VTAC webinar – Preparing for SEAS Monday 31 March 2014 – 4.30pm – 5.30pm

 Primarily for students who have suffered long-term disadvantage  Students should prepare early: make appointments, collect supporting statements now – not when applications open.  Category 1: all applicants are encouraged to tick the box. Now includes Non-English speaking background  SEAS deadline is: Tuesday 7 October 2014

 SEAS allows selection officers at institutions to grant special consideration for course entry to applicants.  SEAS does not exempt applicants from meeting course requirements.  Applicants must meet course prerequisites, attend all interviews, sit any required tests and submit all required folios and forms.

 Register through the VTAC website to set up a user account from 4 August  Once registered, applicants need to create a course application.  SEAS becomes available once a course application has been submitted.  Once submitted, it can be updated up until closing date and time of 5pm, 7 October.

 All of the categories will be on one page and it will look something like this.

 Category 1: Personal Information and Location ◦ Age ◦ Gender ◦ Living or school postcode ◦ Recognition as an Indigenous Australian ◦ Under represented schools ◦ Non-English speaking background  Category 2: Difficult circumstances  Category 3: Disadvantaged financial background  Category 4: Disability or medical condition  Category 5: Schools schemes - PPP, SALT, REEP.

 Is designed for applicants who wish to be considered for circumstances based upon information they provide when registering and/or applying for courses.  Applying for Category 1 is as simple as ticking a box giving VTAC permission for those circumstances to be considered.  All applicants should apply for this category.

 Applies to applicants whose education has been affected by family or other life circumstances.  Impact statements and statements of support are a requirement of this category.  In their impact statement applicants should include information on how the circumstances have had an adverse impact on: ◦ Their ability to study and perform assessment tasks ◦ Accessing educational resources ◦ Attendance in school/tuition

 This category applies to applicants whose education has been impacted by a disadvantaged financial background which includes such factors as: ◦ Individual or family poverty ◦ Excessive financial obligations ◦ Economic hardship.  The category isn’t limited to applicants in receipt of Centrelink benefits. ◦ Applicants who aren’t in receipt of Centrelink benefits must submit an impact statement and a statement of support.

 Applies to applicants who have experienced educational disadvantage as a result of a disability or medical condition.  Applicants who have experienced a medical condition, must provide a statement of support from the treating health care professional that details the condition, its duration and impact.  Important to start making appointments now and preparing impact statements and statements of support.

 This category applies to current Year 12 students who attend schools that are explicitly nominated under ◦ Federation University – Regional Education Entry Program (REEP) ◦ La Trobe University – Schools Access La Trobe (SALT) ◦ Victoria University – Portfolio Partnerships Program (PPP)  Applications for under-represented programs at other institutions are through Category 1.  Under-represented schools are decided by institutions who should have a list of under-represented schools on their website.

 Good impact statements are: ◦ Heartfelt and personalised ◦ Succinct ◦ Explain the context, date and impact of the disadvantage  Impact statements that don’t have impact: ◦ Statements that say “See scholarships” or “it’s too hard to explain” ◦ Long winded statements or those that say “call me for more information” ◦ Blank impact statements, that assume a statement of support is sufficient ◦ Orchestrated or professionally moderated statements

 Applicants should ask those providing a Statement of Support to: ◦ Clearly outline the situation, or if Category 4 (Disability or medical) condition ◦ Include a timeline ◦ Outline how an individual has been impacted  Encourage students to make medical appointments now.  Remember, statements of support can be submitted online. Evidence and impact is the key.

 If providing evidence you must be: ◦ familiar with the issue. ◦ exposed to the educational impact.  Evidence must: ◦ be brief, to the point, corroborate the impact statement ◦ be tangible and clear about the issue ◦ provide a timeframe for the disadvantage

 In previous years students were disadvantaged by poor statements of support.  For example: ◦ Call me for more details ◦ Student has told me ◦ School is aware of the circumstances – if this is so, be explicit! VTAC will not contact the school! ◦ Vague support i.e. not mentioning the circumstance ◦ Generic statements that didn’t differentiate between student impact when a group is affected.

 Everyone is encouraged to answer yes to Category 1. ◦ Being proactive you can do this as a class exercise ◦ Inform students of the categories available and their eligibility.  Tragedies in the last few days before SEAS closes are better handled by the VCAA exam allowance rather than SEAS: ◦ Using the VCAA process alleviates pressure for generic statements which don’t help applicants. Remember: It is easier to edit something that exists rather than create a new file.

 The following guidelines have been provided by Natalie Millan from Chisholm Institute and the TAFE Careers Practitioner Network  The Statement of Support should include a sentence or paragraph for each of the following: ◦ How long the supporting person has known the student. ◦ Knowledgeable commentary about the medical condition and/or difficult circumstances. ◦ Support and reinforce the circumstance(s) the student has described in their impact statement. ◦ Comment on how the circumstance(s) have affected educational performance.

 The supporting statement must explain how the condition and/or circumstances impacts on the student’s ability to study more than describing what the condition is.  Supporting statements are to be brief and to the point about reinforcing what the student has written in their impact statement.  Also, remember that supporting statements can be submitted online.

 Now five categories of SEAS – Non-English Speaking Background part of category 1.  SEAS application is on one page  SEAS is not a 2 month process it begins now!  Evidence and impact are keys ◦ Clear and concise impact and support statements ◦ Bad statements disadvantage student ◦ Generic statements disadvantage ◦ Incomplete impact statements disadvantage ◦ Last minute rush – use the VCAA process

InstitutionSEAS Applications Australian Catholic University 4197 Deakin University 7180 Federation University 1902 La Trobe University 2066 Monash University 4589 RMIT University 3015 Swinburne University 4020 University of Melbourne 4362 Victoria University 4255