Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025

I, Jason Clare, Minister for Education, make the following instrument.

Dated 27/11/2025   

Jason Clare

Minister for Education

Contents

1  Name

2  Commencement

3  Authority

4  Schedules

Schedule 1—Amendments

Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017

1  Name

  This instrument is the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025.

2  Commencement

  This instrument commences the day after this instrument is registered.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under section 238-10 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.

4  Schedules

  Each instrument that is specified in a Schedule to this instrument is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this instrument has effect according to its terms.

Schedule 1—Amendments

Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017

1  Paragraph i.v (definition of Category 1)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

Category 1 income  means Australian competitive grants R&D income, as reported and certified by a HEP through HERDC and accepted by the department

2  Paragraph i.v (definition of Category 2)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

Category 2 income  means other public sector R&D income, as reported and certified by a HEP through HERDC and accepted by the department

3  Paragraph i.v (definition of Category 3)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

Category 3 income  means industry and other R&D income, as reported and certified by a HEP through HERDC and accepted by the department

4  Paragraph i.v (definition of Category 4)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

Category 4 income  means Cooperative Research Centre R&D income, as reported and certified by a HEP through HERDC and accepted by the department

5  Paragraph i.v (definitions of COVID-19 Supplementary Funding Pool, COVID-19 Supplementary Grant Amount and the department)

Repeal the definitions.

6  Paragraph i.v (definition of Grant Year)

After “means the”, insert “calendar”.

7  Paragraph i.v (definition of HERDC)

Omit “maintained by the department”, substitute “, which includes information on the HEP’s R&D income, as certified and submitted by the HEPs by 30 June each year”.

8  Paragraph i.v (definition of R&D or research)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

R&D or research  means Research and Experimental Development as defined in the Frascati Manual 2015 maintained by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, as in force at the time the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025 commenced.

Note: The Frascati Manual 2015 as in force at the time the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025 commenced can be viewed on the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s website at <https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264239012-en>.

9  Paragraph i.v (definition of RSP Base Grant Amount)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

RSP Grant Amount   is the amount determined under paragraph 1.4.10

10  Paragraph i.v (definition of RSP Funding Pool)

Repeal the definition, substitute:

RSP Funding Pool   is the total amount of funding for a given Grant Year for the RSP

Note: The Minister determines the total amount of funding available in a given Grant Year for the RSP, and in doing so, may take into account whether it is appropriate to determine the RSP Funding Pool in a Grant Year by indexing the RSP Funding Pool amount in the preceding Grant Year by an amount (such as an amount determined by the method set out in Part 5-6 of the Act).

11  Paragraph i.v

Insert:

ABS   means the Australian Bureau of Statistics as established under the Australian Bureau of Statistics Act 1975

Competitive Income   means Category 1 income

Engagement Income   means Category 2 income, Category 3 income and Category 4 income

Merging HEP   means a body corporate that was a HEP in a previous Grant Year and merged or combined with another body corporate that was also a HEP in a previous Grant Year, to form a HEP.

Note: From 2026, the bodies known as the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia will be examples of merging HEPs, as bodies that were HEPs in 2025 but will cease to be HEPs in 2026, after combining to form Adelaide University.

12  After paragraph i.v

Insert:
 

i.x APPLICATION, SAVING AND TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

i.x.i The amendments to paragraph 1.4.40 made by Schedule 1 of the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025 apply in relation to any adjustment of RSP Grant Amounts after the commencement of that Schedule, in relation to grants made for Grant Years before, on and after the commencement of that Schedule.

i.x.ii The amendments to the Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017 made by the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025, do not affect the validity of payments or decisions made under the version of the Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017 in force before it was amended by the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025, and those decisions are taken to continue to have effect.

i.x.iii Despite the amendments made by the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025, any conditions that were imposed on a grant in the version of the Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017 in force before it was amended by the Other Grants (Research) Amendment (Research Support Program) Guidelines 2025, are taken to continue to apply in respect of a grant made prior to those amendments.

13  Subparagraph 1.3(1)

Omit “a flexible funding stream”, substitute “flexible funding”.

