Adjustment schemes

If you've experienced circumstances that have negatively affected your most recent studies, you can receive an adjustment to your selection rank (or ATAR).

You should apply if your studies have been impacted by:

• experiencing financial hardship
• disruptive home environments or increased responsibilities
• English language difficulties
• a disability, injury or health condition
• school environment.

What you get

You can receive an adjustment of up to 6.00 selection ranks for each category. The maximum adjustment you can receive if you apply for multiple categories is either:

• 8.00 selection ranks
• 10.00 selection ranks if you also qualify for financial hardship (Q-Step).

You'll also be able to access a whole range of support services once you’ve enrolled at QUT. These include things like language support, counselling services, learning and study workshops, disability advisers and financial support.

Educational Access Scheme benefits

Am I eligible?

There's different criteria and documentation that you'll need to supply depending on the category.

You can find out more about each of the categories, and what documentation you'll need to submit, through the Educational Access Scheme at QTAC.

I'm experiencing financial hardship

I have a difficult home environment

English is not my first language

I've experienced an illness or disability

My education has been disrupted

How do I apply?

When you complete your QTAC application, you'll be asked to select as many of the five EAS categories that apply to your situation.

You should apply for all categories that are relevant for you. You'll need to supply supporting documentation for each category.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application, and if you're eligible for the Education Access Scheme you'll automatically receive your selection rank adjustment.

If you've applied for the EAS (financial hardship category), we'll let you know by email if you have been accepted into the Q-Step Scheme. If you're not successful, we encourage you to apply for the Equity Scholarships Scheme.

Are there course exclusions?

If your course below isn't eligible for the selection rank adjustment, and you're eligible for EAS (financial hardship), you may still be able to receive an Equity scholarship.

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)

The Q-Step adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) – Graduate Entry
• Bachelor of Podiatry – Graduate Entry
• Bachelor of Paramedic Science – Graduate Entry
• Master of Nursing – Entry to Practice
• Master of Teaching (Early Childhood, Primary, or Secondary)
• Master of Social Work – Qualifying

Regional, rural and remote (RRR) areas of Australia often have restricted or limited access to educational opportunities, resources and services compared with those available in cities or larger towns.

To help address these challenges, we'll make an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank.

What you get

You will receive an adjustment of 2.00 selection ranks to your ATAR or selection rank.

You'll also be able to access a whole range of support services and scholarships once you've enrolled at QUT. These include:

• accommodation services
• language support
• counselling services
• learning and study workshops
• financial support.

Am I eligible

If you're currently residing in a regional, rural or remote area of Australia you may be eligible.

Rural and remoteness is determined if you are living in a Modified Monash Model (MM) category 2 to 7.

There is a searchable map of Australia that allows you to view the ASGS Remoteness Area classification of the region where you live. To find your MM category:

• select 2019
• click 'find address'
• type your address
• your MM code will appear below your typed in address.

If you are unable to find your specific address you can search by suburb, town, location or by postcode.

If you live in one the following regions you are eligible for this adjustment:

• MM7 (very remote communities)
• MM6 (remote communities)

If you live in MM2 (regional centres), MM3 (large rural towns), MM4 (medium rural towns), or MM5 (small rural towns) within one of the following postal codes you are also eligible for this adjustment:

Queensland

New South Wales

Victoria

Tasmania

South Australia

Western Australia

How do I apply?

We will use your residential address you provided with your QTAC application.

If you are year 12 boarder, please ensure you use your home address as your residential address.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application, and if you're eligible for the Regional, Rural and Remote Adjustment Scheme you'll automatically receive your selection rank adjustment.

Are there course exclusions?

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)

QUT’s priority schools are Australian schools where students have restricted or limited access to educational opportunities, resources and services compared with those available in other schools in Australia.

To help address these challenges, we'll make an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank.

What you get

You will receive an adjustment of 2.00 to 4.00 selection ranks to your ATAR or selection rank.

You'll also be able to access a whole range of support services and scholarships once you've enrolled at QUT.  These include:

• accommodation services
• language support
• counselling services
• learning and study workshops
• financial support.

Am I eligible

If you're completing Year 12 at a school with an ICSEA (Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage) value of:

• less than 1,000 you'll receive 2.00 selection rank adjustments
• less than 950 you'll receive a further 2.00 selection rank adjustments for a combined value of 4.00.

To find the ICSEA value for your school please visit your school's profile at MySchool.

If your school is not listed, has 'Insufficient student background data received to report socio-educational advantage data for this school' or has value of 1,000 or more, you will not qualify for this adjustment.

