Faculty of Arts

GRATS provides PhD and Masters by Research candidates with assistance towards undertaking research-related activities that will enhance their thesis, including:

• Travel overseas or interstate to access otherwise unobtainable source material, including:
  • Interviews
  • Data collection
  • Archives or library resources
  • Short-term fieldwork (less than 3 months)
• Travel overseas or within Australia to present at a conference.

Please Note: It is the applicant's decision to determine whether to use GRATS funding for conference attendance, essential research or enhancement. It is recommended that candidates applying to the scheme should give consideration to travel that may be required later in their candidature. It is recommended that applicants discuss their intention to apply for GRATS with their supervisor before applying.

Entitlement

PhD candidates are entitled to:

International

• $1500 for conference or research
• $2000 for conference and research

National

• $600 for conference or research
• $850 for conference and research

Please Note: New Zealand is considered national travel for the purpose of the scheme.

Candidates may apply more than once to the scheme, but will only be funded up to a combined total of $2000.

Eligibility

To be eligible for GRATS, PhD candidates must:

• be Confirmed and currently enrolled (i.e. not on leave of absence)
• apply within three years and six months from commencement of full-time candidature (pro-rata part-time). Candidates who are on their second extension (3.5 – 4 years full-time equivalent) are not eligible to apply
• have School support and
• have submitted a report for any previous GRATS (or TRIPS) funds received

Entitlement

Master of Arts candidates are entitled to a maximum of $750. Candidates may apply more than once to the scheme, but will only be funded up to a combined total of $750.

Eligibility

To be eligible for GRATS, Master of Arts candidates must:

• have passed their formal review;
• have been enrolled for more than six months full-time (or part-time equivalent);
• apply within 18 months from the commencement of the full-time candidature (pro-rata part-time). Candidates who are on their first or second extensions are not eligible to apply;
• have School support; and
• have submitted a report for any previous GRATS (or TRIPS) funds received.

Applicants for the scheme must show support from their School at a minimum of $250. Documentary evidence of School support is to be provided with the application. Applications for GRATS that do not include evidence of School support will not be considered.

PhD candidates should consider lodging a concurrent application in conjunction with Melbourne Abroad Travelling Scholarships (MATS) or Overseas Research Experience Scholarship (ORES).

PhD candidates with essential fieldwork requirements for a minimum of 3 months are directed to the PhD Fieldwork Scheme.

Applicants who have received funding under the PhD Fieldwork Scheme are not eligible for GRATS funding for the same trip. Applicants may however apply for funding for a separate trip.

To reduce overall costs, candidates are reminded of the resources and facilities available from the GSHSS:

• Equipment loans
• Room hire (including video conferencing room, which may assist with international or interstate interviews).

• Funds must be spent in the year (12-month period) that they are awarded.
• Successful applicants who are unable to take up an award should inform the GSHSS as soon as possible after receiving notification of the award.
• Successful applicants who need to change their dates of travel must advise the GSHSS, and submit a new Leave to Study Away form for the new period.
• Candidates jointly enrolled in another Graduate School/Faculty with co-supervision in Arts may be eligible to receive pro-rata funding. Support for funding must be obtained by the relevant Head of School in the Faculty of Arts.

Applicants are to ensure that all eligibility criteria are met before making an application for GRATS. Applications that do not meet the eligibility requirements will not be considered.

• Graduate Research in Arts Travel Scheme (GRATS) application form (110kb Word doc)

What to include with your application

• A detailed budget (using the budget proforma in the application form). Applicants are expected to obtain discount air and rail fares and accommodation wherever possible.
• Confirmation of arrangements of your research activities, i.e. evidence that your conference paper has been accepted for presentation, confirmation of interviews being undertaken, access to archives or libraries being visited. (For information on what evidence is required, please see the application form).
• All GRATS applicants are required to apply for Leave to Study Away via the Student Portal (this applies to all applicants and there are no exceptions). A Travel Guidelines for Off Campus Travel and Work Policy must be uploaded into the Leave to Study Away form.
• Where the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has issued a travel warning to the country being visited, a risk management strategy must be developed and approved by the relevant authority (Head of School or Academic Registrar, depending on the level of warning).
• Applicants must have Travel Insurance prior to travelling. To accommodate the needs of all University of Melbourne Students engaged on University Travel, FREE "Student" Travel Insurance is available for eligible applicants. Alternatively, you may obtain Travel Insurance cover from any other company of your own choosing. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that adequate insurance cover has been obtained.

Ideally, applications should be made well before the projected trip. Applications are considered four times a year. Applications must be submitted by close of business on the following dates:

• 31 January – for conference or research trips during March to May of the current year
• 30 April – for conference or research trips during June to August of the current year
• 31 July – for conference or research trips during September to November of the current year
• 31 October – for conference or research trips during December of the current year through to February of the following year.

Out-of-round applications will be accepted retrospectively and assessed during the following round of applications.

Please allow at least two weeks from the closing date to formal notification of the outcome by email. At certain times of the academic year, and depending on the number of GRATS applications under consideration in each round, this waiting period may be slightly longer.

Conditions of applying

• PhD and Masters students travelling under this scheme are required to submit a report. Reports are due by the 1st March in the year following their trip. Guidelines on drafting such reports are available on the Reporting Requirements for Recipients of Grants web page. Applicants with outstanding reports will not be eligible to apply for GRATS again until this report is submitted.
• Requested or outstanding documentation must be supplied within three months from the closing date, otherwise the award will lapse and the application will be held until the next round.
• Awards must be spent in the year (12-month period) for which they are granted.
• Successful applicants who are unable to take up the award must inform the GSHSS as soon as possible after receiving notification of the award.

In person:

Please submit your application to:

Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences (GSHSS)
Ground Floor Reception
Room 143, Old Arts Building

By post:

Please address your application to:

Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Faculty of Arts
The University of Melbourne
Building 149, Old Arts Building
Victoria, 3010

Scanned copies that are complete can be emailed to: arts-research@unimelb.edu.au

Enquiries may be directed to Marianne Bock:

E: arts-research@unimelb.edu.au or
T: (03) 9035 4444