Supporting documentation

Getting started

• Review Requirements: Carefully check the specific documentation required for each scholarship in the description and within the Your documents section of your scholarships account. This will be tailored to both your responses to the Personal Circumstances questions, and the specific scholarships you have chosen.

• Equity scholarship categories and supporting documents: We use the model developed and assessed by UAC for our equity scholarships. More information about the circumstances you can claim and the associated documentation requirements is available on UAC’s equity scholarship categories and supporting documents page.

• How equity eligibility is considered: The attributes of being an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australian, having experienced Out-of-Home Care, or having a refugee or humanitarian background are recognised automatically as equity groups based on lived experience. These backgrounds are widely understood to involve systemic educational disadvantage.

If this applies to you, you do not need to demonstrate additional educational disadvantage to be considered for equity scholarships, though including information about other circumstances may strengthen your application.

Other students may be considered for equity scholarships where personal circumstances — such as financial hardship, medical conditions, caring and/or sole parenting responsibilities, or living in regional and remote Australia — have affected their ability to study.

• Establishing Status for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students: If a scholarship is specifically identified for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, you’ll need to complete a separate process to establish your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity and heritage with the University.

If you have already done this, you will not need to complete this process again for scholarships or other University supports – scholarships staff will already have the necessary information.

If you are new to this process, you can:

• read about the required documents in the procedure here
• start the process by visiting Establishing your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status with the University of Newcastle.

We recommend you get this process underway as soon as you know you want to study with the University of Newcastle.

Important: You do not need to upload documents for establishing status within the scholarship portal.

• Organise Early: Allow enough time to prepare your written statement and gather any necessary documents before the deadline.

Key points for submitting

1. Personal Statement:
   • A mandatory, one-page (A4) statement is required for most scholarships.
   • Highlight your Academic achievements, your career aspirations, and offer your thoughts on how the scholarship will assist you.
   • Tailor your statement for specific scholarships where relevant, but ensure it reflects your authentic self and your unique circumstances.
   • You can address the statement to the Scholarships Selection Panel.
   • Make sure your name and/or student number is included in the document.
   • Download and use the Scholarship Reflection form to help with prompts in preparing your statement.
2. Commonly Required Documents:
   • Check individual scholarships for extra requirements (e.g., references, awards, or certifications). These will be listed in the Your Documents tab of your application or may appear as a short answer or Y/N response question when submitting for the scholarship.
   • Medical impact statement: This is a statement about how the medical condition/disability you have claimed will have an effect on your studies. If required, a blank medical impact statement is provided in the Your Documents tab. It must be completed by a registered health professional who is treating your medical condition/disability.
   • Use the Student Regional Area Search on the centrelink website to see if you will be considered as living in regional or remote Australia for University of Newcastle campuses.
   • Educational impact statement: This is a statement about the impact your medical condition/disability has, or will have, on your studies. If required, a blank statement is provided in the Your Documents tab.
   • Some forms – such as the educational impact statement – will need to be signed by a Responsible Person. This may be a higher education educator, doctor, specialist medical professional, lawyer, accountant, social worker, counsellor, religious or community leader. They must be familiar with your circumstances and able to comment and provide information about their effect on your ability to study.
   • You can get an idea of what’s required from the sample forms here:
     • CA01 Carer Responsibilities
     • FD03 Exceptional Financial Hardship
     • GD01 Regional or Remote Disadvantage
     • MD01 Medical Condition/Disability or Effects of Abuse
     • OOHC Out of Home Care
     • SP01 Sole Parent Responsibilities
3. Format and Uploading:
   • For now, all documents must be uploaded as PDFs.
   • Hardcopies or emailed documents are not accepted.
   • If there is anything we can do to make this more accessible, please contact scholarships@newcastle.edu.au.