Many students have had difficulties in progressing their research while juggling other responsibilities and commitments including families, schooling and caregiving. Currently enrolled students seeking to make changes to their scholarship or enrolment, such as converting to part-time enrolment or taking a period or leave of absence or undertaking an internship, should refer to information on the graduate research Support and Resources page. Key COVID-specific measures are outlined below.
Milestones
It’s important that you talk to your supervisors in the lead up to all scheduled milestones, and especially important in the context of COVID-19. A checklist for graduate research students undertaking Milestone reviews during the COVID-19 situation is now available on the website. This form is used by Milestone Review Panel Chairs to help speak to students and their supervisory teams about research progress in the context of COVID-19. Below are some questions included on the checklist for you and your supervisory team to consider when planning for your milestone:
- Has your research project been impacted by COVID-19? (for example, is there any experimental work that you are required to do, such as data collection, interviews, fieldwork, travel, conference participation, which has been delayed)? If so, have you had a discussion with your supervisors about what this impact means for your research project (for example, does the project need to be re-scoped)?
- If your project has had to be re-scoped, have you agreed on an action plan to achieve this?
- Does your research project rely on access to external resources (archives, laboratories, industry partners or funding)? If so, have you been able to continue to access these resources?
- Have you experienced any delays with other activities that form part of your research project (ethics applications; liaising with industry partners/other research collaborators)?
- Is your research timeline feasible under the current COVID-19 situation?
If you need to apply for an extension to your thesis submission date due to COVID-19, it’s important that you provide details about how COVID-19 has impacted your research as part of your application. That way, we can process your application more quickly. COVID-19 also meets our definition of compassionate and compelling circumstances for international students on Australian student visas.
Specific details on how we are supporting you are outlined below, and you can also visit our new understanding your candidature and scholarships website to learn more about your thesis extension options.
If you’re an international student on an Australian student visa, and you’re not sure how an extension may impact on your student visa, please visit Monash’s student visa page for information. Please note that if you apply for an extension of enrolment and do not hold a tuition fee paying scholarship you will be charged tuition fees.
Supporting our doctoral students
- If you are a current Monash Australia student and you were enrolled on or prior to 8 April 2020, we’ve automatically applied an extension to your thesis submission date, meaning your thesis submission date has been adjusted to 3.5 years equivalent full time, pro-rated for part-time students.
- If you want to view your adjusted thesis submission date, visit your Research Enrolment Summary.
- If you need to apply to extend your thesis submission date beyond 3.5 years equivalent full-time due to COVID-19, you can apply for a further extension to your thesis submission date up to 4 years equivalent full-time, pro-rated for part-time students.
- As a temporary measure, we are also being more flexible in considering extensions to your thesis submission date beyond the maximum four years equivalent full-time. Extensions of this type are only considered under exceptional circumstances up to a maximum of 4.5 years equivalent full-time. We consider COVID-19 an example of an exceptional circumstance where it’s impacted your research.
Supporting our research master’s students
- If you’re a current research master’s student, you can apply for a thesis extension.
- As a temporary measure, we are also being more flexible in considering extensions to your submission date beyond the maximum two years equivalent full-time. Extensions of this type are only considered under exceptional circumstances up to a maximum of 2.5 years equivalent full-time. We consider COVID-19 an example of an exceptional circumstance where it’s impacted your research.
Graduate Research Completion Award (GRCA)
- We’ve introduced a supplementary Graduate Research Completion Award to support graduate research students in their final year, who have been significantly impacted during COVID-19 and are close to submitting their thesis for examination.
- Monash Australia doctoral and masters by research students who are close to submitting, may be eligible to apply for this award which provides funding at the RTP/MGS stipend rate of up to 12 weeks equivalent full time (doctoral students) and six weeks equivalent full time (masters by research students). If you would like further information on this award, including eligibility, selection criteria and the application process, we encourage you to visit our page dedicated to this scheme.
Joint PhD Research Degree
- If you are currently enrolled in a Joint Award, it’s important that you follow the advice and/or direction of Monash and the partner university at this time, and remain informed of any restrictions that apply at the partner.
- Make sure you also maintain contact with your Monash main supervisor and seek their guidance if you have any questions.
- Where your mandatory residency requirement is impacted by current travel bans, it’s important that you discuss your research project requirements and timelines with your supervisors to accommodate potentially delayed or shortened residency at the partner.
- If you need advice specific to your situation, the Monash Graduate Research Office team can provide you with assistance.
Study Away/ Travel Grants
