What Are VTAC Equity Schemes and Scholarships and How Do I Apply?

VTAC equity schemes and scholarships are support programs for applicants who have experienced educational disadvantage or meet specific background criteria. You apply through your VTAC account, and you must meet the eligibility requirements and provide appropriate evidence. Applications for the 2027 intake are currently open, and timely course applications close 28 September at 5pm to avoid late fees.

What equity schemes and scholarships cover

VTAC describes these as a single application area within your account: you complete an equity schemes and scholarships application, meet the eligibility requirements, and provide the appropriate evidence. In practice this means:

• Equity schemes adjust how your academic results are considered, so disadvantage doesn't fully determine your selection rank.
• Scholarships provide financial or other support, usually tied to the same circumstances or background you disclose.

Because both sit behind one application, you generally don't apply for each scheme or scholarship separately. You complete the application once and supply evidence that supports your claims.

Who should apply

VTAC groups its audience into Australian Year 12 students, interstate, international and IB students, post-school applicants, and Year 10 and 11 students. Equity schemes and scholarships are relevant if any of the following applies to you:

• You've experienced circumstances that affected your study, such as financial hardship, a disrupted family situation, or a health condition.
• You're from a background covered by an access or equity category.
• You're applying as a post-school applicant and your earlier study was affected by disadvantage.

The exact categories and thresholds are set by VTAC and the institutions, so check the eligibility requirements for each scheme before you rely on it.

How to apply, step by step

1. Create your profile. Applications for the 2027 intake are open. Create your VTAC account, which is where you apply for courses, equity schemes, and scholarships.
2. Start your course application. Your equity and scholarship application is tied to your overall VTAC application, so set up your course preferences first.
3. Open the equity schemes and scholarships application. Work through the steps VTAC sets out, confirming the eligibility requirements you meet.
4. Gather your evidence. You need to provide the appropriate evidence for each claim. This is the step most applicants underestimate, so collect documents before the deadline.
5. Submit before the deadline. Timely applications close 28 September at 5pm. Applying after that point means late fees.

Expected result: once submitted, your equity information is passed to the institutions you've applied to, which assess it against their own schemes and scholarships.

Key dates and deadlines

VTAC publishes key dates covering the full journey from applying to offers, for both students and post-school applicants. The one to act on first is the timely application deadline:

You can sign up for general VTAC application advice and key deadline reminders if you want deadline prompts rather than checking the site yourself.

Common pitfalls

• Leaving evidence to the last minute. Eligibility depends on documentation, not just your description of circumstances.
• Assuming one scheme covers everything. Different institutions run different schemes and scholarships; your application is assessed against each.
• Missing the timely deadline. The 28 September 5pm cut-off is the difference between a standard application and a late fee.
• Not checking eligibility first. Confirm you meet the requirements before building your application around a scheme.

Where to go next

Use VTAC's CourseSearch to explore course options and build a list of favourite courses, then complete your equity schemes and scholarships application alongside your course preferences. If you're unsure which category fits your situation, review the eligibility requirements and evidence guidance before submitting.