So I wasn’t selected for the RSSP, now what?
You put a lot of time and energy into your application. You’ve studied hard, you’ve worked on your English, but you didn’t make it this year. Now you are wondering why, and what’s next. If this sounds familiar, this blog post is for you.
Thank you to each and every student who submitted an application to the RSSP this year. We received many incredible submissions and have been impressed by the talent and qualifications amongst the applicant pool.
In this year’s 2026 RSSP intake, we received over 2900 expressions of interest and invited over 1600 students to submit a full application. Of this, 145 outstanding students were shortlisted. The 2026 RSSP Awardees have not yet been selected, but Finalists have been notified.
While we wish we could provide individual feedback to every student, due to the quantity of applicants, it is not possible. We understand missing out will be deeply disappointing for many students. We urge you not to let this setback stop you from pursuing your goals. You must remember: not being selected is not a measure of your potential.
This article contains general feedback and suggestions for students, answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and tips and resources from the Skill Path team.
FAQs
Why wasn’t I selected?
There are varying reasons for why you may not have been selected for the RSSP this year. Reasons candidates were not successful included:
Not meeting basic eligibility (for example, UNHCR registration not in an applicable country, age outside 18-30, or no recognised secondary or undergraduate qualification).
Application incomplete or missing information needed for assessment (such as academic grades or English test results).
English level below the requirement for the stream or course area.
Academic qualifications or results not sufficient for admission to an Australian university.
A less competitive application than others on academic results and motivation.
Cohort balance: where applications were closely matched, we aimed for a mix across gender, stream and country of asylum.
Selection committee felt further preparation and life experience would strengthen a future application.
For most candidates, these issues are not insurmountable. We encourage you to apply again next year.
Nearly half of this year’s Finalists were unsuccessful last year. That shows that persistence pays off! Take this as an opportunity to learn and strengthen your skills for whatever comes next.
I don’t know if you received my Duolingo score, could that be why I was not selected?
We received Duolingo English Test scores for more than 700 students, enabling us to compare English language ability between students accurately and fairly. We are incredibly grateful to Duolingo for providing these tests absolutely free to test takers applying for the RSSP.
Approximately 200 students who submitted applications were unable to complete a valid DET in time for assessment. In cases where students had made meaningful attempts to take the test by the deadline and faced technical or other difficulties, Skill Path used practice test results in the selection process while waiting for test scores to come in. No students in this situation were excluded just because of DET score delays.
This year we acknowledge students faced various challenges with the DET, and we are grateful to the students who followed our instructions and raised technical issues directly with Duolingo’s Help team.
Many students experienced avoidable technical issues with the DET which resulted in long delays. We recommend you familiarise yourself with the DET test requirements and practice before the next intake!
When is the next intake?
While we do not have a date set for the next RSSP intake, we hope to open again for applications in early 2027. To stay up to date, please join our Mailing List!
Can I apply again?
Yes! As long as you still meet the RSSP eligibility criteria. We encourage you to review the tips below to start preparing your application now.
Will it hurt my next application if I was unsuccessful this time?
Absolutely not! In fact, if you have made notable progress in any area of your application, it will only help you!
I will no longer meet the age requirement next year. Now what?
We know this is particularly hard for students who will be too old to apply next time. While the RSSP may no longer be a pathway available to you, we encourage you to explore other pathways. These include the labour mobility pathways listed below, particularly Talent Beyond Boundaries and Talent Lift Canada, which connect skilled refugees with employment and relocation opportunities without age restrictions.
Tips from the Skill Path team to strengthen your application next time
Meeting the academic requirements
Universities have certain requirements for admission, so if your latest grades do not meet university admissions requirements, this will impact your application.
The RSSP selection team looks at your most recent academic scores and these are compared against every other applicant. Because grading systems vary across countries, we can't give a single academic cut-off. As a rough guide: if your final-year grades or cumulative GPA are only at pass level, or near the bottom of your country or university's grading scale, your application is unlikely to be competitive.
What to do if your grades are not strong
We know it can be hard to come to terms with disappointing final grades, especially when unforeseen challenges or barriers have gotten in the way. It’s even more frustrating when you know your grades are not reflective of your abilities. But don’t let this discourage you!
If your grades aren't particularly strong, the best way to strengthen your application is to keep studying and build new evidence. Where possible:
Pursue the next level of education that is available to you, whenever this is possible, such as an accredited foundation or diploma course.
Retake final year of high school or final year exams in your country of asylum, where this is available to you.
Study for and take a high school equivalency test such as the GED, where this is available to you.
By completing additional schooling, it gives you the opportunity to show further evidence of your abilities.
