Professional Development Opportunities

An exciting new way to enhance your Scholarship journey with Activity Grants

Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia is committed to providing opportunities for scholars to have positive, educational and engaging experiences in Australia, creating valuable personal and professional connections.

Professional Development Opportunities offer one such opportunity through this current round of Activity Grant offers. Recipients will design their own unique experience in line with the assessment criteria, to enhance their Scholarship journey.

 

If you are unsure whether a Professional Development Activity Grant is right for you, take our small quiz. Click here to find out more.

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Current scholars can apply for an Activity Grant of up to AUD 1,500.

Scholars will be responsible for finding an appropriate opportunity that aligns with one of the themes and enhances their Development Impact Linkages Plan (DILP).

Scholars will have to provide details of the activity, including cost, duration, and location, as part of the application. Examples of suitable opportunities include attending a conference or online course, participating in networking opportunities, memberships, training, or publishing research results.

Opportunities can be online or in-person. Overseas travel not permitted.

Please note that the Australia Awards team will not be responsible for finding an appropriate activity for a scholar.

In addition to the general eligibility criteria (listed below), applicants seeking an Activity Grant must:

  • Have completed at least one semester of coursework.
  • Have at least one semester of Scholarship left to complete (study end date on or after June 2024).
  • Arrange all logistics associated with their attendance at the nominated activity.
  • Commit to submitting a completion report, a summary of the activity/event, relevant photos, and quotes as required.
  • Funding request must not exceed the AUD1,500 limit. Applying for funding for an activity that exceeds the grant limit suggests you will source external funding to complete the activity.

For the current round launching in July 2023, applications must be submitted by 15 August 2023 for any opportunity from October 1 2023 to March 31 2024. Scholars will be informed of their acceptance in September 2023. (Activities must not commence prior to receiving approval of funding.)

Grant activities must align with one or more of the following:

  • activities that will complement the recipient’s studies in Australia.
  • activities that will assist the recipient to develop personal and professional networks and partnerships.
  • activities focused on the individual’s pursuit to make a difference in their lives and for their country.

In addition, scholars are encouraged to identify opportunities that align with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Partnerships for Recovery framework or the priority areas in the Australia Awards Global Strategic Framework 2021–2024, which include:

  • health security
  • stability
  • economic recovery
  • agriculture, fisheries & water
  • building resilience (including to climate change and humanitarian disasters)
  • education and health
  • effective governance
  • gender equality and women’s empowerment
  • infrastructure, innovation & trade.

A scholar can receive a maximum of one professional development grant per academic year, with a maximum of two grants awarded to any scholar over their Scholarship duration. We anticipate advertising more activity grant rounds, as well as an Internship Round. Stay tuned for details.

General eligibility criteria

All grant applicants must:

  • be currently studying in Australia on an Australia Awards Scholarship
  • be a citizen of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka
  • ensure that the grant activity does not interfere with or adversely affect their study commitments
  • submit a proposal on how the activity aligns with their Development Impact and Linkages Plan
  • commit to submitting a completion report, a summary of the activity/event, relevant photos, and quotes as required
  • agree to adhere to all requirements and use and acquit the grant according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Program guidelines.

Please note, if accepted for the grant, the scholar will be required to provide a detailed budget with activity breakdown and written confirmation from their Student Contact Officer (or Course Adviser if the applicant is a research student) that they are on track with their studies and the grant activity will not interfere with or adversely affect their study. Funding is strictly limited to the activity outlined in application, and will not be transferrable. Funds not used will be repaid to Palladium. 

Any opportunity you undertake will have to be completed with your education within the current Scholarship period. There will be no visa extension granted for this. While taking on an activity, all the regulations applicable to an Australia Awards scholar and an international student in Australia will remain unchanged.

 

Assessment criteria

All applications will be judged against the following criteria:

  • How the proposed activity enhances their skills, knowledge or competencies and/or professional connections?
  • How the proposed activity supports the implementation of their Development Impact and Linkages Plan and goals upon returning home?
  • How does the proposed activity align with their course of study and extra-curricular interests?

Applicants must register, complete and submit their application online on the Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia’s application portal.

Registering your details through this system will send an email confirmation message to your account. This message will contain a link that will enable you to activate your account. Please check your spam or junk email folder if you have not received this email within 5-10 minutes in your inbox. If you cannot locate the email confirmation message from Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia or have any queries regarding the application portal, please email support.portal@australiaawardssouthasiamongolia.org and provide the email address used to register on the system.

You can reset your password or register with a different email address if registered on the application portal.

Once you log in, you can apply for an activity or an internship grant. You may only receive one grant per academic year. The application can be saved at specific points so that you can return to it multiple times. Please click the submit button at the end of an application once you complete it. You will receive an email after you have submitted your application.

Once awarded, the grant will be formalised through a Grant Agreement that applicants must sign.

All grant recipients must attend a Fraud Management Briefing, either face-to-face or online, delivered by Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia, before funds are transferred to the grantee. This briefing is mandatory for all grant recipients.

International travel is not permitted under the Grant Guidelines.

Grants are proportionately disbursed.

  • 60% of the grant amount will be disbursed after the contract has been signed and after grant recipients have attended the mandatory briefing
  • 40% of the grant will be paid after submission of the Completion Report.

The grant funds will be paid to the scholar through a bank transfer to a valid Australian bank account. Payments will be made directly to an organising entity or against an invoice or receipt. For example, if a scholar applies to attend a workshop, when possible, their registration fees will be paid directly by Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia team. If the cost can be invoiced, then that invoice should be addressed to Palladium for payment. Scholars will be responsible for the final acquittal of the funds. Timing of funding payment is contingent on Palladium Accounts Payable services.

Misuse of funds will be treated in line with DFAT’s Fraud Control Strategy. Applicants should read DFAT’s Fraud Strategy Statement before applying for a grant.

 

A Completion Report must be submitted within two weeks of completing the activity. Grant recipients will be requested to take photographs of their initiatives and respond to requests for information from Australia Awards – South Asia & Mongolia regarding the progress of activities for review or story-collection purposes.

A template for the Completion Report will be provided to successful applicants. This will require you to include a brief reflection on your activity or internship and describe any short- and long-term impacts, challenges, and lessons learned.

Before you apply, please read carefully all the information given above.

If you are unsure whether a Professional Development Activity Grant is right for you, take our small quiz. Click here to find out more.

For any queries, please contact us on engagement@australiaawardssouthasiamongolia.org.

Submit your online application

Applicants must register, complete and submit their application online on the online application portal by 15 August 2023.

Apply here