SUPPORTING

RESEARCH DISCOVERIES
UQ ADVANTAGE OFFICE
UQ WINTER RESEARCH
PROGRAM
GUIDELINES FOR SCHOLARS
Joy Anya Lim
2012-2013 Summer Research Scholar
School of Journalism and Communication
WHAT IS THE UQ
WINTER RESEARCH
PROGRAM?
The UQ Winter Research Program is
coordinated by the Student Engagement
Team in the UQ Advantage Offce in
conjunction with UQ research units, and
provides an opportunity for scholars to
work with a researcher in a formal research
environment in their area of interest at UQ.
By participating in the program scholars will
gain valuable academic and professional
skills, have an opportunity to develop links
with industry and academic contacts, and
can test drive research before embarking
on further research studies or higher degree
research projects.
Projects are available for between 4 6
weeks over the winter break (mid-June
mid-July).
WHY PARTICIPATE?
Undergraduate research at UQ provides a
range of benefts including:
An opportunity to develop new skills
and enhance employability;
Access to research networks and
connections with other staff and post-
graduate students;
Supervision by outstanding
researchers; and
Access to world class facilities and
experiences that you may not have
otherwise been exposed to; and
The possibility of obtaining credit
towards your degree.
AM I ELIGIBLE?
The UQ Winter Research Program is open
to undergraduate, honours, or masters by
coursework students, who:
Are currently enrolled at UQ, or another
Australian, or international university;
Have completed at least one year of
study at the time of application;
Are studying for a degree relevant to
the research discipline;
Have a high level of academic
achievement during their
undergraduate degree;
Are able to demonstrate a high level of
English language profciency; and
Are eligible for a visa to visit Australia if
from an international university.
WHERE CAN I
UNDERTAKE MY
RESEARCH?
The UQ Winter Research Program is offered
by a number of UQ schools, research
centres and institutes during the winter
vacation period. Links to participating units
and contact details for team members are
available at: www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/
winter-research. Please note, not all areas
will offer placements to non-UQ enrolled
students. Please contact the specifc
research area for further information.
HOW MUCH WILL I BE
PAID?
All applicants will be automatically
considered for Winter Research
Scholarships and Winter Research Travel
Grants.
Winter Research Scholarship
Scholars who qualify for a Winter Research
Scholarship will receive funding equivalent
to $1000, paid jointly by the UQ Advantage
Offce and the participating faculty, school,
centre or institute.
This allowance may be paid fortnightly, or
as one or more lump sums, as determined
by your research unit. To be eligible for
the grant scholars will need to meet the
following conditions:
Participate in the program for a
minimum of four weeks between
17 June 26 July; and
Commit to a minimum of 20 hours per
week.
Winter Research Travel Grant
Non UQ enrolled international scholars
who are required to relocate to Brisbane to
participate in the program will automatically
be considered for a Winter Research Travel
Grant to assist with travel costs. The grants
will be valued at $1000 and will be paid as a
one-off payment. The UQ Advantage Offce
will determine whether students receive
this additional grant and reserves the right
to deny funding. To be eligible for the grant
scholars will need to meet the following
conditions:
Non-UQ enrolled student;
Required to relocate to Brisbane to
participate in the program;
Currently enrolled in a degree program;
Participate in the program for a
minimum of four weeks between
16 June 25 July; and
Commit to a minimum of 20 hours per
week/terms outlined in the offer letter.
Travel Grants will be competitively awarded
by the UQ Advantage Offce. The decision
of the UQ Advantage Offce is fnal.
If a scholarship recipient withdraws from the
program, their scholarship and travel grant
(if applicable) will need to be returned in full.
WHAT WILL BE MY
TIME COMMITMENT?
Scholars are expected to participate in an
ongoing research project or to undertake
a substantial piece of supervised research
work.
It is expected that scholars will work a
minimum of 20 hours per week for at least
four weeks. Please note that some positions
require scholars to work on a full-time
basis (up to 36 hours per week), and the
expected workload is set by each research
unit.
Where appropriate to the project, additional
discipline/project-specifc obligations
may also be required, such as training in
research safety and ethics. Please refer to
specifc research unit for further details.
When offers are made, the contact offcers
will provide scholars with details of the
starting dates and expected workload.
The scholar and the supervisor are able to
negotiate the duration of the project and the
workload requirements.
APPLICATION
PROCEDURES
To apply, students need to:
1. Find out more about available projects
on the Winter Research website.
2. Liaise with the contact offcer in the
relevant research unit before submitting
an application to obtain more
information about project availability
and suitability.
3. Submit an application form and
supporting documentation via an
online form by 4pm, Friday 4 April,
2014. Incomplete applications will not
be considered. Please submit one
application only.
4. All applicants will be notifed if they will
be invited to participate in the program
during May, 2014.
UQ WINTER RESEARCH
PROGRAM
GUIDELINES FOR SCHOLARS
WHAT ARE THE
ASSESSMENT
CRITERIA FOR THE
GRANTS?
