Overseas Skills and Qualification Recognition

THIS FORM CAN NOT BE SAVED

• Please ensure you have the documents listed below and referee contact details ready before you begin the application
  

Documents ready to upload 

• Upload a personal statement (maximum 800 words)

• Upload at least one referee letter

• Upload proof of visa subclass (IMMI CARD with no visa number not accepted)

• Upload evidence of assisting others (optional) e.g. volunteer awards

• Provide evidence of prior qualifications

Criteria and Instructions

The SSI Allianz Refugee Scholarships have been created to minimise the financial barriers for people with a refugee or asylum seeker background as they participate in the NSW, QLD and VIC education system, including in relation to skills and qualifications recognition. 

The skills and qualifications recognition fund reflects an understanding that many people with a refugee or asylum seeker experience  possess extensive tertiary qualifications and professional skills, yet unfortunately these are often not recognised in Australia. The cost of skills and qualifications recognition is often prohibitively expensive. 

This scholarship will provide financial assistance for those who require a skills assessment that may result in the awarding of an Australian qualification or Statement of Attainment. Scholarships of up to $5,000 each are available for eligible recipient.

Eligibility Criteria

To be successful in their application for support, students must:

• Be from a refugee or asylum seeker background on the listed visa numbers: 117, 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 449 786, 842, 851, 866.   Applicants on bridging, SHEV 790 or TPV 785 are also eligible to apply but must consider individual circumstances regarding visa obligations and any potential impact to other sources of income
  

• Have been living in Australia for five years or less (from and including 2019).  The five year country entry limit does  not apply to bridging, TPV 785 or SHEV 790, or 851 visa holders

• Reside and study in NSW, QLD or VIC
  

• Be seeking their existing skills and qualifications to be recognised in Australia with the intent of the awarding of an Australian qualification or Statement of Attainment

• Be pursuing an approved course, skills or qualifications assessment within 9 mths of the scholarship application
  

• Not have previously received an SSI Allianz scholarship
  

• Any study must be at an approved education institution in NSW, QLD or VIC
  

• Applicant must be already living in Australia before applying
  

• Confirm that the place of study and/or attainment is approved according to the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection as per their list of authorities

https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/working-in-australia/skills-assessment/assessing-authorities

N.B. if successful no more than one scholarship will be granted per household.

An unsuccessful attempt in gaining recognition does not invalidate the scholarship.

Scholarship Purpose

The scholarship funding is intended to support students in their academic pursuits and can be used by the student or their family to contribute towards items such as:

• Registration and exam fees

• Extra tuition costs
  

• Transport involved in obtaining skills recognition

• Textbooks and relevant course materials
  

• Course or skills transfer related equipment

• Document translation

Application Assessment

Applications will be assessed by a review committee panel using the following criteria: 

• Responses to application questions, personal and referee statement

• Financial need and disadvantaged background 

• Participation in family, community, or a desire to contribute in the future

• The impact of the scholarship funds contributing to towards long-term educational or career goals

Application Guidelines

Applicants must:

• Complete the application form in full in the applicant’s own words

• Provide a personal statement

• Provide two referee contacts and at least one referee letter

• Be able to satisfy the visa eligibility requirements 

• Provide evidence of their prior qualifications

Application Process

• Applications must be submitted online

• Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements

• All eligible applications received will be considered by the Scholarship Committee
  

• Please contact scholarships@ssi.org.au for questions or support
  

• Applications and Key Dates are available at:

https://www.ssi.org.au/services/newcomers-refugees-and-migrants/refugee-education-scholarships

Please fill out the table below explaining in detail what you will spend the scholarship money on and approximate cost. E.g.

Name of Item                   Cost             Explanation of item

Document Translation     $1000           University transcript translated

Cost of Exam                      $500            Medical exam for _______

Instructions for referees:

Briefly introduce yourself and your relationship with the applicant. Referee letters should describe the qualities of the applicant based on the relationship you have with the them (for example, academic, character etc). Be specific and offer examples. If you are a school teacher, please provide alternative contact details for the holiday period.

Disclaimer

Award of the scholarship may affect the eligibility of the applicant (or the applicant’s family) to receive social, health or other payments, services, allowances or support from the Australian Government or other organisations, including payments and services provided by Centrelink (Benefits), or may affect the rate or the extent of the Benefits the applicant (or the applicant’s family) is entitled to receive. It is necessary for an applicant to review their particular circumstances to determine how the scholarship may affect their eligibility to receive the Benefits.

