ATAR and Scaling 2025

Is this guide for you?

The information in this guide applies to students who will complete year 12 in 2025 and are choosing VCE or equivalent subjects in 2023.

Students completing year 12 in 2023 or 2024 should refer to the following guides:

• The VTAC ATAR and Scaling Guide for 2024
• The VTAC ATAR and Scaling Guide for 2023

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)

The ATAR is only one tool used for selection into tertiary courses, and not all courses use the ATAR. This guide explains:

There’s a lot of detail in this section that can be hard to remember, so keep hold of this guide so you can revisit it in Year 11 and 12.

What is the ATAR?

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is an overall percentile rank reflecting a student’s Year 12 achievement compared to the age group in a given year. The ATAR allows tertiary institutions to competitively rank students who have completed different combinations of VCE studies. It is calculated by VTAC solely for use by institutions for admission into some tertiary courses.

The ATAR is reported as a number between 0.00 and 99.95 with increments of 0.05. A student with an ATAR of 75.00 has achieved VCE results above 75 per cent of the Year 12 age group.

What the ATAR isn’t

The ATAR isn’t a reflection of you as a person, and there’s no pass or fail ATAR. Everyone who receives an ATAR has passed the VCE. The ATAR is simply a rank that is used by institutions for some of their courses. In most cases, the ATAR is only one of many criteria and factors considered as part of the selection process.

How to qualify for an ATAR

To qualify for an ATAR through VTAC, a student must:

• qualify for the VCE, and
• achieve study scores in at least four permissible Unit 3 and 4 VCE studies, including one from the English group.

Is my ATAR relevant interstate?

Yes. Each state recognises the ATAR of other states as equivalent. This is achieved by the states by using a similar methodology and a statistical cross-checking process.

What is a notional ATAR?

Notional ATARs are used to rank applicants who:

• have another qualification obtained in Victoria such as the International Baccalaureate
• have previous Victorian Year 12 results (other than VCE results).
• complete at least one Unit 3 and 4 study outside of a January to December timetable, or
• have interstate studies

A Notional ATAR is treated the same way as a normal ATAR, the ‘notional’ label simply indicates that the ATAR was obtained in a slightly different way. For course selection and all other purposes they are treated as equivalent.

What if I do VCAL?

VCAL students do not receive an ATAR and can therefore only immediately apply for courses that don’t use the ATAR to select students for entry (see ‘Pathways’ for other opportunities).

Scaling: keeping things fair

What is scaling?

Scaling adjusts for the fact that it is more difficult to obtain a high VCE study score in some studies than others. This is not because some studies are inherently harder or easier, it is because some studies attract a more competitive cohort of students.

Scaling ensures that students are neither advantaged nor disadvantaged based on the studies they choose. All VCE study scores are scaled by VTAC.

Why are study scores scaled?

To select applicants fairly, institutions need an overall measure of the performance of students undertaking the VCE in all studies and in all combinations. Study scores are scaled to consider the different levels of competition in different studies.

When are scores scaled?

VCE studies are always scaled in the year in which you undertook them. This may not necessarily be in the year in which you receive your ATAR.

How study scores are scaled

1. The VCAA collects your assessment results and uses them to calculate your VCE study scores.
2. When VTAC receives your study scores from the VCAA, each study has been standardised. The average score for each study is 30.
3. VTAC looks at the assessment data across all studies to make sure obtaining the average score in one study required the same level of achievement as every other study.
4. When the data demonstrates the overall level of scores across studies doesn’t match, adjustments need to be made. This is the scaling process.
5. If competition in a particular study was higher than the average level of competition across all studies—as indicated by the group of students performing higher in their other studies— study scores need to be adjusted upwards, otherwise students doing that study would be unfairly disadvantaged.
6. Likewise, if competition in a particular study was lower than the average level of competition across all studies—as indicated by the group of students performing lower in their other studies— study scores need to be adjusted downwards, otherwise students doing that study would be unfairly advantaged.
7. Once the study scores have been scaled, they are called scaled study scores. It is these scaled study scores that are used to calculate the ATAR.

Studies with additional scaling rules

The following studies attract additional scaling rules. Unless you like these studies and are good at them, choosing these studies simply because they are treated differently in scaling won’t automatically guarantee you a higher ATAR.

Mathematics

VCE Mathematics studies are designed to cater for students of differing abilities and interests. Unlike other studies there is a distinct hierarchy of studies:

• Specialist Mathematics is the most difficult,
• followed by Mathematical Methods,
• followed by General Mathematics, and then
• Foundation Mathematics

To ensure that students undertaking the more difficult mathematics studies are not disadvantaged by the level of difficulty, all four mathematics studies are scaled against each other as well as being scaled against all other studies. The higher of the two resulting scales is used for each of the mathematics studies.

