Timor-Leste
Applying for an Australia Awards Scholarship
Australia Awards Scholarships - Timor-Leste
Australia’s international development assistance in Timor- Leste aims to assist the people of Timor-Leste to develop the qualifications, professional skills and knowledge necessary for the development of the country.
Through study and research, recipients develop the skills and knowledge to drive change and help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia.
Applicants will be assessed for their professional and personal qualities, academic competence and, most importantly, their potential to impact on development challenges in Timor-Leste.
Applications are strongly encouraged from women, people with disability and people from the following priority areas:
Priority areas of study
Priority areas for study in Australia:
Education and training
Private Sector Development and Management Health
Law
Communications
Agriculture, Rural Development & the Environment
Infrastructure
Community and Social Development
Please contact Australia Awards Timor-Leste Program office for detailed information on the priority areas or visit our website http://www.australiaawardstl.org/
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Target Groups
Gender equity and equitable participation are ongoing and important considerations of Australia Awards Scholarships.
Applications are strongly encouraged from:
Women
People with disability
Civil Servants (who have obtained an Australian or equivalent undergraduate degree).
Level of study
These Scholarships provide citizens of Timor-Leste with the opportunity to obtain a postgraduate qualification at an Australian tertiary institution. Scholarships are available for the following levels of postgraduate study:
Masters & PhD
For study in 2017, we will not offer scholarships for undergraduate study, except for people with disability.
Level of study for people with disability
One Scholarship will be available to an applicant with a permanent disability for study for Diploma, Advance Diploma, and Undergraduate awards (subject to the
Scholarship Selection Panel identifying a suitable applicant).
A suitable applicant will demonstrate the greatest potential to successfully complete their course and return home to contribute to the future development of Timor-Leste.
People with disability are also eligible to be awarded a Scholarship through the regular scholarship stream
competing with other candidates at the postgraduate level.
Applicants are encouraged to advise the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the nature of their disability so the necessary adjustments can be made to facilitate their participation throughout the selection process.
For more information, please ask for a separate information sheet.
Australia Awards Scholarships benefits
Australia Awards Scholarships are offered for the minimum period necessary for the individual to complete the
academic program specified by the Australian education institution, including any preparatory training.
Scholarship recipients will generally receive the following:
return air travel
a one off establishment allowance on arrival
full tuition fees
contribution to living expenses
introductory academic program
Overseas Student Health Cover for the duration of the Scholarship
supplementary academic support
fieldwork allowance (for Masters by research and PhD students, and Masters by coursework with a
compulsory fieldwork component)
reasonable adjustment (if required) for a person with a disability.
Eligibility requirements
To progress to selection, Australia Awards applicants must meet all eligibility requirements detailed in the Australia Awards Scholarships Handbook. In addition to these criteria requirements, candidates from Timor-Leste must also meet the following country specific conditions:
i. be currently resident in Timor-Leste, and having lived in Timor-Leste for at least five years
(cumulative) since 1999, with some exceptions for applicants working for the Government of Timor- Leste in a third country
ii. if a recipient of a scholarship from another developed country, must have worked in Timor- Leste for a minimum of two years to demonstrate his/her contribution to the development of Timor- Leste
iii. not have citizenship of any developed country (exceptions may be made in some instances for Timorese citizens holding Portuguese citizenship) iv. be applying to commence a new course of study at
a level higher than the applicant’s current educational qualification
v. not hold another scholarship with the same benefits
vi. be able to take up the Australia Awards Scholarship in the year for which it is offered (2017)
vii. for civil servants, study programs must be relevant to current work and their Ministry’s goals.