What to do if your grades are solid, but not exceptional
Ok so you’re not a straight-A student, but you passed comfortably, and that's no small achievement given the circumstances of displacement. The RSSP receives many applications from top-performing students, so a solid-but-not-outstanding academic record means other parts of your application have to be very strong to be selected.
If you fall into this group, here's how to lift your application in future:
Use your motivation statement to stand out. We read every statement against a consistent rubric. The strongest are specific about your field of study, grounded in your own background, and show how you've kept progressing through challenges.
Choose a course that aligns with Skill Path priority areas and is realistic given your grades. For example, do not select law or medicine if you don’t have top scores!
Keep studying wherever possible, such as free online courses or certificate programs to supplement your academic results and show a well-rounded education.
Show what's outside your transcript: extracurricular involvement, volunteering, leadership, community contribution. These add evidence of your potential.
When you apply for the RSSP, if you are enrolled in any other studies (past year 12 or equivalent), please mark that as your highest level of education and share those results with us, even if it is in progress! This gives us more options of grades to look at when reviewing your application. If you can show continued interest in pursuing your studies, this will strengthen your application!
What to do if you don’t have a transcript
Transcripts can be lost or destroyed during displacement. We know this can be a real barrier for some refugee students. In our experience, though, students who are persistent and follow the required process can usually obtain reissued copies from their former institution. Schools and universities are generally obliged to provide transcripts to a formerly enrolled student, as long as the correct process is followed.
In cases where the institution no longer exists due to war or closure, this is harder, but there are often workarounds.
We can accept copies of transcripts, screenshots of results from a university or school portal, and other forms of evidence, as long as we can establish your final-year grades. If you're in this situation, use the time before the next RSSP intake to track down your records.
English
This year in order to be considered for the RSSP, you must have a minimum DET score of 105 for the undergraduate stream and a minimum of 130 for the postgraduate stream. While many of you met this requirement, many of you also exceeded it!
If your score is right at the stream requirement, consider continuing to strengthen your English language skills. Improving your English will always strengthen your application, not only for the RSSP, but also for other programs you may apply for in the future!
Improved English can be proven in your next application through an increase in DET score or in strengthened writing in the motivation statement (but please don’t overuse AI - we will notice 🙂)!
There are numerous free resources out there to assist you in your English language learning. What is most important is consistency and actual practice. Simply listening to English is not enough. You have to use the English you learn to improve your speaking skills. See more English language resources below.
The motivation statement
This is where we get the opportunity to see you past your grades or your DET score. We could tell which students followed our guide. If you did, well done!
If you didn’t have the chance to read the guide before writing your motivation statement, give it a look! When we are reviewing your motivation statement, we want to understand these main things: your motivation for applying, your story, your agency and the effort you’ve put into overcoming challenges, your goals, your aspirations, and how the RSSP will help you achieve them.
Bonus: if you’ve done anything since your last application to strengthen it, tell us!
Community Involvement and Leadership
The students who are selected to be a part of the RSSP often have displayed evidence of leadership or community service. For each person it may look a little different. Some people are more comfortable as a leader and form groups, clubs, or lead community organisations. Others may focus more on one-to-one community engagement through tutoring, volunteering and other activities.
However it works best for you, we encourage students to get involved in their communities. This shows us that you are invested in supporting the success of those around you.
Other pathways to explore
If you are no longer eligible to apply to the RSSP due to age, we especially encourage you to explore the labour mobility options below. These pathways are not age-restricted and focus on connecting skilled refugees with employment opportunities abroad.
Education
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. Comprehensive scholarships for refugee students across a range of academic disciplines.
UNHCR Scholarship Opportunities for Refugees. A range of global scholarships facilitated by UNHCR.
DAFI Scholarships. Tertiary education scholarships for refugees globally, funded by the German Federal Government.
Malengo — Connects displaced individuals with international higher education opportunities.
Duolingo University Access Program — An initiative to help refugees access higher education using Duolingo's language tools.
Labour mobility and employment
Talent Beyond Boundaries — Connects skilled refugees with employers who can sponsor relocation to Australia, Canada, the UK, and several European countries. UNHCR registration is not required.
Talent Lift Canada — An employment-based pathway for skilled refugees to relocate to Canada.
For a broader range of resources, the UNHCR Helpsite is a great starting point.
Whatever path you pursue next, on behalf of the entire Skill Path team, we thank you for your application and wish you the best in your future endeavours. Whether you reapply to the RSSP, pursue another pathway, or both, we hope this post gives you a sense of what is possible and what support is available.
Stay connected with us by joining our mailing list! And if you have more questions, visit our help centre.
— Bailey, Skill Path Program Manager and the Skill Path Team
