Elite Athlete and Performer Scheme

Elite athlete eligibility

You can apply for EAPS from your completed undergraduate application.

Applications closed 6 Feb 2026 and reopen 8 April 2026.

This scheme applies to semester 1 undergraduate offers only. 

An elite athlete is considered as a person competing at a national or international standard in their sport, often identified by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a state institute/academy of sport, or a recognised professional sporting body.

Applications for the Elite Athlete and Performer Scheme will be accepted from elite athletes who live with or without a disability and participate in either funded or unfunded sports. For your application to be considered, you must:

  • meet the eligibility criteria
  • be a member of at least one recognised sporting organisation
  • provide at least one supporting document as evidence of your sporting achievements or participation.
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To be eligible for the Elite Athlete and Performer Scheme as an elite athlete, you must meet one or more of the following competition-level criteria:

International level
  • Member of an Australian national team (open or junior international).
National level
  • State representative in a national open squad or equivalent.
  • State representative in a national age squad or equivalent.
  • Finalist in a state age squad (eg NSW All Schools team, NSW Swimming).
State level
  • Member of a state institute of sport or academy program (eg NSW Institute of Sport, SAS).
Individual rankings
  • Top 10 open national ranking or top 5 age national ranking in individual sports.

Membership with at least one of the following recognised organisations is required:

  • Australian Institute of Sport
  • State Institute or Academy of Sport
  • State or national sporting organisations
  • Professional players’ associations (eg Australian Cricketers’ Association, Rugby Union Players’ Association, Australian Professional Footballers’ Association).

Applicants must provide at least one of the following:

  • letter of recognition from a relevant sporting organisation
  • evidence of participation and achievements, such as competition certificates or team rosters
  • third-party corroboration, such as a coach’s statement or official website references.

Your application cannot be considered until your supporting documents have been uploaded.