ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)
State Education Authorities
Complete guide to passing the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) exam on your first attempt.
Included in school fees
N/A (ranking)
Lifetime
Australia
State Education Authorities
University admission
Are you ready for ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)?
Loading quiz...
Complete Overview
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is the number Australian universities use to compare Year 12 school leavers, and it is a rank rather than a mark. It is calculated for students completing an Australian Year 12 qualification by their state or territory tertiary admissions centre, and there is no separate examination fee: the ATAR is produced from results a student has already earned, though application to courses through a tertiary admissions centre carries a processing fee that each centre publishes annually. The scale runs from 0.00 to 99.95 in increments of 0.05, which QTAC describes as a 2000-point scale, and there is no ATAR of 100 because a percentile rank cannot place a student above themselves. UAC states that an ATAR of 80.00 means you are 20 per cent from the top of your age group, meaning all 16 to 20 year olds in your state, not just your Year 12 cohort. Results below 30.00 are reported as '30 or less' or 'less than 30' rather than as a number. UAC notes that the average ATAR is usually around 70.00, higher than the 50.00 it would be if every school student received one, because students who leave school early never enter the calculation. Five centres calculate it: UAC for New South Wales, and for the ACT in consultation with the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies; VTAC for Victoria; QTAC for Queensland; SATAC for South Australia and the Northern Territory; and TISC for Western Australia. Each uses a different aggregate. NSW builds an aggregate of scaled marks across 10 units, the best 2 units of English plus the best 8 remaining units. Victoria adds a scaled study score in English, English Language, Literature or English as an Additional Language to the next best three scaled study scores, then adds 10 per cent of a fifth and sixth. Queensland requires five General subjects, or four General plus one Applied subject or a VET qualification at Certificate III or above, and a satisfactory C grade or better in an English subject, though the English result only counts if it lands in the best five. South Australia sums the best 90 credits of Tertiary Admissions Subjects. Western Australia adds the best four scaled scores plus 10 per cent bonuses for a Language Other Than English, Mathematics Methods and Mathematics Specialist, to a maximum Tertiary Entrance Aggregate of 430. Every system scales subject results before ranking, because a mark in one subject is not comparable to a mark in another. UAC reports that 60,432 NSW students received an ATAR in 2025, the highest number ever recorded, that 53 of them received 99.95, and that the median was 70.75. ATARs are equivalent across states: UAC states that an 85.00 in NSW or the ACT means the same as an 85.00 anywhere else in Australia.
Why Get ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) Certified?
60,432 NSW students received an ATAR in 2025, the highest number ever and 3,238 more than in 2024, according to UAC
UAC reports that 70 per cent of students use their ATAR to enter university
The rank is nationally comparable: UAC states that an ATAR of 85.00 in NSW or the ACT is equivalent to 85.00 in every other state
There is no examination fee for the ATAR itself, because it is derived from Year 12 results a student has already earned
The scale is finely graded: 0.00 to 99.95 in steps of 0.05, which QTAC describes as a 2000-point scale
Scaling protects subject choice: UAC states the underlying principle is that you should be neither advantaged nor disadvantaged by choosing one pattern of study over another, across more than 25,000 different patterns of study
Adjustment factors sit on top: VTAC applies equity scheme and subject adjustment points to the aggregate, not the ATAR, which produces a selection rank that can exceed the raw ATAR
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
There is no single ATAR examination. The rank is built from Year 12 subject results, each of which has its own examination. HSC Mathematics Advanced, for example, allows 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time, so 180 minutes of writing. Victorian written examinations run across a fixed period each year: VCAA has set 26 October to 17 November 2027 for written examinations, with the General Achievement Test on 17 June 2027 and the Extended Investigation Critical Thinking Test on 28 July 2027. Individual VCE papers vary widely, from 75 minutes for Mathematical Methods Examination 1 to 195 minutes for English, and every VCE examination commences with a 15-minute reading period unless otherwise specified.
Questions
Set per subject. The HSC Mathematics Advanced paper is worth 100 marks in two sections: Section I carries objective-response questions to the value of 10 marks, and Section II carries 90 marks across 37 to 42 items, at least two of which are worth 4 or 5 marks. That gives 47 to 52 items in total. The Mathematics Advanced paper also shares 20 to 25 marks of common items with the Mathematics Standard 2 paper, distributed across both sections.
Passing Score
There is no pass mark and no fail. VTAC states plainly that there is no pass or fail ATAR and that everyone who receives an ATAR has passed the VCE. Results below 30.00 are reported as 'less than 30' on VTAC statements and as '30 or less' on UAC ATAR Advice Notices, and QTAC reports scores below 30 as '30.00 or less'. A student who has not met the requirements to receive an ATAR is recorded as 'not eligible' or 'ATAR ineligible' instead.
Question Types
- Objective-response questions, used in HSC Section I papers
- Short-answer and extended-response written questions carrying multiple marks, sometimes in parts
- Extended essays and analytical responses, as in the 195-minute VCE English examination
- Oral examinations, held in Victoria for Languages between 4 and 31 October 2027
- Performance examinations in dance, drama, theatre studies and music
- The Auslan Interactive Sign examination and Sign Comprehension and Sign Production examinations, preceded by 10 minutes of reading and viewing time
- A computer-based Critical Thinking Test for VCE Extended Investigation
- School-based assessment tasks, which NESA requires schools to submit as a mark for every Year 12 candidate and which are moderated against exam performance
Delivery Method
Paper-based written examinations in most subjects, with computer-based delivery for specific assessments such as the VCE Extended Investigation Critical Thinking Test. Oral and performance examinations are conducted in person at scheduled venues, with students issued individual examination advice slips and required to present photo identification. School-based assessment is conducted by the school across the year and submitted to the state authority.
How scoring works
Score scale
0.00 to 99.95, in increments of 0.05. QTAC describes this as a 2000-point scale reported in descending order from 99.95. There is no ATAR of 100, because a percentile rank cannot place a student above themselves. Underlying aggregates differ by state: a Victorian aggregate can range from 0 to over 210, a South Australian university aggregate has a maximum of 90.00 across the best 90 credits, and a Western Australian Tertiary Entrance Aggregate has a maximum of 430.
Score needed to pass
There is no pass mark. VTAC states that there is no pass or fail ATAR and that everyone who receives one has passed the VCE. What exists instead is a reporting floor: UAC records an ATAR between 0.00 and 30.00 as '30 or less', VTAC reports below 30.00 as 'less than 30', and QTAC reports below 30 as '30.00 or less'. Course-level thresholds are set by universities as lowest selection ranks, which VTAC states are produced by the selection process rather than fixed in advance.
