inpUTS Educational Access Scheme
Who can apply for the inpUTS scheme?
Students at Priority Schools and Country Area Program Schools
Special Admissions Schemes
When are applications due?
Supporting documentation
UAC preferences
Notification of your inpUTS eligibility
How does inpUTS work?
Minimum UAI requirements for UTS
Should I change preferences if my UAI is lower than expected?
What is the cut-off for my preferred course at UTS?
What kind of student support is available at UTS?
Further information or assistance
If you are interested in attending university and your education has been disadvantaged over a long time by circumstances beyond your control, you can apply for admission through the inpUTS educational access scheme. This scheme allows approved applicants to enter a UTS course with a lower UAI score than is normally required, in recognition of applicants' long term educational disadvantage and limited opportunities to properly prepare for university entrance. The scheme is open to both current school leavers and non-current school leaver applicants.
Who can apply for the inpUTS EAS Scheme?
To be considered for inpUTS you must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident. You may be eligible for consideration under inpUTS if you have experienced educational disadvantage during Years 11 and/or 12 or equivalent qualification. If you are a non-recent school leaver, you must have experienced educational disadvantage during a similarly significant period of your education. To be eligible for inpUTS applicants must demonstrate that they have experienced one of the educational disadvantages listed below.
The criteria for inpUTS include:
- disrupted schooling including refugee status
- severe family disruption
- excessive family responsibilities
- English language difficulty
- attending a Priority School or Country Area Program school
- financial hardship
- adverse study conditions
- personal illness or disability
- other long term disadvantages which have impacted on your education.
All applications to the inpUTS Scheme are confidential; only authorised staff of the UAC and UTS will have access to the information you provide in your application.
TAFE students
People enrolled in TAFE Bridging Courses, Tertiary Preparation Certificates or students enrolled in TAFE courses below diploma level are eligible to apply for inpUTS.
Students at Priority Schools and Country Area Program Schools
Students attending a Prirority School or Country Area Program (CAP) School are automatically eligible for the inpUTS scheme. To check if your school is listed as a Priority School or CAP school go to :
Priority Schools: http://www.psp.nsw.edu.au/
CAP schools: http//www.cap.nsw.edu.au/
Schools supported by the Priority Schools Program and Country Areas Program receive extra funding because they serve a high number of students from low socio-economic or geographically isolated communities.
Students attending these schools and who have not experienced any other type of educational disadvantage do not need to lodge an application. The Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) will automatically generate an 'electronic' Educational Access Scheme (EAS) application on your behalf and UTS will apply the concession.
Students attending these schools who have experienced additional types of disadvantages are strongly advised to lodge an EAS application form with UAC by the end of September. See below for more information about how to apply.
Special Admission Schemes
You should apply under the Special Admission Schemes (not inpUTS) if:
- You are a non-current school leaver and you are already enrolled in or you have completed tertiary studies at TAFE diploma level or above and you have experienced educational disadvantage.
- You are an Australian permanent resident or citizen with refugee status and you have experienced educational disadvantage.
- You are an elite athlete and/or performer.
Special Admission forms are available from the UTS Student Admin and Info Centre from August and must be received by UTS by the end of October. The forms are also available on the UTS website.
You are not eligible for consideration under inpUTS if:
- you are already enrolled in or have completed tertiary studies (this includes diploma, advanced diploma, degree or higher level studies, undertaken at a TAFE or university either in Australia or overseas). You may able under the Special Admission Scheme, see above for more information.
- you are applying for a postgraduate course
- you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident. International students are not eligible for consideration through the inpUTS Educational Access Scheme. You should apply through the International Programs Office. You are classified as an international student if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident.
When are applications due?
You should obtain a UAC Educational Access Schemes (EAS) booklet which contains the application form and instructions. EAS booklets are available from the NSW Universities Admissions Centre, high schools and TAFE colleges or directly from the UTS Student Info and Admin Centre from July each year. You must lodge your application with the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) by the end of September each year. There is a late closing date in late November and no applications will be accepted after this time.
Please note that all applicants for inpUTS are still required to lodge the standard UAC application form by the relevant closing date, and to satisfy any additional application requirements in accordance with the UTS UAC Guide entries.
Supporting Documentation
All applicants must complete the Educational Access Scheme application form provided by the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). You will be required to write a personal statement describing your circumstances, outlining how you have been educationally disadvantaged over a significant period of time. You must also provide documentation to support each type of disadvantage you describe. Please note: claims of disadvantage that are not supported by documented evidence canot be accepted.
