If you're an athlete and you've been competing at an elite level, you may be eligible for our Elite Athlete Program. The program can give you access to academic flexibility, support services, personal and professional development opportunities, scholarships and funding, and maybe even an adjustment to your selection rank to assist with entry to QUT.

Support for learning

We know competing at an elite level takes a lot of time and commitment. As an elite-athlete-friendly university, we can help you get a world-class education while you compete through flexible study, assessment and exam options, including:

  • priority changes to classes and tutorials
  • alternative assessment deadlines and extensions
  • alternative exam schedules
  • extended leaves of absence
  • cross-institutional study.

What you get

In addition to support for your study, you may receive:

  • access to athlete support services, professional development opportunities and a range of workshops to help you with your academic and sporting aspirations
  • complimentary or discounted access to sports psychologists, nutritionists, gym and training facilities
  • an adjustment to your selection rank (or OP equivalent) for future students applying for the first time and current students changing courses with the elite athlete entry scheme
  • financial assistance for travel related expenses for national or international competitions
  • membership into the College of Excellence, our personal and professional development program
  • opportunities to represent QUT in campus and intervarsity sporting events, in addition to national and world university sporting events
  • a QUT Sport Scholarship ranging from $5,000 to $20,000.

As part of our sporting community, you’ll also have opportunities to help build your profile, professional networks, and leadership in sport.

Eligibility

To align with QUT Sport's strategic vision, in 2023 we will assess Elite Athlete applications and select athletes for the Elite Athlete Program in accordance to their level of development and performance within their respective sports. QUT has a suite of key sports which align with University goals and national high-performance objectives, and athletes who are representatives in QUT key sports may be prioritised.

To be eligible to apply, you must be an athlete who's currently progressing and achieving within a sport that's recognised and funded by Sport Australia.

You must be able to verify your performance status by providing written evidence from your state or national sporting organisation, or professional player league. It must demonstrate:

  • a minimum of Talent 3 (T3) categorisation within Sport Australia's FTEM development framework (you can find more information on athlete categorisation on the Sport Australia website)
  • evidence of your most recent competition results or performances, from within the last 12 months.

If your sport isn't on the list of QUT's current key sports, we still encourage you to apply. We'll assess your application based on your individual merit and alignment with our strategic vision.

Our current key sports

  • AFL
  • Archery
  • Athletics
  • Badminton
  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Bocce
  • Bowls
  • Boxing
  • Canoeing (slalom and sprint)
  • Cricket
  • Cycling (BMX, mountain, track and road)
  • Diving
  • Equestrian (dressage, eventing and jumping)
  • eSports
  • Fencing
  • Football (soccer)
  • Golf
  • Gymnastics Olympic Disciplines (rhythmic, artistic and trampoline only)
  • Hockey
  • Lacrosse
  • Martial Arts (Judo)
  • Martial Arts (Karate)
  • Martial Arts (Taekwondo)
  • Modern Pentathalon
  • Motorcycling
  • Motorsport
  • Netball
  • Orienteering
  • Paralympic Sports
  • Professional Ballet
  • Polocrosse
  • Rowing
  • Rugby Union (7s and 15s)
  • Rugby League
  • Sailing
  • Shooting
  • Special Olympic Sports
  • Softball
  • Squash
  • Surf life saving
  • Surfing
  • Swimming
  • Synchronised swimming
  • Table tennis
  • Tennis
  • Tenpin bowling
  • Touch football
  • Triathlon
  • Volleyball (beach)
  • Volleyball (indoor)
  • Waterpolo
  • Water skiing and wakeboarding
  • Weightlifting (Olympic)
  • Winter sports (Olympic)
  • Wrestling

How to apply

Study support benefits

Once you're enrolled as a student, you'll be able to apply for the Elite Athlete Program through the HiQ site.

Selection rank adjustment

You can apply for our elite athlete entry scheme when you apply for your course through QTAC.

Elite athlete scholarship

You can apply for our QUT Sport Scholarship (Elite Athlete) when you apply for your course.

Need more information?

If you've got questions about our Elite Athlete Program, contact us for more information.