Chapter 5: Variations to Candidature
5.2 Study Away/Overseas Study/Fieldwork
Monash International will notify DIMIA of all international research candidates who go overseas on study away, stating the period of absence overseas and that the candidate will be fully enrolled. Dependants must accompany the candidate if the period of study away is for more than one semester (six months). Cancellation proceedings may be instigated against a student dependant who remains in Australia while the student is offshore for research/fieldwork for more than six months, on the basis that the circumstances for the grant of the visa are no longer applicable.
Research candidates travelling overseas are required to visit the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to check the advice level of the designated country. If the designated country has an advice level of 4 (Consider your need to travel) or 5 (Do not travel), contact ARGS to inquire the procedure of applying the study away/travel grants.
5.2.1 PhD Candidates
Except in extraordinary circumstances, approval for study-away will not be given to research candidates who are on probation. Candidates intending to proceed to fieldwork overseas must first have their candidature confirmed. Candidates who are well advanced in their fieldwork can undergo confirmation of candidature after six months of full time/twelve months of part time enrolment. All Arts candidates who will be away on fieldwork in Australia for 3 weeks or more must have their candidature confirmed prior to the departure. In all cases where candidates will be pursuing research, written permission is to be obtained from the Research Graduate School Committee on the standard form for Study Away Status or, if they apply for Travel Grant, as part of the Travel Grant application form which is available from Monash Research Graduate School. The maximum allowable period is 12 (twelve) months. It is essential that effective supervision be arranged prior to the applicant's departure.
NB: Research Candidates on a scholarship who are on study away for more than two weeks without having obtained written permission from the Committee risk having their stipend payments suspended.
5.2.2 Masters Candidates
Masters candidates with or without a scholarship who are proposing to study away from campus for more than three weeks for interstate or overseas travel for any period of time for research purposes are required to seek approval from their School and the ARGS prior to the departure. The ARGS will keep a register of the Masters candidates going overseas and their whereabouts so that an attempt can be made to contact them in case of an emergency. Before a period of study away or fieldwork is granted, candidates are required to successfully complete their Review of Candidature. Research candidates need to be fully enrolled whilst studying away. Application forms for Study Away are located at ARGS website.