14  Paragraph 1.4.1

 Repeal the note in the paragraph.

15  Paragraph 1.4.5

 Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

1.4.5   How Grant Amounts are Determined

Subject to any adjustments that may be made under paragraph 1.4.40, the RSP Grant Amount for a HEP for a Grant Year is the HEP’s RSP Grant Amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.4.10, as rounded in accordance with subparagraph 1.4.10(2).

16  Paragraph 1.4.10

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

1.4.10   RSP Grant Amounts

(1) Subject to subparagraph (2), a HEP’s RSP Grant Amount for a Grant Year is worked out using the formula:

where:

Competitive Income Share of the HEP for the Grant Year means the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.4.15.

Engagement Income Share of the HEP for the Grant Year means the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1.4.15.

Note: A HEP’s RSP Grant Amount for a Grant Year is paid in monthly instalments.

(2) If any HEP’s RSP Grant Amount for a Grant Year under subparagraph (1) is an amount consisting of a number of whole dollars and a number of cents, its RSP Grant Amount is modified as follows:

1.    the amount allocated to each HEP is rounded down to the nearest whole dollar;
2.    calculate the difference in cents between the amount determined for a HEP under subparagraph (1) and the amount determined in sub-subparagraph (2)(a) (the HEP’s Remainder);
3.    calculate the sum of all the HEPs’ Remainders (known as the Unallocated Dollars);
4.    rank each HEP in descending order based on its Remainder’s closeness to 100 and one dollar is assigned to each HEP in order of ranking until all Unallocated Dollars are exhausted; and
5.     the HEP’s RSP Grant Amount is equal to the amount determined in sub-subparagraph (2)(a) and any amount assigned to the HEP in sub-subparagraph (2)(d).

17  Paragraph 1.4.15

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

1.4.15   Competitive Income Share and Engagement Income Share

(1) For the purposes of this paragraph and paragraph 1.6.5, “New HEP”, for a Grant Year, means either:

1.    a body corporate that becomes a HEP on 1 January of the Grant Year; or
2.    a body corporate that became a HEP at any time during the previous Grant Year (other than 1 January of the previous Grant Year).

Example 1: A body corporate becomes a HEP on 1 January 2026. Therefore, it is a New HEP for the 2026 Grant Year.

Example 2: A body corporate becomes a HEP on 1 July 2025. Therefore, it is a New HEP for the 2026 Grant Year.

(2) For the purposes of this paragraph and paragraph 1.6.5, “Merged HEP”, for a Grant Year, means a New HEP that is formed from two or more merging HEPs.

(3) The Competitive Income Share of a HEP for a Grant Year is worked out using the formula:

 where:

 Competitive Income for the HEP means:

1.    for a HEP that is not a Merged HEP in the Grant Year and was not a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years either:
   1.             the sum of the Competitive Income for the HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year; or
   2.             if no data is available about the HEP’s Competitive Income for either or both of the calendar years specified in subparagraph (i), the sum of the Competitive Income for the HEP for the most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available, and the Competitive Income for the HEP for the second most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available; or
2.    for a HEP that is a Merged HEP in the Grant Year or was a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, the sum of:  
   1.             the combined Competitive Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the second calendar year preceding the Grant Year; and
   2.             the combined Competitive Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the third calendar year preceding the Grant Year.

Competitive Income for all HEPs means the sum of the Competitive Income for each HEP (excluding any New HEPs that have not satisfied the extra conditions of eligibility in paragraph 1.6.5 for the Grant Year), where the Competitive Income for each HEP is:

1.    for a HEP that is not a Merged HEP and was not a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, either:
   1.             the sum of the Competitive Income for the HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year; or
   2.             if no data is available about the HEP’s Competitive Income for either or both of the calendar years specified in subparagraph (i), the sum of the Competitive Income for the HEP for the most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available, and the Competitive Income for the HEP for the second most recent calendar year, preceding the Grant Year, for which data is available; or
2.    for a HEP that is a Merged HEP in the Grant Year or was a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, the sum of the Competitive Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year.

