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The Victorian International Education Awards Terms and Conditions outline information about the awards’ eligibility criteria, award categories, submission requirements and prizes. You can also find an outline of the conditions you must agree to when submitting an application for the awards.

There are eight student award categories for 2024. Each category has specific assessment criteria, as outlined in the Student Categories section of this website.

Terms and Conditions - Victorian International Education Awards 2024

The Victorian International Education Awards 2024 are an initiative of the Victorian Government to support the international education sector and raise awareness of the benefits international students bring to the broader Victorian community.

The following Terms and Conditions set out the obligations on You, the Applicant, when submitting an Application for Victorian International Education Awards 2024, required by the State of Victoria as represented by its Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (ABN 83 295 188 244) 121 Exhibition Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 (Department);

  1. Acknowledgement and Agreement
    1. By submitting an Application, You acknowledge and agree:
      1. to enter your Application in the Victorian International Education Awards 2024;
      2. that you meet the Eligibility Criteria (see clause 2 of these Terms and Conditions);
      3. that your Application will be assessed by the Judging Panel against the Assessment Criteria ; and
      4. to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.
  2. Acknowledgement of Privacy
    1. By submitting an Application, You acknowledge that:
      1. the Department’s Privacy Statement is available on the website; and
      2. You have read and understood the requirements on Privacy in clause 8 of the Terms and Conditions;
  3. Eligibility Criteria
    1. Entry for the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 is voluntary and open to Applicants who are:
      1. not an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia, except in the case of Applicants for the:
        1. “Emerging Leader - International Alumni Award” and the “International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year Award” who may hold Australian citizenship or a permanent residency visa at the time of application; and
      2. currently enrolled in a full-time course being offered by a Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider (except in the case of Applicants for the “International Alum of the Year Award” and the “International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year Award”) at the time of submitting the Application.
    2. Applicants must provide proof that they are or were studying in Australia as an International Student at the time of submitting an Application by verifying they hold, or previously held, a valid Australian Student Visa and Confirmation of Enrolment with a Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider for the period of study relevant to the Application.
    3. Specific eligibility criteria apply to Applicants for the following Award Categories:
      1. Applicants for the “Emerging Leader - International Alumni Award” must demonstrate that they studied with a Victorian Education Provider within the Alum Award Eligibility Period (up to 5 years before the application lodgement), by providing a valid Letter of Completion issued by their education provider within the eligibility period, or evidence of study completed in Victoria within the Alum Award Eligibility Period to the satisfaction of the Department.
      2. Applicants for the “International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year Award”, must provide either:
        1. proof that they are or were studying in Australia as an International Student at the time of application lodgement; or
        2. proof that they studied with a Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider within the Entrepreneurship Award Eligibility Period (up to 5 years before the application lodgement), by providing a valid letter of completion issued by their education provider, or evidence of study completed in Victoria within the Entrepreneurship Award Eligibility Period to the satisfaction of the Department.
    4. Applicants can apply for more than one Category but must submit a separate Application for each Category.