Roughly what that means raw
Published as an aggregate to ATAR conversion table by each centre, updated annually. TISC's 2025 table gives the minimum Tertiary Entrance Aggregate for each ATAR: 127.4 for 30.00, 178.4 for 50.00, 197.2 for 60.00, 215.7 for 70.05, 237.9 for 80.00, 269.6 for 90.00, 295.3 for 95.00, 348.1 for 99.00 and 405.5 for 99.95. VTAC publishes its Aggregate to ATAR table on results release day and archives previous years. SATAC publishes its conversion table each December and states that historical tables are not a reliable method for predicting future ATARs because they do not account for changes in cohort performance.
When results arrive
There is no unofficial result and no early score. UAC released 2025 NSW ATARs on 18 December 2025 from 9 a.m., emailing every student a link, sending it by SMS to UAC applicants, and requiring a NESA student number and UAC PIN to log in; it ran an ATAR Enquiry Centre from 8.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. on the day and for the following working days. VCAA has set final results available to students on 9 December 2027, with Victorian ATARs issued by VTAC in December. TISC publishes WA Year 12 examination results and the ATAR from late December in a Universities Admission Advice Letter, viewable until 1 March of the following year. If NESA supplies UAC with amended HSC results, the ATAR is recalculated automatically and the student notified by email.
How the scale is built
Two steps everywhere: build an aggregate from scaled subject results, then convert that aggregate to a percentile rank. Scaling comes first, and it adjusts for the ability of the cohort taking each subject rather than for the subject's difficulty: UAC scales each course so its mean and distribution match the mean and distribution its students achieve across all their subjects, and VTAC scales a study up when its students perform better in their other studies. The aggregate is then ranked against all candidates and mapped onto a percentile scale. SATAC adds a further step, adjusting the percentile rank for the participation rate it calculates from Australian Bureau of Statistics population data against the size of the cohort, so the rank reflects the whole age group rather than only those who sat Year 12. Scoring is compensatory within the aggregate, since a strong scaled score offsets a weak one, but conjunctive at the eligibility gate, since an English requirement must be met in every system.
Pacing and time budget
47 questions in 180 minutes gives you 1 minute 48 seconds per mark, across 100 marks in 180 minutes of writing time per question.
18
Section I complete: the objective-response questions worth 10 marks
63
35 of 100 marks secured, roughly a third of Section II
117
65 of 100 marks secured
162
100 of 100 marks attempted, leaving 18 minutes to return to flagged items
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| 18 | Section I complete: the objective-response questions worth 10 marks |
| 63 | 35 of 100 marks secured, roughly a third of Section II |
| 117 | 65 of 100 marks secured |
| 162 | 100 of 100 marks attempted, leaving 18 minutes to return to flagged items |
- These figures model the HSC Mathematics Advanced paper, which NESA publishes as 100 marks in 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time, with Section I carrying objective-response questions to the value of 10 marks and Section II carrying 90 marks across 37 to 42 items. The 47 figure is the low end of that published range; the paper can run to 52 items. Every other Year 12 subject runs to its own clock and mark total, so rebuild these checkpoints from your own subject's specification.
- Pace by marks, not by questions. A 5-mark item deserves five times the time of a 1-mark item, and NESA states that at least two Section II items will be worth 4 or 5 marks.
- Use the reading period for triage, not for reading front to back. VCAA rules bar writing, marking the paper in any way or using a calculator until the supervisor says writing may commence, so spend the 10 or 15 minutes deciding your order of attack.
- In NSW mathematics, watch for the 20 to 25 marks of items common with the Mathematics Standard 2 paper, distributed across both sections. They are often the fastest marks on the paper and may be standalone or embedded in a larger question.
- Build in a hard stop. Victorian students may not leave in the last five minutes of an examination, so plan to be checking rather than writing by then, and remember that the clock displayed in the examination room governs reading and writing times.
Where the marks are
Your English subject
Compulsory in every system: the best 2 units of English in NSW, an English group study inside the Victorian primary four, and a C grade minimum for Queensland eligibility
UAC includes your best 2 units of English in the 10-unit aggregate even when they are your lowest scaled units, so weakness there cannot be dropped, only compensated for elsewhere.
Your three or four highest-scaling non-English subjects
The next best three scaled study scores in Victoria; the best 8 remaining units in NSW; the best four scaled scores in Western Australia
These carry full weight in the aggregate. VTAC's primary four is the English study plus the next three highest permissible scaled scores, and everything after that contributes at 10 per cent.
HSC Mathematics Advanced Section II
90 of 100 marks
NESA publishes 37 to 42 items in Section II, with at least two worth 4 or 5 marks and questions that may contain parts, so multi-step working carries almost the whole paper.
School-based assessment across Year 12
Mandatory component weightings set by the state authority; NESA fixes HSC Mathematics Advanced at 50 per cent Understanding, Fluency and Communication and 50 per cent Problem Solving, Reasoning and Justification
NESA requires schools to submit a mark for every Year 12 candidate summarising achievement at several points through the course, so results earned months before the examination are already in your aggregate.
Mathematics Methods and Mathematics Specialist in Western Australia
10 per cent of each scaled score added to the TEA, whether or not the course is in your best four
TISC awards the mathematics bonus in addition to the best-four sum, so a strong Methods and Specialist pair can add meaningfully to a TEA whose maximum is 430.
A Language Other Than English in Western Australia
10 per cent of your best LOTE scaled score added to the TEA
TISC applies the LOTE bonus even when the language is not among your best four, uses only the single best LOTE score, and accepts scores from the current year or the previous four.
Your fifth and sixth Victorian study scores
10 per cent each of the scaled study score
VTAC caps the aggregate at six contributing studies and values the fifth and sixth at a tenth, so a seventh subject adds nothing and the sixth adds at most a few points.
HSC Mathematics Advanced Section I
10 of 100 marks
Objective-response questions worth 10 marks in total, which at 1 minute 48 seconds per mark should take about 18 minutes, making them the cheapest marks on the paper if answered first.
