EAS categories of disadvantage and required documents

Eligibility criteria

You attended three or more different secondary schools in Australia during Years 10, 11 and 12 or equivalent.

Note: Eligibility does not include moving from junior high school to senior high school, attendance at intensive language centres, or schools attended as part of an exchange program.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the secondary schools you attended during Years 10, 11 and 12 or equivalent and the period you attended each school.
• Reason/s why you changed schools.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

A record of attendance from each secondary school you attended during Years 10, 11 and 12 or equivalent. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.

Eligibility criteria

You have English as your first language and started school in Australia during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the date you arrived in Australia.
• Details of the school/s you attended and the period/s attended.
• The country in which you undertook your secondary education before coming to Australia.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

• A copy of your passport indicating date of entry to Australia or an international movement record from the Department of Home Affairs.
• A record of attendance from each secondary school you attended during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.

Eligibility criteria

You moved interstate during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the secondary schools you attended since the beginning of Year 10 (school, state/territory and period attended).
• Reason/s why you moved interstate.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

A record of attendance from each school you attended during Years 10, 11 and Year 12 or equivalent. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.

Eligibility criteria

You’re studying any of your Year 12 courses through a secondary distance education centre, an access program or School of Now as a result of circumstances beyond your control or choosing; for example, the Year 12 course you have chosen is not provided by the secondary school you are attending and you have to study it online via a distance education provider.

You are not eligible if you undertook distance education of your own volition for whatever reason, including elite sports or any other vocational reason, or overseas travel.

Note: You are eligible for S01D if you are undertaking HSC (or equivalent) courses via TAFE Digital. You are not eligible for S01D if you are attending face-to-face classes (ie not distance education) at a Community College, Saturday school, TAFE or other equivalent provider, even if the course is not offered by your school.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of your HSC program and how you’re studying (eg at school, by distance education, or through an access program or School of Now).

• The reason/s for your enrolment in HSC courses by distance education or through an access program or School of Now.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes. The educational impact statement must confirm you are studying courses through a secondary distance education centre, an access program or School of Now as a result of circumstances beyond your control or choosing. If you don’t provide an educational impact statement confirming this, you will be assessed as ineligible for this disadvantage code.

Supporting documentation required

Your Confirmation of Entry from NESA for the HSC

or

A letter from the distance education centre, access program or School of Now confirming your enrolment and the courses you are undertaking.

Eligibility criteria

• Youth Allowance, Austudy or ABSTUDY during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent (F01A)

• another Centrelink income and asset-tested entitlement such as the Disability Support Pension (F01B)

Applicant statement requirements

No statement required.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

Eligibility criteria

You experienced exceptional financial hardship during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Note: F01C is for a small number of applicants who experience exceptional financial hardship but who are not in receipt of Centrelink benefits. This generally doesn’t include applicants whose family income is above the threshold for eligibility for a Centrelink (or other income and asset-tested) entitlement.

Applicant statement requirements

• Why you’re not currently eligible for a Centrelink income- and asset-tested entitlement.
• A description of the exceptional financial hardship you’ve experienced.
• The period of the exceptional financial hardship.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

Documents to show your complete financial picture. These may include:

• an ATO Notice of Financial Assessment for the last financial year and copies of pay slips for the last two months
• a copy of a Health Care Card
• a copy of a statement with details of any Centrelink income- and asset-tested entitlement you’re receiving (this may include Family Tax Benefit A)
• any other documents to demonstrate your exceptional financial hardship.

If you’re living with your parent/s (or with a partner) and you’re being financially supported, you must also provide evidence of your parent/s or partner’s income (eg an ATO Notice of Financial Assessment for the last financial year).

If you’re being financially supported by your parent/s (whether you’re living with them or not), they must also prepare a statement which states that they’re supporting you. In the statement they must also provide details of any other dependent children, including their ages and whether or not they are tertiary students living at or away from home.

Eligibility criteria

Your parent/s or guardian/s received Family Tax Benefit Part A during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

No statement required.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

• A Centrelink income statement issued to your parent/s or guardian/s demonstrating their receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A
  or
• A Centrelink Family Assistance letter that has been issued to your parent/s or guardian/s demonstrating their receipt of Family Tax Benefit Part A.