If I can't get the documentation I need before the closing date, what can I do?
If you haven't been able to provide all the documentation you require by the closing date, you must lodge your Educational Access Scheme application form and all the documentation you have by the closing date. You should also enclose a letter stating that further documentation will be provided. It is your responsibility to forward any outstanding documentation to UAC as soon as possible. UAC will not contact you to request missing documentation.
UAC Preferences
You must have at least one UTS preference by the last 'change of preferences' date for each UAC admissions round in order to be considered for inpUTS, (this date is in early January for the main round). Provided you have at least one UTS preference, your UAC preferences can then be changed according to UAC application requirements. Different UTS courses may have varying requirements. Read the UAC Guide to check the requirements for the course/s you are interested in.
Notification of your inpUTS eligibility
If you have at least one UTS course in your list of preferences by the UAC late applications closing date in late November, UTS will advise you about your eligibility under the inpUTS scheme. If you include a UTS course preference for the first time after this date you will be considered for the scheme however you will not be notified of your eligibility.
How does inpUTS work?
- UTS reserves 10% of undergraduate places for eligible inpUTS applicants. This means you could gain entry to your course with a UAI that is no more than 10 UAI below the standard cut-off.
- If you are eligible you will be placed in the pool with other eligible inpUTS applicants. Places reserved for inpUTS applicants in UTS courses are then allocated on the basis of academic merit. If you receive a letter stating you are eligible but don't receive an offer, it is because other inpUTS-eligible students with a higher UAI have taken the available inpUTS places.
Minimum UAI requirements for UTS
- UTS has a minimum matriculation requirement of 66 UAI.
- Your application for inpUTS will not be considered unless you achieve a UAI of at least 66.
Should I change preferences if my UAI is lower than expected?
- You only need to change your preferences if you decide your ideal choices are different to your original order.
- You will receive an offer for the highest order preference that you qualify for in your list.
- Your preferences should be listed in the order in which you would like to receive an offer.
- If you are eligible for inpUTS and your UAI is lower than expected, and UTS is your preferred university, it is better to leave the order of your preferences as originally entered. You may still receive an inpUTS offer or a final round offer.
- If you do not receive a UTS offer, you will automatically be offered the next course on your list of preferences for which you have met the minimum UAI score.
- If you change your first preference to a course at another university with a lower UAI cut-off, you will not be considered for your UTS preferences.
What is the cut-off for my preferred course at UTS?
- UAI cut-offs can vary significantly from year to year. If you are eligible for the inpUTS scheme you may gain entry if your UAI is no more than 10 points below the standard UAI cut-off.
- Eligible inpUTS applicants are offered places in order of merit until the course / faculty quota is filled.
- You must wait for official notification from UAC in mid-January. UTS staff do not have access to this information until it is officially released.
- For a list of UAIs for Undergraduate Courses see UAIs for Undergraduate Courses
What kind of student support is available?
Support for inpUTS students
UTS holds an orientation session for commencing inpUTS students in February before the start of Autumn Semester. If you receive an offer to UTS and you are eligible under the inpUTS scheme you will be sent an invitation and more information after enrolment.
The University has a wide range of equity, academic support, counselling, health and welfare services. UTS also provides study skills programs and academic support in areas such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, computing and English language and study skills.
Financial assistance
University applicants and current students experiencing financial hardship can apply for an Equity Scholarship. Applications are due at the end of September. Visit the UAC web site to obtain an application form.
Enrolled students experiencing financial hardship can also obtain assistance from the Financial Assistance Service at the Student Services Unit.
Applicants with disabilities
If you have a disability or an ongoing medical condition which may affect your studies you are encouraged to contact the Special Needs Coordinator to discuss the access and support which would be available to you if your application is successful. Phone (02) 9514 1177 or TTY 9514 1166.
Further information or assistance
General information about inpUTS:
The Equity & Diversity Unit
Ph: (02) 9514 1084
TTY: (02) 9514 2155
Further information for applicants with a disability / ongoing medical condition:
Special Needs Service
Students' Services Unit
Ph: (02) 9514 1173
TTY: (02) 9514 1164
General information about UTS courses and application requirements:
Student Info & Admin Centre
Ph: (02) 9514 1222
