Study Away
Study Away
Study Away refers to a period of time in which you are approved to undertake research-related activities (such as fieldwork, attending conferences and classes, studying at a partner institution for a Jointly-awarded PhD or working with collaborators) away from the University.
Visa holders should check the guidelines for their visa when travelling overseas to ensure there are no issues when re-entering Australia at the end of the study away period. Contact the student visa team for any questions relating to your visa.
For any other type of leave please consult our taking leave page.
Note: you must be approved for study away before your departure. You should apply well in advance to allow for any delays in the application process. Graduate researchers travelling to a high- risk destination which requires approval by the Academic Registrar, should submit their request for study away at least two months prior to the date of travel.
Preparing to apply
You should apply for Study Away after discussing your plans and any areas of concern with your supervisor. Our travel and off campus work page has useful information to help you complete your application.
To submit a complete Study Away application and start planning your trip as early as possible to allow for administrative delays, make sure you follow all (applicable) steps.
- Step 1
- Discuss with your supervisor and obtain their approval
- Step 2
- Ensure that you meet enrolment requirements
- Step 3
- Apply and obtain ethics approval (if required)
- Step 4
- Complete itinerary
- Step 5
- Check health and safety requirements have been completed
Enrolment requirements
Residency requirements and study away length
In accordance with the Graduate Research Training Policy Definitions all graduate researchers must complete a minimum amount of study at the University of Melbourne or at an approved outside institution (twelve months for a PhD/doctorate or six months for masters by research or MPhil).
Study away periods longer than six months may not be approved unless they are considered necessary for the successful completion of your thesis.
Supervision during study away
For study away periods longer than three months, an external supervisor located at your study away location must be appointed. If a suitable external supervisor cannot be appointed, a detailed plan of how supervision will be maintained must be attached to your study away application. This plan must include the method and frequency of communication with your supervisors (eg weekly Skype conversations).
Progress reviews and thesis submission dates
During approved study away periods, your enrolment continues as usual. Therefore, progress review and thesis submission dates don't change. Before applying, discuss with your supervisors how you will meet any progress deadlines during your study away. You may wish to consider completing your review early or having the meeting remotely using a conference call or Skype.
Ethics approval
If you require ethics approval, make sure that it has been granted for the duration of your study away period. Note that the time it may take for approval can vary dependent on numerous factors including the meeting schedule to discuss ethics applications, the type of application submitted and if further information is needed. The office of research ethics and integrity indicate as an example that researchers should allow at least six to eight weeks for human ethics approval, so you need to start discussing this with your supervisor as soon as possible.
More information is available via the Office of Research ethics and integrity.
Planning a travel itinerary
A travel itinerary with the following information will need to be included in your study away application:
- Addresses of accommodation and locations where your research will be carried out.
- Name and contact details of contact person.
- Phone number(s) where you can be contacted whilst away.
- If you are a citizen of the country you intend to visit and/or you are staying in your family home.
- If applicable, an explanation of how you will mitigate the risks outlined by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Smartraveller.
Health, safety and risk
Travel to high risk destinations
If you are planning research-related travel to a location listed as ‘do not travel’ or ‘reconsider your need to travel’ on Smartraveller, which are referred to as high risk destinations, further approval from the Academic Registrar’s study away representative safer-community@unimelb.edu.au is required. Your application will be automatically assigned to them if you have indicated on the online form that a high-risk destination is included in your itinerary.
In these instances a study away online application must be submitted at least 2 months prior to your date of travel.
For locations that are considered high risk you will need to prove:
- The travel is essential to your research, and
- You have identified and demonstrated the capacity to manage any associated risks as listed by Smartraveller.gov.au.
Risk mitigation may include demonstrating:
- You have language proficiency, access to local networks and support, and/or deep knowledge of the destination of your travel.
- You are a permanent resident or citizen of the destination country.
Please note: the University will not approve or provide support for personal travel to high risk destinations. See the Travel and off campus work page for further information.
Fieldwork risk assessment
If fieldwork is a component of your study away, you will need to complete a fieldwork risk assessment form to make an accurate assessment on the level of risk associated with any fieldwork activities.
If any fieldwork activity would be considered as medium risk or higher, a fieldwork plan must be attached to your application. A template for a fieldwork plan can be found on the travel and off campus work page
Pre-travel health check
As part of your travel itinerary you are required to assess the potential risk to your health in consultation with your supervisors. You should:
- ensure that you are fit to travel and participate in the activity
- get necessary and recommended vaccinations
The University health service offers graduate researchers an opportunity to get travel health advice and make appointments for vaccinations.
