Applying for an International Research Fee Scholarship using iAthena

1:  Before you Start

If you want to transfer a previous application over in to the current round, please e-mail your details to internationalscholarships@uwa.edu.au.  You should include 'Transfer previous application' in the subject heading.  You will then have the opportunity to make changes to your application using your previous log-in details.  Applicants transferring a previous application in to the current round MUST still submit the transferred application and send in a new signed Application Confirmation form.

Before you start to fill out the Application Form, please:
(1) read all the information below carefully;
(2) review the information on the Graduate Research School website on Graduate Study at UWA (http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/home/prospective);
(3) decide on the research degree you wish to enrol in (NB: International Research Fee Scholarships for China (IRFSCs) applicants must enrol in a PhD);  and
(4) contact the relevant School at UWA to identify an academic staff member willing to supervise your research.
A searchable database of potential supervisors and their research interests, along with their contact details, is available at http://directory.uwa.edu.au/specialists/

1.1: Coursework or Research?

Using the information on the Graduate Research School website on Graduate Study at UWA (http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/home/prospective) and on the Graduate Research School Website, confirm that you want to apply for a research degree. Research degrees include Masters by Research and PhDs and contain little or no coursework. A research degree involves significant independent and original research under the guidance of one or more supervisors. In most cases all the assessment is on the basis of a thesis submitted at the end of the programme. Successful completion of a research degree requires high-level skills in independent research and academic writing.  If you do not wish to undertake independent research, you should consider applying for a coursework degree.

Please note that International Research Fee Scholarships are not available for degrees other than Research degrees. Do not use this form if you wish to apply for postgraduate coursework degrees.  You can download the application form for coursework degrees from   http://www.international.uwa.edu.au/postgraduate/apply.

1.2:  Contact the School

Contact the appropriate School at UWA to discuss your proposed research and identify a potential supervisor. Use the information at http://directory.uwa.edu.au/specialists/ to identify some potential supervisors and the appropriate UWA School for you.

There is a list of Graduate Research Coordinators in all UWA Schools at http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/contacts/coordinators. The Coordinators can also help you to identify potential supervisors. See also the Graduate Research School website on Choosing a Supervisor      http://www.postgraduate.uwa.edu.au/home/prospective/preparing/supervisors. You should apply for a scholarship only if a UWA staff member agrees to consider supervising you.

2:  Logging into and Registering for iAthena

2.1: Logging in

Log-in to iAthena here.

If you are logging in for the first time, please click on the <Register for iAthena> link. This will give you the information that you need to log in.

The first time you log in, you will be presented with a button to begin a new application. On subsequent times that you log in, until your application has been submitted, you will be asked whether you wish to continue working on your application (see 3: Your iAthena Home Page).

2.2:  Registering for iAthena

If you already have a UWA Student ID and password, select the "Applicants with a UWA Account" option. Otherwise, select the "Applicants without a UWA Account" option.  You will only have a UWA Student ID and password if you have previously been an enrolled student at UWA.

For applicants with a UWA Account

Please enter your UWA Student ID and password.  If you have forgotten your password you can get a new one from the Pheme system https://www.pheme.uwa.edu.au/login.aspx. Please note that all current and former students of UWA have new Student IDs as of mid-2005.

For applicants without a UWA Account

Please enter your other details as requested, and enter and confirm a password. Choose an 8 digit password that you will remember. iAthena will ask you for your email address and password each time that you log in, and it is important that you use the same email address each time.

3. Your iAthena Home Page

After you have saved your application the first time, each time you log in to iAthena you will see information about the status of your application. Progress bars will illustrate your progress and give you an idea of how much more of the form you need to complete before you can submit it.

Until you submit your application (see 6: Submitting the Application Form), the status of your application will be UNSUBMITTED. When you have submitted the application, the status will change to SUBMITTED and you will see the date and time on which the application was submitted. The status will change to EVIDENCE RECEIVED when the Scholarships Office has received your documentary evidence (see 5: Documentary Evidence). If we do not receive your documents during the ranking process, your status will be shown as NO EVIDENCE RECEIVED.

4:  Filling out the Application Form

To open the Application Form for the first time, click on <New Application> on the Login page. To re-open your saved Application Form on subsequent visits, click on <Modify> on your Home page

The Application Form is split into fourteen sections:

1. Scholarship Selection
2. Personal Details
3. Address
4. Course Selection
5. English Proficiency
6. Tertiary Qualifications
7. Research
8. Publications
9. Prizes and Awards
10. Formal Professional Qualifications
11. Resume
12. Personal Statement
13. Referees
14. Submit

The iAthena system will indicate those sections that are mandatory and those that are optional.  You can jump between the sections using the buttons at the top of the Application Form.