Eligibility criteria

Your parent/s or guardian/s received one – or a combination – of the following for a total of at least three months during your Year 11 and/or Year 12 (or equivalent) studies:

• JobKeeper
• JobSaver
• COVID-19 Disaster Payment
• Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment.

For the Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment to be considered, your parent or guardian must have received the payment because they self-isolated or quarantined to care for someone who:

• had COVID-19
• had been in close contact with a person who had COVID-19.

Yes, if applying on the basis of receiving Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment.

Supporting documentation required

For JobKeeper and JobSaver

At least one of the following:

• an ATO print out

• a letter or statement from an accountant/solicitor/bank or employer confirming payment recipient's full name, payment type/name and detailing the amount of time the payment has been received.

For COVID-19 Disaster Payment

At least one of the following:

• a Centrelink statement
• a letter or statement from an accountant/solicitor/bank or employer confirming payment recipient's full name, payment type/name and detailing the amount of time the payment has been received.

For Pandemic Leave Disaster Payment

At least one of the following:

• a Centrelink statement
• a letter or statement from an accountant/solicitor/bank or employer confirming payment recipient's full name, payment type/name and detailing the amount of time the payment has been received

plus

• an educational impact statement or independent statement verifying that your parent or guardian received the payment because they self-isolated or quarantined to care for someone who:
  • had COVID-19
  • had been in close contact with a person who had COVID-19.

Additional document requirements

• Any letters from accountants/banks/solicitors or employers must be on letterhead and dated within the period of the applicant's Year 11 and/or Year 12 (or equivalent) studies.
• Documents must include the payment recipient's full name, the payment type/name and the payment amounts (cannot include payments of $0) for a total period of at least three months. (Payments don't have to be consecutive.)
• If the payment recipient's surname or address is different to the applicant's surname or address in the EAS application, the applicant must provide a birth certificate, or other form of official documentation, to verify the familial relationship.

Eligibility criteria

Your parent/s or guardian/s received JobSeeker payments for a period of at least three months during your Year 11 and/or Year 12 (or equivalent) studies.

If you received a JobSeeker payment in your own name for at least three months while undertaking tertiary studies or equivalent, apply for EAS disadvantage F01B: Receiving other Centrelink means-tested benefits.

Supporting documentation required

A Centrelink income statement issued to your parent/s or guardian/s demonstrating their receipt of the JobSeeker allowance (as is the case with F01D (Family Tax Benefit).

The Centrelink income statement must be dated within the period you were in Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

If your surname or residential address is different from the recipient’s, you must provide a birth certificate, or other form of official documentation, to verify the familial relationship.

Eligibility criteria

Your home environment was severely disrupted for a period of at least six months due to the death of an immediate family member or close friend during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

Note: If the deceased suffered a long-term illness/disability, you may also claim under disadvantage H01B if eligible.

Applicant statement requirements

• The date of death.
• The nature of your relationship with the deceased.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.
• The effect on your educational performance.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes

Supporting documentation required

A copy of the death certificate or funeral notice.

Eligibility criteria

Your home environment was severely disrupted for a period of at least six months due to the severe or life-threatening illness/disability of an immediate family member or close friend during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

• The nature of your relationship to the person with the illness/disability.
• The duration of the illness/disability and the school years involved.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

A medical certificate/report giving full details of the length of illness and its severity. Include information about treatment, medication, hospitalisation.

Eligibility criteria

Your home environment was severely disrupted for a period of at least six months due to the relationship breakdown and separation of your parents during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent

or

You (the applicant) experienced separation due to relationship breakdown.

Note: Applicants who provide evidence of the legal finalisation of a divorce during Years 11 and/or 12 or equivalent will not be given consideration where there is no evidence of disruption to the home environment.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the period of family upheaval, including its duration and the school years involved.
• The date of separation.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes. It must verify the date of separation and how the separation has affected your studies.