Languages

As a result of government policy to encourage the study of languages, each language is adjusted up by adding five to the initial VTAC scaled study score average.
This does not mean that five points are added to the ATAR. What it does mean is that for study scores at, or close to, the score average of 30, the adjustment is 5. This adjustment is different for each study score and decreases as the study score moves away from 30.

Myths about scaling

Many students believe that to achieve their best possible ATAR they need to choose studies have been scaled up in previous years. This is not true and can work against you.
Choosing a study that you are not very good at, or engaged in, simply because it may be scaled up would be a mistake. If you are concerned about your score, you need to be sure you are good at a study and that you are engaged in doing your best.

It is most likely that a ‘scaled down’ score in a study you performed well in will be higher than a ‘scaled up’ study in which you didn’t.

What would happen if there was no scaling?

Definitions

VCE study score

A VCE study score is based on your results in school assessments and examinations. It is a score from 0–50, determined by the VCAA, and it shows how you performed in that study relative to all other students doing that same study.

Scaled study score

VTAC calculates a scaled study score for each VCE study score. This is a score from 0.00 to 55.00, determined by VTAC, which shows how you performed in each study, relative to all students doing all studies. The scaled study score uses your VCE study score and the performance of the entire cohort of students who undertook that study compared to how they performed in their other studies.

Studies used for the ATAR: rules and restrictions

Calculating your aggregate

Before producing your ATAR, VTAC must first calculate your aggregate. Your aggregate is produced as a sum of your primary four studies and a maximum of two available (and permissible) increments.
Subject to the rules and restrictions that follow, up to six studies can be used in calculating your aggregate and they may include:

• VCE Unit 3 and 4 sequences
• VCE Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs with Unit 3 and 4 sequences
• other approved VET studies (VE3), and
• One approved higher education study

However, only some of these types of study can be included in your primary four, others can only be used as increments.
If you have more than six results, only the six permissible results that give the highest ATAR are used. Any studies not used for the ATAR remain visible to selection officers on your application.

‘Permissible’

‘Permissible’ refers to the following rules and restrictions.

Primary four

These are the four studies that are counted first in the calculation of your aggregate. Your primary four aggregate is the sum of:

• your VTAC Scaled Study Score in one of English, English (EAL), Literature or English Language, and
• the next highest three permissible scaled study scores.

Increments

If available, a maximum of two increments are added to your primary four during the calculation of your aggregate. Increments could be:

• ten per cent of a fifth or sixth permissible scaled score
• a permissible unscored VCE VET or VE3 increment
• a permissible higher education study increment
• Year 12 credit for studies completed interstate
• an increment for legitimate one year students

Rules and restrictions

For the calculation of an aggregate, rules and restrictions apply to the inclusion of:

• studies from the same study area grouping
• equivalent studies
• scored and unscored VCE VET studies
• VE3 block credit, and
• approved higher education studies.

Study area groupings

There are restrictions to how many studies from the same study area grouping can contribute to your aggregate. This is to ensure diversity in your VCE program. Study area groupings include VCE, VCE VET and higher education studies and are listed below.

Study area group restrictions are:

• At most, two results from the same study area grouping can be included in the calculation of the primary four.
• At most, three results from the same study area grouping can contribute to the calculation of your aggregate.
• If you have unscored VCE VET results, these can only be used in the calculation of your aggregate after all scored results in the same study area grouping have been used.

List of study area groupings

Some Study area groupings are listed below. VCE, VCE VET and higher education studies may be a part of each grouping. To check which studies are included in each grouping see 'Study area groupings' below.

• English studies
• Entertainment
• History studies
• Hospitality
• Information Technology studies
• Languages (other than English)
• Mathematics studies
• Music studies

Equivalent studies

Studies with significant overlap between them are considered equivalent. Consult with your school when choosing your VCE program to ensure you are not studying equivalent units. For further information refer to the VCAA’s VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook. However, if circumstances result in you studying equivalent units, only one of these units can be included in the calculation of your aggregate. This will be the unit with the highest permissible contribution to your aggregate. Example equivalent combinations follow.

• English and English as an Additional Language.
• The same language in any combination of: first language; second language; second language advanced; or VET study.
• Studies that have been replaced by a revised subject, such as National Politics replaced by Australian Politics, International Politics replaced by Global Politics, Information Technology replaced by Applied Computing, and Food and Technology replaced by Food Studies.

