Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships categories

There are seven items considered under Personal information and location. The criteri and minimum requirements are set out below.

You will be automatically considered for all of these items even if you do not apply for equity schemes and scholarships. You are still encouraged to submit an equity schemes and scholarships application to ensure you can considered for other areas of disadvantage and for financial assistance.

Not all seven items are recognised by all institutions. You can refer to the Personal information and location table on institutions that recognise equity schemes and scholarships, to find out what each institution recognises. It is also important to check directly with institutions.

It is important that you also refer to individual course entries and the table below to ensure you have completed any tests, forms or essays you may also be required to submit to support this application.

Age (generally used to determine eligibility for mature age entry schemes).

The age subcategory generally applies to applicants who are looking to apply as mature age students. To be considered:

• For higher education courses, you must be 21 years of age or older by 1 January 2025
• For Vocational Education Training (VET) programs you must be 18 years of age or older by 1 January 2025 and out of school for 12 months.

Recognition as an Indigenous Australian

Applies to applicants who are of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, or identify as a person of Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage and are accepted as such by an Indigenous community. Additional advice and support is available from the various Indigenous units listed in the Personal information and location table on institutions that recognise equity schemes and scholarships.

Living or school location

Applies to applicants who have a permanent address in a regional, remote or under-represented area or have undertaken secondary study at a school in a regional or remote area with respect to the specific institution. Factors considered as part of this category include distances travelled to school, access to resources and events.

Rural or isolated areas are largely based upon Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) Remoteness Areas classification. For further information, refer to the Personal information and location table on institutions that recognise SEAS.

Under-represented schools

Under-represented schools are determined by individual institutions and may differ from year to year. For further information, contact the institution directly.

Under-represented gender

Applies to applicants who are planning to study a course that has historically been under-represented by a specific gender at the institution. For example: women in Engineering.

Under-represented gender is determined by individual institutions and may differ from year to year and course to course. For further information, contact the institution directly.

Non-English speaking background

Applies to applicants who:

• were born outside Australia in a non-English speaking country
• speak a language other than English at home, and
• have arrived in Australia on, or after 1 January 2015 (see institutional exceptions in the Personal information and location table on institutions that recognise SEAS).

First in family to attend university

Some institutions consider applicants who are the first in their immediate family (i.e. your parents) to attend university.

You do not need to provide documentary evidence to be considered for SEAS category 1.

Note: the complete equity schemes and scholarships document evidence table is available on the providing evidence page.

If you receive a Centrelink benefit in your name

If you have a Customer Access Number (CAN) or Customer Reference Number (CRN) in your name, and therefore receive benefits into your own bank account, we can obtain your financial details directly from Centrelink.

To arrange this, you need to provide accurate CAN or CRN in your SEAS application. The CAN or CRN must be in the same name as your course application.

Your application for this category will be ineligible if you provide incorrect CRN or CAN or if the number is allocated to your parent, guardian or partner and not the name on the application.

Electronic information retrievable from Centrelink includes:

• benefits you receive
• dependants
• Centrelink deductions, and
• confirmation of your address.

If you don't want us to access your Centrelink files you must upload a copy of your Centrelink benefit statement via your VTAC account.

If you don't receive any Centrelink benefits

If you are experiencing financial hardship but don't receive any Centrelink benefits you will need to provide:

• a description of circumstances briefly detailing the nature of your financial disadvantage
• an impact statement detailing the impact financial disadvantage has on your daily life, and
• a statement of support from a relevant and responsible person who has knowledge of your situation and can comment on the impact of these circumstances on your daily life.

The equity schemes and scholarships application will lead you through these requirements. Further information about submitting a description of circumstances, impact statement and statement of support is available at Providing evidence for equity schemes and scholarships .

If your parent or guardian receives a Centrelink benefit or the Family Tax Benefit

If you don’t receive Centrelink benefits, but you are a dependent of someone who receives a Centrelink benefit or the Family Tax Benefit you will need to upload the following documents via your VTAC account:

• a copy of your parent's or guardian's Centrelink Statement of Benefit or Family Tax Benefit statement
• indicate the relationship you have with the person named on the document (e.g. mother, father, grandmother), and
• ensure your evidence is no older than 3 months at the time that applications open.

Bank statements or screenshots of your Centrelink benefit payments will not constitute proof.

Digital upload of statement via your VTAC account:

• High-quality full-colour copies are required.
• Make sure your copies are clear and easy to read.
• If you use your phone, make sure it is with a scanner app – askew or poorly focused photographs may be rejected.
• Supply documentation in PDF or JPEG file formats

If your parent or guardian doesn’t receive any Centrelink benefits

If you are experiencing financial disadvantage but your parent or guardian doesn't receive any Centrelink benefits you will need to provide:

• a description of circumstances briefly detailing the nature of your financial disadvantage
• an impact statement detailing the impact financial disadvantage has on your daily life, and
• a statement of support from a relevant and responsible person who has knowledge of your situation and can comment on the impact of these circumstances on your daily life.

