The Wentworth Fellowship

1. Background

a. This Scholarship has been established in 2020 to provide financial assistance to a PhD, DArts or DSocSci student who is undertaking research in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

b. This Scholarship is funded by a donation made in 1862 by William .C. Wentworth, an Australian explorer, journalist, politician and author, and one of the leading figures of early colonial New South Wales. It was Wentworth who proposed the idea of Australia’s first university in 1850, he imagined “the opportunity for the child of every class to become great and useful in the destinies of this country”. Wentworth helped to endow the University of Sydney and was a member of its first senate.

2. Eligibility

a. Applicants must have an unconditional offer of admission or be currently enrolled to study full-time within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at the University of Sydney in one of the following degrees:

I. PhD,
II. Doctor of Arts (DArts), or
III. Doctor of Social Sciences (DSocSci).

b. Applicants must also hold an Honours degree (First Class or Second Class Upper) or equivalent in a relevant Arts discipline.

c. Applicants must conduct research in either humanities or social sciences.

d. Applicants must demonstrate a need to travel to both England and Europe as part of their research.

e. Applicants must be over the age of twenty five.

f. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment on their return to present a report to the Senate describing their tour, research outcome and including remarks on the objects of literary and scientific interest.

3. Selection Criteria

a. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship on the basis of:

I. academic merit,
II. area of study and/or research proposal, and
III. a personal statement addressing the following:
i. their need to travel to both England and Europe as part of their research, and
ii. their commitment on return to present a report to the Senate describing their tour, research outcome and including remarks on the objects of literary and scientific interest.

b. The successful applicant will be awarded the Scholarship by the FASS HDR Scholarship Selection Committee consisting of:

I. Associate Dean Research Education,
II. Director of Research Development (Humanities), and
III. Director of Research Development (Social Sciences), or
IV. their nominated delegate(s).

4. Value

a. The Scholarship is valued at $5,000 per annum and is tenable for three years.

b. The Scholarship value will be paid in one instalment per year after the census date of Research Period 2.

c. The Scholarship is for commencement in the relevant research period in which it is offered and cannot be deferred without the prior permission of the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

d. The Scholarship cannot be transferred to another area of research.

e. No other amount is payable.

f. The Scholarship will be offered subject to the availability of funding.

5. Eligibility for Progression

a. Progression is subject to attending and passing the annual progress review evaluation.

6. Leave Arrangements

a. The Scholarship recipient receives up to 20 working days recreation leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued. However, the student will forfeit any unused leave remaining when the Scholarship is terminated or complete. Recreation leave does not attract a leave loading and the supervisor's agreement must be obtained before leave is taken.

The Scholarship recipient may take up to 10 working days sick leave each year of the Scholarship and this may be accrued over the tenure of the Scholarship. Students with family responsibilities, caring for sick children or relatives, or experiencing domestic violence, may convert up to five days of their annual sick leave entitlement to carer’s leave on presentation of medical certificate(s). Students taking sick leave must inform their supervisor as soon as practicable.

7. Research Overseas

a. The Scholarship recipient may not normally conduct research overseas within the first six months of award.

b. The Scholarship holder may conduct up to 12 months of their research outside Australia. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), and will only be granted if the research is essential for completion of the degree. All periods of overseas research are cumulative and will be counted towards a student's candidature. Students must remain enrolled full-time at the University and receive approval to count time away.

8. Suspension

a. The Scholarship recipient cannot suspend their award within their first six months of study, unless a legislative provision applies.

b. The Scholarship recipient may apply for up to 12 months suspension of the Scholarship for any reason during the tenure of the Scholarship. Periods of Scholarship suspension are cumulative and failure to resume study after suspension will result in the award being terminated. Approval must be sought from the student's supervisor, Head of School and the Faculty via application to the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC). Periods of study towards the degree during suspension of the Scholarship will be deducted from the maximum tenure of the Scholarship.

9. Changes in Enrolment

a. The Scholarship recipient must notify HDRAC, and their supervisor promptly of any planned changes to their enrolment including but not limited to: attendance pattern, suspension, leave of absence, withdrawal, course transfer, and candidature upgrade or downgrade. If the award holder does not provide notice of the changes identified above, the University may require repayment of any overpaid Scholarship funds.

10. Termination

a. The Scholarship will be terminated:

I. on resignation or withdrawal of the recipient from their research degree,
II. upon submission of the thesis or at the end of the award,
III. if the recipient ceases to be a full-time student and prior approval from the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has not been obtained to hold the Scholarship on a part-time basis,
IV. upon the recipient having completed the maximum candidature for their degree as per the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule 2011 Policy,
V. if the recipient does not undertake the travel for which the funds have been approved within three years from the start of the calendar year of the scholarship application closing date,
VI. if the recipient does not resume study at the end of a period of approved leave, or
VII. if the recipient ceases to meet the eligibility requirements specified for this Scholarship, (other than during a period in which the Scholarship has been suspended or during a period of approved leave).

b. The Scholarship may also be terminated by the University before this time if, in the opinion of the University:

I. the course of study is not being carried out with competence and diligence or in accordance with the terms of this offer,
II. the student fails to maintain satisfactory progress, or
III. the student has committed misconduct or other inappropriate conduct.

c. The Scholarship will be suspended throughout the duration of any enquiry/appeal process.

d. Once the Scholarship has been terminated, it will not be reinstated unless due to University error.

11. Misconduct

a. Where during the Scholarship a student engages in misconduct, or other inappropriate conduct (either during the Scholarship or in connection with the student’s application and eligibility for the Scholarship), which in the opinion of the University warrants recovery of funds provided, the University may require the student to repay payments made in connection with the Scholarship. Examples of such conduct include and without limitation; academic dishonesty, research misconduct within the meaning of the Research Code of Conduct 2023 (for example, plagiarism in proposing, carrying out or reporting the results of research, or failure to declare or manage a serious conflict of interests), breach of the Student Charter 2020 and misrepresentation in the application materials or other documentation associated with the Scholarship.

b. The University may require such repayment at any time during or after the Scholarship period. In addition, by accepting this Scholarship, the student consents to all aspects of any investigation into misconduct in connection with this Scholarship being disclosed by the University to the funding body and/or any relevant professional body.

12. Reporting

a. The successful Scholarship recipient must on their return present a report to the Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Science describing their tour, research outcome and including remarks on the objects of literary and scientific interest.

b. Recipients are required to maintain receipts for up to three years for all costs incurred that are relevant to this Scholarship.

c. Recipients may be required to produce these receipts if requested by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.