Support for elite athletes
Swinburne’s Elite Athlete Program supports student athletes by providing additional advice and consideration to help balance the competing priorities of sport and study.
On this page:
Who is eligible
To be classed as an ‘Elite Athlete’ your athletic status must be formally recognised by one of the following institutions:
The Australian Institute of Sport
State Institutes or Academies of Sport
AFL Players’ Association
Australian Cricketers’ Association
Rugby Union Players’ Association
Rugby League Professionals’ Association
Australian Professional Footballers’ Association
Member of Olympic or Commonwealth Games team.
Member of a non-Australian team competing at highest level for chosen sport.
You will also be allocated an athlete level using the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) classification system. More details are in the section below.
If you are classed as an ‘Elite Athlete’, you will also be allocated level based on the Australian Institute of Sports (AIS) classification system:
Elite Athlete Level 1 - the highest team representative in an international games sport. (World Championships, Olympics and Commonwealth Games. Paid athletes.)
Elite Athlete Level 2 - a professional athlete, registered with a professional athlete's association. (Not competing at the highest international level. Usually paid or funded in some way.)
Elite Athlete Level 3 - an athlete that is ready to transition into playing at an international level from state level. (Reserve squad, first event/participation at international level. Not usually paid or funded.)
We also have two separate classifications for emerging and developing athletes who have not competed or not recently competed in national competition.
Emerging Athlete - an athlete who has potential to participate at an international level, playing at state level currently. (Not paid.)
Developing Athlete - an athlete developing in their chosen sport, with no current opportunities to play in an international level.
More information about these classifications can be found on the National Athlete Categorisation Framework (NACF) and on the Australian Sport Directory.
What we offer
The Elite Athlete Program provides academic support and limited financial assistance to help student athletes manage their sporting, medical and training commitments alongside study.
The Elite Athlete Program provides every accepted athlete with a Confirmation Welcome Letter and a Reference Letter.
The Reference Letter allows student athletes to request additional consideration for:
extensions
rescheduling academic assignments
tailored study plans where needed.
This support is designed to give athletes more flexibility around their sporting, medical and training requirements, so they can balance their sporting and educational goals.
The Elite Athlete Program may also provide limited financial support through Travel Grants.
To be eligible for Travel Grants, athletes must:
not be professionally paid or funded, and
not receive sponsorship from their sport.
Each eligible athlete may access one Travel Grant per calendar year:
State and national level athletes may receive up to $500 AUD per Travel Grant
International level athletes may receive up to $1000 AUD per Travel Grant.
You can apply for Travel Grant funding using the online Travel Grant application form.
How to apply for the Elite Athlete Program
To be eligible for entry into Swinburne’s Elite Athlete Program, you must be admitted and enrolled as a student at Swinburne University of Technology.
You should aim to submit your application at least one month before any competition or training that may require alternative study arrangements. Requests for financial support should also be submitted at least one month before travel or competition begins.
Steps to apply
Make sure you meet the elite or emerging athlete criteria listed above.
Your sports reference letter must include:
the official letterhead of the organisation you are affiliated with
your full legal name
confirmation that you are a current member of the squad
a signature from a club representative (including the sports manager’s full name, email address and phone number)
a brief explanation of your sporting commitments and how these may impact your academic studies
a statement confirming your participation in competitions at state or national level within the last 18 months.
Complete the Elite Athlete Program application form and upload your sports reference letter and any other required documents.
Once you are part of the Elite Athlete Program, you can submit a Travel Grant application form if you require financial assistance to attend competitions.
Submit your application
To apply for the Elite Athlete Program, complete the online application form.
Apply for Travel Grant funding
To apply for the Travel Grant
If you have any questions before applying, you can email the Elite Athlete team at eliteathlete@swinburne.edu.au for support
Want to study with us?
If you’re an elite athlete looking to study at Swinburne, we can help. Book a one-on-one appointment to start the process.
Ready to take the next step?
If you're an elite athlete studying at Swinburne, contact Student Life for study and financial support advice.