How do I provide relevant documentation for confirmation of Aboriginality and/or Torres Strait Islander status?

To prove Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you must provide one of the following:

1. A current Centrelink statement showing you receive ABSTUDY income support payments.

2. A letter of confirmation/certificate of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Identity which recognises you as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person from an incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander organisation. This letter must contain the seal of the organisation.

3. Two Statutory Declarations, one from you, and one from the Community:

1. The first is a declaration from you declaring that you live as, and identify, as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person.

2. The second is a declaration from a member of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Community, declaring that they recognise and accept you as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person. This person must be:

   • a recognised community Elder.
   • an Indigenous person who holds a position within any incorporated Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander community based organisation in the community you live in, or from the community you grew up in.
   • an Indigenous person with local, state, territory or national recognition.
   • an Indigenous worker in a school or organisation where you have been known as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student or person.

Note: People outside of the positions listed above may be able to provide you with the second statutory declaration in consultation with USC.

Please contact Indigenous Services if you require further information or assistance obtaining your Confirmation of Aboriginality (CoA).

Indigenous Medical Access Pathway Program Guidelines

1. Purpose

UniSC is committed to increasing the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students studying the Bachelor of Medical Science program, a provisional pre-medicine pathway to the Doctor of Medicine at Griffith University. We recognise the valuable contribution that Indigenous doctors make to community.

2. Eligibility

A quota of up to 10% of places in the Bachelor of Medical Science program will be available to applicants of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who meet the following requirements –

• Completion of Year 12 no more than three years prior to application;
• No previous attempt of tertiary study at diploma level or higher;
• Successful completion of the prerequisite for Year 12 English (or approved equivalent); and
• Participation in a semi-structured interview¹.

The number of places for a given year will be determined by the Dean of the School of Health, based on the total number of places approved for that year’s intake.

Applicants for these places are required to provide confirmation of Aboriginality/Torres Strait Islander status, in the format determined by the UniSC Indigenous Services and communicated in the invitation to interview.

Additional reference letters from community are highly desirable to evidence community engagement.

3. Selection Process

Applicants who met the eligibility requirements and achieve a minimum unadjusted ATAR of 99.00 will be invited to attend interview in December/January.

The interview will assess motivation and cultural, social support and academic needs.

Offers will be made based on recommendation from the Interview panel².

The interview selection committee will comprise of the Dean of the School of Health (or nominee), the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy) (Chair), and a representative from Indigenous Services.

Successful applicants will be ratified by the Chair of the Selection Committee.

4. Application Process

Applications are to be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).

Applicants must have identified on their QTAC application as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

After the release of Year 12 results for the given year, the Indigenous Services Unit will invite appropriately qualified applicants to attend interview.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the UniSC Indigenous Services to discuss the process.

5. Outcome

Applicants will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after interviews have been finalised. Successful applicants will receive an offer of a place in the Bachelor of Medical Science program through QTAC and will be required to meet the standard articulation requirements to progress to the Doctor of Medicine at Griffith University.

6. Deferment

The deferment process is outlined in the Admissions Procedures.

Applicants returning from approved deferment will not count towards the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sub-quota for that year’s intake.

7. Review and Appeals

Unsuccessful applicants should address a request for review to the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic). The decision maker will review the case and notify the complainant of the outcome of the review and the reason for the decision. There is no further avenue for appeals against this decision within the University.

Notes

¹ The requirement for interview is specific to applicants being considered for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sub-quota.

² The selection of applicants under these guidelines varies to standard admission to the Bachelor of Medical Science which is based solely on ATAR. Indigenous applicants who meet the minimum selection threshold with all other applicants will be offered outside the sub-quota.