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.
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:
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.
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:
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). |
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 Learn more about SEAS Category 2 financial evidence requirements. RMIT Access (direct) applicants Learn more about RMIT Access Category 2 financial evidence requirements (PDF). Impact statement Statement of support Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 11 ATAR points. |
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 RMIT Access (direct) applicants Equity adjustment to selection rank: up to 15 aggregate points, or up to 11 ATAR points. |
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 14 aggregate points, or up to 10 ATAR points. |
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:
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:
Application dates
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 - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.
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.