Details of the Award Categories and Submission of Applications

  1. Award Categories
    1. There are eight (8) Victorian International Education Awards 2024 Award Categories for Students. Each Award Category has specific Eligibility Criteria and Assessment Criteria that are published on the Study Melbourne website and within the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 application portal. The awards categories are:
      • International Student of the Year – Higher Education
      • International Student of the Year – Research
      • International Student of the Year – English Language Training
      • International Student of the Year – VET
      • International Student of the Year – Regional
      • International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year
      • Emerging Leader – International Alumni Award
      • Premier’s Award – International Student of the Year
    2. The Premier’s Awards do not have a separate published Eligibility Criteria or Assessment Criteria and the Winner will be selected from the Winners of the following student categories:
      • International Student of the Year – English Language Training
      • International Student of the Year – VET
      • International Student of the Year – Higher Education
      • International Student of the Year – Research
      • International Student of the Year – Regional.
  2. Submission of Applications
    1. Applicants must submit all Applications online via the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 portal linked on the Study Melbourne website to create an account and submit an Application. If you encounter problems submitting your Application electronically:
Contact us
    1. The closing date and time for submitting Applications is Friday 5 July 2024 at 11.59 pm AEDT (Closing Date). Applications will not be accepted after the Closing Date and time without the written consent of the Department, which may be given or withheld at the Department’s absolute discretion.
    2. Please note: Email support for the VIEA program is Monday to Friday from 9.00 am – 5.00 pm. After hours and weekend enquiries will be viewed on the next business day. For enquiries:
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    1. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the Applicant has selected the correct Category and submitted a fully completed online Application through the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 portal together with relevant supporting material and evidence addressing each of the relevant Assessment Criteria before the Closing Date.
    2. Student Category Applications must be original and written by the Applicant. The Applicant must provide evidence of enrolment as a student from the relevant Victorian education provider in accordance with the Eligibility Criteria at clause 2 of these Terms and Conditions.
    3. The Department reserves the right, at any time, to verify the validity of an Application and to disqualify any Applicant who tampers with the entry process or submits an entry that is not in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.
    4. There is no fee charged by the Department for accepting an Application however each Applicant is responsible for their own costs in relation to preparing and submitting the Application and, if selected as a Finalist, attending the Award Ceremony.
    5. The Applicant warrants to the Department that the Applicant is the author of the Application and that the Application:
      1. is not offensive, defamatory or inflammatory;
      2. does not contain any incorrect, misleading or fraudulent information; and
      3. does not infringe any third party’s intellectual property rights or breach any law.
  1. Assessment of Applications
    1. Applications will be assessed by the Judging Panel. The Judging Panel’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
    2. All valid Applications will be assessed by the Judging Panel in accordance with the Assessment Criteria and in a competitive framework.
    3. The Judging Panel may in its absolute discretion refuse to accept or reject an Application that is incomplete, indecipherable, does not meet the specified Assessment Criteria or otherwise fails to comply with these Terms and Conditions.
    4. Where applicable, the Judging Panel may in its discretion, offer an Applicant the opportunity to reallocate their Application to a more suitable Category.
    5. The Department reserves the right to make no Award in any or all Categories.
    6. The Judging Panel will create a shortlist of Finalists for each Category. Finalists may be requested to attend an interview with the Judging Panel via video conference.
    7. The Winner of each Category will be announced by the Department at an Awards Ceremony which will take place in October 2024.
    8. The Applicant agrees that if they are selected as a Finalist or Winner, they will work collaboratively with the Department and its representatives to promote the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 through a range of publicity and promotional media (including via the internet and social media) to be distributed and published by the Victorian Government. Finalists and Winners may be requested to participate in media interviews.
  2. Award Prizes
    1. With the exception of the “Emerging Leader - International Alumni Award” and the “International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year Award”:
      1. Each Winner selected by the Judging Panel in an Award Category will be awarded Prize Money up to AU$6,000 to support their studies;
      2. Finalists (up to two) in each Award Category will be awarded up to AU$2,000 to support their studies;
      3. The Winner of the “Premier’s Award - International Student of the Year” will receive an additional prize of up to AU$10,000 to support their studies.
    2. The Prize Money will be made as a payment to the Winners and successful Finalists by depositing the funds directly into a nominated bank account with an Australian-owned Authorised Deposit-Taking Institution, held in the Applicant’s name.
    3. Each Winner and successful Finalist must only use or spend the Prize Money as agreed in writing by the Department and wholly towards the cost of their studies (except in the case of the “International Student of the Year – Research Category”, where a student has no cost of studies and in this case can use the scholarship towards professional development, such as industry conferences or job application skills). Prize Money are non-transferable and non-exchangeable.
    4. Any amount of Prize Money not claimed within 24 months from the date of the Award Ceremony will be forfeited. The Department accepts no responsibility in the event the Applicant is unable to use the Prize Money or where the funds are lost or stolen upon payment to the nominated bank account.
    5. Each Winner and Finalist authorises the Department to include their name, image, details of your Application and the provision of the Award and the Prize Money awarded in any activities publicising the Victorian International Education Awards (including without limitation on Victorian government social media and websites that are accessible worldwide).
    6. Each Winner and Finalist agrees to participate in media and/or promotional activities organised by the Department to promote the Victorian International Education Awards and Victoria’s international education sector at no cost to the Department (reasonable prior notice will be provided).
    7. Each Winner and Finalist permits the Department to use their image in photographs and video footage as part of any promotional activities for the Victorian International Education Awards, without requiring any compensation or remuneration and without the right to inspect or approve such promotional material prior to publication.
    8. Each Winner and Finalist undertakes not to enter into any activity, action or speech which will bring the Department, a Minister or the State into disrepute.
    9. Each Winner and Finalist acknowledges that if any of the Terms and Conditions are breached, the Department may require repayment of the whole or any part of the Prize Money awarded as the Department may determine, and that the amount must be repaid as a debt due to the Department.
  3. Promotion of VIEA 2024
    1. By submitting an Application, an Applicant irrevocably grants the State of Victoria permission to freely use the content of their Application, information obtained during the application process and any image of the Applicant provided or taken during the Award Ceremony, for the purpose of publicity and promotion of the VIEA. The permission granted includes without limitation reproducing, publishing, adapting and communicating the whole or any part of the Application online, in any broadcast and print media, and in a range of materials by the Victorian Government (without the need to attribute authorship to the Applicant).
    2. For the purposes of clause 6.1, the Applicant will not have the right to review or preapprove the Department’s use of the Application or information obtained during the application process (including without limitation use of the Applicant’s image or likeness) and the Applicant will not make any claim for payment or fees in relation to such use by the Department and releases the Department, its employees and agents from any liability arising out of such use.
  4. Award Cancellation and Liability
    1. The Department may at its discretion cancel (in whole or in part), modify or terminate the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 if in the opinion of the Department, the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 is interfered with in any way or cannot be conducted as anticipated by the Department.
    2. The Department will not be liable for any loss (including, without limitation, any consequential or indirect loss), cost or damage, personal injury or death which is suffered (whether or not due to the negligence of any person) in connection with the Applicant entering the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 or in connection with the acceptance of Prize Money by a Winner or successful Finalist, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law (and, if so, that liability is limited to the minimum permitted by law).
    3. The Victorian International Education Awards 2024 is governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia and clauses 4, 5.8 and 7 - 9 (inclusive) survive the conclusion of the Victorian International Education Awards 2024.
  5. Privacy
    1. By making an Application, to the extent that the Application includes any personal information (including without limitation an image capable of being identified as the Applicant’s likeness) the Applicant consents to the collection, use and disclosure of the Applicant’s personal information by the Department for the purpose of administering the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 and for the uses described in clause 5 and 6 above.
    2. The collection, use and disclosure of the Applicant’s personal information is subject to the Department’s Privacy Statement which the Applicant must read prior to making their Application.
  6. Definitions

