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 Buranga Centre if you require further information or assistance obtaining your Confirmation of Aboriginality (CoA).

Indigenous Health Admissions Pathway Guidelines

1. Purpose

The Indigenous Health Admissions Pathway provides access to select competitive undergraduate and postgraduate health programs¹ for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander applicants who do not meet the published ATAR/Selection Rank or minimum GPA threshold for admission.

2. Eligibility

To be considered for Indigenous Health Admissions Pathway (IHAP), applicants must:

• Apply through standard application processes, outlined in section 3
• Be an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person
• Have met the subject prerequisites and program specific requirements (or equivalent)
• Have met the minimum score outlined in Table 1
• Participate in a culturally sensitive interview.

Table 1: Selection Criteria

Program	2025 Minimum Score
Bachelor of Medical Science (Pathway to Doctor of Medicine at Griffith University)	ATAR/Rank 99.00 Not applicable to mature applicants as this is a school leaver program.
Bachelor of Midwifery	ATAR/Rank 80.00
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours)	ATAR/Rank 80.00
Master of Dietetics (Sports Nutrition)	Grade Point Average of 4.00 in completed human science bachelor’s degree with evidence of approved studies. Not applicable to school leavers as this is a postgraduate program.

 

The minimum score and proportion of places set aside for IHAP will be determined annually by the Dean of the School of Health, based on the total number of places approved for that year’s intake.

3. Application Process

Applicants must apply through standard application processes and have identified on their application as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

For undergraduate programs:

• Applications must be submitted to the Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC).
• Eligible applicants will be identified in late December and invited by UniSC Buranga Centre to attend an interview in early January and provide additional documentation.

For postgraduate programs:

• Applications for postgraduate programs are to be submitted direct to UniSC.
• After the published application closing date, UniSC Buranga Centre will invite eligible applicants to attend an interview and provide additional documentation.

Additional documentation requirements:

• Resume outlining previous experiences, including any references
• Certified copy of a Confirmation of Aboriginality and/or Torres Strait Islander status²
• Brief personal statement outlining reasons for wanting to study in their chosen health discipline.

4. Selection Process

Shortlisted eligible applicants who have provided evidence of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status will be invited to attend a culturally sensitive interview designed to assess motivation and cultural, social support and academic needs. The interview will be conducted by an interview panel and will include representatives from Buranga Centre and the School of Health (as nominated by the Dean of Health).

Offers will be made based on academic achievement (ATAR or GPA, as applicable) and interview score which will be evaluated holistically by the Interview panel.

If the number of suitable candidates exceeds the number of places available, the ATAR or program GPA (as applicable) will be used as a secondary differentiator.

5. Outcome

Applicants will be advised in writing of the outcome of their application as soon as possible after interviews have been finalised.

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

The review and appeals process is outlined in section 26 of the Admissions Procedures.

Notes

¹IHAP does not apply to all health programs at UniSC. Mature applicants may apply for the Indigenous Direct Entry and Access Scheme (IDEAS) for other undergraduate health programs.

²As a condition of eligibility to this targeted access, students must provide evidence confirming their Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, in the format determined by the UniSC Buranga Centre.