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Your English subject | Compulsory in every system: the best 2 units of English in NSW, an English group study inside the Victorian primary four, and a C grade minimum for Queensland eligibility | UAC includes your best 2 units of English in the 10-unit aggregate even when they are your lowest scaled units, so weakness there cannot be dropped, only compensated for elsewhere. |
| Your three or four highest-scaling non-English subjects | The next best three scaled study scores in Victoria; the best 8 remaining units in NSW; the best four scaled scores in Western Australia | These carry full weight in the aggregate. VTAC's primary four is the English study plus the next three highest permissible scaled scores, and everything after that contributes at 10 per cent. |
| HSC Mathematics Advanced Section II | 90 of 100 marks | NESA publishes 37 to 42 items in Section II, with at least two worth 4 or 5 marks and questions that may contain parts, so multi-step working carries almost the whole paper. |
| School-based assessment across Year 12 | Mandatory component weightings set by the state authority; NESA fixes HSC Mathematics Advanced at 50 per cent Understanding, Fluency and Communication and 50 per cent Problem Solving, Reasoning and Justification | NESA requires schools to submit a mark for every Year 12 candidate summarising achievement at several points through the course, so results earned months before the examination are already in your aggregate. |
| Mathematics Methods and Mathematics Specialist in Western Australia | 10 per cent of each scaled score added to the TEA, whether or not the course is in your best four | TISC awards the mathematics bonus in addition to the best-four sum, so a strong Methods and Specialist pair can add meaningfully to a TEA whose maximum is 430. |
| A Language Other Than English in Western Australia | 10 per cent of your best LOTE scaled score added to the TEA | TISC applies the LOTE bonus even when the language is not among your best four, uses only the single best LOTE score, and accepts scores from the current year or the previous four. |
| Your fifth and sixth Victorian study scores | 10 per cent each of the scaled study score | VTAC caps the aggregate at six contributing studies and values the fifth and sixth at a tenth, so a seventh subject adds nothing and the sixth adds at most a few points. |
| HSC Mathematics Advanced Section I | 10 of 100 marks | Objective-response questions worth 10 marks in total, which at 1 minute 48 seconds per mark should take about 18 minutes, making them the cheapest marks on the paper if answered first. |
The numbers
60,432, the highest ever recorded and 3,238 more than in 2024; UAC attributes the growth to population growth and to the removal of the Category A and Category B classification of HSC courses
NSW students receiving an ATAR, 2025
Source: Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), 2025 ATARs released today and ATAR distribution for NSW Year 12 students
Median 70.75; 17.3 per cent scored 90.00 or above, 34.6 per cent scored at least 80.00 and 51.3 per cent scored at least 70.00; median 71.60 for females and 69.80 for males
NSW ATAR distribution, 2025
Source: Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), 2025 ATARs released today
53 students received 99.95, 19 female and 34 male, studying 36 different courses out of the 114 offered
Students receiving the top ATAR, NSW 2025
Source: Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), 2025 ATARs released today
405.5 for 99.95, 295.3 for 95.00, 269.6 for 90.00, 237.9 for 80.00 and 178.4 for 50.00, against a maximum possible TEA of 430
Western Australia TEA needed for a given ATAR, 2025
Source: Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC), Australian Tertiary Admission Rank page
Over 25,000 different patterns of study are completed by NSW ATAR students
Patterns of study among ATAR students
Source: Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), How your ATAR is calculated
0 to over 210 in exceptional cases, built from a maximum of six contributing studies with scaled study scores from 0.00 to 55.00
Victorian aggregate range
Source: Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC), Results and the ATAR and ATAR and scaling
If you fail
Wait before retaking
A full academic year, because there is no ATAR examination to resit. You improve an ATAR by completing further Year 12 study and having a new rank calculated in the following December cycle. Written examination periods are fixed: VCAA has set 26 October to 17 November 2027 for Victorian written examinations, with final results to students on 9 December 2027.
Attempt limit
Bounded by accumulation windows rather than by a number of attempts. UAC bases the NSW ATAR on 10 units regardless of the year each course was completed, over a rolling five-year period, and states there are no restrictions on how many times you may repeat a course within that period. Queensland requires results accumulated within a five-year period. TISC allows accumulation over five consecutive years with each subject counted once. SATAC calculates the 90 credits from a maximum of three attempts, which may fall in non-consecutive years, and where more than three years exist it uses the three producing the best outcome.
Retake fee
There is no fee to have an ATAR recalculated, since it derives from results already earned. Costs attach to services and applications instead: tertiary admissions centres charge a course application processing fee published annually, TISC charges a fee for a printed Universities Admission Advice Letter or an ATAR Certificate on official stationery and a fee for a Statement of Results from a past year, and VTAC runs a paid ATAR reprint service for previous years.
Repeating a course does not always help. UAC states that in NSW only the marks from your latest satisfactory attempt are available for the ATAR, even if they are lower than an earlier attempt, and that enrolling in a repeat course then withdrawing counts as a non-satisfactory attempt, which returns your previous mark to the calculation. TISC takes the opposite approach in Western Australia, using your best score for a repeated course. Queensland sets a minimum for a new ATAR of three additional General subjects, or two General plus one VET or Applied subject, and QTAC publishes a Qualifying for a new ATAR factsheet. UAC also notes that your most recent ATAR is the one institutions use for selection, so a later attempt replaces rather than supplements an earlier one.
Exam Domains & Topics
UAC calculates and releases the NSW ATAR. It is based on an aggregate of scaled marks across 10 units of HSC courses: the best 2 units of English plus the best 8 units from remaining courses. Eligibility requires satisfactory completion of at least four subject areas, though the aggregate itself may draw on fewer, for example English Advanced with both English Extensions, both Mathematics Extensions and one other 2-unit course. Calculation is the responsibility of the Technical Committee on Scaling on behalf of the NSW Vice-Chancellors' Committee. The ACT ATAR is calculated by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies in consultation with UAC and released by schools.
Key Topics to Master:
- Best 2 units of English are compulsory in the aggregate even when they are your lowest scaled units
- Extension course unit rules: English Advanced 2 units, English Extension 1 one unit, English Extension 2 one unit
- Mathematics Extension 1 counts as 1 unit with Mathematics Advanced but as 2 units when paired with Mathematics Extension 2, by doubling the 1-unit mark
- Completing Mathematics Advanced then Extension 1 and Extension 2 excludes the Advanced result from the ATAR entirely
- Accumulation over a rolling five-year period, with school approval
- Repeating a course: only the latest satisfactory attempt counts, even if it is lower
- Scaled marks are never reported to students
- HSC marks measure performance against standards; the ATAR measures position within the age group
VTAC uses VCE results issued by the VCAA. The aggregate is the sum of the VTAC scaled study score in one of English, English Language, Literature or English as an Additional Language, plus the next best three permissible scaled study scores, plus 10 per cent of the fifth and sixth permissible scores where available. A maximum of six studies can contribute. VTAC states the aggregate can range from 0 to over 210 in exceptional cases. Aggregates are then ranked on a percentile scale to produce ATARs, and VTAC publishes an Aggregate to ATAR table on results release day.
Key Topics to Master:
- Primary four: an English group study plus the next three highest permissible scaled scores
- Increments: 10 per cent of a fifth or sixth scaled study score, a permissible unscored VCE VET or VE3 increment, a higher education study increment, or Year 12 credit for interstate study
- A maximum of two increments can be added to the primary four
- Scaled study scores range from 0.00 to 55.00
- Unscored VCE VET increments are valued at 10 per cent of your fourth primary study score
- VE3 block credit only counts when fewer than six VCE or VCE VET studies are available
- At least four VCE study scores in an acceptable combination are required for an ATAR to be calculated
- Notional ATARs exist for IB Diploma students and for older Victorian qualifications
QTAC has calculated the Queensland ATAR since 2020, when it replaced the Overall Position for students graduating under the QCAA's QCE system. Eligibility requires five General subjects at Units 3 and 4, or four General subjects plus one Applied subject or a VET course at AQF Certificate III or higher, plus satisfactory completion of an English subject at a C grade or better, with results accumulated within a five-year period. The English requirement is an eligibility condition rather than a scoring one: the English result counts toward the ATAR only if it is among the best five scaled results.