Applications will frstly be assessed by
individual faculties, schools, institutes or
centres. Scholarships will then be awarded
on a competitive basis taking into account:
The availability of projects and
supervisors;
The academic merit of the applicant;
Reasons provided for wanting to
participate in the program;
The quality of the project;
Available funding; and
Skills and attributes of applicants to
meet project requirements.
WILL I RECEIVE
CREDIT?
Not all study areas will offer their Winter
Research Program for credit, so please
contact the specifc research unit for further
information.
Recognition towards degree requirements
is also subject to the degree rules and
structure of your program. Recognition
available will depend on the program
offered by the research unit, as well as
the undergraduate degree program being
undertaken by the student and its program
rules and structure. Applicants should
seek academic advice from their faculty or
home institution regarding recognition for
participation in a Winter Research activity
Where credit is available, students may be
required to be enrolled in course for credit
before the commencement of their research
internship.
WHAT ARE
THE TAXATION
AND AUSTUDY
IMPLICATIONS?
It is the responsibility of all scholarship
recipients to make their own enquiries and
seek independent advice regarding tax
liability or impact on Austudy payments
arising from receipt of a scholarship.
Winter Research Scholarships are equity
and merit-based scholarships. Scholarships/
stipends will be tax free to the student
provided that they meet conditions listed
here: calculators.ato.gov.au/scripts/axos/
axos.asp?CONTEXT=&KBS=iScholarship.
XR4&go=okr. If any of these conditions are
not met, it will be taxable to the student
and PAYG will need to be withheld by
the University. It is the responsibility of all
students to advise UQ if they do not meet
these conditions at the time of accepting
an offer.
If a scholar receives Austudy or Centrelink
payments, we recommend they contact
Centrelink to advise them that they will be
receiving a scholarship. Please visit the
Centrelink website for further information:
www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/
enablers/income.
WHAT ARE THE
CONDITIONS OF
PARTICIPATION?
All Winter Research Scholars must read
and agree to the General Conditions of
Participation before signing their letter of
offer. The Conditions of Participation are
available at: www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/
docs/winter-research/undergraduate-
research-conditions-of-participation.pdf.
WHAT IF THE
RESEARCH
PROJECT/PERIOD IS
TERMINATED EARLY?
The University reserves the right to
terminate a scholarship at any time and
at the Universitys sole discretion if the
conduct of the Winter Research scholar is
deemed to be unsatisfactory, or if ill health
seriously interferes with the research. If a
scholarship is terminated for any reason
prior to commencement of the scholarship
period, the University will not be liable for
any costs, and if terminated during the
scholarship period, the University will at its
sole discretion determine if any reasonable
expenses will be reimbursed.
INFORMATION FOR
VISITING SCHOLARS
Australian Temporary Visas
A number of Australian visas may permit
you to enter Australia and study or
undertake research on a temporary basis.
The most suitable visa for you will depend
on factors including (but not limited to):
Your study/research activities in
Australia;
If the visa gives you permission to work
in Australia;
The duration of your study/research
activities and your intended stay in
Australia;
Your country of origin;
Where you are when you apply for the
visa;
Your access to suffcient funds;
Whether you have dependents (or
secondary applicants) with you; and
Your experience/qualifcations.
The University of Queensland cannot
provide personalised migration advice as it
is unlawful to give immigration assistance in
Australia if you are not a registered migration
agent.
If you require immigration assistance, we
recommend that you contact:
The Department of Immigration and
Border Protection: www.immi.gov.au;
or
An Australian Registered Migration
Agent: www.mara.gov.au.
A general overview to some of the common
temporary visas is outlined below which
is based on information available on the
Department of Immigration and Border
Protection (DIBP) website:
1. Subclass 573/574/575 Student Visas:
Allow you to study in Australia and have
qualifed work rights. You must hold a
valid Confrmation of Enrolment (CoE)
to apply for/hold a student visa. Your
permission to work depends on your
student visa subclass, and whether your
course is in session or out of session.
Please Note: Winter Research Scholars
who are visiting UQ solely to participate
in the Winter Research Program will not
receive a CoE from UQ.
2. Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate
Visa: Lets you live and work in Australia
temporarily after you have fnished your
studies. While in Australia you may travel,
work and study without restrictions.
Applicants for this visa must be in
Australia, meet the 2 year Australian
Study Requirement and hold an eligible
visa. The 485 visa has 2 streams:
a) Graduate Work Stream for
graduates with an occupation on
the Skilled Occupations List; and
b) Post-Study Work Stream for
graduates who were granted their
frst student visa on or after 5
November 2011. Please Note: You
may only be able to hold a 485 visa
once.
3. Subclass 600 Visitor: Lets you
travel to Australia and study for up to 3
months. You are not permitted to work
on a subclass 600 visa.
4. Subclass 417 Working Holiday: This
visa is for people aged 18 to 30 years
of age, who are interested in a working
holiday of up to 12 months in Australia.
If you are granted this visa you can
study for up to 4 months. You must hold
a passport from an eligible country to
apply for this visa.
5. Subclass 462 Work and Holiday: This
visa is for people aged 18 to 30 years
of age, who are interested in a working
holiday of up to 12 months in Australia.
