HOW TO
How to apply for equity access
If your circumstances have impacted on your most recent 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 in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access Scheme. Equity adjustment to selection rank: 20 aggregate points, or up to 16 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 list of postcodes for regional, remote or under-represented areas. Equity adjustment to selection rank: between 5-20 aggregate points, or 4-16 ATAR points. |
| Gender (under-represented programs) | You must be applying for a program in which RMIT has specified that your gender is under-represented. See the list of 2018 programs. Equity adjustment to selection rank: 10 aggregate points (up to 8 ATAR points) for women, and 5 aggregate points (up to 4 ATAR points) for men. |
Non-English speaking background |
You must:
Equity adjustment to selection rank: 5 aggregate points, or up to 4 ATAR points. |
| Schools Network Access Program (SNAP) | VTAC applicants only You must:
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 benefit VTAC applicants Provide VTAC with your details, so they can confirm your benefits with Centrelink electronically, OR If you do not give VTAC permission to electronically collect information about your Centrelink benefits, provide proof in hardcopy. RMIT Access (direct) applicants Provide a copy of either your income statement or your parents’ income statement from Centrelink, which must not be more than three months old. Bank statements showing Centrelink deposits or Impact statement Statement of support Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 12 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 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 Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 12 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 Statement of support Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 10 aggregate points, or up to 8 ATAR points. |
*A responsible person is:
- an Australian citizen or permanent resident 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 the SEAS application.
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
Need help?
Contact our student advisors at Info Corner.