SEAS: How Hardship Can Boost Your University Rank

Leveling the Playing Field

The ATAR is a ruthless mathematical ranking system. It assumes everyone ran the exact same race.

But if you spent three months of Year 12 in the hospital, or you had to work 30 hours a week to support your family because of financial hardship, you did not run the same race as a student at an elite private school.

To fix this, universities use the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) in Victoria, or the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) in NSW.

How SEAS / EAS Works

If your application is approved, the university will apply Adjustment Factors (Bonus Points) to your ATAR when calculating your Selection Rank.

Example: Your raw ATAR is 75. You apply for a degree that requires an 80. You are approved for 6 SEAS points due to financial hardship. Your Selection Rank becomes 81, and you receive an offer.

The 4 Major Categories of Hardship

1. Personal Information & Location: You automatically get points if you live in a rural or isolated area, or if you attend an under-represented/disadvantaged high school.

2. Financial Hardship: If your family receives Centrelink benefits (like the Family Tax Benefit or Youth Allowance), you can claim significant equity points. You must provide official Centrelink statements as proof.

3. Medical Conditions or Disability: If you suffered a severe medical condition, mental health crisis, or disability during Year 11/12, you can claim points. Crucial: You must have a medical professional (doctor or psychologist) fill out an impact statement detailing exactly how the illness affected your study time.

4. Difficult Circumstances: This covers divorce, death of an immediate family member, natural disasters (floods/bushfires), or being forced to take on heavy carer responsibilities for a sick parent.

The Deadline Trap

SEAS applications are strictly managed by the admission centers (UAC/VTAC). The deadline is usually in late September or early October, before your final exams begin.

If you wait until you get a bad ATAR in December to apply for SEAS, you are too late. The portal is closed.

If your life was disrupted in Year 12, do not let pride stop you from applying. Use our ATAR Calculator to calculate your base score, and secure the equity points you legally deserve.