Key Topics to Master:
- Five eligible General subjects, or four General plus one Applied or a Certificate III VET qualification
- A minimum C grade in English, English as an Additional Language, English and Literature Extension, Literature or Essential English
- Results accumulated within a five-year period
- The ATAR is calculated by QTAC while the QCE is awarded by the QCAA, from the same underlying results
- Registration in the QTAC ATAR Portal is the student's own responsibility, using a personal rather than school email address
- Consent is required before a school can see a former student's individual ATAR
- Queensland students applying interstate must register in the ATAR Portal so QTAC can share the rank with other admissions centres
- Qualifying for a new ATAR later requires at least 3 General subjects, or 2 General plus one VET or Applied subject
SATAC calculates the ATAR for SACE and NTCET students. It first builds a university aggregate from the scaled scores of the best 90 credits of study, where 20-credit subjects are scaled out of 20 and 10-credit subjects out of 10, giving a maximum aggregate of 90.00. At least 60 of the 90 credits must come from 20-credit Tertiary Admissions Subjects or valid subject pairs. The aggregate is then converted to a percentile rank and adjusted for the participation rate, which SATAC calculates from Australian Bureau of Statistics population data against the size of the cohort.
Key Topics to Master:
- Best 90 credits of Tertiary Admissions Subjects and Recognised Studies at Stage 2
- Three 20-credit Tertiary Admissions Subjects (60 credits) plus the best result from a 30-credit flexible option
- At least 60 of the 90 credits from 20-credit subjects or valid subject pairs
- Not attempting the publicly assessed component scores 0.0 for that subject, though it can still fill the credit requirement
- A maximum of three attempts, which may be in non-consecutive years, with the best three years used where more exist
- Precluded combinations and counting restrictions, set out in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet
- The aggregate to ATAR conversion table changes every year and is published each December
- SATAC advises against online ATAR prediction tools, saying they rely on outdated data and methodologies
TISC calculates the ATAR from a Tertiary Entrance Aggregate. The TEA is the sum of your best four scaled scores plus 10 per cent of your best Language Other Than English scaled score, plus 10 per cent of your Mathematics Methods ATAR scaled score and 10 per cent of your Mathematics Specialist ATAR scaled score where you have them. The maximum TEA is 430. TISC publishes a TEA to ATAR summary table each year: in 2025 an ATAR of 99.95 required a TEA of at least 405.5, 90.00 required 269.6, 70.05 required 215.7 and 50.00 required 178.4. At least four scaled scores are needed for an ATAR to be calculated.
Key Topics to Master:
- Best four scaled scores form the core of the TEA
- A 10 per cent LOTE bonus applies even when the language is not among your best four, using the single best LOTE score from the current or previous four years
- A 10 per cent bonus applies to Mathematics Methods ATAR and separately to Mathematics Specialist ATAR, whether or not those courses are in your best four
- Scores can be accumulated over five consecutive years, counting any subject only once and taking the best score for a repeated course
- Unacceptable course combinations mean only the best score from the pair is used
- English competency: TISC states a scaled score of 50 or higher in English ATAR, Literature ATAR or EALD ATAR satisfies the English language requirement for all five WA universities
- A change to the TEA calculation proposed by the TISC Board in 2024 was postponed until further notice by a Board decision in 2026
- A four-course ATAR for recent school leavers is calculated the same way as for a standard WACE applicant
Every system scales subject results before ranking, and this is the single most misunderstood part of the ATAR. UAC explains that courses are scaled so the mean and distribution of marks in a course are consistent with the mean and distribution of marks its students obtain across all their HSC subjects. VTAC describes the same logic: if students in a subject tend to perform better across their other studies, the subject is more competitive and its scores scale up; if they tend to perform worse, its scores scale down. UAC states that for most courses your scaled mark will be lower than your HSC mark, and publishes a worked example where a student at the 90th percentile in every course scores an HSC mark of 91.0 in Physics against a scaled mark of 86.8, but an HSC mark of 81.0 in English Standard against a scaled mark of 62.6.
Key Topics to Master:
- Scaling adjusts for the ability of the cohort taking a subject, not for the subject's inherent difficulty
- You still need a high mark within a high-scaling subject; scaling does not lift a weak result
- UAC's currency analogy: scaling works like an exchange rate that lets different marks be compared properly
- Scaled marks are calculated in the year a course is completed and, in NSW, are never reported to students
- VTAC applies additional scaling rules to Mathematics and Languages
- The scaled mean varies by course and year, so last year's scaling report is an indicator rather than a prediction
- VTAC publishes an annual Scaling Report and an Aggregate to ATAR table on its Reports and Statistics page
Universities almost never select on the raw ATAR alone. UAC states that admission to most tertiary courses is based on your selection rank, which is your ATAR plus any applicable adjustments, and that most universities also use other criteria such as a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio, audition, interview or test. In Victoria, VTAC applies equity scheme and subject adjustment points to the aggregate rather than to the ATAR, then reconverts using the ATAR table: VTAC's own worked example takes an ATAR of 70.00 with an aggregate of 120.41, adds 5 equity adjustment points to give 125.41, and produces a selection rank of 73.40.
