ATAR and University Entrance
There are many pathways to university study. If you intend to go to university, it is important to find out from the university what the entry requirements are for your preferred course(s).
Universities take into account a range of factors when making the decision about who they will offer places to. These include:
- completion of pre-requisite courses
- performance in an audition, aptitude test or portfolio submission
- previous qualifications and work experience
- a minimum Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR)
Understanding the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
For detailed information about the ATAR, its purpose and how it is calculated, read Understanding the ATAR: Calculating the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) for senior secondary students in Tasmania.
The Years 9-12 team at the Department of Education have put together this video to help students and parents better undertand the ATAR and how it is calculated:
The ATAR and University entrance
The ATAR tells universities how a student’s overall academic achievement in senior secondary education compares with other students in the same year group.
The requirements to receive an ATAR in Tasmania are set by the University of Tasmania, as the Tertiary Admissions Centre for Tasmania.
To be eligible to receive an ATAR in Tasmania you must complete two years of post-Year 10 study. During these two years, you must:
- meet the standards to achieve the TCE, and
- achieve at least a Satisfactory Achievement or better in at least four TASC Level 3 or 4 courses or equivalent (75 TCE credit points). At least three of these courses (45 TCE credit points) must be in your final year.
Generally speaking, you may not need to receive an ATAR if you plan to undertake vocational education or training, other professional training that is not provided at university, or if you secure full time employment after Year 12.
University of Tasmania admissions
More information about university entrance is available on the University of Tasmania’s website.
Interstate University admissions
If you want to find out about applying for admission to an interstate university contact the Tertiary Admissions Centre in the relevant state or territory. A list of Tertiary Admissions Centres in Australia and New Zealand is available at actac.edu.au
Calculating course scores (scaling)
For each TASC Level 3 and Level 4 course you complete, and for selected High Achiever Program and University Connections Program courses, you will receive a course score.
Course scores are calculated using a process called scaling. Course scores are used at the end of Year 12 to calculate your Tertiary Entrance Score.
Information about scaling and the scaling results for the current and previous years is available on the Scaled course data page.
Converting your tertiary entrance score to the ATAR
The Tertiary Entrance (TE) score you receive at the end of Year 12 will be used to determine your ATAR, if you are eligible to receive one.
Your TE score is a measure of your overall academic achievement in Years 11 and 12. Generally speaking, the higher your TE score, the higher your ATAR will be. However, the ATAR you receive will ultimately depend on how your TE score compares with the TE scores achieved by your peers. This is because the ATAR is a rank, not a mark.
For more information, see Understanding the ATAR.