Applications must be endorsed by a senior government official e.g. Director General or National Director
viii. not have been terminated from a previous Australian Government scholarship
ix. be able to satisfy the admission requirements of the institution at which the award is to be
undertaken (this may mean that the DFAT Program Area will need to withdraw an award offer if the
requirements. This may not be known until the Australia Awards – Timor-Leste office requests a placement at the selected institution)
x. be able to satisfy all requirements of the
Department of Immigration and Border Protection to hold a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (subclass 576) visa (including health and character checks). This may mean that the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Program Area will need to withdraw an award offer if the recipient cannot satisfy the visa requirements
xi. must inform the Australia Awards – Timor-Leste office of any connection or relationship to staff employed at the DFAT Program Area or with the Australia Awards – Timor-Leste office so that the application may be properly and transparently managed
xii. be committed to returning to Timor-Leste on completion of studies in Australia
xiii. (disability eligible only) for diploma and undergraduate studies, applicants must have achieved one of the following: Graduated from senior high school with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 7.0; A 6.5 for mature age applicants (21 years and over) with at least four years relevant work experience (can include volunteer work programs) or have graduated from the UNTL CBR diploma 1 with a GPA of 2.5
xiv. for postgraduate studies (Masters), applicants must have a recognised undergraduate degree with a GPA of at least 2.75; mature age applicants (21 years and over) must have a GPA of 2.5 and at least five years relevant work experience xv. for Post-doctorate (PhD) programs, applicants
must have a GPA of at least 3.0
xvi. English language requirements: To be offered an Australia Awards Scholarship, applicants must meet the following English language proficiency requirements:
Postgraduate Degree: IELTS (International English Language Testing System)or equivalent overall band score of 6.0 with no two band scores less than 5.5
Doctorate Degree: IELTS or equivalent overall band score of 6.5 with no band scores less than 6.0
People with disability: IELTS or equivalent overall band score of 5.0 with no two band scores less than 4.5 (for diploma/undergrad studies only).
English Language Proficiency
If required, Australia Awards Timor-Leste will fund IELTS tests for eligible applicants who pass a Preliminary English Language Test.
Applicants must have a valid IELTS or equivalent test result as at 1 January 2016 (IELTS, TOEFL scores, and PTE Academic are valid for two years after the test date).
This will mean that most short-listed applicants will need to sit an IELTS or equivalent test to be eligible for an Australia Awards Scholarship.
The Australia Awards Office strongly recommend that applicants invest time in upgrading their English skills through cost effective activities such as reading English
3 | P a g e language electronic media such as Radio Australia and the
BBC and engaging in conversations in English.
Some universities may require a higher IELTS score as an entry requirement and may offer provisional enrolment subject to you achieving a higher score on completion of a Pre English Language Course in Australia.
Application dates (for study commencing in 2017) Opening date: Monday 23 November 2015
Closing date: Friday 12 February 2016 (5 pm Dili time) Application Forms will not be handed out after 29 January 2016. Applications submitted after 12 February 2016 will not be considered as eligible applications.
Obtaining an Application
Hardcopy applications only will be considered.
Application forms can be obtained from:
Australia Awards – Timor-Leste Office in Dili (details below) or during two Municipality visits.
Municipality visits will be limited to two urban locations which are reasonably located to most Municipalities.
Interested applicants living outside Dili should make themselves available in Dili or at the following locations:
Municipality Date
Bobonaro (Maliana) 24 – 27 November 2015
Baucau 1 – 4 December 2015
We recommend you call the Australia Awards – Timor-Leste Office in advance if you intend to meet with our staff during the two Municipality visits.
Completing Your Application
The selection process will be very competitive. Applicants should invest time and effort in developing their application and collecting the required support documentation.
The Australia Awards – Timor-Leste Office will hold group information sessions to provide general advice to applicants to complete their application forms. It is important that applicant’s statements of claim are accurate.
Please note: The Australian Government takes a zero tolerance approach to fraud. Education qualifications of shortlisted applicants will be verified with the issuing authority. Documents found to fraudulent will deem the application ineligible for further consideration.
Supporting documents
Applicants must submit with their application all of the relevant supporting documents listed below:
Supporting Documents
Required to be Certified?
