UWS Equity Based Scholarships - Definitions and Criteria

UWS Opportunity and Equity Definitions and Criteria

UWS Opportunity Scholarships (Group A) and Commonwealth (Equity) Scholarships (Group C) recognise that all people have different needs and that some groups experience disadvantages that impact on their educational progress. Opportunity and Equity scholarships are awarded to students who come from one or more of UWS’s defined equity or personal disadvantage groups: people of Australian Indigenous descent, people from rural and isolated areas, people experiencing low socio- economic circumstances, people with a disability or long-term medical condition, people from a non-English speaking background and people experiencing long-term family difficulties.

People of Australian Indigenous descent

This category is for applicants who are Indigenous Australians, and who identify as an Indigenous Australian and are accepted as such by an Indigenous Australian community.

People from rural and isolated areas

This category is for applicants who live or have lived in a rural or isolated area. You should refer to the Australian Standard Geographic Classification (ASGC) remoteness areas classification list to determine whether you live (or have lived) in a rural or isolated area.

Rural classifications are based from the Backing Australia's Future website.

The classifications are:
Major Cities
Inner Regional
Outer Regional
Remote
Very Remote

Applicants must live or have lived in any of these areas except the Major Cities and Inner Regional categories to be considered as living or having lived in a rural or isolated area. You can check your eligibility for classification as a rural or isolated resident by using the Backing Australia’s Future spreadsheet.
 

People experiencing financial hardship circumstances

This category is for applicants who experience and can demonstrate low socio-economic circumstances. You will be required to be:

• in receipt of a Centrelink payment or benefit (including a low-income Health Care Card)
  OR
• in receipt of a pension or allowance under the Social Security Act 1991 or Veterans’ Entitlement Act 1986 or Abstudy
  OR
• able to demonstrate exceptional financial hardship, if you are not in receipt of any Centrelink payments or benefits. (You must provide a Statutory Declaration.)

People with a disability or long-term medical condition

This category is for those applicants who can demonstrate that they have a disability, impairment or long-term medical condition. You will be required to submit a confidential statement of support which must be completed by a responsible person such as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious leader or community leader. For current Year 12 students this also includes school/college principal, school counsellor, year level coordinator or careers advisor.

Persons providing these statements must explain how the circumstances experienced have affected the applicant’s educational performance. Persons providing these statements must not be related to the applicant.

People from a non-English speaking background

This category is for this who were born outside Australia in a non-English speaking country, and who arrived in Australia after 1 January 1998.

Long-term difficult family circumstances

This category is for applicants who have experienced difficult family circumstances on a long-term basis which have significantly disadvantaged their education over an extended period. You will be required to submit a confidential statement of support which must be completed by a responsible person such as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious leader or community leader.

For current Year 12 students only, this also includes school/college principal, school counsellor, year level coordinator or careers advisor. Persons providing these statements must explain how the circumstances experienced have affected the applicant’s educational performance. Persons providing these statements must not be related to the applicant.

Some examples of long-term difficult family circumstances are:
• homelessness
• refugee status
• long-term illness of a family member
• applicant having carer responsibilities (children, parent, siblings etc) or excessive responsibilities in the home
• violence, abuse, alcohol/drug, criminal proceedings/issues in the family
• disrupted schooling, eg attended three or more different schools, or moved interstate during Year 12
• missed long periods of Year 12 for other than medical reasons, or commenced schooling in Australia at the beginning of Year 12
• death of immediate family member or close friend
• crowded living conditions
• work requirements to support family
• personal chronic illness
• divorce/separation of parents.

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Group A: UWS Funded Scholarships

1. UWS Academic Excellence and Leadership Scholarships
You can apply for these scholarships (where applicable) using the Group A application form in the back of this brochure or apply online on the UWS Scholarships website.

You should note that many Academic Excellence and Leadership Scholarships are selected on the basis of highest UAI to the maximum number awarded and therefore no application is required.

2. UWS Opportunity Scholarships
You need to apply online for these scholarships via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) website.

As Opportunity and Commonwealth Scholarships require you to provide evidence of socio-economic or other equity considerations, you must apply via UAC’s Equity Scholarships Unit. Applications for these scholarships will not be considered if they are sent directly to UWS.

You are automatically considered for UWS Opportunity and Commonwealth scholarships using one application form.

3. UWS Indigenous Achievement Scholarships
You can apply for these scholarships using the Group A application form in the back of this brochure or applying online at UWS Scholarships.

Group B: Donor Funded Scholarships

All Donor Scholarships
You can apply for Donor Scholarships using the Group B application form in the back of this brochure or download the forms at UWS Scholarships.

Group C: Commonwealth Funded Scholarships

You need to apply online for these scholarships via the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) website.

You are automatically considered for UWS Opportunity and Commonwealth scholarships listed below, using one application form.

These scholarships include the following:

1. Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarships (CECS)
2. Commonwealth Accommodation Costs Scholarships (CAS)
3. Indigenous Access Scholarships (IAS)
These scholarships are automatically awarded to commencing students who qualify for a CECS or CAS scholarship.
4. Indigenous Enabling Scholarships (IES)

How to Apply

Scholarship applications require some preparation, so ensure you familiarise yourself with the criteria and requirements, and dedicate enough time to complete the application form and obtain all the supporting documents.

It is important to take the application process seriously and to put in the extra effort as this can make all the difference when the University is making its selections.
The personal statement especially requires you to think about your life goals, achievements and ambitions, and asks you to present your strengths.

Please note:
All (Group A) UWS Funded Scholarships require the scholarship recipient to either reside in and/or have undertaken their Higher School Certificate or International Baccalaureate within Greater Western Sydney as defined by UWS. (See below for GWS Postcode Section)

Greater Western Sydney Postcodes

Some scholarship criteria include a requirement for the scholarship recipient to live or study within Greater Western Sydney as defined by UWS. 

The table below lists eligible Greater Western Sydney postcodes:

Auburn	2127	Fairfield	2164
	2128		2165
	2141		2166
	2144		2175
Bankstown	2143		2176
	2163		2177
	2190	Hawkesbury	2746
	2197		2753
	2198		2754
	2199		2755
	2200		2756
	2211		2757
	2212		2758
	2213		2775
	2214	Holroyd	2145
Baulkham Hills	2058		2160
	2118		2161
	2125	Liverpool	1871
	2151		1875
	2153		2168
	2154		2170
	2156		2171
Blacktown	2147		2172
	2148		2173
	2155		2174
	2761		2178
	2762		2179
	2763		2555
	2765		2556
	2766	Parramatta	2115
	2767		2116
	2768		2117
	2770		2123
Blue Mountains	2773		2124
	2774		2142
	2776		2146
	2777		2150
	2778		2152
	2779		2162
	2780	Penrith	1797
	2782		2745
	2783		2747
	2784		2748
	2785		2749
	2786		2750
Camden	2557		2751
	2567		2759
	2570		2760
Campbelltown	1890	Wollondilly	2568
	2167		2569
	2558		2571
	2559		2572
	2560		2573
	2563		2574
	2564		2752
	2565
	2566

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Important links

• Apply Now for Scholarships
  

For more information email or call the UWS Course Information Centre on 1300 897 669.