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Educational Access Scheme (EAS)

The Educational Access Scheme (EAS) helps QTAC applicants whose recent study was impacted by financial or personal challenges.

If your EAS application is successful, you may receive adjustments to your QTAC selection rank. This can help you compete for tertiary study on a more equal basis.

If you are eligible for the Financial Hardship category, you may also get financial assistance from institutions, such as scholarships or bursaries.

Your information will be kept confidential and only used to assess your eligibility for EAS.

Anyone applying for tertiary study through QTAC can apply for EAS.

You do not have to be in Year 12 or currently studying to apply, but most EAS categories relate to circumstances that affected your most recent studies.

The Financial Hardship category relates to your current and recent financial circumstances.

Refer to Key Dates and Fees for documentation due dates for scheduled offer rounds. We suggest you submit your documentation as soon as possible.

EAS will not be able to assist if you:

  • have no qualifications that give you a QTAC selection rank. For example, if you did not complete senior secondary schooling (years 11 and 12) and have not studied since
  • are applying for an institution or course that does not accept EAS
  • changed school subjects by choice, resulting in you not meeting entry requirements
  • missed time from school for activities that are a personal choice (for example, sport, musical or cultural activities).

If any of these scenarios apply to you, see our information on enabling programs and bridging studies and Elite Athlete and Performer Schemes.

If you are unsure if EAS could help you, call us on 1300 467 822 so we can assist.

EAS Categories & Coversheet Downloads

You can apply for as many EAS categories as you like. Select a category for more information & download the coversheet if you want to apply:

Download the Financial Hardship coversheet.

Eligibility

Apply in this category if you reside in Australia and are from a low-income background.

You qualify if:

  • You, your parent/guardian, or your partner receive the maximum rate of a means and asset tested Centrelink Income Support Payment.
  • You participate in The Smith Family Learning for Life Program.
  • Your gross household income is below an institution-determined threshold.

You do not qualify if:

  • Your household earns gross income greater than $100,000
  • Your household holds assets or investments inconsistent with financial hardship
  • You fail to provide sufficient evidence of gross household income

Institution Scholarships and Bursaries

If you are assessed as eligible for Financial Hardship you may automatically be entitled to financial assistance, such as scholarships or bursaries, from some institutions. Refer to institution websites for scholarship closing dates:

Griffith University Chancellor’s Scholarship

QUT Q-Step Scheme

UQ UQ-Link Program

USC Equity Bursary

Ineligible Centrelink Benefits

Family Tax Benefit

If you receive the Family Tax Benefit at the maximum rate, you will not necessarily be made eligible for EAS Financial Hardship. The Family Tax Benefit is not asset tested.

You may still be eligible for an adjustment, but you will need to supply evidence of your gross household income. See the Financial Hardship Cover Sheet, our Quick Guide on supplying Centrelink documents, and our Quick Guide on supplying Tax documents.

Eligible Centrelink Benefits

If you, your parent/guardian, or your partner are receiving the maximum rate of one of the Income and Asset tested Centrelink benefits listed below at the time of your QTAC application, then you are eligible for an educational adjustment in the Financial Hardship category:

  • Abstudy
  • Age Pension
  • Austudy
  • Carer Payment
  • Disability Support
  • Farm Household Allowance
  • JobSeeker
  • Parenting Payment
  • Special Benefit
  • Youth Allowance

Electronic Verification with Centrelink

QTAC can electronically verify your Centrelink benefits if:

  • you personally receive the maximum rate of a Centrelink income and asset tested benefit.
  • you give us permission by accepting the Centrelink declaration in your QTAC application or on the coversheet

QTAC cannot electronically verify your Centrelink benefits if:

  • you do not give us permission
  • A family member receives the maximum rate of an eligible Centrelink benefit, but you do not.
  • Nobody in your household receives the maximum rate of an eligible Centrelink benefit.
  • you receive a part benefit
  • If Family Tax Benefit is the only Centrelink benefit you receive. The Family Tax Benefit is not considered an eligible benefit as it is not asset tested.

All you need to do for us to electronically verify your benefit is enter your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) in the QTAC application and sign the declaration giving us permission to check electronically.

If we are unable to verify your benefit electronically, you will need to supply supporting documents.

How to Give QTAC your Detailed Income and Assets Statement from Centrelink.

Financial Hardship Supporting Documents

Financial hardship is assessed based on your gross household income. The supporting documents you need to provide depend on your personal financial circumstances.

See “What supporting documents do I need to supply for Financial Hardship?” in the EAS FAQ.

And “How to Give QTAC your Income Tax Return and Notice of Assessment”.

Download the Home Environment & Responsibilities coversheet.

Eligibility

You can apply in this category if your home environment negatively impacted your most recent studies.

