Student expenditure allocation

 

Purpose of funding

Faculty of Health Higher Degree Research (HDR) students will receive Student Allocation funding to contribute towards specified research project costs and activities leading to the submission of their thesis for external examination. This funding is available to students enrolled in IF49, HL90 and HL84 (and transferring SC80 students from 2012).

Levels of funding

The 2012 Student Allocation funding levels are:

• full-time doctorate: up to $1,500 per year for up to 3 years equivalent full-time (EFT)
• part-time doctorate: up to $750 per year for up to 3 years EFT
• full-time masters*: up to $1,500 per year for up to 18 months
• EFT Part-time masters*: Up to $750 per year for up to 18 months EFT.

*Students on a QUT Masters Scholarship receive up to $1,500 for up to 12 months FTE only.

In addition to the above funding, schools will contribute towards the cost of lab bench fees for students in biomedical and clinical sciences.

Student allocation budget approval

Students are required to discuss budgetary requirements with their Principal Supervisor and to submit a Higher Degree Research Student Budget Application (DOC file, 39.5 KB) to the Faculty of Health Research Services Office for approval.

Budgets must be approved by the Faculty prior to submitting a claim for reimbursement.

Funding rules

• Funding is allocated on a yearly basis.
• Unspent funds from previous years may be rolled over.
• Requests for funding over the yearly allocation (i.e. funding brought forward from future years) must be approved by the IHBI (Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation) Executive Director (for IHBI student members) or the Director (Research Training), for non-IHBI student members. The principal supervisor is required to make this request in writing and the approval must be submitted together with the student's budget to the Faculty Research Services Office.
• Funding can only be used once a student has successfully completed the Stage 2 milestone. If a student wishes to access funding prior to completing this milestone, the Principal Supervisor must submit a statement of support outlining the reasons for the request to the Faculty Research Services Office for consideration.
• Funding is available until a student submits his or her thesis for external examination and may be used for approved expenses incurred prior to lodgement of the thesis for external examination. In addition, a student can access funding to contribute towards the cost of final thesis editing, printing and binding if the student has an approved budget for these expenses.
• If a student takes a leave of absence, funding will be allocated on a pro-rata basis for the duration of the leave period.
• Funding may be used for eligible items and services as specified below. Requests for funding to support other research-related costs may be considered by the Faculty on a case-by-case basis.
• Students who wish to travel outside Brisbane for conferences, workshops or fieldwork/data collection must submit a travel application for approval (see Travel applications). Students who do not obtain faculty approval for travel will not be reimbursed for any travel expenses.
• The student allocation funding can be used to fund up to two conferences, or one conference and one overseas study visit, during a student's candidature. The Grant-in-Aid scheme may be used in conjunction with the student allocation funding (see Travel applications). Additional conference travel must be self-funded. Travel for data collection purposes is unlimited, provided that the student has sufficient funds in their student allocation.
• Funding is usually available via reimbursement. Up-front payment will be considered for large amounts on a case-by-case basis.

Eligible items and services

Automatic access

Students automatically have access to:

• desk and chair (for full-time on-campus students only)
• lockable filing cabinet
• personal desktop computer (for full-time on-campus students only)
• shared computer facilities, e.g. hot-desk (for part-time on-campus students)
• local calls
• fax including STD and international
• QUT Directory phone number
• internet
• copier and printer
• daily use envelopes
• standard stationery items
• school, faculty or IHBI letterhead and envelopes
• on-campus mailing address
• student pigeon hole for mail
• full library services within specified parameters including Australia & overseas inter-library loans
• IT support including standard software licenses
• candidacy support for milestones, training and scholarships
• access to facilities 24 hours per day
• staff common room
• secure bicycle storage (via Parking Office)
• newsletters and event notification.

Available at no charge

Items and services that require a school booking application but are available at no charge:

• hot-desk with computer facilities
• lap-top computer hire
• digital recorder hire
• other school-based equipment
• meeting room use.

May be charged for - PIN required

Students require a pin and may be charged for:

• Standard and international calls
• copier & printer paper use.

These charges apply to some schools and IHBI only.