Travel insurance
Travel insurance is provided to all graduate researchers upon approval of their study away applications.
Please make sure you have reviewed and are familiar with the University Travel Insurance Policy cover including, but not limited to exclusions, claims processes and allowances for personal travel detailed on the University of Melbourne’s insurance page.
We recommend you keep a print out of the travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact details in case you do not have access to the internet at any point during your travel.
Please be aware:
- If the University's travel insurance does not meet your needs, you must seek additional travel insurance elsewhere that suits you better.
- If you are planning personal travel while on study away, that is for a longer period than your research-related travel and/or is to a high-risk destination the travel insurance provided by the University may not cover you.
If you have questions regarding your cover, you can check with the University’s Insurance Office via Stop 1 before you apply.
Resources
Apply for Study Away
Before you apply, ensure you have reviewed the About study away section and completed all necessary steps.
If you started a study away application, please click on the green button to return to the form:
Return to already started form
If you need to create a new form, please click on the blue button:
Application process
A study away application consists of the following steps from submission to approval
- Step 1
- Submit the 'Request to Study Away' form online
- Step 2
- Receive application confirmation email
- Step 3
- Form automatically forwarded for academic approval by supervisor and head of department
- Step 4
- Form forwarded to Academic Registrar for approval (if required)
- Step 5
- Receive system notification of application outcome
Technical help
Get technical help has a list of known technical issues, and how to continue with your application if a problem is encountered.
If you cannot see your technical issue in the list above, or if you are having issues with your username or password, contact Stop1.
Study away advice
If you have any general questions about study away, what should be included in the online 'Request to study away' form, or your degree details on the form are not correct, contact your local graduate research administrator.
Resources
MY APPLICATION IS APPROVED – WHAT NEXT?
After you are approved for study away, you should keep the following in mind and notify the University as appropriate of any changes.
Insurance
Approval of your Study Away application means you are covered, subject to the terms and conditions of the University’s Travel Insurance Policy: 02.PP.015907, underwritten by ACE/Chubb Insurance Limited. This approval includes any time you are undertaking authorized University of Melbourne & incidental personal travel (subject to limitations) during the approved period.
Please make sure you have reviewed and are familiar with the University Travel Insurance Policy cover including but not limited to exclusions, claims process and allowance for personal travel via our insurance page.
We recommend you keep a print out of the travel insurance details including policy number and emergency contact details in case you do not have access to the internet at any point during your travel.
Please be aware:
- If the University's travel insurance does not meet your needs, you must seek additional travel insurance elsewhere that suits you better.
- If you are planning personal travel while on Study Away that is for a longer period than your research-related travel and/or is to a high-risk destination, travel insurance provided by the University may not cover you.
If you have any queries, check with the University’s Insurance Office via Stop 1.
If your itinerary/travel plans change
If there is a change in location, email your supervisor and graduate research administrator with the updated information as soon as possible.
If you are returning earlier than planned from your Study Away, contact your supervisor to let them know and submit your 'Request to Return from Study Away' online form.
If you need to extend or your study away period, contact your local graduate research administrator to assist you in managing any extensions.
Emergencies
If you experience an emergency during your study away, contact your supervisor.
If danger or natural disasters are reported in the area you are in or planned to travel to, you will be contacted by the University who check that you are safe.
You may want to contact your insurance provider in the event of any injuries or loss of equipment.
Stay in touch with your supervisors
Regularly contacting your supervisor during your study away is important to keep them updated on your progress. It will also help the University to find you in an emergency.
It is also important to contact your supervisor to advise them when you are ready to return from study away.
Business cards
University of Melbourne business cards may be granted if you're undertaking fieldwork or face to face interviews/surveys/consultation where you need to be formally identified as participating in a supervised activity of the University.
Application for business cards
RETURN FROM STUDY AWAY
In order to formally indicate to the University that you are returning from your study away you need to complete a 'Request to return from study away' form and you should let your supervisor know that you are ready to return. The online form will be emailed to you approximately 5 days prior to your expected return. If you reach your return date and the form has not been received, you will be sent a further reminder. If you still fail to complete the form, your candidature and/or scholarship may be cancelled.
Apply to return from Study Away