• Section 1 - Purpose
• Section 2 - Application
• Section 3 -  Roles and Responsibilities
• Section 4 - Eligibility and Approved Courses
• Types of Study
• Section 5 - Application for Course Approval
• Application for Course or Category Change
• Section 6 - Levels of Study Assistance
• Section 7 - Financial Assistance
• Conditions of Fee Reimbursement
• Section 8 - Leave for Class Attendance, Study, and Examinations
• Leave to Attend Classes
• Examination Leave
• Study Leave for Examinations
• Additional Leave
• Full-time Study Leave
• Applications for Leave
• Section 9 - Compulsory and Non-compulsory Residential Schools
• Financial Assistance concerning attendance at Non-compulsory Residential Schools
• Section 10 - Appeal Procedures
• Section 11 - Exceptions to policy
• Section 12 - Delegations
• Section 13 - Definitions

Section 1 - Purpose

(1) The Study Assistance Scheme is designed to encourage personal and professional development of academic and professional staff and to benefit the University as a whole. Financial assistance and leave to attend classes and examinations may be granted to eligible staff members enrolled in an approved course.

(2) For the purposes of this Policy, the authorising officer is prescribed in the Register of Authorities and Delegations (QUT staff access only). 

Section 2 - Application

(3) This Policy applies to all ongoing and fixed term staff with an appointment of 12 months or more (excluding casual staff and sessional staff).

Section 3 -  Roles and Responsibilities

Section 4 - Eligibility and Approved Courses

(4) The relevant authorising officer is responsible for providing prior approval for all matters under this policy, including financial assistance.

(5) Courses of study are categorised under four (4) levels of support as detailed below.

(6) On-going and fixed term staff members (excluding casual staff/sessional academics) who have an appointment of 12 months or more are eligible to apply for study assistance.

(7) Part-time staff receive pro-rata benefits, such as leave and pro-rata reimbursement of course fees calculated according to the proportion of full time hours they work.

(8) Assistance from the University (including financial assistance) when provided is on a pro rata basis, and is calculated according to service fraction at the start of each semester/period.

Types of Study

(9) Approval may be granted for courses of study undertaken at secondary and tertiary levels. Courses may be undertaken at or through approved educational institutions or approved private examining bodies.

(10) As far as possible, studies should be taken in metropolitan or near metropolitan areas. The authorising officer is asked to certify the appropriateness of higher degree studies undertaken outside the greater Brisbane area when approving courses of study.

Section 5 - Application for Course Approval

(11) Application for course approval must be made on the Application for Course Approval form available from the Professional Development Support webpage (QUT staff access only).

(12) The form must be completed by the staff member, and forwarded it to their authorising officer for consideration. The authorising officer will assess each application in accordance with this policy. Applications approved by the authorising officer are forwarded to Human Resources for processing.

(13) Approval can be provided for a whole course or part only of a course.

(14) Whilst the staff member remains in the same role when their application was approved the approval operates for the entire course (or if only part of the course was approved, that part), subject to:

1. satisfactory progress in the course; and
2. satisfactory performance of duties.

(15) Should a staff member change roles following the approval, the approval will lapse at the end of the semester/period, and a fresh approval must be sought from the authorising officer.

(16) Upon cessation of employment with the University, Study Assistance will also cease.

Application for Course or Category Change

(17) A staff member may seek transfer of assistance to another category at any stage of an approved course of study, subject to the conditions of the category concerned.

(18) Applications for course change or transfer of category must be supported by the authorising officer.

Section 6 - Levels of Study Assistance

(19) There are four (4) categories of assistance, detailing eligibility requirements and entitlements. These are outlined in the Categories of Assistance - Eligibility and Entitlements table.

(20) The authorising officer determines both the eligibility and the entitlements and will consider relevant matters including:

1. development of the staff member;
2. the staff member’s duties;
3. needs of the University;
4. value for money; and
5. budgetary considerations.

Section 7 - Financial Assistance

Conditions of Fee Reimbursement

(21) Reimbursement of fees for all categories is subject to the following conditions:

1. fees will only be reimbursed in cases where course approval has been granted. Reimbursement for study prior to the date of course approval will not be supported;
2. fees will only be reimbursed for units passed. Where partial failure of a course program is recorded in an academic year, a pro rata system of reimbursement based on number of units passed will operate;
3. reimbursement of fees is only available to staff who elect to pay by the upfront method. The University will not reimburse:
   1. student contribution amounts to staff who elect to pay through the taxation system (HECS-HELP), Faculties/Divisions, Schools/Departments that elect to pay any contribution amounts on behalf of the staff member will not be reimbursed from the Study Assistance Scheme; or
   2. monies to staff engaged in postgraduate study who elect to defer fees to the FEE‐HELP program. All fees must be paid up‐front.
4. a staff member holding a scholarship providing payment of fees will be reimbursed for fees not met by the award; and
5. a staff member must furnish evidence of satisfactory performance in units where reimbursement of fees claimed, for example, copy of results or Supervisor's statement.