The scholarship is only available to applicants whose visa entitlements allow for study in Australia. Legislative changes to existing visas may introduce additional conditions which may preclude or restrict the applicant’s eligibility to study. The applicant must check their particular visa details and conditions from time to time to determine whether their visa provides the appropriate study entitlements to undertake the study or courses for which the scholarship is awarded.

SSI provides the scholarship to the applicant without any warranties, express or implied, including any warranties as to the applicant’s suitability for the scholarship, that the applicant’s visa provides (or will continue to provide) the appropriate study entitlements for the scholarship, or that the applicant’s entitlement to receive any Benefits will not be affected by the award of the scholarship. SSI will not be liable for any losses, expenses, damages (including indirect or consequential damages) or costs which might be suffered by the applicant (or the applicant’s family) as a result of the award of the scholarship.

Privacy Statement

SSI is committed to respecting and protecting the privacy and rights of individuals in relation to their personal information. SSI will collect, keep and deal with your personal information in accordance with the requirements of the SSI Allianz Scholarships, applicable legislation from time to time (including the Privacy Act 1988 and the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 as may apply) and SSI’s Privacy Policy.

To support our work with you, SSI needs your consent to collect personal and/or sensitive information about you and your family members. This may include:

• your contact details

• information about your personal and family circumstances

• your cultural and language background

• your current income

• Your visa details

• your health information

• any criminal record

• your housing situation

• your training and education history

• any employment details.

This information will be used by SSI to:

• assess your eligibility for the SSI Allianz Refugee Scholarship

• co-ordinate the delivery of education services to you with other service providers

• support your education and training needs

• assess and improve our service delivery

• evaluate program outcomes and to report on these to funding bodies; and

• for research and marketing purposes.

For the above purposes, your information may be given to support service providers, government agencies, health services and finance institutions.

Failure to provide this information, or retracting your consent at a later date, will mean that SSI is unable to provide this service and you will need to be withdrawn from the program.

Your de-identified information may also be used for statistical or research purposes. This means that any personal information that could reasonably identify you will be removed or changed before it is used for this purpose.

SSI’s Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). It also sets out how you can access or correct your personal information, or make a complaint about a breach of privacy. Please refer to our Privacy Policy on the SSI website (www.ssi.org.au) if you would like more detailed information. You may also seek further information or request a copy of the Privacy Policy from SSI’s Privacy Officer, at feedback@ssi.org.au.

Terms and Conditions

• SSI reserves the right to seek additional verification of applicants’ submissions.

• Where a student either intends to change the circumstances of their study or experiences a change to their circumstances of study, as listed below, they must inform SSI in writing at the earliest possible opportunity.

• The SSI Committee will then determine on a case-by-case basis whether the scholarship will be cancelled and the recipient is required to return their scholarship funding, either in part or in full.

A ‘change of circumstances’ includes:

• deferring studies

• changing the course of study

• changing the institution of study

• incompletion of the course of study

• unsuccessful application to study

• unsatisfactory academic progress

• ceasing to meet the eligibility requirements of the scholarship

•  failing to return to study after an approved interruption to their scholarship purpose

SSI reserves the right to cancel any scholarship and ask the recipient to return their scholarship funding, either in part or in full should:

• the recipient, or their agent, be found to have provided false or misleading information during or subsequent to the application process,

• the recipient commits serious misconduct at their educational institution (serious misconduct may be determined by either the institution or SSI)

• Recipients agree to the periodic assessment of their chosen study/course as covered by the scholarship. This is to ensure that the recipient remains eligible for the scholarship throughout their relevant study period.

Declaration

I declare that the information submitted in this application for support from the SSI Allianz Refugee Scholarship is true and correct.

I authorise SSI to make appropriate enquiries in regards to my submission, such as reference checking and validation of the submission. 

I acknowledge that the submission of any incorrect or misleading information to SSI may result in the termination of any scholarship and in that circumstance; I will be required to repay any scholarship funds. 

I understand that the decision of SSI regarding the scholarship is final and that the scholarship is subject to the Terms and Conditions. 

If I receive the scholarship, I give consent for SSI to disclose agreed personal information, not including contact details, for publicity purposes.