Providing evidence for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships
When to submit supporting documentation for SEAS and scholarships
| Equity schemes (SEAS) applications | Open | Close |
|---|---|---|
| Equity schemes (SEAS) applications and supporting documentation deadline for the mid-year intake | 8 April (12 noon) | 5 June (5pm) |
| Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships applications and supporting documentation deadline for the 2027 intake | 3 August | 9 October |
Find all VTAC dates on the Dates and fees page.
Do I need to provide evidence?
Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships
You are required to provide evidence to support your Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application (with the exception of the Personal information and location category). If you don’t, your application will not be considered.
Some categories require you submit a description of circumstances, an impact statement, a statement of support or financial evidence. Only provide what is specified as quality, not quantity, is the key to providing good and useful evidence.
Organising and submitting your evidence for a Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application can take several weeks. We suggest you familiarise yourself with what is required early, and to make any appointments required for a statement of support as soon as possible.
You can find a summary of the evidence required for each category on the Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships categories page.
Additional statements for scholarships
When completing your Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application, you will be asked to provide additional statements to be considered for scholarships. Additional supporting evidence is not needed for community service or leadership.
Explainer: providing evidence for your equity schemes and scholarship application
Evidence for equity schemes and scholarships is submitted via your VTAC account. Evidence can be provided by uploading documents to your VTAC Account or sending an online statement of support request. (transcript)
Transcript of the video: providing evidence for your equity schemes and scholarship application
Providing evidence
Providing evidence for the equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application
Evidence for equity schemes and scholarships is submitted via your VTAC account.
Evidence can be provided by:
- Uploading documents to your VTAC Account
- Sending an online statement of support request
If you’re applying for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships through VTAC, you will only need to submit one application to cover both. Once submitted, you’ll then be prompted to provide evidence if required.
How to upload documents via your VTAC account
Go to ‘providing evidence’ in your VTAC account.
Select the applications you are attaching the documents for.
Select, ‘upload document’ to attach the file.
Once its attached, click submit.
How to send an online Statement of Support request
Click ‘request online statement of support’ and select the relevant equity schemes application.
Choose the categories that this Statement of Support request relates to.
Enter the email address of your nominated person/health practitioner and click submit.
That person will then receive an email with log in details and a one time link, which they use directly to enter and submit their statement of support.
Under the ‘providing evidence’ tab in your VTAC account, you can see the documents you have uploaded, and any online statements of support.
If you’re required to resubmit any documentation before the SEAS closing date, you will see an email explaining why and the action required in your account.
To make sure your documents are accepted, read through all instructions and provide clear uploads.
For more information, visit www.vtac.edu.au or call our team on (03) 9926 1020.
Impact statement
You will need to provide an impact statement if you apply for the Disability or medical condition category or for some circumstances in the Difficult circumstances category. You will also need to provide a written response if you don't receive Centrelink or Family Tax benefits and are applying for the Disadvantaged financial background category.
These appear as text fields in your Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application. Make sure you:
- Write in your own words. Don't get someone else to write for you. Institutions simply want to know your story from your point of view (and aren't testing your grammar).
- Keep to the key points and within the character limit.
- Allow time to draft. This is so you are confident you have explained the circumstance and their impact on your education.
Summarise what happened and when. Briefly outline the circumstance and timeline including how long you have experienced the disadvantage. Explain the impact the circumstances have had on your education or or daily life.
The impact of the circumstances focuses on how it affected your education or daily life:
I had glandular fever and was away from school from 12 May to 16 June 2025. When I was away from school, sick, I missed out on <insert information> and when I returned to school I was <insert information>. This meant I couldn’t <insert information>.