Key Topics to Master:
- Selection rank equals ATAR plus adjustments, and differs course by course
- Equity schemes compensate for educational disadvantage without changing the ATAR itself
- Subject adjustment points reward specific subject choices at some institutions
- An equity application does not exempt you from prerequisites or essential requirements
- The lowest selection rank published in a VTAC ATAR profile is produced by the selection process, not set in advance
- VTAC advises listing a course as a preference even below last year's lowest selection rank, because adjustments may apply and the figure moves year to year
- Courses making fewer than five offers publish 'L/N' or '<5 offers' instead of numeric data
- Interviews, tests and auditions can lift a selection rank independently of academic results
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Read your own admissions centre's eligibility page in full: UAC, VTAC, QTAC, SATAC or TISC
- 2Confirm the English requirement that applies to you: 2 units of English in NSW, an English group study in Victoria, a C grade or better in a Queensland English subject, or a TISC scaled score of 50 or higher in English, Literature or EALD for the WA universities
- 3Count your units, studies or credits against the minimum: 10 units in NSW, at least four VCE study scores in Victoria, five General subjects or four plus one in Queensland, 90 credits in South Australia, four scaled scores in Western Australia
- 4Check for precluded combinations or counting restrictions in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet or equivalent
- 5Write down your subject list with the scaled contribution each can make, and flag any subject that cannot count
- 1Download the official examination specification for each subject from NESA, VCAA, QCAA, SACE or SCSA
- 2Record time allowed, reading time, mark total and section structure for each paper: HSC Mathematics Advanced, for example, is 100 marks in 3 hours plus 10 minutes reading time
- 3Note how many items each section carries: HSC Mathematics Advanced Section I is objective-response to the value of 10 marks and Section II has 37 to 42 items worth 90 marks
- 4Check which reference sheets are supplied and which calculators are approved for each subject
- 5Note the mandatory school-based assessment component weightings, which in HSC Mathematics Advanced are 50 per cent Understanding, Fluency and Communication and 50 per cent Problem Solving, Reasoning and Justification
- 1Read UAC's scaling explanation and VTAC's how scaling works article rather than a forum summary
- 2Study UAC's worked example showing a student at the 90th percentile in six courses receiving scaled marks from 62.6 to 86.8
- 3Download the most recent VTAC Scaling Report or the Report on the Scaling of the NSW Higher School Certificate for your state
- 4Accept the core rule: scaling reflects the ability of the cohort in a subject, so a high mark is still required in a high-scaling subject
- 5Decide where marginal study hours produce the largest aggregate gain, given which of your subjects will actually count
- 1Sit a full past paper for your compulsory English subject under real conditions, including the reading period
- 2Mark it against the published marking guidelines or the VCAA assessment criteria and expected qualities document
- 3Repeat for the subject you expect to scale highest
- 4Build one error log per subject, recording the syllabus outcome the lost mark belonged to
- 5Rank your subjects by marks available per hour of study, not by how much you enjoy them
- 1Map every remaining school assessment task against its weighting, which schools set within the state authority's rules
- 2For NSW Year 12, note NESA's sample programme of four assessment tasks with a minimum individual weighting of 10 per cent and a maximum of 40 per cent
- 3Prioritise the highest-weighted upcoming task over general revision
- 4For investigation-style tasks, target the specific outcomes named in the syllabus, such as MA12-9 and MA12-10 in HSC Mathematics Advanced
- 5Confirm that your school assessment marks are being submitted correctly, since NESA requires a mark for every Year 12 candidate
- 1Work through past papers by topic first and by whole paper second
- 2Read the examination report or marking feedback alongside each paper, since these name the errors examiners actually saw
- 3For VCE, use the sample written examination and sample answer book published with the current study design rather than papers from a superseded one
- 4Track marks per minute against the paper's total: 100 marks in 180 minutes gives 1 minute 48 seconds per mark
- 5Rewrite one full-mark answer per week from a released high-scoring response
- 1Repeat the cycle for your remaining counting subjects
- 2For NSW mathematics, practise the common items shared between Mathematics Advanced and Mathematics Standard 2, worth 20 to 25 marks and distributed across both sections
- 3Practise with the exact reference sheet you will be given, so you know where each formula sits
- 4Check your calculator against the approved list for your state authority
- 5Identify the two topics with the worst marks-per-question ratio across all subjects
- 1Spend the whole week on the two weakest topics identified in week 7
- 2Redo every past question on those topics and get to full marks against the guidelines
- 3Ask a teacher to mark two responses in those topics before you move on
- 4Rebuild summary notes for those topics only
- 5Retest and confirm the gain rather than assuming it
- 1Check whether any of your subjects has an oral or performance examination scheduled ahead of the written period, since VCAA holds Languages oral examinations and Performance examinations from 4 to 31 October 2027
- 2Watch for the individual examination advice slip that carries your date, time and venue, and note that photo identification is required for entry
- 3Rehearse under the real rules: VCAA bars dictionaries and thesauruses of any kind from Languages oral examinations and bars audio devices from those rooms
- 4For Performance examinations, confirm which approved audio devices you may bring and that they must not record, store, receive or transmit anything
- 5Book practice sessions with a teacher at the same time of day as your scheduled slot
- 1Sit full papers for every subject in the same week to simulate the compression of the real period
- 2Convert your marks into an aggregate using your state's rule, for example VTAC's English study score plus next best three plus 10 per cent of the fifth and sixth
- 3Convert the aggregate into an indicative ATAR using the most recent published conversion table for your state
- 4For WA, check your indicative TEA against the TISC table: 269.6 for ATAR 90.00, 295.3 for 95.00 and 405.5 for 99.95 in 2025
- 5Note that past conversion tables illustrate a particular year and, as SATAC states, are not a reliable method for predicting future ATARs
- 1Read the exam rules for your state in full: VCAA publishes 21 numbered rules for written examinations and the GAT
- 2Note the arrival rule: VCAA tells students to arrive at least 30 minutes before the start time and publishes separate rules for late admission
- 3Note that a VCE student arriving up to 30 minutes after the start of writing time is admitted with full writing time but no reading time, and one arriving later may be admitted only under a statutory declaration with no guarantee their responses will be accepted
- 4Confirm which materials and equipment are authorised for each paper, since supervisors have the right to check anything taken in
- 5Plan travel with a margin, and confirm the venue for oral and performance assessments separately
- 1Cut to summary notes and past-paper questions on your two weakest topics, and stop new content
- 2Register where your state requires it: Queensland students must create their own QTAC ATAR Portal account with a personal email address, and interstate applicants must register so QTAC can share the rank
- 3Know the results date for your state: VCAA has set 9 December 2027 for final results to students, and UAC released 2025 ATARs on 18 December 2025 from 9 a.m.
- 4Draft your course preference list before results arrive, using published lowest selection ranks and ATAR profiles as indicators
- 5Prepare an equity scheme or adjustment factor application if you qualify, remembering it changes your selection rank and not your ATAR
Ready to pass ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)?
Get 500+ practice questions, video walkthroughs, and a pass guarantee.
Best Study Resources
UAC ATAR pages and ATAR Compass
Official admissions centre resourceUAC's own explanation of what the ATAR is, how it is calculated from 10 units, and how scaling works, plus ATAR Compass, a free tool that estimates an ATAR from predicted HSC marks.
Free
Report on the Scaling of the NSW Higher School Certificate
Official annual technical reportPublished each year by UAC with detail on how the ATAR was calculated for that cohort. UAC also publishes Calculating the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank in New South Wales: A Technical Report for the full method.
Free
VTAC ATAR and Scaling Guide
Official guideVTAC's guide to scaling and to the rules and restrictions on which studies can and cannot count toward an ATAR, published separately for each cohort year so students completing Year 12 in 2026, 2027 and 2028 each have their own edition.
Free
VTAC Scaling Report and Aggregate to ATAR table
Official statisticsPublished on the VTAC Reports and Statistics page, with the Aggregate to ATAR table released on results day and previous years archived, alongside lowest selection ranks for December domestic offers and ATAR profiles.
Free
TISC TEA to ATAR summary table
Official conversion tableThe WA table giving the minimum Tertiary Entrance Aggregate needed for each ATAR, from 127.4 for 30.00 up to 405.5 for 99.95 in 2025, against a maximum possible TEA of 430.