Supporting documentation required

Any appropriate supporting documents, such as those relating to associated legal proceedings (eg applications for divorce, finalisation of divorce documents and other documentation showing the date of separation of the parties).

Eligibility criteria

Your home environment was severely disrupted for a period of at least six months due to criminal/legal matters during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

Criminal/legal matters may include coronial inquiries, medical tribunals or police investigations.

Note: You cannot claim disadvantage for offences for which you’ve been convicted, or for investigations or legal proceedings against you which have not yet been resolved. You cannot claim for minor issues such as traffic/parking infringements.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the type of criminal/legal matters, the duration of the matters and who the matters involved
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

A copy of documents relating to the criminal/legal matters (eg police fact sheets, bail undertakings, coronial inquiries, medical tribunals, police investigations).

Eligibility criteria

You, or your parents, or any of your siblings have experienced severe abuse for a period of at least six months during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

This could include extreme physical or verbal torment experienced at school or in the home environment.

Note: You cannot claim for isolated or trivial instances that may have caused you offence.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the abusive situation, including duration of the abuse and the school years involved.
• Details of any absences from school because of the abusive situation.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

Medical certificates/reports giving details of the abuse, its duration and severity, including:

• medical certificates/reports about any treatment, medication and/or hospitalisation
• a letter from your school providing details of any absences from school and/or disruption to your learning. The document must be on the school letterhead and must be signed by the principal or another senior person at the school
• a copy of any legal proceedings (eg Apprehended Violence Order, Police Record of Interview), if appropriate.

Eligibility criteria

• authorised and supported kinship care arrangements
• short-term, long-term or foster care provided by a government and/or nongovernment organisation
• cases where adoption has taken place after an initial period of OOHC.

Applicant statement requirements

No statement required.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

At least one of the following:

• A letter from your government or non-government organisation caseworker. The letter must:
  - be written on appropriate letterhead
  - include the name and date of birth of the applicant (young person)
  - include the date of removal
  - be signed and indicate the position of the author.
• A current copy of placement papers from a Children’s Court.

Eligibility criteria

COVID-19 school shutdowns, home education and absences due to illness are not covered by this disadvantage.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of the natural disaster, the duration of its impact and the school years involved.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• you, the applicant, or
• your parent/s (or guardian/s). In this case, the address to which the payment has been made must match the address in your application.

If none of the above payments have been received, you must prove the educational impact of the natural disaster to the same level as applicants who received payments. This evidence can be in the form of:

• insurance documents
• socio-economic status reports
• bank documents
• government documents.

Eligibility criteria

You’ve had excessive responsibility for care of children and/or other family members for a period of at least six months during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent. The care you have been providing has been necessary (eg due to a medical condition, serious injury/illness or circumstance in which the individual requires regular support and assistance) and you have not been paid a wage or salary for the purpose of caring.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of who you care for and why you’re required to provide care.
• The number of hours these responsibilities take each week.
• The period you’ve had these responsibilities and the school years involved.
• Details of support you’ve received from friends, family, neighbours or an agency.
• Details of the number and ages of residents in the household.
• Details of the illness or infirmity of any household members.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• Medical certificates/reports confirming the medical condition/disability of any family members, where relevant.
• Documentation confirming the number and ages of siblings resident in the household (eg birth certificates).
• The employment status of your parents.
• If you are in receipt of Centrelink carer allowance include a recent Centrelink income statement (issued in Year 11 and/or 12) to support your application. You may still be eligible if you don’t receive a Centrelink carer allowance.
• Additional statements from a responsible person/people (eg doctor, lawyer, social worker, religious or community leader). The responsible person must be aware of your need to undertake excessive caring responsibilities and be able to explain how this has impacted on your educational performance.

Eligibility criteria

You’ve had excessive work requirements for a period of at least six months during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent for at least one of the following reasons:

• supporting yourself, while living independently
• supporting your family
• responsibility to work in the family business.

Applicant statement requirements

• The reason/s you have to work.
• The number of hours you work each week.
• The type of work you do.
• The period you’ve had these responsibilities and the school years involved.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• A statement of service from your employer/s on the company letterhead.
• If you work in a family business you’ll need to provide independent verification of your work requirements (eg business accountant).
• Additional statements from a responsible person/people (eg doctor, lawyer, social worker, religious or community leader). The responsible person/people must be aware of your need to work and be able to explain how this has impacted on your educational performance.