VCE VET studies

Scored VCE VET studies

‘Scored VCE VET studies’ are VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences with a scored assessment.

When calculating your aggregate, VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences with a scored assessment are treated in the same way as other Unit 3 and 4 VCE studies.

However, if you choose not to take the scored assessment for a study when it is available, the study cannot be used in the calculation of your aggregate.

Unscored VCE VET studies

Unscored VCE VET studies are VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences with no scored assessment available (it cannot be awarded if assessment was available but you chose not to take it).

Since there are no scores available for unscored sequences, VTAC may include the sequence as an increment (the fifth and/or sixth study). The amount of an increment is determined by calculating 10 per cent of the fourth study score of your primary four.

Up to two unscored VCE VET increments may contribute to your aggregate.

VE3 block credit

VE3 studies (formerly known as VFE studies) are VET courses that are not part of the VCE VET program but have been approved for block credit at Unit 3 and 4 level by the VCAA. VE3 studies may count towards your ATAR as an increment (the fifth and/or sixth study). The amount of the increment is determined by calculating 10 per cent of the fourth study score of your primary four.

VCE and VCE VET results will take precedence over VE3 block credit results in the calculation of your aggregate. VE3 block credit can only be used in the calculation of an aggregate if there are fewer than six VCE or VCE VET studies available for calculation. Up to two VE3 increments can contribute to the aggregate.

Approved higher education studies

The VCAA provides for very able students to undertake an approved higher education study as part of the VCE. The successful completion of a higher education study may be included as an increment (fifth or sixth study) in the calculation of your aggregate.

Higher Education studies are explicitly designed for credit towards the VCE and increments are not available for International Baccalaureate (IB) students.

If the average mark for the higher education study is:

• at least 90 per cent, the increment will be 5.0
• at least 80 per cent but less than 90 per cent, the increment will be 4.5
• at least 70 per cent but less than 80 per cent, the increment will be 4.0
• at least 60 per cent but less than 70 per cent, the increment will be 3.5
• at least 50 per cent but less than 60 per cent, the increment will be 3.0

If the average mark for the higher education study is less than 50, then no increment is available.

Which studies can be used in the primary four?

The primary four consists of:

• the highest VTAC scaled study score in one of English, English (EAL), Literature or English Language, and
• the remaining three highest permissible VTAC scaled study scores.

Permissible scaled study scores for the primary four may be from VCE Unit 3 and 4 studies or VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences with a scored assessment.

At most, two results from the same study area grouping can be included in the calculation of the primary four.

Which studies may be used as increments?

Up to two increments are added to the primary four during the calculation of your aggregate.

Studies that may count as increments

Increments may include:

• VCE Unit 3 and 4 studies or scored VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 studies—10 per cent of any fifth and/or sixth highest scaled subject score.
• Unscored VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 studies—up to two unscored VCE VET increments. Unscored VET increments are calculated as 10 per cent of the fourth study score of your primary four. An increment is only awarded if no scored assessment was available. It is not awarded if you chose not to take a scored assessment.
• Higher education studies—one higher education study increment (as calculated by the rules listed on this page).
• VE3 increments—up to two VE3 increments can contribute to the ATAR if there are no further VCE or VCE VET results available. VE3 increments are calculated as 10 per cent of the fourth study score of your primary four.
• Year 12 credit for studies completed interstate—up to two increments, each equal to 10 per cent of the fourth study score of the primary four.
• Legitimate one year—can only be used as a sixth contribution, equal to the value of the fifth contribution.

Study area grouping restrictions to increments

At most, three results from the same study area grouping can contribute to the calculation of your aggregate (the combination of your primary four and increment/s).

This means, if you have two studies from the same study area grouping in your primary four, only one study from that study area grouping may be included as an increment.

Study area groupings

English studies

• English
• English as an Additional Language
• Literature
• English Language
• any English Higher Education study

Mathematics studies

• Foundation Mathematics
• General Mathematics
• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Further Mathematics*
• Mathematical Methods CBE*
• Mathematical Methods (CAS)*
• Mathematical Methods (CAS) CBE*
• Change and Approximation*
• Extensions—Change and Approximation*
• Reasoning and Data*
• Extensions—Reasoning and Data*
• Space and Number*
• Extensions—Space and Number*
• any Mathematics Higher Education study

Music studies

• Music Repertoire Performance
• Music Contemporary Performance
• Music Inquiry
• Music Composition
• Music Style and Composition*
• Music Performance*
• Music Investigation*
• VCE VET Music*
• VCE VET Music Industry—Technical Production*
• Music—History and Styles*
• Music Styles*
• Music Craft (Group)*
• Music Craft (Solo)*
• Music Performance—Group*
• Music Performance—Solo*
• any Music Higher Education study

Please note: There are a number of non-scored VET sequences available in the Music study area.

