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March 29, 2024, 05:37:17 am

Author Topic: What is SEAS and how does it work?  (Read 7176 times)  Share 

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tamamo

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What is SEAS and how does it work?
« on: March 23, 2019, 04:21:04 pm »
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I've been hearing a lot of people talking about getting into courses and what universities they want to go to but something that comes up every know and then that I'm really confused about is SEAS.

I didn't really understand the SEAS section on the VTAC website and I was hoping someone would be able to explain it to me. I've been told by my doctor that I am eligible for SEAS: Category 3 (I have ADHD) and I'd probably also fit into category 1 and 4 so I'd like to understand how exactly it works. My current understand is limited to who is eligible and that it can help you get into uni.
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legal studies (U1&2) religion & society (U3) 2019;
chemistry (U1-3) 2020;
english language, methods CAS & psychology (U1-4) specialist (U2-4) 2020

AngelWings

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Re: What is SEAS and how does it work?
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2019, 05:45:54 pm »
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I've been hearing a lot of people talking about getting into courses and what universities they want to go to but something that comes up every know and then that I'm really confused about is SEAS.

I didn't really understand the SEAS section on the VTAC website and I was hoping someone would be able to explain it to me. I've been told by my doctor that I am eligible for SEAS: Category 3 (I have ADHD) and I'd probably also fit into category 1 and 4 so I'd like to understand how exactly it works. My current understand is limited to who is eligible and that it can help you get into uni.
SEAS stands for "Special Entry Access Scheme". Basically all you need to know is that:
1. It helps people who have experienced disadvantage(s) in one form or another (mostly long term disadvantage) to give them a roughly level playing field as the average non-disadvantaged student for entry into Victorian tertiary courses.
2. There's 4 broad categories you can apply for, assuming you are eligible for them:
- Category 1: Personal information and location - Most students are advised to at least tick this box. It can cover details like your gender (especially if you're applying in an area that your gender is underrepresented in), your address, your age and your background, to name a few.
- Category 2: Disadvantaged financial background - Relatively self-explanatory. Centrelink benefits count here.
- Category 3: Disability or medical condition - Again, relatively self-explanatory. (Your ADHD would mean you'll likely tick this category.) 
- Category 4: Difficult circumstances - Covers a lot of the misfortunes that happen e.g. students who need to take care of their parents due to medical conditions. The list can be found here.
   
SEAS can be useful when applying for most tertiary courses, but how much you'll receive will vary depending on the severity of your situation and usually treated on an almost case-by-case scenario for each course preference. In many cases, SEAS can make you eligible for certain disadvantaged student schemes e.g. Monash Guarantee or Access Melbourne (for their respective unis), potentially guaranteeing you a spot or prioritising you if you can reach certain ATARs and/or conditions (i.e. lowering the entry bar slightly or making it easier for unis to accept you). SEAS can also be used to add small amounts of points to your ATAR (effectively adjusting your ATAR so it's a little higher according to whatever disadvantages VTAC and/or your applied institute(s) accept from your application), as well as make you eligible for programs or scholarships at certain institutes (e.g. Monash has the Monash UniStart Support scholarship for financially disadvantaged students).   

To apply for SEAS, you might need to provide documents and letters to prove certain aspects in around August - September/ October of your final Year 12 year soon after you register for a VTAC account. (This will probably include a reference letter from a medical professional, such as a psychologist or doctor in the case of your ADHD.)

Of the 4 categories, you can apply for as many as you want, given that you feel you have a fairly reasonable claim to it, however, only those accepted by VTAC and the institute(s) you apply for will be used when attempting to enter into tertiary education. Also, the more categories you apply for (irrespective of legitimacy) will take slightly more time to process, as you can imagine. 
More information regarding SEAS and its categories can be found here.

If you had more specific questions, feel free to ask them below. Just note that SEAS is also often course- and/or institute-specific, as well as personal, so if it becomes too personal, please PM me instead.
VCE: Psych | Eng Lang | LOTE | Methods | Further | Chem                 
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