The statement/s of service must include:

• your job title
• period of employment including start date (and end date if no longer employed)
• average number of hours worked per week.

Eligibility criteria

You’ve had excessive responsibility for the care of yourself, while living independently, with no family or partner support, for a period of at least six months during Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of why you’re required to care for yourself.
• The period you’ve had this responsibility and the school years involved.
• Details of any support you receive from friends, family, neighbours or an agency.
• Details of your accommodation.
• Details of your income and any other means of support.
• If relevant, details of your employment status.
• The effect on your home environment and you personally.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• Documentation substantiating:
  • your independent residential status (eg lease documents, crisis accommodation)
  • your employment status if relevant
  • all sources of income and other means of support.
• Any Centrelink documents confirming ‘Unreasonable to live at home’ status.
• Additional statements from a responsible person/people (eg registered health professional, lawyer, accountant). The responsible person/people must be aware of your need to care for yourself and be able to explain how this has impacted on your educational performance.

Eligibility criteria

All of the following:

• you are a current Australian Year 12 applicant
• you experience difficulty with the English language
• you came directly to Australia from a non-English speaking country
• you began your education in an Australian school in Year 11 and/or Year 12 or equivalent.

Applicant statement requirements

• The country and the language in which you undertook your secondary education before coming to Australia.
• Details of English as a Second Language (ESL) support that you receive (eg at school or outside of school, hours per week, the period you’ve been receiving this support).

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• Copies of your school reports for your secondary education studies undertaken before coming to Australia. These documents must be translated into English. For more information about document translation, read the general requirements for all supporting documents.
• At least one of the following documents confirming your date of first arrival in Australia:
  • international movement records from the Department of Home Affairs
  • a notification confirming your date of first arrival in Australia on the letterhead of the Department of Home Affairs
  • your school’s confirmation of your date of arrival or year of enrolment when you first commenced studying in Australia
  • your first immigration visa, showing the entry date stamp

(Note: Providing an Immi Card or visa grant letter with no other documents is not enough for assessment. UAC must be able to identify your date of entry into Australia.)

• An Intensive English Centre (IEC) record of attendance (if you attended an IEC).

• A record of attendance from each school you’ve attended. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.

Eligibility criteria

All of the following:

• You are a current Australian Year 12 applicant.
• You experience difficulty with the English language.
• You came directly to Australia from a non-English speaking country.
• You began your education in an Australian school during Years 7 to 10.

Applicant statement requirements

The country and the language in which you undertook your education before coming to Australia.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• At least one of the following documents confirming your date of first arrival in Australia:

  • international movement records from the Department of Home Affairs
  • a notification confirming your date of first arrival in Australia on the letterhead of the Department of Home Affairs
  • your school’s confirmation of your date of arrival or year of enrolment when you first commenced studying in Australia
  • your first immigration visa, showing the entry date stamp

  (Note: Providing an Immi Card or visa grant letter with no other documents is not enough for assessment. UAC must be able to identify your date of entry into Australia.)

• Record of attendance from an Intensive English Centre (IEC), if you attended an IEC.
• Record of attendance from each school you've attended. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.

Eligibility criteria

All of the following:

• You are not a current Year 12 applicant.
• You experience difficulty with the English language.
• You came directly to Australia from a non-English speaking country in 2018 or after.
• Before your arrival you didn’t undertake any formal education at an institution where the language of instruction was English.

Applicant statement requirements

• The date you immigrated to Australia.
• Details of your studies before and after you arrived in Australia (include years studied, name of studies, name of institution, country, language of instruction, studies completed or not, equivalent full-time years enrolled).

