Application Forms

Application Forms are configurable templates that define the fields, questions, and structure presented to applicants when they apply. Each form has a version number and follows a publication lifecycle — forms must be published before they can be used in applications. Multiple forms can exist, but one is designated as the default and is pre-selected when creating new applications.

How Application Forms Work

Each form is defined by a JSON schema (the data model) and a UI schema (the layout and field configuration). Together these control which fields appear on the form, their types, validation rules, and display order. When an application is created, the form is selected, and the applicant's responses are stored against that specific form version.

Because forms are versioned, changes to a published form do not affect applications that have already been submitted using an earlier version. Archiving a form prevents it from being used in new applications while preserving the data from past submissions.

Scenario: An institution creates one form for domestic applicants and another for international applicants, each collecting different sets of documents and eligibility declarations. The domestic form is set as the default. Staff select the appropriate form when processing applications, or applicants encounter the correct form based on their applicant type in the portal.

Form Statuses

Create a Form

To navigate to Application Forms, go to Enrolments → Application Forms.

1. Click New Application Form.
2. Enter the Code — a short unique identifier for the form (e.g., APP-DOM-V1).
3. Enter the Name of the form (e.g., Domestic Application Form).
4. Optionally enter a Description to explain the form's intended use.
5. The Version is set to 1 automatically for new forms.
6. Set the Status to Draft.
7. Click Save.

After saving, configure the form's fields and layout using the form builder. See Edit a Form below.

Edit a Form

Forms in Draft status can be edited freely. Published forms must be duplicated if you want to make structural changes — this preserves the integrity of existing application data.

Edit a Draft Form

1. Go to Enrolments → Application Forms.
2. Click the form name to open it.
3. Click Edit.
4. Update the form details, field definitions, and UI schema as needed using the form builder interface.
5. Click Save.

Note: Published and Archived forms cannot be edited directly. To update a published form, duplicate it to create a new draft version, make your changes, and publish the new version. Archive the old version once the new one is in use.

Publish a Form

Publishing makes the form available for use in applications. Once published, a form's structure is locked — it can no longer be edited directly.

1. Open a form in Draft status.
2. Review all fields and confirm the form is complete.
3. Click Publish.
4. Confirm the action.

The form status changes to Published and it becomes available in the form selector when creating applications.

Important: Publishing a form is not reversible back to Draft. If you need to make changes after publishing, duplicate the form to create a new version.

Set as Default Form

The default form is pre-selected when staff create a new application. Only one published form can be the default at a time.

1. Go to Enrolments → Application Forms.
2. Open the action menu for the published form you want to set as the default.
3. Select Set as Default.

The previous default form (if any) is automatically unset. The new default is indicated in the forms list.

Note: Only published forms can be set as the default. If no default is set, staff must manually select a form each time they create an application.

Duplicate a Form

Duplicating creates a new Draft form with the same field definitions and UI schema as the original. This is the recommended way to create a new version of an existing form.

1. Go to Enrolments → Application Forms.
2. Open the action menu for the form you want to duplicate and select Duplicate.
3. A new form is created in Draft status with the name "[Original Name] (Copy)" and a new code.
4. Edit the duplicate to make your changes.
5. Publish the duplicate when ready.
6. Archive the original form to retire it from use.

Pro Tip: Use duplication to manage form versioning. Keeping a clear naming convention (e.g., including the year or version number in the form name) makes it easier to track which form is current.

Archive a Form

Archiving removes a form from active use without deleting its historical data. Applications that used the archived form retain all their response data.

1. Go to Enrolments → Application Forms.
2. Open the action menu for the form and select Archive.
3. Confirm the action.

Important: If the form you are archiving is currently set as the default, you will need to set a new default form before archiving. An archived form cannot be set as the default and will not appear in the form selector for new applications.

Permissions

Next: Enrolment Records