinative of the application.
• Any other relevant information.

3.4 Approval Procedures
The Director, Higher Degree Research Program will consider every application for a competitive grant that complies with these Guidelines. Preference will usually be given to applications from full-time PhD students in the first three years of their degree; full-time SJD students in the two years of the thesis component of their degree and MPhil students in the first year of their degree, and for the equivalent time periods for part-time students.

Each applicant will be advised, as soon as possible after the Director has made his/her decision.

Unsuccessful applicants may request that the Director reconsider their application. The Director must consider any such request and provide reasons for his/her decision on such request. If the applicant is still unsuccessful then she/he can request reconsideration of the application by the Dean of the Faculty of Law. The decision by the Dean is final.

3.4 Payment
Travel and conference expenses may be paid in advance, if time permits, upon submission of an ANU Travel Proposal Form, available from the AsstSAM or from the Finance and HR Unit web page. This must be lodged with the AsstSAM. A Claim Form for reimbursement of other approved expenditure should be lodged within two months of the end of the fieldwork/research journey, conference or other research expenditure, with the AsstSAM. Students must provide receipts for all expenses wherever possible. A diary of expenses should be made in instances where receipts are not available. The Board of Studies will be advised of failure to comply with this requirement and it may, if appropriate, decide that no further grants will be given to the applicant.

Approved:
Dean:
Replaces 154/1997
1 January 2004
Revised April 27 2005