(4) The Engagement Income Share of a HEP for a Grant Year is worked out using the formula:

 where:

 Engagement Income for the HEP means:

1.    for a HEP that is not a Merged HEP in the Grant Year and was not a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, either:
   1.             the sum of the Engagement Income for the HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year; or
   2.             if no data is available about the HEP’s Engagement Income for either or both of the calendar years specified in subparagraph (i), the sum of the Engagement Income for the HEP for the most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available, and the Engagement Income for the HEP for the second most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available; or
2.    for a HEP that is a Merged HEP in the Grant Year or was a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, the sum of:  
   1.             the combined Engagement Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the second calendar year preceding the Grant Year; and
   2.             the combined Engagement Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the third calendar year preceding the Grant Year.

Engagement Income for all HEPs means the sum of the Engagement Income for each HEP (excluding any New HEPs that have not satisfied the extra conditions of eligibility in paragraph 1.6.5 for the Grant Year), where the Engagement Income for each HEP is:

1.    for a HEP that is not a Merged HEP and was not a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, either:
   1.             the sum of the Engagement Income for the HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year; or
   2.             if no data is available about the HEP’s Engagement Income for either or both of the calendar years specified in subparagraph (i), the sum of the Engagement Income for the HEP for the most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available, and the Engagement Income for the HEP for the second most recent calendar year preceding the Grant Year for which data is available; or
2.    for a HEP that is a Merged HEP for the Grant Year or was a Merged HEP at any point in the previous three Grant Years, the sum of the Engagement Income for the merging HEPs and the Merged HEP for the second and third calendar year preceding the Grant Year.

18  Paragraph 1.4.20

Repeal the paragraph.

19  Paragraph 1.4.25

Repeal the paragraph.

20  Paragraph 1.4.30

Repeal the paragraph.

21  Paragraph 1.4.35

Repeal the paragraph.

22  Paragraph 1.4.40

Repeal the paragraph, substitute:

1.4.40   Adjustments

Note: The department may take into account corrected HERDC data and supporting evidence provided by a HEP on or before 1 September in the year the data was first provided to determine RSP Grant Amounts.

23  Section 1.5

Repeal the section, substitute:

1.5   Conditions that apply to RSP grants

1.5.5   Specified conditions

(1) A HEP must provide biennially to the department the latest set of information about higher education R&D expenditure that the HEP receives from the ABS.

(2) The information specified in subparagraph 1.5.5(1) must be provided to the department:

1.    in the form provided to the HEP by the ABS; and
2.    within 30 days of the ABS providing the information to the HEP.

1.5.10   Other conditions

In addition to the conditions specified in paragraph 1.5.5, the Minister may impose conditions that apply to RSP grants under subsection 41-25(2) of the Act.

24  After section 1.5

Insert:

1.   Extra conditions of eligibility to receive RSP grants

1.6.5   Extra conditions of eligibility for New HEPs

(1) If a HEP is a New HEP that is not a Merged HEP for a Grant Year, the HEP is first eligible to receive a RSP Grant in that Grant Year if, by 30 June of the previous calendar year, it reported and certified data through HERDC, about the HEP’s:

1.    Competitive Income and Engagement Income for the second calendar year preceding that Grant Year; and
2.    Competitive Income and Engagement Income for the third calendar year preceding that Grant Year.

(2) If a HEP is a New HEP that is not a Merged HEP for a Grant Year and does not meet the extra condition of eligibility in subparagraph 1.6.5(1), the HEP is first eligible to receive a RSP Grant in a subsequent Grant Year if, by 30 June of the previous calendar year, it reported, and certified data through HERDC, about the HEP’s:

1.    Competitive Income and Engagement Income for the second calendar year preceding that Grant Year; and
2.    Competitive Income and Engagement Income for the third calendar year preceding that Grant Year.

(3) For the avoidance of doubt:

1.    the HEP is not eligible to receive a RSP Grant for the Grant Year preceding the Grant Year in relation to which it is a New HEP; and
2.    the extra conditions of eligibility specified in subparagraph 1.6.5(1) or 1.6.5(2) do not apply to a New HEP that is a Merged HEP.