How ATAR Is Calculated in Every Australian State
ATAR is a rank, not a mark. Here’s how every state turns your Year 12 results into a number between 0 and 99.95.
Your ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) is a percentile, not a mark. An ATAR of 85 means you did better than 85% of your Year 12 cohort. Every state runs the same underlying pipeline — raw subject results get scaled against the state cohort, totalled into an aggregate, and converted to a percentile — but the details vary: what subjects count, how many count at full weight, whether English is required, and which subjects get boosted by scaling. This page walks through all seven Australian state pathways so you can see exactly how your state’s tertiary admissions centre (UAC in NSW/ACT, VTAC in VIC, QTAC in QLD, SATAC in SA/NT, TISC in WA, TASC in TAS) gets from your subject results to your final rank. For a numeric estimate, use the free ATAR calculator linked at the bottom.
How It Works
Subjects produce raw results
Each Year 12 subject gives you a raw mark or band — HSC marks out of 100, VCE study scores out of 50, QCE grades A–E on 25-point scales, WACE course marks out of 100, etc.
Scaling adjusts for cohort difficulty
Each state scales raw results using published tables (VTAC 2024+25, UAC Table A3, QTAC Table 6, TISC percentiles). Subjects with stronger cohorts scale up; weaker cohorts scale down.
Top subjects form an aggregate
Aggregate rules differ by state: HSC uses the best 10 units, VCE’s top 4 + 2 increments, QCE’s best 5 scaled inputs, WACE’s best 4 + bonuses, SACE’s 90-credit flexible rule, TCE’s TE Score from best 3.75 FTE, and ACT’s best 3 majors + 0.6 of the next major or minor.
Aggregate becomes a percentile rank
Your aggregate is ranked against your state cohort. The percentile — the proportion you beat — is your ATAR, capped at 99.95.
Benefits
VCE (Victoria)
Top 4 study scores contribute 100%; 5th and 6th contribute 10% each. English, EAL, English Language or Literature must be one of your top 4. VTAC calculates the aggregate and percentile rank.
HSC (New South Wales)
Best 10 units (each subject usually 2 units; extensions 1 unit). Must include 2 units of English. UAC scales each course against the state cohort using Table A3 before aggregating.
QCE (Queensland)
QTAC takes the best 5 eligible scaled inputs from QCAA General, Applied (maximum 1) and VET (maximum 1) subjects. Each input is converted to a scaled score on a common scale. A literacy and numeracy requirement must be met, typically by achieving a C or better in an English subject.
WACE (Western Australia)
TISC sums your best 4 ATAR course scaled scores into the Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA). Language bonuses (10% of the scaled score for a qualifying LOTE) and a Mathematics Specialist bonus can add to the TEA. English ATAR, EAL/D or Literature is required for ATAR eligibility.
SACE (South Australia)
SATAC requires 90 credits of Stage 2 study for ATAR eligibility. The university aggregate is typically built from 60 credits of full-year Stage 2 subjects plus 30 flexible credits from additional subjects, the Research Project or Modified subjects. A Stage 2 English subject must be completed.
TCE (Tasmania)
TASC calculates a TE Score from your best 3.75 FTE of Level 3/4 course scaled scores across up to two senior-secondary years (each course counts as 1 FTE or 0.75 FTE). The TE Score is then converted to an ATAR via percentile mapping.
ACT SSC
BSSS calculates the ACT ATAR using your best 3 major course scaled scores at full weight plus 0.6 of your next best major or minor. The AST (ACT Scaling Test) moderates school-based grades against the state cohort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ATAR the same as my school mark?
No. Your school mark is raw; your ATAR is a rank. Two students with the same raw average in different subjects can end up with very different ATARs because scaling rewards relative difficulty. That’s why the same 85% in Physics vs Studio Art usually translates to different ranks.
What’s the highest possible ATAR?
The highest reportable ATAR is 99.95 in every Australian state. It means you beat at least 99.95% of the Year 12 cohort. Below 30.00, ATARs are reported as “<30” rather than a specific number.
Why does subject scaling exist?
Scaling makes subjects comparable across different cohorts. If Specialist Maths has a stronger cohort than General Maths, a raw 80 in Specialist should rank higher than a raw 80 in General. Published scaling tables from VTAC, UAC, QTAC and TISC are how each state enforces that.
Do all my subjects count the same?
No. States use different aggregate rules: HSC’s best 10 units, VCE’s top 4 + 2 increments (at 10%), QCE’s best 5 scaled inputs, WACE’s best 4 + bonuses, SACE’s 90-credit flexible rule, TCE’s TE Score from best 3.75 FTE, and ACT’s 3 majors + 0.6 of the next. Extra subjects either don’t count or count at reduced weight.
How accurate is an ATAR estimate before results?
Directional, not exact. Published scaling tables are from the previous year (2024–25 in most cases), and next year’s cohort is always slightly different. A state-aware calculator like Revizi’s gives you a useful range, but only official state ATARs from your admissions centre are final.
Last updated: March 2026