Equity Scholarships

Educational disadvantages and supporting documents

Equity Scholarship applications are closed.

Use the information on this page for general reference only. Details will be updated when applications open again on 5 Apr 2023.

When awarding scholarships, institutions will consider their scholarship-specific requirements, as well as the forms of educational disadvantage and applicant attributes listed below. Note that the specified applicant attributes, on their own, do not make you eligible for a scholarship; you must also show that you have experienced one or more of the specified educational disadvantages.

The documents you’ll need to provide are detailed under each type of disadvantage and attribute. If you have to provide supporting documents, a document package will be produced automatically when you apply. If you are not prompted to download a document package, you don’t need to supply supporting documents.

All documents must be uploaded as PDFs to your application. No hardcopy documents will be accepted.

Educational disadvantages

Definition

A person of any age who cares for another person who needs ongoing support because of a long-term medical condition, a mental illness, a disability, frailty or the need for palliative care. A carer:

  • may or may not be a family member and may or may not live with the person they care for
  • may be in receipt of a Centrelink Carer Allowance or Carer Payment.

Volunteers under the auspices of a voluntary organisation are not included.

Supporting documentation required

One (only) of the following:

  • your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) if you are receiving a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance. You will be required to enter your CRN in your application. In line with the UAC privacy policy and UAC’s agreement with Centrelink, your CRN will not be shared with institutions. Therefore, institutions may also request that you provide it.
  • an independent statement to support your eligibility for carer responsibilities, completed and signed by a responsible person who knows your circumstances. A responsible person may be a higher education educator, doctor, specialist medical professional, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious or community leader. They must be familiar with your circumstances and able to comment and provide information about your educational disadvantage and its effect on your ability to study. You will need to explain why you are not in receipt of a Carer Payment or Carer Allowance.

Definition

A person who satisfies all of the following criteria:

  • due to their non-English speaking background, experiences difficulties that affect their ability to study
  • came to Australia from a non-English speaking country within the last five years
  • didn’t previously undertake any formal education at an institution where the language of instruction was English
  • hasn’t undertaken two or more years of full-time study in Australia in a diploma, advanced diploma, bachelor degree or higher level award.

Supporting documentation required

  • Details of the studies you have undertaken
  • A statement of attendance from an Intensive English Centre (if applicable)
  • 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 study 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.

There are four categories of financial hardship. A person is considered to be experiencing financial hardship if they satisfy one (only) of the following definitions.

Definition 1

A person currently receiving a Centrelink (or other Commonwealth) means-tested income support payment (such as a Disability Support Pension, Parenting Payment (Single) or Carer Payment).

Supporting documentation required

Your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN). The CRN must be in your name. You will be required to enter your CRN in your online application. In line with the UAC privacy policy and UAC’s agreement with Centrelink, your CRN will not be shared with institutions. Therefore, institutions may also request that you provide it.

Definition 2

A person expecting to receive a Centrelink (or other Commonwealth) means-tested income support payment in the current admissions period.

Supporting documentation required

In your application you will be asked to indicate when you expect to receive a Centrelink (or other Commonwealth) means-tested income support payment.

No documentation is required to support eligibility for the expectation of receipt of a means-tested payment when you apply.

However, after enrolment and prior to payment of a scholarship, you must provide your institution with evidence that you have received a support payment. Alternatively, email your CRN to equity@uac.edu.au once your first payment has been credited to your bank account and we will update your assessment.

Definition 3

A person able to provide comprehensive information demonstrating exceptional financial hardship that is beyond their control or choosing.

If you are eligible to claim a Centrelink means-tested allowance but choose not to, you are not eligible to claim exceptional financial hardship.

If your family income is above the Centrelink eligibility threshold, you are generally not eligible to claim exceptional financial hardship.

Supporting documentation required

Evidence of eligibility for exceptional financial hardship demonstrating a level of real and enduring financial hardship. Supporting documentation requirements are provided in the document package.

Definition 4

A dependent student between the ages of 16 and 19 years old (up to the end of the calendar year they turn 19) who is currently undertaking a Year 12 qualification and whose parent/guardian is in receipt of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A.

You are not eligible to claim this disadvantage if you are a parent receiving FTB Part A.

Supporting documentation required

One (only) of the following:

  • a recent Centrelink family assistance letter (no older than three months prior to the date you applied for a scholarship) issued to your parent/s or guardian/s demonstrating receipt of FTB Part A

or

  • a copy of a Centrelink income statement issued to your parent/s or guardian/s (no older than three months prior to the date you applied for a scholarship) demonstrating receipt of FTB Part A.

Note: Your parent/s or guardian/s can view and download their Centrelink income statement/s by logging into their Centrelink online account, or myGov, if they have set up an account. Alternatively, your parent/s or guardian/s must call or visit a Centrelink office to obtain a Centrelink family assistance letter. Allow at least a week for Centrelink to process your request.