If you are granted this visa you can
study for up to 4 months. You must hold
a passport from an eligible country to
apply for this visa.
6. Subclass 402 Training and Research
Visa: This visa allows you to enter
Australia for a prescribed period
of research/training. You must be
sponsored by the University to apply
for this visa. This visa has two relevant
streams:
a) Occupational Trainee stream is
for people who require structured
training to either enhance their skills
in their current occupation, area of
tertiary study or feld of expertise; and
b) Research stream enables
professional academics to visit
Australia on a temporary basis, to
observe or participate in an Australian
research project.
7. Subclass 601 Electronic Travel
Authority: An ETA lets you enter Australia
for up to 3 months at a time as a tourist or
for business purposes. You can study for
up to 3 months. You must hold a passport
from an eligible country to apply for this
visa.
8. Subclass 651 eVisitor: You may stay for
up to 3 months during each visit during
the 12 months from the date the eVisitor
is granted. You can study for up to 3
months. You must hold a passport from
an eligible country to apply for this visa.
If the visa is granted, the DIBP will send you a
letter or email with:
The date the visa starts;
The visa grant number; and
Any conditions attached to the visa.
When you receive your visa grant notifcation,
please review any conditions attached to
your visa very carefully to ensure you do
not breach any conditions (which may then
impact of future Australian visa applications).
Travel
Scholars must arrange and pay for their own
travel. Eligible students may receive a travel
grant to assist with travel costs.
Bank accounts
Scholars are required to open an Australian
bank account for ease and reliability of
payments. Scholars should provide their 6-digit
BSB number and a bank account number
of maximum 9 digits to their supporting unit
administrator.
Insurance
All scholars should note that they will only
be covered by the Universitys public liability
insurance to the extent that an accident
occurs at the University for which the
University is at fault.
Scholars who are required to travel to
Brisbane to participate in the program are
advised to take out an appropriate travel
insurance policy to be covered against any
travel risks. International and New Zealand
citizens in visiting Australia, are encouraged
to have a travel insurance policy before
they arrive. Medical and hospital insurance
associated with travel insurance can be
arranged before leaving home, or obtained
from Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)
after arrival in Brisbane. Proof of cover may
be required. For more information: www.
uq.edu.au/international/get-health-cover.
Accommodation
Scholars must arrange their own
accommodation and it is recommended
that they secure accommodation prior to
their arrival. UQs Accommodation Services
will provide scholars with access to the
UQ Rentals database. Further information
is available on the UQ website: www.
accommodation.uq.edu.au.
Free airport reception service
International students who will be studying
at UQ for the frst time, may be eligible to
arrange a free airport transfer from Brisbane
Airport. Bookings need to be made in
advance. Further information is available
at: www.uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/plan-your-
arrival.
UQ Health Service
Scholars can access the UQ Health Service
during the UQ Winter Research program.
Scholars are required to provide a Medicare
card or evidence of insurance. Further
information is available at: www.uq.edu.au/
healthservice.
Student cards
Non-UQ students or graduating UQ students
who participate in the UQ Winter Research
Program will not be eligible to receive a UQ
Student Card. As such, unless scholars have
a full-time Queensland Student Card from
another institution, they will not be eligible or
student discounts on public transport.
Library Access
All scholars will have access to the UQ
Library during their UQ Winter Research
Program. Details regarding level of access will
be provided at each scholars orientation.
UQ Sport Facilities
Non-UQ students will be able to access UQ
Sport facilities over the winter semester break
at visitor rates.
SHUTTLE BUS
Scholars who are based at the Gatton
campus can take advantage of
complementary return bus passes to the
St Lucia campus for Winter Research Skills
Training sessions and events. Scholars are
asked to email advantage@uq.edu.au to
request a pass.
UQ ADVANTAGE
AWARD
UQ students who successfully complete
program requirements, can request that
their participation in the program is counted
toward attainment of the UQ Advantage
Award. Further information about the program
is available at: www.uq.edu.au/advantage-
award.
CERTIFICATES
All Winter Research Scholars will receive a
formal certifcate of participation from their
research unit.
WHO SHOULD I
CONTACT FOR MORE
INFORMATION?
Each research area has a designated
contact offcer who can provide applicants
with further information on specifc projects
available. Applicants are encouraged to liaise
with the contact offcer before applying for
an internship, to discuss the suitability and
availability of projects and to obtain specifc
advice. Information about participating units
and contact offcers can be found at: www.
uq.edu.au/uqadvantage/winter-research.
For general enquiries, contact the Student
Engagement Team in the UQ Advantage
Offce at:
Email: advantage@uq.edu.au
Phone: 3365 2929
KEY DATES
10 MARCH
Applications open
4 APRIL
Applications close
MAY
Offers made
30 JUNE
UQ Winter Research Program
offcially commences
30 JUNE
UQ Winter Research Welcome
25 JULY
UQ Winter Research Program
offcially concludes

Filipe Pinho de Mello
2012-2013 Summer Research Scholar
School of Chemical Engineering
UQ Winter Research Program Scholar Guidelines. Last updated 19 February, 2014. Subject to change
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