In these Terms and Conditions the following definitions apply:

Applicant means the person (Student or Provider) applying for an Award Category in the Victorian International Education Awards 2024;

Application means the information submitted by the Applicant for the Victorian International Education Awards 2024;

Assessment Criteria means the set of criteria that the Application is assessed against by the Judging Panel to determine if the Applicant is shortlisted;

Australian-owned Authorised Deposit-Taking Institution has the same meaning as in section 5 of the Banking Act 1959 (Cth);

Award means the discretionary grant program under which the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 is granting funds to successful Applicants;

Awards Ceremony means the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 Awards Ceremony where the Finalists and Winners are announced and Prize Money is awarded;

Category means one of the Award Categories for eligible Students for the Victorian International Education Awards 2024;

Confirmation of Enrolment means an official document issued by the Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider to an International Student who intends to enrol and study with that institution;

CRICOS means the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students;

Eligibility Criteria means the criteria the applicant must meet for each Category in order to submit a successful Application and are located at clause 2 of these Terms and Conditions;

ESOS Act means the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (Cth);

Finalist means an Applicant that is shortlisted by the Judging Panel for each Award Category;

International Student means a Student who holds a Student Visa;

Judging Panel means a panel of government and industry representatives appointed by the Department to assess the Applications;

Letter of Completion means an official document issued by the Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider within the eligibility period, or evidence of study completed by the Applicant;

Prize Money means the grant funds awarded to the Winners and successful Finalists;

Student means students who are eligible to apply for the Victorian International Education Awards 2024 under one or more of the Award Categories;

Student Visa has the same meaning as in section 5 of the ESOS Act;

You means the Applicant submitting an Application for the Victorian International Education Awards 2024;

Victorian Post-Secondary Education Provider means a registered under CRICOS and based in Victoria, Australia;

Victorian International Education Awards 2024 means the Victorian Government awards initiative to support the international education sector and raise awareness of the benefits that international students bring to the broader Victorian community;

VIEA 2024 Terms and Conditions means terms and conditions set out under these Terms and Conditions; and

Winner means the Finalist selected from each Award Category, by the Judging Panel to be granted the Award and Prize Money where applicable.

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