If you have any queries about this documentation, email equity@uac.edu.au.

Definition

A person whose ability to study at university is being affected, or is likely to be affected, by the long-term and ongoing effects of one of the following:

  • a severe and long-term (or a severe and recurrent) medical/psychiatric condition or illness
  • a learning, sensory, physical, psychological or other disability/disorder
  • trauma or abuse.

Supporting documentation required

All of the following:

  • a personal statement (see your document package)
  • a medical impact statement completed by a registered health professional who is treating you for your condition
  • an educational impact statement completed by a responsible person who can comment on the impact of your studies.

Medical impact statement
A statement about how the medical condition/disability you have claimed will have an effect on your studies. A blank medical impact statement is provided in your Equity Scholarship document package.

Educational impact statement
A statement about the impact your medical condition/disability has, or will have, on your studies. A blank statement is provided in your Equity Scholarship document package.

Responsible person
A responsible person may be a higher education educator, doctor, specialist medical professional, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious or community leader. They must be familiar with your circumstances and able to comment and provide information about your educational disadvantage and its effect on your ability to study.

If you’re a current Year 12 applicant, a responsible person is your school/college principal, counsellor, year adviser or careers adviser. If you’re unable to have your school complete the statement, you must attach an explanation as to why your school can’t complete it and the relationship between you and the responsible person.

Definition

A person who, within the two years immediately prior to the start of their current or proposed period of higher education study, lived in a regional or remote area of Australia for at least 12 months.

Supporting documentation required

Documents substantiating your residential (not postal) address in a regional or remote area of Australia for a period of at least 12 months in the two years immediately prior to the start of your current or proposed higher education course of study.

Documents must be in your name and may include: bank statements; a letter of attendance from your school or higher education provider showing your home address at the time you attended; Centrelink letters; electoral commission enrolment form; utilities bill; phone bill.

Your permanent residence postcode/s will be used to assess whether you lived in a regional or remote area of Australia.

The Australian Standard Geographic Classification Remoteness Areas (ASGC-RA) system map can be accessed at doctorconnect.gov.au. (Navigate to the 'Health Workforce Locator' and enter your address.) You can use this tool as a guide for your postcode. All categories other than ‘RA1 – Major Cities of Australia’ are considered to be regional or remote.

Note: If you can only provide documents in your parent/guardian's name, upload a copy of your birth certificate or other document(s) that verify your relationship.

Contact equity@uac.edu.au if you need more information about the documents you must provide.

Definition

A person of any age who is single and has at least one dependent child under 18 who is wholly or primarily in their care and who is living in Australia.

Supporting documentation required

One (only) of the following:

  • your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) if you are receiving a Parenting Payment (Single). You will be required to enter your CRN in your application. In line with the UAC privacy policy and UAC’s agreement with Centrelink, your CRN will not be shared with institutions. Therefore, institutions may also request that you provide it.
  • an independent statement to support your eligibility for sole parent responsibilities, completed and signed by a responsible person who knows your circumstances. You will need to explain why you are not in receipt of a Parenting Payment (Single).
Responsible person
A responsible person may be a higher education educator, doctor, specialist medical professional, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious or community leader. They must be familiar with your circumstances and able to comment and provide information about your educational disadvantage and its effect on your ability to study.

If you’re a current Year 12 applicant, a responsible person is your school/college principal, counsellor, year adviser or careers adviser. If you’re unable to have your school complete the statement, you must attach an explanation as to why your school can’t complete it and the relationship between you and the responsible person.

Applicant attributes

Definition

A person who satisfies all of the following criteria:

  • is an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
  • identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person
  • is accepted as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person in the community in which they live or have lived.

Institutions may use this criteria in conjunction with other demonstrated disadvantages.

Action required

Answer relevant questions in the application.

Definition

A person who is placed, or has previously been placed, with an out-of-home care (OOHC) provider due to government agency intervention. This includes:

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

Spending time in a refugee camp inside or outside of Australia does not meet the eligibility criteria for this disadvantage.

Supporting documentation required

At least one of the following:

  • a letter from a government or non-government organisation caseworker that:
    • is written on appropriate letterhead
    • includes the name and date of birth of the applicant (young person)
    • includes the date of removal
    • is signed by and indicates the position of the caseworker.
  • a current copy of placement papers from a Children’s Court.

Definition

A person who is, or has previously been, the holder of one of the following Australian refugee visas:

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

Institutions may use this criterion in conjunction with other demonstrated disadvantages.

Supporting documentation required

One (only) of the following:

  • a copy of your Australian entry visa showing refugee status
  • a copy of your Red Cross or United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) registration if you arrived in Australia on a non-refugee visa
  • a copy of your document for travelling to Australia
  • a copy of your Global Special Humanitarian visa (subclass 202).

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.