You can still apply for the Educational Access Scheme about your specific circumstances, regardless of whether or not you're eligible for the Priority School Adjustment Scheme.

Home schooling

I want to take a year off before I start university

How do I apply?

We will use school details provided by as part of your QTAC application.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application, and if you're eligible for the Priority School Adjustment Scheme you'll automatically receive your selection rank adjustment towards eligible QUT courses.

Are there course exclusions?

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
• Plus any course not open to current year 12 students.

If you're an elite athlete, you can apply for our Elite Athlete Entry Scheme as part of your QTAC application and you could receive an adjustment to your selection rank (or ATAR).

What you get

You may receive an adjustment of up to 6.00 selection ranks depending on your level of sporting competition.

The Elite Athlete Entry Scheme adjustments apply to most of our courses offered through QTAC. Check your course information to be sure.

You may also be eligible for our QUT Sport Scholarships (Elite Athlete). You'll need to submit a separate application for the scholarship.

Once you're a QUT student, you can apply for our Elite Athlete Program to get further support and benefits to help you study successfully.

Am I eligible?

You're eligible for our Elite Athlete Entry Scheme if you are involved in demanding training or travelling as part of your commitments in a sport that is recognised by Sport Australia and if one of these applies to you:

• you're in a state team or an individual competing in national level competitions (2.00 adjustments)
• you’re a national representative or a state player league in a professional sport pathway (4.00 adjustments)
• you’re competing at international competitions or in a professional player league (6.00 adjustments)

Athletes in sports that sit outside Sport Australia recognised sports are still encouraged to apply and may be considered at the discretion of the Elite Athlete Program Committee.

If you qualify for multiple sports, the highest Elite Athlete Entry Scheme adjustment will apply.

The Elite Athlete Entry Scheme is not open to international QTAC applicants.

How do I apply?

You can apply for the Elite Athlete Entry Scheme through QTAC when you apply for your course or you're changing preferences.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application and supporting documents and notify you of the outcome of any rank adjustments you receive.

Are there course exclusions?

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
• Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours)

If you're a current ATAR or International Baccalaureate Diploma student and you've successfully completed certain subjects at school, or university level units, we'll make an adjustment to your ATAR or International Baccalaureate Diploma selection rank.

What you get

You will receive an adjustment of 2.00 selection ranks for any subject listed below.

The maximum adjustment is 8.00 selection ranks.

I'm not from Queensland

If you’re completing Year 12 in another state, check the list of equivalent subjects that will be recognised for the scheme.

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Northern Territory

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

Am I eligible?

You must be a current ATAR or International Baccalaureate Diploma student, making your QTAC application straight after finishing school and have passed one or more of the listed subjects.

I want to take a year off before I start university

If your course allows you to defer, you can still claim the adjustment, as long as you apply to start university straight after Year 12, receive an offer and defer it through QTAC.

Not all courses have the option to defer. You'll need to check your course information.

How do I apply?

You don't need to apply separately for the Year 12 Subject Scheme, QTAC will calculate it automatically.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application, and if you're eligible for the Year 12 Subject Scheme you'll automatically receive the relevant number of adjustments.

Are there course exclusions?

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
• Bachelor of Medical Imaging (Honours)
• Bachelor of Nutrition & Dietetics (Honours)
• Bachelor of Radiation Therapy
• Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry
• Plus any course not open to current year 12 students

The probability of being enrolled in higher education is almost two times greater if you have a parent who holds at least a bachelor level degree. This means that first generation students are significantly underrepresented in higher education.

To help address challenges that first generation students experience, we'll make an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank.

What you get

You will receive an adjustment of 2.00 selection ranks to your ATAR or selection rank.

You'll also be able to access a whole range of support services and scholarships once you've enrolled at QUT. These include:

• accommodation services
• language support
• counselling services
• learning and study workshops
• financial support.

Am I eligible?

If you're the first generation to go to university for the first time you are eligible for this scheme.

You can still apply for the Educational Access Scheme about your specific circumstances, regardless of whether or not you’re eligible for the First Generation Adjustment Scheme.

How do I apply?

We will use your responses to two questions and prior study details provided by you as part of your QTAC application.

What happens next?

QTAC will assess your application, and if you're eligible for the First Generation Adjustment Scheme you'll automatically receive your selection rank adjustment towards eligible QUT courses.

Are there course exclusions?

This adjustment does not apply to:

• Bachelor of Fine Arts (Acting)
• plus any course not open to current year 12 students.