Documentary evidence
Summary of documentary evidence
You can use this guide to determine what evidence we require to assess your application. Further details are provided under each of the document types below. If your circumstances prevent you from providing this evidence, please contact us for further advice.
| Which category? | What circumstances? | How to provide evidence | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Personal information & location
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All circumstances
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No documentation required
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Information supplied within your course application is considered for this category. |
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Disadvantaged financial background
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You receive a Centrelink benefit in your name^
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Provide your CRN when you apply for SEAS
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^That is, you, the applicant - not your parents or guardian - currently receive benefits from Centrelink, such as Youth Allowance or Veterans' benefits
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Your parent or guardian receives Centrelink
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Upload Centrelink statement showing recent payments*
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*No older than May of the current year for semester one applications, and January for semester two applications | |
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Upload Family Tax Benefit statement from the most recent financial year
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Neither you nor a parent/guardian receives any Centrelink benefits
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Provide a Statement of Support from a responsible person
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Disability or medical condition
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Any disability or medical condition
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Provide a Statement of Support from a Medical Practitioner
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This must confirm:
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Difficult circumstances
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Most circumstances except those below...
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Provide a Statement of Support from a responsible person
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High-impact circumstances^
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Provide a Statement of Support
OR Upload a letter from a government or community organization* |
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| ^Homelessness, out-of-home-care, or domestic, family or sexual violence. | *Note: a letter is an option if the applicant has engaged with an organisation regarding these circumstances. Statement of Support is otherwise suitable. | |||
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Death of an immediate family member such as a parent, guardian or sibling
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Upload a death certificate
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Other bereavements
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Provide a Statement of Support*
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*This includes extended family members, such as grandparents | |
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You are a refugee or asylum seeker with a current eligible visa^
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Provide your visa grant notice confirming subclass and grant date
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You were a refugee or asylum seeker and previously held a eligible visa^
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Provide a Statement of Support. You may also upload a copy of your previously held visa
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| ^Eligible Visa Subclasses: 202, 200, 201, 203, 204, 449, 785, 786, 790, 851, 866 | ||||
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You hold a bridging visa with a pending protection/safe haven visa application^
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Provide your bridging visa grant notice, with evidence of your visa application*
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| ^Bridging Visa 010, 050, 051 if applying for a protection/safe haven visa | *Documentation must evidence bridging visa subclass and grant date, and subclass of pending visa. Judicial review documentation may be provided to evidence the contesting of decision to refuse to grant a visa. | |||
Letter from a government or community organisation
Difficult circumstances relating to sexual assault, homelessness, family violence, or formal out-of-home care
If you are applying for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships in relation to any of the following circumstances, you may be able to provide different documentation:
- sexual assault
- homelessness
- family violence
- formal out-of-home care
You will be asked when applying whether your difficult circumstances relate to any of the above. 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 a scholarship but must write an impact statement and provide a supporting statement.
Statement of support
A statement of support is required for some questions in the Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application and must be provided by a 'responsible person'. See the statement of support page for instructions.
Financial hardship evidence
If you apply for equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships based on financial disadvantage, you will be asked to provide financial evidence. Follow the instructions for the following circumstance that is relevant to you.
If you receive Centrelink benefits in your name
If you have a CRN or CAN in your name, and therefore receive benefits into your own bank account, VTAC can obtain your financial details directly from Centrelink.
To arrange this, provide your consent for VTAC to verify your benefits with Centrelink through the Equity schemes (SEAS) and scholarships application. Then accurately provide VTAC with your CRN or CAN. Check your details before submitting the request. If they are incorrect, Centrelink will not release your information and your application will be ineligible for consideration.
Electronic information retrievable from Centrelink includes:
- benefits you receive
- dependents
- Centrelink deductions, and
- confirmation of your address.
VTAC can only electronically confirm Centrelink benefits for applicants if the Customer Access Number (CAN) or Customer Reference Number (CRN) is in the same name as the course application. If this number is allocated to your parent, guardian or partner and not the name on the application, Centrelink will not release the information to VTAC.
If you don't want VTAC to access your Centrelink files you must upload a copy of your Centrelink benefits statement.
If your parent or guardian receives Centrelink benefits 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.
If you don't receive any Centrelink benefits
If you are experiencing financial disadvantage 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.
Scholarships: additional statements
Scholarships benefit statement
How will your scholarship benefit your 2026 studies?
To be considered for scholarships, applicants must describe how a scholarship will benefit your 2026 studies in 1,000 characters.
This allows you to describe the opportunities and/or assistance a scholarship would support you with.
Community service or leadership experience
If you have performed community service or leadership experience, institutions may consider you for a scholarship. Select these options and describe your service or experience.