ATAR requirements by course for every university in Australia.
Let's see what the different universities in Australia set as the ATAR course requirements for school leavers. These are the minimum ATAR scores Year 12 students need to achieve to automatically qualify for admission into bachelor degree programs.
Indicative ATAR Scores by Course (2025)
University | Arts | Business | STEM | State |
---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Catholic University | 59 | 59 | 59 | AUS |
Australian National University | 80 | 80 | 80 | ACT |
Avondale University | 60 | 60 | — | NSW |
Bond University | 70 | 70 | 70 | QLD |
Charles Darwin University | 50 | 50 | 62 | NT |
Charles Sturt University | 55 | 55 | 65 | NSW |
CQUniversity | 60 | 60 | 68 | QLD |
Curtin University | 70 | 70 | 70 | WA |
Deakin University | 56 | 70 | 60 | VIC |
Edith Cowan University | 70 | 70 | 70 | WA |
Federation University Australia | 50 | 50 | 60 | VIC |
Flinders University | 60 | 60 | 60 | SA |
Griffith University | 63 | 63 | 63 | QLD |
James Cook University | 51 | 51 | 59 | QLD |
La Trobe University | 60 | 55 | 70 | VIC |
Macquarie University | 75 | 75 | 75 | NSW |
Monash University | 70 | 75 | 75 | VIC |
Murdoch University | 70 | 70 | 70 | WA |
QUT | 70 | 79 | 70 | QLD |
RMIT University | 75 | 65 | 70 | VIC |
Southern Cross University | 60 | 60 | 60 | NSW |
Swinburne | 60 | 60 | 70 | VIC |
Torrens University Australia | 60 | 60 | 60 | AUS |
University of Adelaide | 65 | 65 | 65 | SA |
University of Canberra | 60 | 60 | 60 | ACT |
University of Melbourne | 88 | 93 | 85 | VIC |
University of New England | 73 | 73 | 73 | NSW |
UNSW Sydney | 80 | 93 | 80 | NSW |
University of Newcastle | 62 | 65 | 62 | NSW |
University of Notre Dame | 68 | — | 70 | WA |
University of Queensland | 75 | 87 | 79 | QLD |
University of South Australia | 60 | 66 | 62 | SA |
UniSQ | 59 | 59 | 63 | QLD |
University of Sydney | 80 | 95 | 80 | NSW |
University of Tasmania | 65 | 50 | 52 | TAS |
UTS | 72 | 85 | 76 | NSW |
University of the Sunshine Coast | 55 | 55 | 55 | QLD |
University of Western Australia | 80 | 80 | 80 | WA |
University of Wollongong | 70 | 70 | 75 | NSW |
Victoria University | 50 | 50 | 50 | VIC |
Western Sydney University | 60 | 65 | 65 | NSW |
What the ATAR List Shows
The highest ATAR cut-offs are for courses such as Business at Sydney Uni, Arts at Melbourne Uni, and Science at UNSW. These minimums may be lower than for other programs since we're focusing on mainstream degrees.
At the other end of the spectrum, ATAR requirements approach 50 or disappear altogether for some of Australia's regional universities. An ATAR of 50 indicates that no minimum ATAR is set. The lowest ATAR cut-offs are for unis such as Federation University Australia, James Cook University, and Charles Darwin University.
Related: Highest ATAR Courses
About ATAR Course Entry Requirements
Each university sets its own minimum ATAR scores. ATAR, or Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, is calculated based on your HSC results.
Your weakest subjects may be excluded in ranking computations. Grades are also scaled according to course difficulty, taking into account the average ability of students doing each subject.
Most universities follow a similar approach for high-school leavers. Your ATAR score plays a key role in getting into your preferred course. ATAR cutoffs vary widely. Prestigious city-based universities tend to have higher requirements, while regional and less competitive institutions have lower thresholds.
Understanding ATAR in Australia
Australian students are given an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank) shortly after completing a 2-year Higher School Certificate. It is a score out of 100, combining grades and subjects to determine each person's rank.
A good ATAR score is 80 or better. If you achieve an ATAR of 80, it means you performed better than 80 per cent of students – you’re in the top 20 per cent! However, an ATAR of 70 will also qualify you for many uni courses.