The equity schemes and scholarships application will lead you through these requirements. Further information about submitting a description of circumstances, impact statement and statement of support is available at Providing evidence for equity schemes and scholarships.

You can use the below guide to determine what evidence we require to assess your application. More detailed information is provided in the sections above. If your circumstances prevent you from providing this evidence, please contact us for further advice.

Note: the complete equity schemes and scholarships document evidence table is available on the providing evidence page.

As part of the application you will be asked to provide a:

• description of circumstances
• impact statement, and
• statement of support.

Details for providing evidence that are specific to Living with a disability or medical condition are listed below. For additional guidance see providing evidence for equity schemes and scholarships.

Condition and duration

You are given 150 characters to name the disability or medical condition. You can list multiple conditions or disabilities if needed.

You are asked to enter the duration of the disability or medical condition. If you have listed multiple conditions or disabilities, enter the overall duration.

Impact statement

You will need to explain the impact the disability or medical condition has had on your education. Details might include how the circumstances have adversely affected your ability to study, access educational facilities and resources, attend school or tuition regularly, and perform in assessment tasks.

If you have listed multiple medical conditions or disabilities, describe the impact of all of these in your impact statement.

Character limits

Character limits include spaces and punctuation, so it is a good idea to draft your response to ensure you have communicated your key points.

Statement of support

After you have submitted your SEAS application, you will be prompted to obtain a statement of support from a health practitioner familiar with your situation or condition.

The statement of support should:

• briefly describe your condition, and
• provide a detailed overview of the impact on your education in relation to your own claims.

It is up to you to ensure the statement of support is submitted.

Health practitioners

You need an official diagnosis from a specialist. This includes, but is not limited to, physiotherapists, psychologists and counsellors. A diagnosis from a general practitioner is acceptable, where a specialist is unavailable. You can include a statement of support from a school nurse to verify the impact on your education.

Responsible person

The health practitioner should also fulfil the requirements of a 'responsible person'. A responsible person is:

• 21 years of age or older
• has known you for at least 12 months or for the entire duration of the circumstance(s), whichever is shorter
• is not related to you by birth, marriage, de facto relationship or other personal relationship, and
• does not live with you.

Summary of documentary evidence

You can use this guide to determine what evidence we require to assess your application. If your circumstances prevent you from providing this evidence, please contact us for further advice.

Note: the complete equity schemes and scholarships document evidence table is available on the providing evidence page.

If your difficult circumstances relate to being a refugee or seeking asylum, your visa type may provide enough information for your Difficult circumstances application to be processed. When applying, you will be asked whether your application relates to being a refugee or asylum seeker, and then advised with a message confirming that you are eligible for this process and asked to upload a copy of your visa information. Once you provide your visa information, you do not need to supply any other statements.

You are eligible if you are, or have previously been, the holder of one of the below Australian refugee visas:

• Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202)
• Refugee visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
• Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)
• Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)
• Resolution of Status visa (subclass 851)
• Protection visa (subclass 866)

Those holding a bridging visa listed below can apply for equity schemes and scholarships, if they are awaiting an application outcome or judicial decision for any of the above visa subclasses:

• Bridging visa A - BVA (subclass 010)
• Bridging visa E - BVE (subclass 050 and 051)

If you do not see this message when applying for Difficult circumstances, you will need to provide an impact statement and statement of support to apply for refugee and asylum seeker circumstances.

If you are applying for circumstances that involve being a refugee or asylum seeker you will be asked to also provide a copy of the relevant page of your passport or visa grant notice if it is available.

For more information about applying as a refugee or asylum seeker, click here.

Homelessness or formal out-of-home care

If you are applying under Difficult family and life circumstances for circumstances relating to homelessness or formal out-of-home care, you may be able to provide different documentation

You will be asked whether your difficult circumstances relate to homelessness or formal out-of-home care. If you answer yes, you have the option to provide a letter from a government or community organisation. If you provide this letter, you do not need to write an impact statement or supply a statement of support.

If you have experienced the circumstances above but are not working with a support worker at a government or community organisation, you can still apply for Difficult family and life circumstances but must write an impact statement and provide a supporting statement.

Death of an immediate family member or close friend

If the circumstances relate to the death of an immediate family member such as a parent, guardian or sibling, you can upload a death certificate. For other bereavements, you will need to provide a statement of support. This includes bereavements of extended family members, such as grandparents. You can also provide an impact statement.

