Indigenous eligibility

“Your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is something that is personal to you. You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Indigenous Australian. 

However, you may be asked to provide proof or confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage when applying for Indigenous-specific services or programs.”

– Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 

All students who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, regardless of if you can provide documentation or not, are encouraged to contact the Ngarara Willim Centre and talk to us about how we can support you in your studies and connect with our community of students.   

Why do I need to confirm my Indigenous eligibility?

RMIT is firmly committed to increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in tertiary education. We have a number of targeted programs and opportunities designed to increase participation and support the success of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

To ensure that these programs and opportunities have their intended impact and are compliant with Indigenous specific funding guidelines and other funding guidelines, to receive services or programs identified for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people, a Confirmation of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage, or RMIT Statutory Declaration and supporting documentation, is required evidence as a condition of accessing Indigenous specific services and resources, such as: 

• Admission through the Indigenous Access Program
• Accessing Indigenous-specific scholarships
• Accessing Ngarara Willim facilities, tutoring, and other Indigenous specific services

Documentation confirming that you are an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person will be requested by the Ngarara Willim staff, if it is required.

How do I confirm my Indigenous eligibility?

If you are applying for an vocational education program, undergraduate program, postgraduate program, scholarship or services, you can confirm your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity by providing one of the following:

• A letter stamped with the common seal and/or signed by board members of an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Land Council or cooperative
• A letter stamped with the common seal and/or signed by a delegate of an incorporated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander organisation or cooperative
• A copy of your birth certificate and a copy of your parent/s confirmation of Aboriginality as described above

If you cannot provide one of the above, you can complete the RMIT Statutory Declaration (PDF, 148KB) witnessed by an authorised witness, and provide one of the following accepted supporting documents:  

• A letter, on organisation letterhead, from an authorised delegate within any incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community-based organisation in the community in which you live or grew up in
• A letter, on Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) letterhead, signed by an authorised delegate confirming your acceptance as a member of a LALC 
• A letter, on school or organisation letterhead, signed by an Aboriginal Education Worker/Koorie Education Support Office in a school where you have been known as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student

• A letter signed by an Aboriginal health worker in an Aboriginal health/medical service 

Assistance for students who may require further support

We understand that circumstances exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples whose families were removed and disconnected from family or home communities. The ongoing impacts of the Stolen Generations mean that links to community and documentation of family records proving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent may have been lost and/or connection to their home community has been affected.

We encourage those impacted to:

• Visit the online AIATSIS Family History Kit for family history research assistance and ideas on how to obtain proof of your descent
• Connect with a Link-Up Organisation in your state or territory
• Contact the Koorie Heritage Trust's Koorie Family History Service

More information

For more information about Indigenous eligibility or if you require support, please contact Ngarara Willim.