Equity schemes & SEAS
Equity schemes are designed to help applicants from disadvantaged or underrepresented social, economic and cultural backgrounds. A successful application may mean that you are offered a course-place despite having a lower ATAR selection rank or study score than otherwise required.
Choose the right information for you
Find out how to apply for equity schemes, also known as the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS), via the Victoria Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).
1. Explore Equity Schemes (SEAS)
There are four categories used for SEAS applications. You can apply for as many categories as are relevant to you.
Category one: Personal information & location
This category includes Indigenous Australians, first in family to go to uni, living in a remote or regional location (RA code 4 or 5), under-represented school, under-represented gender in your course, and non-English speaking background.
Category two: Disadvantaged financial background
This category includes any kind of economic hardship, including dependence on Centrelink benefits or difficult financial circumstances.
Category three: Disability or medical condition
This category applies to applicants who have experienced educational disadvantage due to learning, physical, sensory, or mental-health medical condition, illness or disability.
Category four: Difficult circumstances
This category includes refugee or asylum seeker status, homelessness, out-of-home care (eg foster care), assault, family violence or natural disasters.
2. Prepare your SEAS application
For the first category, ‘personal information and location’, you won’t need to provide evidence.
For the other categories, you will need to prepare documents to upload with your application.
Evidence may include:
- an impact statement written by you
- a statement of support from a responsible adult, eg a health professional or teacher
- letter from a government or community organisation
- financial documentation such as a Centrelink statement.
Indigenous applicants should also contact Moondani Balluk.
Find out about the required evidence
3. Apply for SEAS
You can apply for SEAS through your VTAC account, after you submit a VTAC course application.
Login to your account using your VTAC ID and PIN, then navigate to the SEAS application.
Apply for as many categories as are relevant to your circumstances.
For categories 2, 3 and 4, you need to include a written statement and/or supporting documents in your VTAC account.
There is also the option to send a request to the 'responsible adult' providing a statement of support. They will receive an email to provide a statement online.
Find out how to apply for equity schemes, also known as the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS), via the Victoria Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC).
1. Explore Equity Schemes (SEAS)
There are four categories used for SEAS applications. You can apply for as many categories as are relevant to you.
Category one: Personal information & location
This category includes Indigenous Australians, first in family to go to uni, living in a remote or regional location (RA code 4 or 5), under-represented school, under-represented gender in your course, and non-English speaking background.
Category two: Disadvantaged financial background
This category includes any kind of economic hardship, including dependence on Centrelink benefits or difficult financial circumstances.
Category three: Disability or medical condition
This category applies to applicants who have experienced educational disadvantage due to learning, physical, sensory, or mental-health medical condition, illness or disability.
Category four: Difficult circumstances
This category includes refugee or asylum seeker status, homelessness, out-of-home care (eg foster care), assault, family violence or natural disasters.
2. Prepare your SEAS application
For the first category, ‘personal information and location’, you won’t need to provide evidence.
For the other categories, you will need to prepare documents to upload with your application.
Evidence may include:
- an impact statement written by you
- a statement of support from a responsible adult, eg a health professional or teacher
- letter from a government or community organisation
- financial documentation such as a Centrelink statement.
Indigenous applicants should also contact Moondani Balluk.
Find out about the required evidence
3. Apply for SEAS
You can apply for SEAS through your VTAC account, after you submit a VTAC course application.
Login to your account using your VTAC ID and PIN, then navigate to the SEAS application.
Apply for as many categories as are relevant to your circumstances.
For categories 2, 3 and 4, you need to include a written statement and/or supporting documents in your VTAC account.
There is also the option to send a request to the 'responsible adult' providing a statement of support. They will receive an email to provide a statement online.
Other adjustment points at VU
You may receive adjustments to your ATAR through a successful application to equity schemes (SEAS), as outlined above.
Other adjustment factors vary between courses and may include achievement in interviews, folio presentations, auditions or tests, in addition to the general categories listed below.
The maximum you can receive towards any one course, including SEAS, at VU is 20 adjustment points, which can be made up of equity schemes and any combination of the following.