Free
SATAC Tertiary Entrance Booklet and aggregate to ATAR conversion table
Official rules and conversionSets out precluded combinations, counting restrictions and the full university aggregate rules, with the conversion table for each year published in December. SATAC states explicitly that historical tables do not reliably predict future ATARs.
Free
NESA assessment and reporting pages by course
Official exam specificationFor every HSC course, NESA publishes the mark total, time allowed, reading time, section structure, item counts, reference sheet provision and calculator policy, alongside the mandatory school-based assessment component weightings.
Free
VCAA examination specifications, past examinations and examination reports
Official past papers and reportsPer-study pages carrying examination specifications, a sample written examination, a sample answer book, assessment criteria and expected qualities, and past papers with external assessment reports, separated into those matching the current study design and those from superseded designs.
Free
VCAA VCE Exams Navigator
Official student guideVCAA states that all students presenting for VCE external assessments should read it, since it covers what to bring, examination conduct, and how reading and writing times are governed by the clock displayed in the examination room.
Free
QTAC ATAR Portal and eligibility factsheets
Official registration and rulesWhere Queensland students register to receive their ATAR, consent to share it with their school or with interstate admissions centres, and download the Qualifying for a new ATAR factsheet.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Choosing a subject because it scales well rather than because you can do well in it
UAC states that even in subjects with a high proportion of high scaled scores, you still need a high HSC mark to obtain a high scaled score. Scaling reflects the ability of the cohort in a subject, so a weak result in a strong cohort scales into a weak scaled mark. VTAC frames the same rule as a fairness principle: you should be neither advantaged nor disadvantaged by your pattern of study.
Reading your HSC or VCE mark as your rank
UAC's analogy is a running race: your HSC mark is your time and your ATAR is your place. HSC marks measure performance against standards set by NESA with no quota on top marks, while the ATAR positions you against all 16 to 20 year olds in your state. UAC's own worked example shows an HSC mark of 81.0 in English Standard converting to a scaled mark of 62.6.
Assuming your best six subjects all count
They usually do not. NSW counts 10 units, made up of your best 2 units of English plus the best 8 remaining, so a seventh subject may add nothing. Victoria counts a maximum of six studies, with the fifth and sixth contributing only 10 per cent each. Western Australia counts your best four scaled scores plus specified 10 per cent bonuses. Queensland counts your best five scaled results.
Dropping English because it scales down
Every system requires it in some form and none lets you skip it. NSW includes your best 2 units of English in the aggregate even when they are your lowest scaled units. Victoria requires an English group study inside the primary four. Queensland requires a C grade or better in an English subject for eligibility even when the result falls outside your best five. In WA, TISC states a scaled score of 50 or higher in English ATAR, Literature ATAR or EALD ATAR satisfies the English language requirement of all five WA universities.
Repeating a course expecting the better of two marks to count
UAC states that if you repeat an HSC course, only the marks from your latest satisfactory attempt are available for the ATAR calculation, even if they are lower than your earlier attempt. Enrolling in a repeat course and then withdrawing, officially or by not attending the examination, counts as a non-satisfactory attempt and returns your previous mark to the calculation.
Studying Mathematics Advanced, then Extension 1 and Extension 2, and expecting all three to count
UAC states that if you complete Mathematics Advanced and then satisfactorily complete both Mathematics Extension 1 and Mathematics Extension 2, your Mathematics Advanced results are not included in the ATAR calculation, however well you did. Extension 1 also changes unit value: 1 unit alongside Mathematics Advanced but 2 units alongside Extension 2, calculated by doubling the 1-unit mark.
Skipping the publicly assessed component of a SACE subject
SATAC states that not attempting the publicly assessed component, such as an exam or recital, scores 0.0 for that subject. The subject can still fill the 90-credit requirement, but it contributes nothing to the aggregate, which effectively removes a subject from your best-90 calculation while still occupying its credits.
Using an online ATAR calculator built on old data
SATAC states directly that it does not recommend online ATAR prediction tools because they rely on outdated data and methodologies that may no longer be applicable, and that there is no accurate way to predict an ATAR in advance. The conversion from aggregate to ATAR changes every year because it depends on that year's cohort and on Australian Bureau of Statistics population data for 16 to 20 year olds.
Not registering for the ATAR in Queensland
QTAC states that it is the student's responsibility to register by creating their own ATAR Portal account, that students should use a personal rather than a school email address, and that Queensland students applying interstate must sign up so QTAC can share the ATAR with other admissions centres. Schools cannot register on a student's behalf, and see individual ATARs only where the student has granted consent.
Leaving a course off your preference list because your ATAR sits below last year's cutoff
VTAC advises listing the course anyway, because you may be eligible for adjustment factors such as interviews, tests, auditions or equity schemes, and because the lowest selection rank moves year to year. VTAC also notes that lowest selection ranks are produced by the selection process rather than set in advance, and that its published ATAR profiles reflect the main January offer round rather than all offers made.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Arrive early. VCAA tells students to check the starting time of each examination and arrive at least 30 minutes earlier, and to be familiar with the rules on late admission before the day.
- 2
Know the late-arrival rule for your state. In Victoria, a student arriving up to 30 minutes after the start of writing time is admitted with full writing time but no reading time. After 30 minutes, admission requires the principal's recommendation, a statutory declaration, and acceptance that the VCAA may not accept the response materials at all.
- 3
Take photo identification to oral and performance examinations. VCAA requires both photo identification and the individual examination advice slip for entry to Performance examinations, Languages oral examinations and the Extended Investigation oral presentation.
- 4
Leave every electronic device outside. VCAA bars mobile phones and any device capable of storing, receiving or transmitting information, including music and video players, organisers, electronic dictionaries and computerised watches, and can confiscate and interrogate a detected device.
- 5
Use the reading period as reading time only. VCAA states that students must not begin to write or mark their paper in any way, or use a calculator, until a supervisor says writing may commence. Every VCE examination opens with a 15-minute reading period unless otherwise specified, and a few, such as Classical Greek and Classical Hebrew, open with only 5 minutes.
- 6
Take only authorised materials, and expect them to be checked. VCAA gives supervisors the explicit right to check any authorised materials taken into an examination, and NESA specifies which reference sheet and which approved calculators apply to each paper.
- 7
Bottled water is permitted in Victorian examination rooms under approved conditions, but no other food or drink is allowed except where the VCAA has approved it in advance.
- 8
Do not remove anything from the room. VCAA rules bar tearing out any part of a bound reference, answer book or question book except where permitted, such as formula sheets, and bar removing any response material, used or unused.
- 9
Plan for the full session. Victorian students may not leave in the first 30 minutes of writing time, nor in the last five minutes, and must stay seated and silent at the end until materials have been collected and checked.
