David Johnston (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs, upon notice, on 17 August 2012:

In respect of AusAID funded scholarships to Australian educational institutions for overseas students from developing countries;

(a) what conditions must students awarded scholarships satisfy and what criteria is used to determine whether these conditions have been satisfied,

(b) is there a requirement for students to work in their country of origin once they have completed their scholarship, and

(c) what are the;

(i) intended countries of origin for the 2012-13 scholarship intake, and

(ii) processes followed by AusAID in determining which countries students are selected from.

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