As mandated by the Commonwealth Government, to be eligible for an Indigenous Student Success Policy (ISSP) funded Scholarship at the University of Tasmania we will require you to provide evidence of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural identity. This will be in effect for all future Scholarship Rounds.
What documentation do you need to provide?
To confirm your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent at the University of Tasmania, you will need to provide one of the following forms of evidence.
All documentation must be certified by one of the following:
- a Justice of the Peace;
- a notary public;
- a commissioner for declarations; or
- another authorised person permitted to certify documents under relevant Australian law.
Certified documentation must be submitted with the completed University of Tasmania Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent (CATSID) Coversheet (DOCX 61.0 KB).
A Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent (CATSID) document provided by an incorporated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community organisation.
Where available, the document should be:
- issued on the organisation’s letterhead;
- signed by an authorised executive leader, board member, chairperson, secretary, or authorised delegate; and
- stamped with the organisation’s common seal or official stamp of certification.
A copy of your parent’s Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent document, together with a copy of your birth certificate showing your relationship to that parent.
A statutory declaration declaring your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent (CATSID), together with one of the following supporting documents:
- a letter from an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community education counsellor, Aboriginal Education Worker, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander education support officer from the school you attended, with contact details provided. This option is particularly relevant for school leavers who have graduated within the last three years;
- evidence of previous acceptance of your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student support centre, Indigenous education unit, or equivalent area at another university or TAFE institution, provided on that organisation’s letterhead;
- a letter or other formal evidence from a Native Title Prescribed Body Corporate, Aboriginal Land Council, Aboriginal Land Trust, or relevant Traditional Owner organisation confirming connection, membership, or recognition;
- a letter signed by an elected councillor, authorised representative, or executive leader of an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community organisation, council, corporation, or representative body, on the organisation’s letterhead;
- a letter signed by an executive leader, such as a Chief Executive Officer, Chairperson, Secretary, Director, or board member of an incorporated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community organisation, on the organisation’s letterhead;
- a letter from an executive leader, case worker, family history officer, or authorised representative from Link-Up or another Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander family reunification, family tracing, or community support service, on the organisation’s letterhead.
A standard Commonwealth, Tasmanian, or other Australian state or territory statutory declaration is also acceptable, provided it is completed and witnessed in accordance with the relevant statutory declaration requirements and other identity elements.
What happens next?
You can submit your Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent documentation by email to PVC.Indigenous.Excellence@utas.edu.au
To be eligible for an ISSP scholarship, bursary, or award, the Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Excellence will work alongside the Aboriginal Leadership Group, Riawunna Student Services Team and the relevant University business area to review and process the documentation.
A nominated officer will review your documents to ensure that:
- the required forms have been provided;
- the documentation is certified where required;
- the details are complete and correct; and
- the evidence meets the University’s requirements.
Once the documentation has been reviewed and approved, your Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander confirmation status will be recorded in the University’s student administration system. You will receive written confirmation, and no further action will be required unless the University contacts you for additional information.
Frequently asked questions
If you have previously provided Confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Descent documentation to the University of Tasmania, and this has been accepted and recorded in the University’s corporate or student administration system, you do not need to provide the documentation again if it meets the above current criteria.
However, if your confirmation status cannot be verified in the University’s systems, or if the previous documentation is incomplete or unavailable, you will be asked to provide documentary evidence in accordance with the requirements outlined above.
If your application is delayed, held up, or declined due to insufficient or incomplete evidence, the approving officer or delegate will contact you.
You may be provided with an opportunity to obtain further information, correct the documentation, or resubmit your evidence for review.
Riawunna Centre for Aboriginal Education can assist you with understanding the documentation requirements and the process for resubmission. The Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Excellence may also provide guidance where the matter relates to university-wide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eligibility, governance, scholarships, awards, or targeted opportunities.
You may be eligible for multiple UTAS Scholarships based on various criteria as outlined on the UTAS Indigenous Scholarships Page.
However, please note if you are already in receipt of funding from the Commonwealth, for example a Service Australia ‘Start-up’ Loan or Residential Cost allowance through Abstudy to support your College Accommodation, you would not be eligible for an additional Scholarship of the same type.
Please reach out to one of the Aboriginal Student Advisers (ASAs) for further clarification and discussion via (03) 6226 2772 (option 2), or Riawunna.Advisers@utas.edu.au