Bob Carr (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable senator’s question is as follows:

(a) AusAID’s Australia Awards are the Australian Development Scholarships, for study in Australia, and the Australian Regional Development Scholarships, for study in the Pacific. Applicants must:

Applicants for Australian Development Scholarships must also satisfy all of the eligibility requirements set out by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for a temporary subclass 576 visa.

The proposed area of study for each applicant must be relevant to the development priorities of their particular country, and applicants may also need to satisfy country specific criteria agreed with their government.

Academic transcripts, English language test results, application forms and references are used to assess whether these conditions are met. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has additional processes in place to determine whether visa conditions are met. Australian tertiary education institutions also have procedures in place in regard to enrolment of students.

(b) Yes.

(c) (i) See attachment A.

(ii) AusAID’s Australia Awards are part of the broader aid program strategies for each country or region. The number of Awards, and the priority areas of study and the level of study for Awards is determined for each country or region on the basis of Australia’s development focus and the needs and priorities of the country or region.

ATTACHMENT A