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

• At least one of the following documents confirming your date of first arrival in Australia:

  • international movement records from the Department of Home Affairs
  • a notification confirming your date of first arrival in Australia on the letterhead of the Department of Home Affairs
  • your first immigration visa, showing the entry date stamp
  (Note: Providing an Immi Card or visa grant letter with no other documents is not enough for assessment. UAC must be able to identify your date of entry into Australia.)
• Copies of documentary evidence of studies undertaken in Australia.
• Copies of documentary evidence of studies undertaken before you arrived in Australia. These documents must be translated into English. For more information about document translation, read the general requirements for all supporting documents.

Eligibility criteria

For a period of at least six months during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent you experienced:

• a severe and long-term or a severe and recurrent medical/psychiatric condition or disability

or

• a learning, sensory, physical, psychological or other disability/disorder.

Applicants who have not sought and utilised recommended options (made by a registered health professional) for their condition, disability, illness or disorder, may not be assessed as eligible for P01A.

You’re not eligible if you’ve suffered a series of minor illnesses, have an ongoing minor medical condition stabilised by medication or if you become ill or suffer a condition that affects your examination performance only. You’re also not eligible if the only impact on you is ongoing rehabilitation or treatment of less than two hours per week.

Applicant statement requirements

• Details of your medical condition/disability in the period you’ve had your medical condition/disability and the school years involved.
• Details of treatment you have received for your medical condition/disability.

Educational impact statement required?

Yes.

Supporting documentation required

• Medical impact statement.
• Medical certificates/reports relating to the medical condition you have claimed.
• Letter from your school that provides details of any absences from school and/or disruption to your learning. The document must be on the school letterhead and must be signed by the principal or another senior person at the school.

Additional requirements for applicants with learning disabilities

Applicant statement requirements:

If you have not applied for disability provisions by NESA, you must explain why.

Supporting documentation required:

If you have been granted disability provisions by NESA, a copy of the Authority’s disability provisions decision advice along with copies of any documentation submitted to the Authority

or

If you have not been granted disability provisions by NESA, provide evidence of clinical assessments conducted by a qualified professional such as an educational psychologist or neuro-psychologist or learning disability specialist using recognised valid, reliable and standardised tests. These must have been undertaken within the last three years.

Eligibility criteria

You are, or have previously been, the holder of one of the following Australian refugee visas:

• Global Special Humanitarian (subclass 202)
• Refugee visas (subclass 200, 201, 203 and 204)
• Humanitarian Stay (subclass 449)
• Temporary Protection visa (subclass 785)
• Temporary Humanitarian Concern visa (subclass 786)
• Safe Haven Enterprise visa (subclass 790)
• Protection visa (subclass 866)

Applicant statement requirements

No statement required.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

At least one of the following documents confirming your refugee status:

• your document for travel to Australia, showing the relevant visa subclass (eg subclass 202)
• your Australian Refugee or Humanitarian visa, showing the relevant visa subclass (eg subclass 202)
• your United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registration
• your Red Cross registration

Note: Providing an Immi Card or visa grant letter with no other documents is not enough for assessment. UAC must be able to identify your date of entry into Australia.

Eligibility criteria

You attended an Australian rural school during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

A rural school is defined as being located in a town with:

• a population of less than 10,000 people and a distance of at least 100km from the nearest centre with a population of 10,000

or

• a population of less than 5,000 people and a distance between 50km and 99km from the nearest centre with a population of 10,000.

Applicant statement requirements

• The name of your school.
• The period you attended the school.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

A letter from your school, which must:

• be on the school letterhead and signed by the principal or another senior person at the school
• confirm the period you attended the school and the number of students in Year 12
• verify the population of the town in which your school is located and the distance to the nearest centre with a population of 10,000.

Eligibility criteria

You attended an Australian rural or regional school during Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent.

Note: Eligibility is based on the postcode of your school, not your residential address.

A school is classified as an Australian rural or regional school if the postcode for the physical location of the school is classified as other than Major City by the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) system as provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Visit doctorconnect.gov.au to check the postcode classification of your school.

Applicant statement requirements

• The name of your school.
• The period you attended the school.

Educational impact statement required?

No.

Supporting documentation required

A record of attendance from your school. The record of attendance must be issued on the school letterhead, be signed by the principal or another senior person at your school, and confirm the period you attended the school. It is not a record of absences.