- 10
Report a disruption in writing within three days. VCAA treats power failures, evacuations, printing errors, excessive noise and misapplied examination conditions as irregularities, requires the student to advise the principal in writing within three days of the end of the assessment, and must receive the school's application within seven days. A result can be raised by this process but never lowered.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Entry to a medicine degree
The most competitive common pathway. UNSW reports that this degree was the most popular first preference choice in NSW for six years running, based on UAC data from 2018 to 2025, and states that from 2027 entry is based solely on applicants' selection rank.
UNSW lists ATAR plus UCAT ANZ plus interview for its Bachelor of Medical Studies / Doctor of Medicine, with a direct-entry international ATAR requirement of 96
Entry to a highly competitive course
The band in which most law, engineering honours and dual-degree programmes sit at the larger universities. VTAC publishes a lowest selection rank per course from the previous year as the most useful single indicator of how competitive entry was.
ATAR 90.00 or above, reached by 17.3 per cent of the 2025 NSW ATAR cohort
Entry to a mid-range university course
Roughly a third of the NSW cohort clears this line. Selection rank rather than raw ATAR decides most offers, and VTAC's worked example shows 5 equity adjustment points turning an ATAR of 70.00 into a selection rank of 73.40.
ATAR 80.00 or above, reached by 34.6 per cent of the 2025 NSW ATAR cohort
Entry to a broad-access university course
Just over half the ATAR cohort clears this line, and UAC notes that the average ATAR is usually around 70.00 because early school leavers never enter the calculation.
ATAR 70.00 or above, reached by 51.3 per cent of the 2025 NSW ATAR cohort; the 2025 NSW median was 70.75
The top 0.05 per cent
UAC reports that these students came from a mix of government and non-government schools and that their course lists covered 36 different courses out of the 114 offered, which cuts against the idea of a single winning subject combination.
ATAR 99.95, awarded to 53 NSW students in 2025, of whom 19 were female and 34 male
Alternative entry without an ATAR
SATAC states that many courses offer alternative entry pathways and directs students who did not get the ATAR they hoped for to its Course Search for entry requirements and pathway options. UAC likewise notes most universities also use a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio, audition, interview or test.
No ATAR required; entry via portfolio, interview, bridging study or other institutional pathway
Prerequisites & Requirements
- Completion of an Australian Year 12 qualification. Each state authority sets its own certificate: the HSC in NSW, the VCE in Victoria, the QCE in Queensland, the SACE or NTCET in South Australia and the Northern Territory, and the WACE in Western Australia.
- New South Wales: satisfactory completion of at least four subject areas, with the ATAR calculated from an aggregate of scaled marks across 10 units comprising the best 2 units of English plus the best 8 remaining units.
- Victoria: successful completion of the VCE, satisfaction of minimum tertiary entrance requirements, and at least four VCE study scores in an acceptable combination, one of which must be English, English Language, Literature or English as an Additional Language.
- Queensland: five General subjects at Units 3 and 4, or four General subjects plus one Applied subject or a VET course at AQF Certificate III or higher, plus a C grade or better in an English subject, with results accumulated within a five-year period.
- South Australia and the Northern Territory: qualification for the SACE or NTCET, at least 90 credits of Tertiary Admissions Subjects and Recognised Studies at Stage 2 with at least 60 of those credits from 20-credit subjects or valid subject pairs, and compliance with the precluded combination and counting restriction rules.
- Western Australia: at least four scaled scores, accumulated over up to five consecutive years with each course counted only once.
- No fee for the ATAR itself. The rank is derived from results already earned; the costs that arise are the tertiary admissions centre's course application processing fee, published annually by each centre, and optional services such as a printed statement.
- Registration where required. Queensland students must create their own account in the QTAC ATAR Portal, and Queensland students applying interstate must register so QTAC can share the rank with other admissions centres.
- International Baccalaureate students receive no ATAR. SATAC converts an IB score into an IB Admissions Score and then into a Combined Rank, which it states is the same across Australia; VTAC calculates a Notional ATAR for Victorian IB Diploma students and a Derived IB Rank for some students who complete the programme without qualifying for the Diploma.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an ATAR actually measure?
Your position, not your performance. UAC defines the ATAR as a number between 0.00 and 99.95 indicating your position relative to all students in your age group, meaning all 16 to 20 year olds in your state rather than only your Year 12 cohort, so an ATAR of 80.00 places you 20 per cent from the top of that age group. VTAC makes the same point differently: everyone who receives an ATAR has passed the VCE, and the ATAR exists solely so institutions can compare students who studied different subject combinations.
Why is there no ATAR of 100?
Because it is a percentile rank. VTAC explains that your ATAR represents the percentage of people you performed higher than, so it is statistically impossible for the students with the highest result to perform better than themselves. The scale therefore tops out at 99.95, which UAC describes as the top 0.05 per cent of your age group. QTAC calls it a 2000-point scale running from 99.95 down to 0.00 in increments of 0.05.
What is the lowest ATAR, and what happens below 30?
The lowest is 0.00, but low results are not reported numerically. UAC states that an ATAR between 0.00 and 30.00 is recorded as '30 or less' on your ATAR Advice Notice. VTAC reports ATARs below 30.00 as 'less than 30' on ATAR statements, though the exact figure can be accessed through the online results service. QTAC reports scores below 30 as '30.00 or less'. If you have not met the requirements for an ATAR at all, the result is recorded as 'not eligible' or 'ATAR ineligible'.
Can I retake the ATAR?
Not directly, because there is no ATAR examination to resit. You improve it by completing further Year 12 study and having a new rank calculated. QTAC sets a minimum for a new Queensland ATAR: three additional General subjects, or two General plus one VET or one Applied subject, chosen so you still meet the eligibility requirements. UAC allows accumulation over a rolling five-year period with school approval, and states your most recent ATAR is the one institutions use for selection.
How long do I have to accumulate results?
Five years in most systems, with different mechanics. UAC bases the NSW ATAR on 10 units regardless of the year each course was completed, over a rolling five-year period, and if you go beyond five years it uses your marks from the most recent five. Queensland requires results accumulated within a five-year period. TISC allows scaled scores to be accumulated over five consecutive years, counting any subject once and using your best score for a repeated course. SATAC calculates the 90 credits from a maximum of three attempts, which can be in non-consecutive years.
If I repeat a subject, does the better mark count?
In NSW, no. UAC states that if you repeat an HSC course, only the marks from your latest satisfactory attempt are available for inclusion in your ATAR, even if they are lower than your earlier attempt, and that studying a different course in the same subject area counts as a repeat and completely replaces the previous course. In Western Australia the rule is the opposite: TISC states that if you repeat a course, it uses your best score in that course.
What does scaling do to my marks?