Claimed against student allocation budget

Students can claim against their student allocation budget for:

• incentives for research participants
• specified lab consumables
• non-standard or individual stationery expenses
• video-conferencing expenses
• QUT business cards
• batteries
• padded envelopes, satchels, parcels for survey use
• postage for surveys
• courier services
• cab or taxi charges (associated with research activities only. Does not cover travel costs to and from QUT for normal daily business)
• digital recorder tapes
• required readings from QUT Bookshop
• specified travel expenses arising from fieldwork, experiments, data collection, conference presentation *
• conference registration *
• conference costs *
• conference poster printing *
• thesis binding and editing (students must use an external editorial service and editors must have a current ABN)
• interview transcribing costs
• data entry costs
• statistician fee costs
• short course costs
• text books unavailable from Library or via inter-library loan, or specific reference texts
• Grant-in-Aid travel (see Travel applications)
• software not already available at QUT.

*Students can use student allocation funding for up to two conferences during their candidature.

Items and service that cannot be claimed

Students cannot claim for:

• sustenance costs related to travel
• travel or accommodation for Brisbane-based events
• travel or accommodation costs associated with meeting members of the supervisory team
• parking fees
• computer or laptop purchase
• printer purchase
• phone or mobile purchase
• digital or video camera purchase
• other equipment purchase
• text books that are available in library or via inter-library loan
• coursework expenses
• gifts
• graduation costs
• union/guild fees
• eligible services items with no official receipt, ABN or date of service
• visa costs, or costs associated with obtaining a visa.

Submitting a claim for reimbursement

The Student Expenditure Process Checklist will help you prepare your claim. Claims for reimbursement must be submitted within 3 months of the expense being incurred. Claims received after this date will not be considered. Students are required to complete and submit:

• Approved Higher Degree Research Student Budget Application
• Payment Claim Form (Reimbursement Claim Form)
• Supplier Maintenance Form (this form is not required if you are a QUT Scholarship holder OR if you have previously submitted a Supplier Maintenance Form AND your personal banking details have not changed)
• original invoices and receipts

It is important to note that:

• you must complete all forms and provide all relevant supporting documentation to avoid delays in processing your claim.
• you must keep a copy of all forms and documents submitted for your records.
• to complete the Payment Claim Form, you have to open the form using Excel and click on the ‘Enable Macros’ button. Enter your Student ID and Name at the top of the form. Select ‘Reimbursement Claim’ from the drop down menu and then click on the large green arrow, which will take you to a separate worksheet. Enter your claim details, save the form and then print out a copy of the form.

Travel applications

Students who wish to travel more than 50km from Brisbane to attend conferences or to conduct fieldwork are required to submit a travel application form and supporting documentation to the Faculty Research Services Office at least six weeks before they intend to travel. Students can apply for funding to support one overseas and one domestic conference/workshop (including Grant-in-Aid applications). Retrospective travel applications will not be approved under any circumstances.

Students must submit a travel application even if they are not using the Student Allocation to fund their travel.

Separate guidelines and application forms are available for Domestic, International and Grant-in-Aid travel.

Students are only required to submit one application form:

• All domestic travel (excluding Grant-in-Aid applications)
• All international travel (excluding Grant-in-Aid applications)
• Grant-in-Aid (conference and overseas fieldwork) applications

Travel guidelines and application forms

Grant-in-Aid funding may be used once during a student’s candidature, in conjunction with the student allocation. The Grant-in-Aid provides additional funding (on top of the normal student allocation) of up to $2,000 to contribute towards airfare costs. Students must be undertaking overseas fieldwork or presenting their research at an international conference in order to be eligible for this funding. Please refer to the Grant-in-Aid guidelines for further details about this scheme.Failure to obtain prior approval for travel may result in the following consequences:

• forfeiture of QUT insurance protection
• travel reimbursement claims will not be approved
• scholarships may be suspended
• international students may be denied re-entry to Australia.

Use of vehicles for research purposes

Students may submit a mileage claim form to cover fuel costs associated with vehicle use for specified research-related activities such as data collection. Students should submit the completed form as part of their reimbursement claim.

QUT fleet vehicles may be used for specified research-related activities with the approval of the Head of School.