Proof of citizenship – birth certificate (compulsory) / and photographic identification i.e. student card/drivers licence if passport is not available.
No
Tertiary degree/graduation/completion certificates (Bachelors and Masters level)
Yes
Academic transcripts (where they are not in English please provide an English translation)
Yes
IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic results No
Curriculum Vitae No
All secondary school and/or tertiary results
Yes
Grade assessment schedule from each institution for all academic results or transcripts
No
Completed endorsement from your employer (for Civil Servants)
No
Completed endorsement from your employer (Private Sector)
No
Two recent academic or professional or employment references (on letterhead and sealed) no more than 2 years old
No
For Masters by research and PhD:
Outline of the proposed research project (up to 1,000 words)
No
Details of any proposed home-based fieldwork required as part of your research
No
List of relevant publications and unpublished theses
No
Closing date - Friday 12 February 2015 (5 pm)
Completed hard copy applications can be submitted in Dili at any time during the application period, but must be submitted no later than 5.00 pm Friday 12 February 2016.
Applications may be lodged at the following locations:
Municipality Date Dili – Australia Awards
Timor-Leste Office, Rua Belarmino Lobo Bidau Akadiru-hun (ex Kafé Aroma), Dili.
At any time during the application period but no later than ……
Bobonaro (Maliana) 4 – 5 February 2016
Baucau 8 – 9 February 2016
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The selection process
Please read the following information carefully as some processes have changed since last year.
Following application eligibility checking, the Australia Awards Timor-Leste Office and Scholarship Selection Panel will shortlist applicants who will sit a preliminary English Language Test (PELT). The shortlisted applicants will be selected to undertake the IELTS preparation program and test.
Based on the IELTS results and the Scholarship Selection Panel assessment, the applicants will be shortlisted for interview.
Applicants will be assessed by individual panel members against the following criteria:
• Academic competence
• How an applicant’s proposed area of study relates to their current career pathway and previous qualifications (this is very important in the case of Civil Servants)
• Potential outcome, including contribution to development outcomes in your home country
• Professional and personal leadership attributes.
Selection is firstly a merit-based process. Individual Scholarship Selection Panel member scores will be aggregated to provide a ranked list of applicants who the Panel believe are capable of achieving an Australian qualification, who will return home to contribute to the future development of Timor-Leste.
This list will then be moderated to achieve a
recommended list submitted to the Australian Embassy in Timor-Leste. The Scholarship Selection Panel will
moderate the ranking of the merit list against the following criteria: gender, disability, levels of study, access, and sectors of study.
A high ranking in the interview process will be an important consideration in moderation, but does not guarantee a place in the final provisional/reserve list of candidates recommended to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade by the Scholarship Selection Panel.
Outcomes
All applicants will receive notification of selection outcomes by 31 July 2016.
Applicants must be available on the following dates:
Initial English language assessment and Pre English Language Testing between the second and fourth weeks of March 2016 (dates to be advised)
IELTS preparation training is compulsory for short- listed applicants from May 2016
English language training for shortlisted applicants with a disability from late March 2016
Short-listed applicants must sit IELTS tests between 19 and 21 May 2016
Applicants must be available for face-to-face interviews with the Joint Selection Panel, in the second or third week of June 2016.
All successful applicants will be required to attend a five-day pre-departure briefing in November 2016.
Participating Australian institutions
The list of participating Australian Institutions is available at:
http://aid.dfat.gov.au/Publications/Pages/australian- institutions.aspx
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Further information
Further information about the Australia Awards
Scholarships can be found at: http://dfat.gov.au/people- to-people/australia-awards/pages/australia-awards- scholarships.aspx
Contact Details
Organisation: Australia Awards Timor-Leste Office
Address:
Rua Belarmino Lobo
Bidau Akadiru-hun (ex Kafé Aroma) Dili, Timor-Leste
Telephone:+670 332 2603 Mobile: +670 7751 3738
Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.australiaawardstl.org/