It converts course marks onto a common footing before ranking. UAC explains that courses are scaled so the mean and distribution of marks in a course match the mean and distribution its students achieve across all their subjects, using the analogy of an exchange rate. For most courses your scaled mark will be lower than your raw mark: UAC's published example of a student at the 90th percentile in every course shows Physics at an HSC mark of 91.0 and a scaled mark of 86.8, but English Standard at an HSC mark of 81.0 and a scaled mark of 62.6.
Do high-scaling subjects guarantee a high ATAR?
No. UAC states that even in subjects with a high proportion of high scaled scores, you still need to achieve a high HSC mark in order to obtain a high scaled score, and that your scaled mark is influenced by your position in the course as well as by the course's scaled mean. VTAC describes the same mechanism: scores scale up where students in that subject tend to perform better across their other studies, which means the competition inside the subject is stronger.
How does the aggregate become a rank?
By ranking every candidate's aggregate and mapping the ranking onto a percentile scale. VTAC calculates aggregates for all students, ranks them, and converts them onto a percentile scale, publishing an Aggregate to ATAR table on results release day. SATAC assigns a percentile rank from 0 to 99.95 for each university aggregate value, then adjusts it for the participation rate, which it derives from Australian Bureau of Statistics population data measured against the size of the cohort. TISC publishes a TEA to ATAR summary table each year showing the minimum aggregate needed for each rank.
What aggregate do I need for a specific ATAR?
It changes every year and by state, so use only the current published table. In Western Australia in 2025, TISC required a Tertiary Entrance Aggregate of at least 127.4 for an ATAR of 30.00, 178.4 for 50.00, 215.7 for 70.05, 269.6 for 90.00, 295.3 for 95.00 and 405.5 for 99.95, against a maximum possible TEA of 430. VTAC states that a Victorian aggregate can range from 0 to over 210 in exceptional cases. SATAC publishes its aggregate to ATAR conversion table each December and warns that historical tables do not predict future ATARs.
When do I get my ATAR?
In December, with dates differing by state. UAC released 2025 NSW ATARs on 18 December 2025 from 9 a.m., emailing students a link and also sending it by SMS to UAC applicants, with a NESA student number and UAC PIN needed to log in. VCAA has set final results available to students on 9 December 2027, and current Victorian Year 12 students receive their ATAR through VTAC in December. TISC makes Year 12 examination results and the ATAR available on its website from late December, in a Universities Admission Advice Letter.
How do I get an official copy of my ATAR later?
Through your admissions centre, usually for a fee. VTAC issues eligible Victorian students a digitally secured ATAR statement through My eQuals and runs an ATAR reprint service for students who completed Year 12 in a previous year or who need a hard copy. TISC lets you print or save your Universities Admission Advice Letter until 1 March of the following year, charges a fee for a printed letter or an ATAR Certificate on official stationery, and requires a Request Form for a Statement of Results with the appropriate fee for a past year. UAC lets students store their ATAR in a free digital wallet.
Does an ATAR expire?
The rank itself does not, but its usefulness can fade. SATAC states that your ATAR is a permanent rank for the year it was awarded, that it does not disappear, get reissued or expire, but that universities may place time limits on how long they will accept it for entry, may ask for additional information such as work history or further study if you completed Year 12 some time ago, and may use alternative entry pathways instead of your original ATAR.
What is a selection rank and how is it different from my ATAR?
The selection rank is your ATAR plus any adjustments, and it is what most universities actually use. UAC states that admission to most tertiary courses is based on your selection rank and that most universities also use other criteria such as a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio, audition, interview or test. In Victoria the adjustment is applied to the aggregate rather than to the ATAR: VTAC's worked example takes an ATAR of 70.00 with an aggregate of 120.41, adds 5 equity adjustment points to reach 125.41, and converts that to a selection rank of 73.40. VTAC also notes that selection ranks vary by institution and course, so yours may differ for each preference.
How do I know what ATAR a course needs?
Look at the published lowest selection rank rather than an advertised cutoff. VTAC describes the lowest selection rank as the minimum rank needed to have been sure of selection into that course in that selection period, provided all course requirements including prerequisites were met, and states that these are produced by the selection process rather than set beforehand. Courses making few offers publish 'L/N' or '<5 offers' to protect applicant privacy, and courses that do not use the ATAR show 'N/P' or a dash.
Are ATARs comparable between states?
Yes. UAC states that ATARs are comparable across all Australian states and territories and that an ATAR of 85.00 in NSW or the ACT is equivalent to 85.00 in any other state, while each state calculates its own ATAR against its own cohort. SATAC frames it as a rank against all students who completed an Australian Year 12 programme in the same year. The ACT ATAR is calculated by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies in consultation with UAC and released by schools rather than by UAC.
What happens if something goes wrong during an exam?
Report it in writing, fast. VCAA classes power failures, emergency evacuations, printing or collating errors, excessive noise and incorrect interpretation of examination conditions by supervisors as irregularities. A student who believes an irregularity materially affected their performance must advise the principal in writing within three days of the end of the assessment, and the VCAA must receive the school's application no later than seven days after the assessment. Applications sent directly to the VCAA by students or parents are not considered. If an adjustment is warranted the VCAA may estimate a fair score, and a student's external assessment result cannot be lowered by this process.
How does the ATAR compare with the IB Diploma?
IB students do not receive an ATAR at all; they receive a converted equivalent. SATAC awards an IB Admissions Score which converts to a Combined Rank that it states is the same across Australia, with an IBAS of 45.00 mapping to an ATAR equivalent of 99.85, 40.00 to 96.35, 35.00 to 89.90 and 30.00 to 78.20 for the 2026 session year. VTAC calculates a Notional ATAR for Victorian IB Diploma students using the IBAS, which refines the IB diploma score by considering average performance within each grade band, and a separate Derived IB Rank for students who completed the full programme without qualifying for the Diploma, accepted only at each institution's discretion.
Can I get an ATAR from overseas qualifications?
No. VTAC states plainly that it does not convert overseas or post-secondary qualifications into an ATAR, and that institutions instead evaluate applicants on their level of achievement against selection criteria and compare them with other applicants. SATAC's ATAR calculation covers only SACE and NTCET students. New Zealand and interstate Australian results are handled differently: VTAC attempts to match interstate results electronically and asks for documentation only when it specifically requests it.
Success Stories
“Subject selection matters hugely. I chose subjects I was good at that also scaled well. Start trial papers early - by Term 3, you should be doing them under timed conditions regularly.”
Emma T.
Medical Student (ATAR 99.50)
“I didn't have a perfect ATAR but got into my preferred Engineering course. Focus on internal assessments - they contributed 50% in my state. Trial exams from other schools were invaluable practice.”
James L.
Engineering Student (ATAR 94.25)
“English was my weakness so I invested more time there. A poor English result would have capped my ATAR. Balance is key - don't neglect any subject, even ones you find easier.”
Sophia W.
Commerce Student (ATAR 98.10)
Pass ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank), Guaranteed
94% pass rate on first attempt
One-time • Lifetime access