Confirmation of Identity

Confirmation of Identity

Your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage is something that is personal to you. You do not need a letter of confirmation to identify as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person. However, you may be asked to provide confirmation of your heritage when applying for Indigenous-specific services or programs, such as university.

When you apply to the University of Melbourne, you are asked to supply a Confirmation of Aboriginality or a Statutory Declaration to Murrup Barak. This enables you to access the full range of services and support through Murrup Barak, the Wilin Centre, all scholarships, and the Indigenous Tutorial Assistance Scheme.

Undergraduate students

There are certain courses and benefits for undergraduate students that can be accessed once you have supplied us with your Confirmation of Identity documentation, which include:

• Entry to your undergraduate course through our Access Melbourne pathway.
• Access to the Chancellor’s Scholar’s Program as long as you meet specific eligibility requirements and achieve an ATAR of at least 90.00.
• Entry to the Bachelor of Science (Extended) degree, which provides targeted mentoring, specialised subjects, and access to a place at a residential college.

Graduate and research students

There are certain courses and specific benefits for graduate and research students that can be accessed once you have supplied us with your Confirmation of Identity documentation, these include:

• The Graduate Access Melbourne (GAM) entry scheme, which can assist with your admission into a course, a Commonwealth Supported Place, and consideration for the Melbourne Graduate Access Bursary.
• Access to the Melbourne Indigenous Merit Scholarship which is based on academic merit in previous tertiary study (coursework students only).
• Some faculties also offer alternative entry pathways for their courses, such as the Melbourne Law School or the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences which includes the Doctor of Medicine.

What do I need to do?

You need to supply either a Confirmation of Aboriginality Document or a Statutory Declaration to us at murrup-barak@unimelb.edu.au as soon as possible to avoid missing out on the services and benefits listed above. A photo of the document is acceptable.

If you are a graduate or research student, please include in the subject line which degree you are applying to.

We will contact you to confirm that we have received your document.

Confirmation of Aboriginality:

1. A document stamped with the common seal and signed by the chairperson of an Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander Land Council, in whose area the person lives or has previously lived; or

2. A document stamped with the common seal and signed by a delegate of an incorporated Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander organisation, such as the Aboriginal Medical Service or an Aboriginal Legal Service.

If you are in the process of getting a confirmation document, please submit a Statutory Declaration in the meantime so you don’t miss out on an offer.

Statutory Declaration

A Statutory Declaration of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander identity: This requires you to declare you live and identify as an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander and are accepted as such by the community in which you live or have lived.

Please note a Statutory Declaration is a legally binding document.

Being dishonest about one’s identity and one’s connections to Indigenous communities damages the integrity and intent of service provision to address inequality and is harmful to Indigenous peoples.

If you intentionally make a false statement in a statutory declaration you can be charged with a criminal offence which carries the possibility of up to four years imprisonment.

Download the Statutory Declaration

Submit your document

Got a question?

You can reach one of our Indigenous Student Outreach Officers on (03) 8344 4295.