Transfers
The University of Melbourne will only support the transfer of students (with or without scholarship) to the University of Melbourne if the University of Melbourne has approved their enrolment in a research higher degree. The University of Melbourne is unlikely to approve transfers if the student has less than one-third of their candidature remaining.
Scholarship and candidature tenure used at the previous institution is deducted from the scholarship and candidature tenure awarded at the University of Melbourne.
Students wishing to transfer to another institution should not relinquish their scholarship or their enrolment until they have established the scholarship and candidature options available at the institution (or for transfers within the University, the relevant faculty or department) to which they would like to transfer.
Check if you can transfer your scholarship (PDF).
APAs
The provision for students to transfer an APA between institutions changed in 2002. As a result, the transfer options available to APA recipients depends on the year in which they commenced their APA.
Note that interstate students who transfer their APA to Melbourne are eligible to receive a Relocation Grant of $2,500 (see section 6.2).
(a) Students who commenced their APA before 2002
The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) APA guidelines allow students who commenced their APA before 2002 to transfer their APA to another institution. The transfer requires the approval of the institution that awarded the APA (the home institution) and the institution to which they would like to transfer the APA. Approval is usually only given if unforeseeable circumstances makes it untenable for the student to complete their studies at the home institution (eg supervisor leaves the institution and a suitable replacement is not available).
To request an APA transfer to the University of Melbourne, the student should forward to the MSO:
- a letter from the Scholarships Office at their home institution that endorses the transfer;
- an official letter from the scholarships office at their home institution which provides details about the start date of their APA and any paid or unpaid leave that has been taken from the APA;
- a letter of support from the supervisor or department at the University of Melbourne to which the transfer is requested;
- a covering letter that states the reasons for wishing to transfer and the preferred date of effect for the transfer.
(b) Students who commenced their APA from 2002 onwards
The DEST guidelines that apply to students who commenced their APA from 2002 onwards do not allow the transfers of APAs to another institution. Institutions may, however, opt to award an APA (or another scholarship, e.g. MRS) to students awarded an APA at one institution who would like to transfer their candidature to another institution.
The University of Melbourne will normally consider awarding an APA to students who were awarded an APA at another institution and wish to transfer to the University if:
- the student's scholarship score, using the University of Melbourne scholarship scoring guidelines, is above the University of Melbourne cut-off for APAs for that year, and
- there are good reasons for the student wishing to transfer to the University of Melbourne, and
- the University has sufficient funds to support the award of an APA.
Students who commenced an APA from 2002 onwards at another institution and would like to transfer to the University of Melbourne should:
- complete a University of Melbourne scholarship application form and provide the documents that are usually required for scholarship consideration. It should be clearly noted on the application form that the student would like to commence an APA at the University of Melbourne and that they currently hold an APA at another institution, and
- provide with their scholarship application a written statement explaining the reason for the requested transfer to the University of Melbourne and the date they would like to transfer to the University, and
- provide an official letter from the scholarships office at their home institution which provides details about the start date of their APA and any paid or unpaid leave that has been taken from the APA.
The application will be assessed for scholarship. If the assigned scholarship score is above the University of Melbourne cut-off for APAs that year, and the University of Melbourne has sufficient DEST funds, an APA will be offered. Students transferring to the University of Melbourne with their supervisor have priority.
Students awarded an APA at the University of Melbourne who wish to transfer to another institution should ask the institution to which they would like to transfer about the possibility of being awarded a scholarship at that institution.
14.2 Other scholarships (MRSs, MIRSs, FMSs, HRSs and Prestigious and Other Major Scholarships)
These University of Melbourne scholarships cannot be transferred to another institution.
Students wishing to transfer these scholarships between University of Melbourne departments and/or faculties must contact the MSO before transferring to establish if they can continue to hold their scholarship in the new department or faculty.
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