Get help with your application
Our Prospective Student Enquiry Centre can provide you with step-by-step guidance on the application process. Get in touch on 1800 693 888 to chat with one of our friendly advisers and have all your questions answered.
What is special consideration?
Special consideration acknowledges unavoidable factors that disrupt your studies, like illness, financial hardship, natural disasters and remote living. With a better understanding of the difficulties you’ve had to work through, we can recognise what you would have achieved if your circumstances were different.
Special consideration can adjust your rank. This means you can be offered a place in a course at Deakin with a lower rank than would usually be required. You’ve got nothing to lose by applying, and your potential ranking adjustment could be the difference between receiving an offer and missing out.
Types of special consideration
We understand there are many types of challenges you might face as you prepare for uni. That’s why we recognise four different categories of special consideration to give you the best chance of turning your resilience into a brighter future.
Under-represented, regional or Indigenous students
Deakin supports under-represented, regional and Indigenous students in more ways than one. We provide special consideration for a range of factors relating to your personal information and location, while creating unique entry streams and scholarships that connect you to a course you love.
Financial hardship
Have you experienced financial hardship while preparing for university? You deserve to have your challenges recognised. If your life has been affected by financial disadvantage, we encourage you to apply for special consideration.
Disability or medical condition
We want to acknowledge the hard work you’ve put into your studies while living with a disability or medical condition. This category considers any medical factor that has impacted your education.
Difficult life or family challenges
We recognise that your ability to prepare for university may have been limited due to a broad range of challenges, including but not limited to: learning impacted by natural disasters, refugee and asylum seeker status, long-term illness of a family member, homelessness, discrimination and severe family disruptions.
Under-represented disciplines
If you’re applying for an undergraduate course that’s under-represented by your gender, you may be eligible for additional consideration that improves your chances of selection.
Pathways that look beyond your ATAR
By applying for courses through the Deakin Regional Access Scheme and Indigenous Access Scheme, we can assess a range of factors outside of your academic results, like the skills, experience and achievements that make you unique and prepare you for study at university.
How to apply for SEAS
Applying for SEAS is simple, and in some cases you won’t need to provide any details outside of your course application. The process is different for each category, so please visit the relevant special consideration page for step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
For additional advice on preparing your application and more information on how special consideration is applied to your ATAR, visit our applying for special consideration page.
Did you know?
- Deakin and VTAC recognise special consideration under the Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS).
- SEAS is a single application that is sent to all the courses you apply to.
- Special consideration is available for all undergraduate course applicants, not just current Year 12 students.
Applications are now open
Apply via the Deakin Applicant Portal to start in November or March. If you're currently in Year 12, applications are now open via VTAC for Trimester 1, 2023. Plus, you can chat with our application experts on 1800 693 888 if you need support at any step.
Subject adjustments
Your aggregate score can also be increased through subject adjustments. Depending on the course you’re applying for, completing related subjects in high school could boost your aggregate score – like if you’re applying for a Bachelor of Civil Engineering having achieved a study score of 30 in mathematical methods.
Find out more about subject adjustments in the entry requirements section (in the selection adjustments tab) on course pages.
Explore our full range of pathways
If you don’t quite meet the entry requirements for your preferred course, the good news is there are many more pathways to university. Learn more about entry pathways and use our pathways finder to plan a study path to your dream course.