Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour Study Award

This study award supports the Massey University’s Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching Learning and Behaviour.(external link)

For more information about the diploma:

If you have any questions regarding the diploma, please contact Massey University:
Postgraduate Administrator
ioe-postgraduate@massey.ac.nz
06 356 9099 Extn 83072

The study award covers:

• a contribution towards your travel and accommodation to attend the block courses (paid to your cluster lead school)
• the full amount of your domestic tuition fees (paid to Massey University).

Action	Dates
Applications close	12 September 2022
Applicants and employers notified	by 25 November 2022

To be eligible for this award, you must:

• Be permanently employed as an RTLB.
• have support from the lead school/cluster manager to study for the diploma
• Have a bachelor's degree
• hold a relevant professional qualification such as a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education or an equivalent qualification. This means an overseas qualification assessed as being equivalent to a relevant New Zealand qualification by the New Zealand Psychologists Board or the Education Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. If you are unsure about whether you have an equivalent qualification, contact Massey University
• be a New Zealand citizen or have rights to reside and work in New Zealand indefinitely or permanently.

You are not entitled to this award if:

• you are not accepted into the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching: Learning and Behaviour offered by Massey University 
• we have previously provided you with funded support for your RTLB training – you will need to re-take any failed papers at your own or your lead school’s expense.

Once applications have closed, we will contact your cluster manager to confirm:

• your employment status
• that they approve and support your study.

Your application may include:

• any letters of support (not mandatory).

Please include details of your ability to succeed in the course of study and any other circumstances that you feel are important for us to consider.
Our decision to grant or not grant an award is final, and we will not enter into any discussion about it.

If you are granted this study award, you must meet certain conditions. The specific terms and conditions will be listed in your letter of offer. In brief, you must:

• enrol in your courses at university
• understand the offer of study award is valid for 2 years. If you would like to extend your studies to more than 2 years, you need to contact us at learningsupport.workforce@education.govt.nz
• plan your study and workload for the year (we recommend that you do this with your employer)
• arrange appropriate study leave with your employer
• email us at learningsupport.workforce@education.govt.nz if any of the information you provided in your application changes – this includes your employment status, contact details and any changes to your proposed study.

What the study award covers:

What	How	Not included
Domestic tuition fees (course papers only).	In April, your university sends an invoice directly to us for your course fees and we pay these straight to them. You will receive invoices from the university. Do not pay for the course fees, but do pay for all other costs.	Non-tuition fees such as building fees, student levies, administration fees and any other add-on university charges.

Failure, withdrawal, breaks in study and changes to employment

If you...	then...
Decide not to start the course after enrolment	You must re-apply for a study award the following year. Your study award will not be deferred for a year. You will be liable for any fees charged by the university for withdrawing. If we have already paid your fees to the university, we will invoice you for the amount. ‘The university stipulates a ‘withdrawal date’, which is the final date that you can withdraw by to be eligible for a refund of tuition fees. Withdrawal dates are notified on your Confirmation of Enrolment letter from the University or can be seen in the full course outline for a specific course on the Massey website.
Fail a paper	You will need to re-take that paper at your own expense.
Withdraw from study part way through the qualification	You will need to pay back all academic fees that we have paid for your study.
Need to take a break from study due to unforeseen circumstances	Email us at learningsupport.workforce@education.govt.nz and the university. You can ask for a maximum of one year’s break from study.
Change the RTLB lead school to another RTLB lead school part way through the qualification	Email us at learningsupport.workforce@education.govt.nz. Your study award will continue if your new employer agrees to support you and your new employment fits the eligibility criteria for the study award.
Choose to resign from your job	You may no longer be eligible for the study award.
Are made redundant	Your study award will continue, and you can continue studying for that year. However, you will not be supported with a travel contribution and study leave unless any new employer agrees to support you, and your new position fits the eligibility criteria for the study award.
Want to study one paper per year.	You are expected to study two papers per year. In exceptional circumstances, you may be allowed to study one paper. The value of the award will remain consistent with others to ensure equity.

Convictions

Your application must disclose any convictions you have had unless they are covered by the Criminal Records (Clean Slate Act) 2004. This is required to ensure that you would not be prevented from gaining future employment with the Ministry of Education.

You must declare all of your convictions if you have:

• been convicted of an offence within the last 7 years; or
• been sentenced to a custodial sentence (eg, imprisonment, corrective training, borstal); or
• been ordered by a court during a criminal case to be detained in a hospital due to your mental condition, instead of being sentenced; or
• been convicted of a ‘special offence’ (eg, sexual offending against children, young people or those mentally impaired); or
• not paid in full any fine reparation or costs ordered by the court in a criminal case; or
• been indefinitely disqualified from driving under section 65 of the Land Transport Act 1998 or earlier equivalent provision.