DFAT is unable to provide any further information on future Australia Awards intakes until such time as the outcomes of the Federal Budget is announced in October 2020.

The Australia Awards program continues to be a priority for the Australian Government.

We understand it is a very difficult time for all of us, no one is immune from the economic and/or other challenges which COVID-19 has presented. We expect awardees to observe the guidance and requirements issued by the institutions in the same way as other students who attend the same institution.

Apart from the additional support provided to those awardees who have completed or are due to complete their scholarships but are unable to return home due to the travel restrictions, DFAT has no plans to provide additional financial support to our awardees. All DFAT payments to awardees and payments of management fees to institutions will continue as normal and will not be disrupted by COVID-19.

For awardees who are pregnant, clause 14.8 of the AAS Policy Handbook applies. Awardees are required to maintain OSHC for any dependents as part of their visa conditions. The care and support of pregnant spouses’ of an awardee is the responsibility of the awardee.

Awardees are only permitted to claim the Child Care Subsidy if they are on a DFAT sponsored student visa (subclass 500) and their dependents are on the DFAT sponsored visa. DFAT can provide awardees a Letter of Support to facilitate their application for the Child Care Subsidy where awardees experience issues in applying for the subsidy.

In general, the guidelines in the AAS Policy Handbook should be adhered to. This includes engaging in a full-time program of study at all times, unless otherwise approved by DFAT. All extension requests are assessed on case-by-case basis.

Institutions should actively monitor and support awardees, including through early identification of awardees who are struggling academically, in maintaining their academic performance. DFAT will assess such instances in accordance with the AAS Policy Handbook and on the unique circumstances presented by COVID-19 and their impact on awardees.

Institutions should provide support to the awardee, wherever possible, and/or propose alternative options in the first instance. DFAT will assess any extension request where no alternative options are available.

Institutions should provide support to the awardee, wherever possible, and/or propose alternative options in the first instance. Awardees are not permitted to suspend their scholarship if they remain in Australia. If the scholarship is suspended, CLE payments and all other entitlements will cease.

PhD awardees cannot undertake their PhD studies online outside Australia. However, PhD awardees can return to their home country to finish and submit their thesis after they have completed their studies in Australia. If PhD awardees return home their status in OASIS will be changed to “finalised pending results” and all CLE and other entitlements will cease.

DFAT does not permit awardees to return home and complete their studies online while they remain on scholarship. Permitting this will expose DFAT and institutions to a range of risks pertaining to the scholarship.

The 25% online study rule in the AAS Policy Handbook is a condition for the awardee undertaking online study in Australia only.

Any requests for additional deferrals should be put forwarded to the relevant Posts for consideration and approval.

When creating an extension variation in OASIS, the institution should increase the original value of the OSHC entitlement. When the variation has been approved, the original OSHC expense is then reversed in OASIS and re-entered reflecting the new value.

DFAT will continue to monitor the situation and communicate details to institutions should the period need to be extended beyond 31 August 2020.

Awardees must observe their scholarship conditions and return home when the situation allows.

It is our understanding that Australia Government will only lift the travel restriction if it is safe to do. DFAT cannot accommodate individual travel preference without any support of policy standards. If awardees are concerned about the conditions and self- isolation requirements in their home country, they need to liaise with their government for any assistance. Where possible, DFAT posts should facilitate with the counterpart government for assistance and advice to the awardees.

In general, clause 10.6 of the AAS Policy Handbook should be followed including availing of the ‘best fare of the day’. Where costs have been incurred and the awardee is unable to travel on the proposed flight these costs will be covered by DFAT and should be included in the usual manner. DFAT expects airfare costs to be higher in the near term due to limited availability of flights. There is no cap.

Please note that DFAT does not cover airfare costs for awardee families. The accompanying family members of the awardee must leave Australia at the same time as the awardee.

DFAT will cover cancellation and rebooking fees for the awardee’s travel. The costs should be included as part of the costs incurred by institutions. Costs incurred by the family members of awardees will not be covered by DFAT.

Awardees should only consider transit through a third country if the transit does not require an overnight stay in a third country that is subject to quarantine on arrival. DFAT will not provide support for any quarantine requirements in a third country. Therefore, travel routes must not be considered if transits will involve quarantine in a third country. It is encouraged that awardees book direct route flights to travel back home from Australia as far as possible.

DFAT will fund mandatory quarantine costs in another Australian state or territory where there are no alternative flight options available. For DFAT to fund the costs the awardee and their family, if applicable, must be in the process of returning home and travelling together.

Australia Awards Section (AAS) are aware that some countries have implemented a mandatory quarantine for their citizens on their return home – some with and without the cost to be borne by their returning citizens. AAS continue to engage with our overseas network on in-country quarantine arrangements.

Where awardees and their families are subject to quarantine on return home, institutions should contact AAS and provide further details of the quarantine arrangements and indicative costs. AAS will make an assessment on a case-by-case basis.

Awardees should return home upon completion of their scholarship at the first available opportunity. If domestic flights are unavailable in the home country of the awardee the in-country Managing Contractor should provide assistance to the awardee and/or their family to assist them to return home.

Institutions and awardees should be proactive to ensure that as soon as international flights are available that the awardee departs as soon as possible, and that the departure date is recorded in OASIS to ensure all entitlements cease immediately on departure. DFAT will conduct spot checks, from time-to-time, to ensure awardees are departing Australia in a timely manner as flights become available to return home.

As the visa end date will be the same as the scholarship end date in OASIS, they do not have an additional 30 days to leave Australia. Completed Awardees should be in a position to finalise their accommodation and packing in time to depart on the first available flight.

Please note that DFAT recommend all awardees take up travel insurance. Travel insurance is not funded by DFAT nor do we provide advice on travel insurance.

Awardees will remain on a DFAT supported student visa, providing an application to renew the visa is submitted prior to the expiry of the existing visa. This will ensure that AAS visa conditions, including no further stay and the need to return home for two years at the conclusion of their scholarship, will still apply. It will also ensure CLE and other entitlements continue to be paid. DFAT will issue a Letter of Support to facilitate the visa extension application and NOLs will NOT be required.

DFAT will cover the cost of medicals for the awardee under existing entitlements. In cases where the awardee has dependents and can demonstrate that due to a change in their financial circumstances they are unable to pay for the cost of the medical for their dependents, DFAT will cover the cost of the medical.

The awardee’s status must be changed to “suspended” in OASIS so that CLE and all other entitlements cease. The awardee can return to Australia to recommence their scholarship when they are permitted to travel.

DFAT will reimburse costs based on the costs submitted by institutions. All additional costs should be recorded against the COVID-19 entitlement in OASIS.

Institutions must ensure that detailed explanations are provided in the comments field for each expense accrued as part of this entitlement. Institutions are required to maintain receipts for auditing purposes.

SAS cannot be spent on items that are not covered by clause 12.2 of the Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook. SAS cannot be used to purchase computer equipment or hardware or software which is intended to be covered by the Establishment Allowance.

Awardees are allowed to participate in their graduation if they wish. However, under the current context, the awardees must follow DFAT scholarship conditions and return home as soon as they have completed their studies and travel restrictions are lifted. DFAT has no objection for the awardees to return to Australia to attend their graduation should they wish to fund their own travel.