HSC, VCE and ATAR: high school exams and university entry in Australia
State-based senior secondary credentials
Australia does not have a single national Year 12 examination — each state administers its own senior secondary program:
| State | Credential | Study years |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | HSC (Higher School Certificate) | Years 11–12 |
| VIC | VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education) | Years 11–12 |
| QLD | QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education) | Years 10–12 |
| SA | SACE (South Australian Certificate of Education) | Years 10–12 |
| WA | WACE (Western Australian Certificate of Education) | Years 11–12 |
All programs conclude with external examinations held in October–November of the final year.
What is ATAR?
ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) is a percentile rank from 0 to 99.95 used by universities as a common currency for comparing applicants across different states.
- ATAR 80 = the student performed better than 80% of their peers in the same state and year cohort.
- ATAR 99 = top 1%.
ATAR is a rank, not a score — it compares a student to all other students graduating in the same year and state. ATARs from different states are not directly comparable to each other.
How is ATAR calculated?
Each state has its own calculation, but the general process is:
- Students select subjects in Years 11–12.
- Each subject’s marks are scaled/moderated for difficulty — harder subjects such as advanced mathematics typically receive a scaling advantage.
- Scaled marks are aggregated and the student is ranked across the entire state cohort → the rank becomes the ATAR.
When is an ATAR required?
ATAR is required for:
- Direct entry to most undergraduate degree programs at Australian universities — particularly competitive programs such as medicine, law, engineering, architecture and business.
- Most standard bachelor’s degrees require an ATAR somewhere between 60 and 85 depending on the institution and program.
ATAR is NOT required for:
- TAFE certificates, diplomas and advanced diplomas (vocational qualifications).
- University pathway programs: diploma → bachelor’s degree transfer.
- Mature age entry (adults with work experience and no recent Year 12 results).
- Some universities accept students with portfolio, interview or alternative entry evidence.
Students who arrive in Australia during Year 11–12
Students transferring from Vietnam (or other countries) during Years 11–12 can:
- Participate in HSC/VCE alongside domestic students, with ESL/EAL support.
- Choose subjects appropriate to their English proficiency level.
- Use ESL results as a contributing subject to ATAR in some states.
The school counsellor and head teacher are the best people to map out an appropriate Year 12 pathway for recently arrived students.
Admission centres and key dates
Each state has an admission centre that processes university applications:
- NSW: UAC (uac.edu.au)
- VIC: VTAC (vtac.edu.au)
- QLD: QTAC (qtac.edu.au)
Applications typically open mid-year in Year 12 with a main deadline in September–October. ATAR results are released in December. University offers are issued in January, with most courses starting February–March.