Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander applicants
There is a special entry scheme at Melbourne designed especially for you, as well as a variety of scholarships and other assistance.
Access Melbourne
Access Melbourne can help you gain entry into an undergraduate course at Melbourne, even if your ATAR is below the minimum ATAR. Each year at least 25% of domestic undergraduate places at the University are reserved for Access Melbourne applicants.
All Indigenous students will be considered for entry on a case by case basis.
Am I eligible?
You're eligible for this category if:
- you're of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, or
- you identify as a person of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage and are accepted as such by the community in which you have been or are associated.
Murrup Barak – Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development will be in touch to verify your aboriginality.
What can I get?
If you're eligible under the category of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you may receive a guaranteed place in one of five undergraduate degrees, subject to meeting course prerequisites. Guaranteed entry scores differ for each degree.
- 50.00: Arts (Extended)
- 55.00: Science (Extended)*
- 70.00: Design
- 75.00: Arts, Science
- 83.00: Commerce
- 85.00: Biomedicine
Indigenous applicants will still be considered for entry below these ATARs, but entry is not guaranteed.
* In addition to satisfying the course prerequisites applicants for guaranteed entry to the Bachelor of Science (Extended) also require a passing score in a Year 12 Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics subject.
Do I receive any other support?
Access to specialised degrees
If you dream of studying at Melbourne but feel unsure about meeting the requirements, the Bachelor of Arts (Extended) or the Bachelor of Science (Extended) might be for you.
These four-year degrees have been developed specifically for talented and motivated Indigenous Australians, and offer targeted mentoring, specialised subjects plus an exciting opportunity to live on campus at one of the University’s residential colleges.
Help moving to Melbourne
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students come to live and study at Melbourne from all over Australia, and around 300 Indigenous students are part of our friendly community on campus. Visit Murrup Barak, the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development to learn about how we can help you transition successfully to life at Uni with dedicated facilities, events, advice and more.
Financial assistance
Every Indigenous student that accepts an offer for undergraduate degree at the University of Melbourne for Semester 1, 2018, will be guaranteed a Melbourne Access Scholarship valued at $5,000 per year for the standard duration of their undergraduate scholarship.
In addition, students who are eligible to receive an Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarship will be considered for:
- an Indigenous Education Cost (ICECS) scholarship valued at $3,000 per year for up to four years,
- and an Indigenous Accommodation Cost Scholarship (ICAS) valued at:
- $2,000 per year for up to four years for students who will relocate to Melbourne from within Victoria
- $4,000 per year for up to four years for student who will relocate to Melbourne from outside Victoria.
To be eligible for an Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarship, you must not be in receipt of other Commonwealth assistance given for the same purpose. Where the number of eligible students exceeds the number of scholarship available, preference is given to students from remote or regional areas and student who are financially disadvantaged.
Students must apply via VTAC by Friday 8 December, 2018. You will still be considered, even if you didn't apply via Access Melbourne.
There are range of additional scholarships and bursaries is available to Indigenous students. Murrup Barak, the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development also administers the Indigenous scholarships program which provides a range of benefits such as housing bursaries, book vouchers, assistance with living costs, and monetary grants.
Advice and mentoring
Murrup Barak, the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development has a dedicated Indigenous student success team who work with Indigenous students to ensure that they maximise their academic, global, social and cultural experiences at the University. You can meet other Indigenous students and get help with subject selection, accommodation, community networking, mentoring, cross-cultural development, career counselling, scholarships and finances.