Long-term illness of a family member or friend

Only illnesses considered as serious and long-term such as cancer or psychiatric illness will be considered under this category.You must write an impact statement and provide a s tatement of support.

You or your parents have divorced or separated

You must write an impact statement and provide a statement of support. Some circumstances considered include a difficult separation or divorce of parents that results in financial hardship, changed living conditions, or a requirement to change schools and social group.

If you are applying under Difficult family and life circumstances for circumstances relating to excessive family responsibility, you will need to write an impact statement and provide a statement of support. In your impact statement, you will need to provide details such as whether you do this on your own and if the person or people you care for live with a disability, a medical condition or an illness.

If you are applying to Difficult family and life circumstances in relation to the impact of natural disaster in 2024 or 2025 on your education, you do not need to write an impact statement. You must still supply a statement of support from a relevant responsible person who will describe the impact.

You must write an impact statement and provide a statement of support for all circumstances under this heading. In you impact statement include how the circumstances have affected your home and personal life, as well as the impact on your education.

Physical, psychological and/or emotional abuse

If you have experienced physical, psychological and/or emotional abuse over an extended period you can provide details here. This includes physical violence or verbal abuse experienced at school, the workplace or other environments. For domestic, family and sexual violence, include this under the following section.

Select this option if you have experienced, for example, a pattern of verbal, physical, social or cyber-bullying that has caused harm, distress or humiliation. This may include threats, exclusion, or spreading rumours.

If you are applying under Difficult family and life circumstances in relation to domestic, family and sexual violence, you may be able to provide different documentation.

You have the option to provide a letter from a government or community organisation. If you provide this letter, you do not need to write an impact statement or supply a statement of support.

If you have experienced the circumstances above but are not working with a support worker at a government or community organisation, you can still apply for Difficult family and life circumstances but must write an impact statement and provide a supporting statement.

If you are applying for Difficult family and life circumstances due to relocating to several different schools throughout secondary schooling you must write an impact statement and provide a statement of support. You will need to provide details of the schools you attended during your senior secondary years.

Institutions will also consider applicants that have endured difficult family and life circumstances not listed above. You can provide an impact statement about these circumstances here. You will also need to provide a statement of support. Some additional circumstances include severe family disruption including dealing with alcoholism or drug addiction; disruption of education due to living or school location; or disruption of education due to significant teacher absences. Please note this list is in no way prescriptive or exhaustive and is simply a guide as to the types of disadvantage that may be considered.

The following examples provide an overview of the types of circumstances which are not considered relevant to this area.

• Medical conditions experienced by you, the applicant (apply for this through Disability or medical condition)
• Absence of restaurants, art galleries and cultural activities
• School captaincy
• Lack of sophisticated equipment within the school
• Participation in theatre or sporting activities
• Anything already claimed under one of the other categories i.e. rural isolation; school location, financial disadvantage
• Short-term teacher absences
• Life choices

As part of the application, most people will be asked to provide a:

• description of circumstances
• impact statement, and
• statement of support.

If your difficult circumstances relate to:

• being a refugee or asylum seeker,
• sexual assault,
• homelessness,
• family violence,
• formal out-of-home care,
• natural disasters in 2023 and 2024

you may be able to provide different evidence instead of the above statements. See below for more information

Details for providing evidence that are specific to Difficult circumstances are listed below. For additional guidance see providing evidence for equity schemes and scholarships.

Description of circumstances

You are given 500 characters to briefly describe your difficult circumstances and provide a timeline for each circumstance.

Impact statement

You are given limited characters to explain the impact the circumstances have had on your education. Details might include how the circumstances have adversely affected your ability to study, access educational facilities and resources, attend school or tuition regularly, and perform in assessment tasks.

Character limits

Character limits include spaces and punctuation, so it is a good idea to draft your response to ensure you have communicated your key points.

Statement of support

After you have submitted your equity schemes and scholarshipss application, you will be prompted to obtain a statement of support from a 'responsible person' familiar with your circumstances.

The statement of support should:

• briefly describe your circumstances, and
• provide a detailed overview of the impact on your education in relation to your own claims.

It is up to you to ensure the statement of support is submitted.

Responsible person

A responsible person is:

• 21 years of age or older
• has known you for at least 12 months or for the entire duration of the circumstance(s), whichever is shorter
• is not related to you by birth, marriage, de facto relationship or other personal relationship, and
• does not live with you.

Summary of documentary evidence

You can use this guide to determine what evidence we require to assess your application. If your circumstances prevent you from providing this evidence, please contact us for further advice.

Note: the complete equity schemes and scholarships document evidence table is available on the providing evidence page.