Student Scholarships

The Student Scholarship Program in an initiative of the National Association of Field Experience Administrators Inc intended to assist field experience administrators by providing financial assistance for students to undertake placements in rural settings and nominated key priority areas. It is envisaged that the program will be integrated into NAFEA’s ongoing efforts to support field experience / work integrated learning administrators and students.

Approved applications will be awarded scholarships up to $1500 in 2017.

Funding will help to assist with the out-of-pocket costs incurred by the student on placement, including:

• Travel costs;
• Accommodation;
• Living expenses on placement.

Please note that, depending on the timing of the program and the approval round, students may need to book and pay for travel, accommodation, etc. prior to receiving funding. Preference will be given to students who do not have access to other forms of funding.

Student Eligibility

In order to receive a scholarship, applicants must meet the following preliminary eligibility criteria:

• From institutions that are unlimited institutional members of NAFEA (see http://nafea.org.au/membership/unlimited-institution-members/ for a list of current unlimited institutional members. The institution must have an active membership for the relevant scholarship year).
• Currently enrolled as a full-time or part-time student.  If enrolled in an undergraduate degree, be in at least the second year of the undergraduate course to apply.
• Agree to provide a report on the experience which is suitable for publication on the NAFEA website and in the newsletter within one month of the placement ending.
• Be willing to participate in evaluation studies or surveys.
• Not be a previous recipient of a NAFEA scholarship

Placement Eligibility

The WIL placement must be:

• Commencing between 1 July 2017 – 31 December 2017
• Fulltime (4-5 days per week of at least six hours per day)
• A minimum of three weeks duration
• Within Australia
• Undertaken in an inner regional, outer regional, remote or very remote location which requires relocation. Regional and Remote Locations (RA2-RA5) are noted here.

Step 1:

Students must complete an online application form. Application forms can be completed and submitted via www.nafea.org.au once the scholarship round has opened. Applications must include:

• The placement details (including dates and agencies). This can be a confirmed placement or a proposed placement
• Brief statement detailing why funding is sought for placement
• Brief Curriculum Vitae
• Brief statement detailing any extra-curricular activities undertaken including any community support or volunteering activities
• How the WIL placement will assist personal aspirations
• How the placement will help to develop professional skills
• Why the student has elected to undertake a WIL placement (if the placement is not compulsory)
• An estimate of the student’s out-of-pocket costs for the placement
• Declaration of other sources of funding or grants that have been applied for or awarded in support of the proposed rural placement
• A copy of their most recent academic transcript.

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants will be sent an automated acknowledgement receipt when applications are received. Applications must be submitted to, and received by NAFEA, by Midnight (AEST) on the advertised closing date. Preference will be given to students who do not have access to other forms of funding. NAFEA scholarships are only awarded to individual students once. Candidates who have been successful previously are not-eligible to re-apply. Any unsuccessful applicant for the scholarship is entitled to reapply for the scholarship in the following round and will be assessed against the program guidelines and criteria that are in effect on the date the re-application is received by NAFEA. The NAFEA SPSC will assess all applications and provide a recommended shortlist to the NAFEA Management Committee. The NAFEA Management Committee will have final approval of the shortlisted applications.

Step 2:

All shortlisted applicants will be required to provide:

• Confirmation in writing from their institution’s WIL/Field Experience Officer of the placement details (incl. dates and allocated agency)
• A personal reference (ideally from an Academic staff member of the student’s discipline)

The NAFEA SPSC will assess and rank the shortlisted applicants and make a final recommendation of successful applicants and funding amounts to the NAFEA Management Committee. Successful applicants will be given a conditional offer. Students who do not receive a conditional offer may receive an offer at a later date if funding becomes available from a student declining, withdrawing or not meeting the eligibility criteria of their conditional offer.

Step 3

A conditional offer is provisionally awarded to an applicant based on the information provided in the application form. Students will need to complete the scholarship acceptance form and attach confirmation of the placement prior to receiving funds.

Successful applicants and their University will be notified by email. Applications can take up to 6 weeks to process from the application closing date of the scholarship round.

Disclaimer: All decisions are final and no correspondence will be entered into. NAFEA does not accept appeals to its decisions.