You may save your application at any time and return to modify it later. Please Note: You must save each section before moving onto the next section! To save your application, click on the <SAVE> button at the top of the form. If you click on the <SAVE AND NEXT> button, the section that you are working on will be saved and you will move automatically to the next section of the form.

Wherever a field is marked with a "*" (red asterisk) and the label is in bold it means that the information is required, and your application will not be complete without it. If the "*" (red asterisk) is not there, then the information asked for is optional.

4.1:  Nominating Courses

The Personal Details section asks you to nominate two courses, in order of preference. If your application for the first preference is unsuccessful, your second preference will be considered.

If you click on <Master> a drop-down menu will appear listing all the available Master by Research degrees. Select the one you want. If you click on <PhD>, a text box appears in which you can type your field of research.

4.2:  Referees

You have the right to choose your own referees. Referees must not be family members. In general, a referee should be someone who has the qualifications and expertise to provide informed personal and professional comment on your research potential and academic ability.

You need to speak to your referees to let them know that you are applying for this scholarship and brief them so that they understand what is required of them.

You need to supply only one current email address for each referee. Before you enter this email address you must check that it is working.

As soon as you submit your application your referees will be contacted by email by the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office. They will be asked to complete and submit an electronic referee report on your behalf.
If you are an Honours students or recent graduate of The University of Western Australia, we recommend that one referee is the supervisor of the Honours program, the Head of School or the Graduate Research Co-ordinator of the School in which the you are/were enrolled, and that the second referee is one of the above or your prospective supervisor if they have sufficient knowledge of you. If this is not possible, you should discuss with your intended School who the referees should be.

Remember: the Scholarships Office do not follow-up with referees who do not respond to our emailed request fro a referee report. This is the responsibility of the applicant.

4.3:  Modifying and Deleting the Application Form

Before the application is submitted, you may continue to edit your saved application by clicking the <Modify> button on your Home page each time you log in. You may delete the application by clicking the <Delete> button on your Home page.

5: Scanning and Mailing Documents

You must scan certified copies or originals of your English Proficiency and Tertiary Qualifications into the appropriate section of your online application.

As well as scanning your documents, you must also mail, or deliver, the original or certified copies of scanned documents to the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office. You must attach a copy of your Application Confirmation to these documents. Please note that you do not need to mail hard copies of your publications or CV. (see 7: Submitting the Application Form).

The online application with the scanned supporting documents must be submitted by the scholarship closing date.

NB:  If you do not have access to a scanner, please note this on your Application Confirmation page and attach certified copies of all documents.  The Graduate Research & Scholarships Office will scan your documents on your behalf.

The ORIGINAL OR CERTIFIED/NOTARISED DOCUMENTS must be received by the Graduate Research and Scholarships Office within two weeks of the scholarship closing date. Please remember that SCANNED DOCUMENTS must be submitted by the scholarship closing date.

5.1: Where to Send your Documents

Please mail your documents to:
Graduate Research and Scholarships Office, M 358
The University of Western Australia,
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY   6009
Western Australia

6:  Printing the Application Form

You may print the Application Form by clicking the Print Friendly Version of Application Form link on the iAthena Home Page.

7:  Submitting the Application Form

When you have completed the Application Form, please submit it. To submit your Application Form, please enter your username and password in the Declaration and Authorisation field in the submit section at the end of the form. Then click on the <SUBMIT> button at the bottom of the page.

Once you have submitted your on-line application form an Application Confirmation is automatically generated. Please print  the Application Confirmation, sign the declaration section and attach it to your supporting documents, before mailing them to the address above. (see 5.1 Where to Send your Documents). You will also be able to review and print the Application Confirmation from the iAthena Home Page.  Please note that if you do not send a signed Application Confirmation form to our office by the due date, we WILL NOT consider your application.

You will not be able to change your Application Form after you have submitted it, so please be careful to check all the details before you click on Submit.

8:  Processing of your Application

8.1.1:  Applications for Full-fee Enrolment

The Application Form includes an option for you to request that your application be considered for a full-fee place if you are not successful in obtaining a scholarship. If your scholarship application is unsuccessful, and you wish to proceed with a full-fee enrolment, please contact Ms Katherine Webster in the UWA International Centre via email: katherine.webster@uwa.edu.au

8.1.2: Applications for Scholarships

Applications for scholarships are assessed in a number of rounds each year. Please check the web site for the application closing date, and for the expected date that applicants will be notified of the outcome.

9:  More Help

If you require more help, please contact the Scholarships Office:

Tel: +61 8 6488 1584
Email: internationalscholarships@uwa.edu.au