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3 schemes to help you get to university

10 May 2022

Three students in a classroom looking at a mobile phone

UAC works with universities to widen participation in higher education. In particular, we run three schemes to help thousands of people access their potential through higher education.

1. Educational Access Scheme: for applicants whose studies have been negatively affected as a result of circumstances beyond their control or choosing.

2. Equity Scholarships: awarded to applicants who are most in need of financial support while studying.

3. Schools Recommendation Scheme: an opportunity for Year 12 applicants to be assessed on criteria other than, or in addition to, the ATAR.

UAC webinar: Let's Chat – Applying for the Educational Access Scheme | 19 May 2022 | 6pm
We'll give you an overview of EAS and discuss categories of disadvantage, how to apply, and key dates
Register for the Educational Access Scheme webinar

Facebook Live event: 2023 UAC scholarships and schemes information session | 24 May 2022 | 5pm
UAC Access Manager, Adam Hennessy, will explain all three schemes and pass on some useful tips. Our team will be online and ready to answer your questions via the comments or DMs from 5pm to 6.30pm.

Educational Access Scheme

If your studies have been negatively affected as a result of circumstances beyond their control or choosing, the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) can help you receive an offer to university.

In essence, EAS could boost your selection rank to a course if circumstances beyond your control have negatively impacted your Year 11 or 12 or equivalent studies.

Once you've finished your UAC undergraduate application, you'll see a link to apply for EAS. You can also apply any time you log back in to your application. Just use the tab at the top of the application.

There are 28 specific disadvantages that institutions will consider under EAS. You should claim all that apply to you.

Here are some general guidelines that are important for EAS:

  • The disadvantage must be the result of circumstances beyond your control or choosing.
  • Generally, the disadvantage must have lasted 6 months.
  • The disadvantage must have occurred in Year 11 and/or 12 or equivalent (up to October 2022).
  • You'll need to upload documents to support your application.
  • Being eligible for EAS doesn’t guarantee you an offer to a course; you still need to meet any published lowest selection rank and compete with all other applicants for a place. If you successfully compete against other applicants, you will receive an offer as part of the standard undergraduate offer rounds.

If you're a current Year 12 student, please have your EAS application completed by 22 November 2022 to ensure it is considered in December Round 2 (22 December). UAC will email you on 15 December to tell you which institutions will take your EAS application into account when they make their offers. (We call this an 'eligibility letter'.)

EAS key dates

Date EAS event
22 November 2022

December Round 2 EAS application deadline

15 December 2022

EAS eligibility letters released progressively to all applicants with finalised assessment for December Round 2.

Equity Scholarships

Equity Scholarships are awarded to those students most in need of financial support, particularly those who receive Centrelink income support payments. They'll help you with the costs associated with going to university.

When awarding scholarships, institutions will consider their scholarship-specific requirements, as well as the educational disadvantages and applicant attributes covered by the scheme.

To apply for an Equity Scholarship, you must be enrolled at a UAC participating institution, or applying for admission to a UAC participating institution:

  • through UAC for undergraduate or postgraduate study (only a very limited number of equity scholarships are open to international applicants), or
  • directly to an institution, or
  • through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) or the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).


Equity Scholarship key dates

Date Equity Scholarship event
9 December 2022

December Round 2 EAS application deadline

23 December 2022December Round 2 Equity Scholarship outcomes released


Schools Recommendation Scheme

The Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS) is one way institutions make early offers to current Year 12 students. They do this by using criteria other than (or in addition to) the ATAR. In the majority of cases, this criteria includes your Year 11 results and your school's rating of your aptitudes and abilities.

In 2021, unis made 15,100 conditional or unconditional offers to Year 12 students before ATARs were released.

Once you've submitted your UAC undergraduate application, follow the link to the SRS application. It doesn't take long to complete and, once you’ve submitted it, UAC will email your school principal to notify them of your application. There is no need for you to tell your school.

SRS is not available for all courses. The institution-specific SRS criteria detail any exceptions.

SRS key dates

Date SRS event
19 September 2022

SRS applications close

11 November 2022First SRS conditional and unconditional offers released
22 December 2022Conditional SRS offers converted to unconditional offers if ATAR criteria met