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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students

At ECU, we help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their communities to achieve their dreams and aspirations through further education. We'll assist you with choosing a university entry pathway and with understanding and adapting to your new university life.

Creative thinkers made here.
Creative thinkers made here.

Why ECU?

Pathways

There are a few different ways you can enter university. Whether you didn't get the ATAR score you were aiming for, or you've completed other qualifications, or even if it's been a few years since you've studied, you have some options.

Aboriginal University Readiness Assessment

The Aboriginal University Readiness Assessment (AURA) used to be known as the Aboriginal Student Intake Test (ASIT). It allows someone who has completed a Certificate II or lower to be considered for university entry.

It includes a self-assessment of your skills, knowledge and lifestyle to enable you to make informed decisions about entering university and thriving here as a student.

If you haven't completed at least a Certificate III qualification, AURA may be the simplest way for you to gain entry to enabling or undergraduate study.

Read more about AURA.

UniPrep pathways

Another option for students is one of our bridging courses called UniPrep – short for University Preparation.

UniPrep comes in a few flavours – some are short, intensive courses, while others take longer to complete.

Whichever one you choose, if you complete it successfully, you'll be ready to apply for entry to a whole range of undergraduate courses across our eight study areas.

Read more about UniPrep.

Not sure about your options?

If you'd like to chat about your pathway options, please email us at: kk@ecu.edu.au

What can you study here?

To help our students with a career direction, we group similar fields of work into study areas.

Within each study area below you can choose an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. And within most degree courses, you can choose your speciality, or major subject.

Need some help deciding what to study?

Our future student events include a mix of on-campus and online sessions designed to help you decide what to study at ECU.

Download a guide

If you prefer paper over pixels, please download one of our guides.

Creative thinkers start here

As an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student you may be eligible for different kinds of Government or ECU student loans. The Aboriginal Tutorial and Mentoring Program also covers the cost of a tutor to help you with academic and study skills assistance.

You could also be eligible for a scholarship to help with the costs of studying.

Commonwealth Scholarships

For example, there are different kinds of Commonwealth Scholarships that cover higher education costs:

  • The Indigenous Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship
  • The Indigenous Enabling Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship

And some provide additional financial support if you're from a rural or remote area:

  • The Indigenous Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship
  • The Indigenous Enabling Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship

More about Commonwealth and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander scholarships.

We are committed to walking with you on your university journey.

Kurongkurl Katitjin

ECU's Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research, Kurongkurl Katitjin provides support services and programs to help meet the academic and cultural needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. These include:

  • Dedicated Student Success Officers
  • Nala Karla Student Rooms and facilities
  • Tutorial Assistance
  • Elder-in-Residence Program

Student stories

  • Cassandra Catley

    Cassandra Catley

    ECU Indigenous University Orientation Course and Bachelor of Sport, Recreation and Event Management graduate

    My ECU studies have taught me that hard work pays off

    My study experience has been amazing and I am grateful for the connections I have built with friends from my futsal team, who I now consider my family.

    I first began my journey with ECU through the Indigenous University Orientation Course. This pathway gave me the guidance and time to help me pick a career I am passionate about.

    The lecturers offer great support and will always do their best to help you out when you need.

    My ECU studies have taught me that hard work pays off and I am proving that more and more each semester, as I get closer to the end of my studies.

  • Jarni Lee

    Jarni McGuire

    ECU Bachelor Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations

    ECU offers a high level of support for my studies

    The skills I have developed throughout my time at ECU have been invaluable. I was fortunate enough to complete an internship within the ECU's Corporate Marketing and Events Team, which gave me the opportunity to apply my learnings from my studies in a real world environment.

    Balancing family, work and study has been the biggest obstacle during my studies, however ECU offers a high level of support to enable me to keep pursuing my studies and move forward with a smile on my face.

The Important Things

Things you should know about if you're thinking about studying here.

Course Entry

There's more than one admission pathway into an ECU course. It depends on what you've studied already, or your work or life experience.

Fees & Scholarships

Course tuition fees can change, but we can give you an estimate of your costs. If you're eligible, a scholarship or student loan can help too.

Applying

Applying for a course is a fairly simple process, especially if you have scanned copies of qualifications, your resume or other paperwork, ready to upload.

ECU Experience

Starting a course is an exciting and sometimes daunting time, so we make a massive effort to ensure you get all the support you need to have a positive experience.