OP to ATAR
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is the primary criterion to assess and compare the results of high-school applicants for undergraduate-entry into University.
ATARs are expressed as a number on a scale from 99.95 (highest) to 0.00 (lowest) in 0.05 increments. The amount of students in each increment is determined by the Year 12 population in Queensland. ATARs below 30.00 are reported at “30.00 or less”. The ATAR is a percentile rank, not a mark, relevant to other students in any given year. An ATAR of 75.00 does not mean you score of 75%, it indicates you were placed in the top 25% of Queensland in your Year 12 cohort.
Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre (QTAC) will calculate ATARs for Queensland school leavers.
The ATAR is calculated based on an aggregate of scaled results from your five best ATAR eligible inputs, from the following three different schemes:
- Five General* subjects (at Units 3 and 4**); or
- Four General subjects (at Units 3 and 4) plus an Applied*** subject (at Units 3 and 4); or
- Four General subjects (at Units 3 and 4) plus one completed VET qualification at Certificate III level or above.
Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) then provides QTAC with students subject results (Units 3 and 4 only) and completed VET qualifications. The subject scaling process is undertaken, and students are placed in a descending order of merit based on their best five subject aggregates.
Further information is available on the QTAC webpage.
* General subjects are suited to students who are interested in pathways beyond senior secondary schooling that lead to tertiary studies and to pathways for vocational education and training and work.
**Units 3 / 4 are typically studied in Year 12
*** Applied subjects are suited to students who are primarily interested in pathways beyond senior secondary schooling that lead to vocational education and training or work.
QCE and ATAR are different and have different purposes.
The Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) will remain as Queensland’s senior secondary school qualification. QCE certifies learning, shows an individual has achieved a specified standard of learning at senior schooling level and may be considered by employers and the general community.
ATAR tells us the students ranking compared to other students in the state. The only intended purpose of ATAR is to assist tertiary study institutions with selecting applicants.
QCE is awarded and released by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) whereas the ATAR is calculated and released by QTAC.
General subjects will replace authority subjects in the new ATAR system.
Some USQ degrees only require assumed knowledge, however some have English as a pre-requisite and some degrees may require Mathematics and/or Science. There are many general subjects you can choose from to meet pre-requisites for English, Mathematics and Science.
| Categories | General subjects |
| English | English English as an additional language Literature English Literature Extension |
| Mathematics | General Mathematics Mathematical Methods Specialist Mathematics |
| Science | Agricultural Science Biology Chemistry Earth & Environmental Science Marine Science Physics Psychology |
To meet the pre-requisites you must have a minimum grade C in Units 3 & 4. It is important to check what pre-requisites are required for the program you want to study when you make your year 10 subject selection.
If you do not receive an ATAR or achieve the result you were hoping for, don't worry USQ has pathway options for you.
USQ will continue to accept certificate III or higher as a pathway option, and further information regarding pathway programs is available.