How to apply for equity access

How to apply for equity access

If your circumstances have impacted on your academic performance, you may be eligible to apply for equity access.

You can apply for equity consideration using the VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) if applying for programs through VTAC, or RMIT Access if applying for programs by direct application to RMIT.

RMIT participates in the four categories within the VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) and RMIT Access that cover: personal information and location, difficult circumstances, disadvantaged financial background and disability or medical condition.

Check the eligibility criteria

In addition to meeting the general eligibility criteria, you must also be able to prove you meet the eligibility criteria for the category/categories under which you are applying.

Some categories require you to provide additional evidence to support your claims, which may include:

  • an impact statement describing how your circumstances have affected your education
  • a statement of support from a responsible person*
  • documentary proof such as copies of a Centrelink statement.

The following tables outline the eligibility requirements for each category. Note that the maximum equity adjustment you can receive when applying for SEAS or RMIT Access is 20 aggregate points, or up to 16 ATAR points.

Category 1: Personal information and location

You will be assessed for consideration on your age, school, living location, gender, Indigenous status and/or non-English speaking background based on the information you have provided in your application.

Circumstances Eligibility criteria
Age

Higher education applicants must be 21 or older on 1 January of the year in which they start their RMIT program.

Vocational education applicants must be 18 or older on 1 January of the year in which they start their RMIT program.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: 5 aggregate points, or up to 4 ATAR points.
Recognition as an Indigenous Australian

You must be of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent and accepted as such by your community.

Applicants will be contacted by the Ngarara Willim Centre and invited to participate in the Indigenous Access Program.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: 20 aggregate points, or up to 15 ATAR points.
Living location

You must have a permanent address in a regional, remote or under-represented area. Regional and remote areas have been determined using the Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) Remoteness Areas classification. Under-represented areas with a high proportion of people who experience socio-economic disadvantage have been determined using the Australian Bureau of Statistics Socio-Economic Index for Areas (SEIFA) - Index of Education and Occupation.

The postcode of your permanent address must be on the 2023 list of postcodes for regional, remote or under-represented areas.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: between 10-20 aggregate points, or 7-15 ATAR points.
Gender (under-represented programs)

You must be female, and applying for a program in which RMIT has specified that women are under-represented. See the list of 2023 programs.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: 10 aggregate points, or up to 7 ATAR points.

Non-English speaking background

You must:

  • have arrived in Australia on or after 1 January 2013
  • have been born outside Australia in a non-English speaking country
  • speak a language other than English at home.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: 5 aggregate points, or up to 4 ATAR points.
Schools Network Access Program (SNAP)

VTAC applicants only

You must:

  • be a current student at a SNAP school
  • follow the prescribed application process for SNAP

Learn more about the Schools Network Access Program (SNAP).

Category 2: Disadvantaged financial background

You can apply for this category if financial circumstances have affected your education. Examples of disadvantaged financial circumstances may include but are not limited to: you or your guardian receiving a Centrelink benefit; excessive financial obligations; individual or family poverty.

Circumstances Eligibility criteria
Serious personal or financial difficulties

You must be able to demonstrate that you have been prevented from reaching your full educational potential because of your family or personal circumstances.

Centrelink or Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) benefit

VTAC applicants
As part of your SEAS application you will need to provide financial evidence. You may qualify if you, your parent/guardian can confirm you receive income support benefits with Centrelink or DVA.

Learn more about SEAS Category 2 financial evidence requirements.

RMIT Access (direct) applicants
Provide a copy of either your income statement or your parents’ income statement from Centrelink or DVA, which must not be more than three months old at the time of your application. Bank statements showing Centrelink or DVA deposits or screen shots of statements are not accepted as evidence.

Learn more about RMIT Access Category 2 financial evidence requirements (PDF).

Impact statement
If you are not receiving Centrelink or DVA benefits, you must provide an impact statement describing how your financial background has adversely affected your education. You will need to indicate if these circumstances are short term (2021-22) or long term (prior to 2021).

Statement of support
If you are not receiving Centrelink or DVA benefits you must provide a statement of support written by a responsible person* who has knowledge of your financial situation and circumstances and can comment on the impact.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 11 ATAR points.

Category 3: Disability or medical condition

You can apply for this category if you are living with a disability, long-term illness and/or mental-health condition.

Circumstances Eligibility criteria
Illness, disability or suffering from a medical condition

You must be able to demonstrate that you have experienced educational disadvantage as a result of a disability, impairment and/or long-term medical condition that has affected your studies.

Impact statement
You must submit an impact statement describing your disability/medical condition and how this has adversely affected your education. You will need to indicate if these circumstances are short term (2021-22) or long term (prior to 2021).

Statement of support

VTAC applicants
You must also provide a statement of support written by the relevant health care professional involved in the maintenance of the condition, illness or disability. The health care professional should include details about absences from learning, if applicable, and how the condition has adversely affected academic performance.

RMIT Access (direct) applicants
Along with your application you must complete and submit the medical practitioner or healthcare professional form (PDF).

Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 11 ATAR points.

Category 4: Difficult circumstances

You can apply for this category if your education has been adversely affected as a result of a severe family disruption, natural disaster, changed living conditions and/or other such circumstances.

Circumstances Eligibility criteria
Serious personal or financial difficulties

You must be able to demonstrate that you have been prevented from reaching your full educational potential because of your family or personal circumstances.

Impact statement
You must submit an impact statement describing your circumstances and how they have adversely affected your education. You will need to indicate if these circumstances are short term (2021-22) or long term (prior to 2021).

Statement of support
You must also provide a statement of support written by a responsible person* who has knowledge of your circumstances and can comment on the impact to your education.

Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 14 aggregate points, or up to 10 ATAR points.

*A responsible person is:

  • A person who is 21 years of age or older, and
  • has known you for at least 12 months, or for the entire duration of the circumstance(s), whichever is shorter, and
  • is not related to you by birth, marriage or de facto relationship, and
  • does not live with you, and
  • is in a position to comment knowledgeably about your situation without having to be briefed by you about the circumstance(s). Important: in cases of medical circumstances, this is generally only applicable to the treating medical professional.

Apply for equity access

Applications for equity access are made either through VTAC or direct to RMIT.

VTAC applicants

If you are applying through VTAC, apply for equity access via SEAS.

To apply, you must:

  • register and submit your VTAC course application
  • log into MyInfo (using your VTAC ID and PIN) and click on the SEAS application link
  • complete the SEAS application.

Note: There are four categories in the SEAS application. You only need to fill out the sections that are relevant to your circumstances; however, you must complete at least one category for your SEAS application to be valid.

RMIT Access applicants

If you are applying for your program directly to RMIT, you will be prompted to apply for RMIT Access as part of your program application.

To apply, you must:

  • register and submit your direct application
  • indicate you wish to be considered for RMIT Access
  • complete the questions for the categories under which you would like to be considered.

Application dates

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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information