Low socio-economic status (SES) - postcode measure
The low socio economic status (low SES) postcode measure is based on the postcode of the student's reported residential address, with the SES value derived from the Australian Bureau of Statistics' Socio‑Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA) Index of Education and Occupation for postal areas. Postal areas in the bottom 25% of the population aged 15‑64 are classified as low SES (the middle 50% are classified as medium SES and the top 25% are classified as high SES). An estimate of the number of low SES students is made by counting the number of students whose reported residential address has a postcode in a low SES area.
The low SES postcode measure is available using the SEIFA.
Technical notes
SES status is assigned to domestic students only, excluding domestic students who have a residential address overseas. To calculate SES status, the residential address postcode for each student is used. The calculation uses the student's latest available value, as the students' reported address more closely represents the student's background.
A small number of students are unable to be classified to a 'low', 'medium' or 'high' SES status, these students are therefore assigned to 'unknown'.
Application of glossary term:- Statistical outputs