How Your ATAR is Used
A high ATAR is like a golden ticket for getting into university courses. Pre-admission interviews or tests are rarely used in Australia, and most courses have few or loose requirements regarding specific high school subjects. In short, ATARs rule.
Early in the admissions process, universities publish ATAR cut-offs for each course. These indicate the scores required for guaranteed admission. The final cut-off may be lowered if there are spare places, especially if the initial ATAR cut-off was above 70. Your score can also effectively increase if the university offers adjustment factors (bonus points).
The ATAR cut-offs shown in the table demonstrate how difficult it is to gain entry to various universities. The list covers popular bachelor degrees, such as arts, business/commerce, and science or engineering. The top ranked universities, where demand exceeds supply, set the highest ATARs. Less competitive universities may use ATARs to establish basic academic entry requirements.
Acceptance Rates
The acceptance rate of an Australian university is defined as the percentage of students eligible for university study who can gain entry into their preferred degree program. Australian Universities considers any school leaver with an ATAR of 50 or more as a potential uni student.
University | Acceptance Rate | ATAR (avg) | State |
---|---|---|---|
Australian Catholic University | 82% | 59 | AUS |
Australian National University | 40% | 80 | ACT |
Avondale University | 80% | 60 | NSW |
Bond University | 60% | 70 | QLD |
Charles Darwin University | 92% | 54 | NT |
Charles Sturt University | 83% | 58 | NSW |
CQUniversity | 75% | 63 | QLD |
Curtin University | 60% | 70 | WA |
Deakin University | 76% | 62 | VIC |
Edith Cowan University | 60% | 70 | WA |
Federation University Australia | 93% | 53 | VIC |
Flinders University | 80% | 60 | SA |
Griffith University | 74% | 63 | QLD |
James Cook University | 93% | 54 | QLD |
La Trobe University | 77% | 62 | VIC |
Macquarie University | 50% | 75 | NSW |
Monash University | 53% | 73 | VIC |
Murdoch University | 60% | 70 | WA |
QUT | 54% | 73 | QLD |
RMIT University | 60% | 70 | VIC |
Southern Cross University | 80% | 60 | NSW |
Swinburne | 73% | 63 | VIC |
Torrens University Australia | 80% | 60 | AUS |
UniSQ | 79% | 60 | QLD |
University of Adelaide | 70% | 65 | SA |
University of Canberra | 80% | 60 | ACT |
University of Melbourne | 23% | 89 | VIC |
University of New England | 54% | 73 | NSW |
University of Newcastle | 74% | 63 | NSW |
University of Notre Dame | 62% | 69 | WA |
University of Queensland | 39% | 80 | QLD |
University of South Australia | 75% | 63 | SA |
University of Sydney | 30% | 85 | NSW |
University of Tasmania | 89% | 56 | TAS |
University of the Sunshine Coast | 90% | 55 | QLD |
University of Western Australia | 40% | 80 | WA |
University of Wollongong | 57% | 72 | NSW |
UNSW Sydney | 31% | 84 | NSW |
UTS | 45% | 78 | NSW |
Victoria University | 100% | 50 | VIC |
Western Sydney University | 73% | 63 | NSW |
The acceptance rate is 100 minus the average ATAR, all divided by 50. Hence, a uni with a minimum ATAR of 50 effectively has a 100% acceptance rate. A uni with an ATAR threshold of 75 has a 50% acceptance rate, with half of prospective students meeting the entry requirement.
Alternative Entry Pathways
If you're concerned about not meeting the ATAR requirements, several alternative pathways available. Options such as TAFE courses, uni foundation programs, and recognition of prior learning are viable routes.
Lerna Courses advises, "Don’t let a low ATAR score or no ATAR hold you back from your goal of attending university" (Source: How to Get Into Uni Without an ATAR). Students have multiple opportunities for higher education, regardless of their ATAR scores.
Related: No ATAR Uni Courses
For International Students
International students need to meet similar course entry requirements to Australian students. The main difference is the need to demonstrate English language proficiency.
To be admitted to an undergraduate course, international students typically must have a grade point average in their home country that matches or exceeds the standard set for Australian students. Universities list these requirements by course and country on their websites.
More on ATAR Scores
- Highest ATAR Courses 7 October, 2024
- ATAR Scores for Uni Courses (2025) 7 October, 2024
- No ATAR Uni Courses 28 May, 2024