(22) Where a staff member claims special circumstances such as poor performance in studies as a result of mitigating circumstances or late withdrawal of studies, the decision of the educational institution regarding such events will be taken into account when considering an application for reimbursement of fees.

(23) Costs of preparation of masters and doctoral degree theses will be subsidised under the scheme to limits determined by the Vice-President (Administration) and University Registrar. Finance Business Solutions can advise of these amounts.

(24) Reimbursements should be claimed through iExpenses. The staff member will assist the fee reimbursement process by:

1. completion of iExpenses;
2. attachment of original receipts and a copy of the original receipts; and
3. attachment of statement of results of units for which reimbursement is requested or attachment of statement of satisfactory progress from the academic Supervisor in appropriate cases

Section 8 - Leave for Class Attendance, Study, and Examinations

(25) Where possible, staff members should arrange study schedules that will not adversely affect their work commitments.

(26) Leave entitlements are outlined below and in the Categories of Assistance - Eligibility and Entitlements table.

Leave to Attend Classes

(27) For academic staff members, leave to attend classes will be arranged in consultation with their supervisor.

(28) Professional staff members, according to their approved category of study, are encouraged to attend classes at times which provide minimum disruption to the work area.

(29) Part-time professional staff are not eligible for leave to attend classes during their working hours. Working hours shall be arranged between the Supervisor and the staff member so as to facilitate attendance at classes.

Examination Leave

(30) Leave on full pay to attend examinations is available for units of an approved course. Examination leave also includes the mornings of days in which examinations are held in the afternoon as well as the time spent travelling to and from the examination centre.

(31) Application for examination leave is made on an Application for Leave form available from the Human Resources Department. The relevant unit code should be shown on the application form.

(32) Part-time staff should arrange work rosters around examination periods. Only if this is not possible can an application for leave to attend examinations be made. Each case will be assessed on its merits.

(33) Examination leave is not available for take home examinations except where the duration of the exam is 24 hours or less. In these circumstances staff may apply for half a day's leave on full pay.

Study Leave for Examinations

(34) Leave to study for examinations is available on a pro rata basis to full-time staff members and on-going part-time staff members. At the option of the staff member, leave shall be either without pay or deducted from the staff member's recreation leave entitlement on a half day or full day debit basis.

(35) Leave is available to a maximum of two working days per unit in any one year, and to a maximum of 8 working days in any one year for all units undertaken as part of an approved course of study. Granting of leave is subject to the operational convenience of the area and is restricted to a period just prior to the date of examination.

Additional Leave

(36) A staff member undertaking an approved course of study can apply for additional leave for study or class attendance purposes. Granting of such leave is subject to operational convenience and the approval of the authorising officer. Such leave shall be at the option of the staff member either without pay or deducted from the staff member's recreation leave entitlement, on part-time release or extended absence on proportionally reduced salary.

Full-time Study Leave

(37) Refer to the relevant Professional Development Program policy for further information on full-time study leave (Professional Development Leave (PDL) for Academic Staff Policy and Professional Development Program for Professional Staff Policy).

Applications for Leave

(38) Applications for leave to attend classes may be made once course approval notification is received (for professional staff only). Application forms are available from Human Resources.

Section 9 - Compulsory and Non-compulsory Residential Schools

(39) Both academic and professional staff must make application for assistance to attend a compulsory or non-compulsory residential school. Documentary evidence that attendance at the school is compulsory must accompany the application. Application forms for leave to attend residential schools are available from the Digital Workplace.

(40) Compulsory residential schools may be attended on leave with pay and non-compulsory residential schools on leave without pay according to the approved category of study.

(41) Leave shall include travel to and from a compulsory residential school where such travel cannot be undertaken outside the standard working day. Residential schools do not include visits to Supervisors required as part of research degrees;

Financial Assistance concerning attendance at Non-compulsory Residential Schools

(42) Financial assistance for attendance at non-compulsory residential schools for categories A or B may be approved by the Head of Department, provided the content covered in the residential school is relevant to the duties of the staff member.

Section 10 - Appeal Procedures

(43) Staff members seeking to appeal against a decision made upon any matter relating to the granting of Study Assistance shall refer the matter to Human Resources – Strategic Initiatives in the first instance.

(44) The Associate Director, Human Resources – Strategic Initiatives, in consultation with the Vice-President (People) and Chief People Officer shall seek to resolve the issue with the staff member and the respective manager. Failing this, the staff member may make use of the University's grievance resolution procedures (Complaints Framework for Staff Policy).

Section 11 - Exceptions to policy

(45) The Vice-President (People) and Chief People Officer is authorised to approve variations to this Policy in exceptional circumstances. Any such variation will be recorded by Human Resources.

Section 12 - Delegations

(46) Refer to  Register of Authorities and Delegations (VC122) (QUT staff access only).

Section 13 - Definitions