You can apply if you have experienced:

  • Family conflict (significant dysfunction)
  • Legal separation or divorce (self or parents)
  • Substance abuse within your household
  • Lack of stable housing
  • Forced to be independent under the age of 18
  • Abuse where you reside
  • Assault where you reside
  • Lack of support for education due to cultural demands
  • Required to provide care for siblings in excess of normal domestic responsibilities
  • Caring for a disabled or seriously ill family member or member of household
  • Death or serious illness of a family member or member of household
  • Home affected by a natural disaster or serious accident
  • Home affected by drought
  • In foster care or recently left foster care

Supporting Documents

QTAC requires:

  • a completed coversheet including a brief personal statement describing your circumstances
  • at least one supporting document independently confirming your claim

Depending on your case, supporting documents could include:

  • A statement completed by your education provider
  • A letter from your General Practitioner
  • Medical/Insurance reports
  • A Death Certificate
  • A letter from your psychologist or counsellor
  • Legal documents or a solicitor’s letter
  • Centrelink Documents
  • A letter from a community organisation with knowledge of your situation
  • A letter from the Department of Children, Youth Justice, and Multicultural Affairs

Download the English Language Difficulty coversheet.

Eligibility

To apply in this category you must:

  • currently live in Australia
  • be a current year 12 or
  • be completing an approved bridging/preparatory studies course
  • have already completed year 12 or bridging/preparatory studies and not have undertaken any study since

You can apply in this category if:

  • you have studied in English for less than 6 years
  • you have experienced profound difficulty studying in English.
  • you are a recent migrant to Australia or
  • you are a refugee or asylum seeker

International students who have chosen to study in English in Australia are not eligible in this category.

Read “Which courses count as bridging or preparatory studies courses?” in the FAQ.

Supporting Documents

All applicants must supply:

  • a completed coversheet including a personal statement
  • a school statement completed by a school representative

Download the Personal Illness or Disability coversheet.

Eligibility

You can apply in this category if you have experienced:

  • A disability
  • A long-term or recurrent medical or psychological condition
  • A serious, short-term medical or psychological condition
  • Learning difficulties

Supporting Documents

All applicants in the personal illness or disability category are required to supply:

  • a completed coversheet including a personal statement
  • a patient statement completed by a registered health care professional

Current year 12s must also supply:

  • a school statement completed by a school representative

Download the School Environment coversheet.

Please note: the Educational Disruption category was renamed School Environment in August 2021.

Eligibility

To apply in this category you must:

  • be a current year 12 or
  • be completing an approved bridging/preparatory studies course
  • have already completed year 12 or bridging/preparatory studies and not have undertaken any study since

You can apply if you have experienced:

  • Regional or remote schooling.
  • Travel time greater than 2 hours to school each day, as a round trip, from your home in a regional or remote area.
  • Significant peer conflict at school during your senior studies.
  • A natural disaster or serious accident that affected your school.
  • Death of a school peer.
  • Limited access to schooling before coming to Australia as a refugee.
  • One or more changes of school or school system in Years 11 and 12 with adverse impact.
  • Excessive change of teachers in one or more subjects during senior schooling (generally more than 3 teachers or 4 changes).
  • Distance Education for one or more subjects during years 11 and 12 due to circumstances beyond your control.
  • Composite or concurrent classes for one or more subjects during your senior schooling with adverse impact.

Supporting Documents

All applicants must supply:

  • a completed coversheet including a personal statement
  • a school statement completed by a school representative.

How to Apply

The below list details the EAS application process. Click each step to learn more:

Check eligibility & documentation requirements for the EAS Categories you are thinking of applying for.

Nominate your chosen EAS categories in the QTAC application.

If required in your chosen categories, ask a support person – usually a school representative or medical professional – to support your claim. Have them complete a school or patient statement as appropriate.

Download & complete the coversheets for your chosen categories.

Make sure you have a high quality PDF copy of any other supporting documents required.

Upload your completed EAS coversheet and all other required supporting documents to your application by logging in to Application Services and going to Outstanding Documents.

Check Application Services and your email regularly to see if QTAC’s EAS assessors have requested any further documents. EAS assessment cannot be finalised until we receive all required documents.

Can I still apply for EAS if I didn’t nominate categories in my QTAC application?

Yes. To apply for EAS after lodging your QTAC application, download the cover sheets for your chosen categories and submit to us with the required documentation via documents@qtac.edu.au.

You will need your QTAC application number to apply for EAS.

Supporting Documents

EAS is an evidence-based scheme. To be considered for an adjustment you must:

  • provide all supporting documents required in all categories
  • Ensure all documents are legible and easy to read
  • Upload all documents as PDFs

If you cannot provide the documentation, please submit a statement explaining why. You should also include any alternative documents that may support your case.

For more detail on supporting documents required, see the guidelines in each EAS category

Please note: the Educational Disruption category was renamed School Environment in August 2021.

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