Frequently asked questions

FAQs about technical issues

If you have a disability and are having problems with the UAC application process, call us on (+61 2) 9752 0200 between 8.30am and 4.30pm (Sydney time) Monday to Friday, email us using the enquiry form or write to the Access Unit, UAC, Locked Bag 112, Silverwater NSW 2128, Australia. We will help you with your application.

UAC does not recommend using a tablet or mobile phone to apply. To ensure an optimal experience when using UAC's online application services, use a recent version of your browser on a desktop or laptop computer.

The UAC website supports the following browsers:

If you receive this message when you enter a page on the UAC website, it is because you are using an outdated version of Internet Explorer. Upgrading your browser to a more recent version has many benefits, including greater security when web-surfing and the ability to interact more successfully with websites. Following the link in the message will allow you to download recent versions of the web's most popular browsers.

Your application should load quickly, but will be slower if:

  • you're applying close to or on a closing date (or the early bird deadline – last business day in September)
  • you're applying during the peak usage period (4pm to 10pm, Sydney time)
  • the speed of your modem or the bandwidth of your internet service provider’s connection is insufficient.

Auto Complete may be enabled on your browser. Auto Complete is a feature of many web browsers which is automatically turned on by default. You can choose whether to use Auto Complete for web addresses, forms and passwords, or not use it at all.

To clear Auto Complete visit your browser's individual support website to find a solution.

This means your log-in session has expired. The maximum time permitted between keystrokes is 30 minutes. This is a security feature designed to protect you if you leave your application unfinished on a shared computer. Log in again, and complete your application or changes.

There may be a programming or system error. Log in again, and complete your application or changes. If the problem re-occurs, use our enquiry form to contact us with the date, time and a description of the action you were performing before receiving the error. You can apply or log in to your application between 7.30am and midnight (Sydney time), seven days a week.

If you receive the message 'This website requires JavaScript. Disable any extensions that may be blocking JavaScript, or read how to enable JavaScript in your browser.' when you enter a page on the UAC website, it is because JavaScript has been turned off in your web browser. The UAC website and online application services require JavaScript to be enabled to allow for a full range of functions and interactions. You can learn how to turn JavaScript on by visiting the link in the displayed message.

You must have JavaScript enabled in your browser to apply or manage your application. Read how to enable JavaScript in your browser.

Often referred to as the cache, internet files can be stored as a kind of travel record of the items you've downloaded from the web, including images, audio, web page content, and even cookies.

All files stored in your cache take up space. From time to time, you may want to clear out the stored files to free space on your computer and reduce the chance of problems occurring with web applications. This is called clearing the cache.

Clearing the browser cache will solve many technical issues related to your application. To clear your browser's cache select 'Tools' or 'Settings' from the options menu, and select 'Options' or 'Preferences'. Some devices may display a different set of options for clearing your cache.

There are a number of different internet browsers available. If you are unable to find solutions to clearing your cache, visit your browser's individual support website to find a solution.

Try the following:

  • Check other sites. If other sites are also slow, it is unlikely that UAC's website is the cause. The problem could be caused by the computer you're using, or the speed of your internet connection.
  • Contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and find out if they’re experiencing congestion or service outages.
  • Record the time of day and the page you were attempting to visit. If you contact us we'll need to know this information so that we can follow up on your problem.

Use the enquiry form to tell us the:

  • type of computer, or device (mobile phone/tablet) you're using
  • operating system (Windows version) or the Mac OS X version you're currently running
  • browser and version you're using (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer or others)
  • ISP you use
  • type of connection (eg dial-up modem, network, DSL, cable, wireless)
  • page or application you were trying to access and at what time.

Alternatively, you may have visited the UAC website at a busy time. Try accessing the UAC website at a different time of day when response times may be faster.

Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) keep a copy of a website you've visited on a local server known as a proxy or cache server. This means that every time one of their users wants to view a web page, a request is not sent to the UAC web server but a copy of the page is instead sent to the proxy or cache. These can be updated infrequently. Your computer may also have stored pages you've visited in its cache.

The UAC website is updated regularly, so you should always click on 'Reload' or 'Refresh' if you've previously experienced caching problems when you visit the UAC website. This will ensure that you always see the latest version of the page. Alternatively, you can try clearing your browser's cache.

Some devices and older browsers may have problems playing YouTube videos due to a lack of plug-in compatibility. Visit Google help for information that may assist you to enable YouTube video playback in your browser.

If you're using an Apple computer with an OSX version less than 10.8, do not use its built-in PDF software to prepare PDF documents. Documents created or saved using this software and uploaded will be not viewable.