History studies

• Australian History
• Ancient History
• Revolutions
• Renaissance Italy*
• Asian History*
• The City in History*
• Koori History*
• History of Western Ideas*
• Nationalism and Modern State*
• any History Higher Education study

Information Technology studies

• Algorithmics (HESS)
• Applied Computing: Data Analytics
• Applied Computing: Software Development
• Computing: Informatics*
• Computing: Software Development*
• VCE VET Information Technology
• IT Applications*
• Information Systems*
• Process and Management*
• Information Technology in Society*
• VCE VET Information Technology: General*
• VCE VET Information Technology: Network*
• VCE VET Information Technology: Software*
• any Information Technology Higher Education study

Contemporary Society studies

• Sociology
• Contemporary Australian Society*
• Australian Studies*
• Contemporary Society*

Language studies

Aboriginal Languages, Albanian*; Arabic; Armenian; Auslan; Australian Indigenous Language*; Bengali; Bosnian; Chin Hakha; Chinese First Language; Chinese Language, Culture and Society; Chinese Second Language; Chinese Second Language Advanced; Classical Greek; Classical Hebrew; Croatian; Czech*; Dutch; Estonian*; Farsi*; Filipino; French; German; Greek; Hebrew; Hindi; Hungarian; Indigenous Languages of Victoria: Revival and Reclamation*; Indonesian First Language; Indonesian Second Language; Italian; Japanese First Language; Japanese Second Language; Karen; Khmer; Korean First Language; Korean Second Language; Latin; Latvian*; Lithuanian*; Macedonian; Maltese*; Modern Greek*; Persian; Polish; Portuguese; Punjabi; Romanian; Russian; Serbian; Sinhala; Slovenian*; Spanish; Swedish; Tamil; Turkish; Ukrainian*; Vietnamese First Language; Vietnamese Second Language; Yiddish.

*Indicates that the study has been replaced or is no longer being offered as part of the VCE.

VET industry areas

In addition to the groups above, scored and unscored VET studies
may also be grouped in the following industry areas. For the
purpose of ATAR calculation, industry areas are treated as study area
groupings.

• Adult Community – Further Education
• Aeroskills
• Agriculture, Horticulture and Conservation and Land Management
• Animal Care and Management
• Automotive Retail, Service and Repair
• Aviation
• Business Services
• Community Services
• Construction, Plumbing and Services
• Creative Arts and Culture
• Electrotechnology
• Financial Services
• Floristry
• Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical
• Foundation Skills
• Furnishing
• Hairdressing and Beauty Services
• Health
• Information and Communications Technology
• Laboratory Operations
• Manufacturing
• Meat Processing
• Printing and Graphic Arts
• Property Services
• Public Safety
• Public Sector
• Racing and Breeding
• Resources and Infrastructure
• Retail Services
• Sport, Fitness and Recreation
• Textile, Clothing and Footwear
• Tourism, Travel and Hospitality
• Training and Education
• Transport and Logistics

Study area group restrictions

For the calculation of the ATAR, study area group restrictions are:

1. At most, two results from the same study area grouping can be included in the primary four.
2. At most, three results from the same study area grouping can contribute to the ATAR, the third being an increment.
3. If you have unscored VCE VET results, these can only be used in the calculation of your aggregate after all scored results in the same study area grouping have been used.

NOTE: Study groupings are continually reviewed, this page will be updated with any confirmed amendments.

Download

• Study area groupings factsheet

From aggregate to ATAR

Your aggregate is the total of your permissible scaled study scores, which can range from 0 to over 210 (in exceptional cases). Your aggregate will be reported on your ATAR statement. Aggregates are then placed in order on a percentile scale.

The group of students with the highest aggregates will be assigned the highest ATAR of 99.95. ATARs below 30.00 are reported as ‘less than 30’ on printed ATAR statements, however the actual ATAR is available through the online results service.

Why isn’t there an ATAR of 100?

Because the ATAR is a percentile ranking it ranks you against everyone in the Year 12 age group. Your ATAR represents the percentage of people you performed higher than. Therefore, it’s statistically impossible for the students with the highest result to perform better than themselves.

ATAR snapshot: Kamala

Kamala knew what she liked, what she was interested in and good at. Kamala chose studies based on all of these factors and focussed on studying. She was in the top six per cent of the state even though four of her six studies were scaled down.

Kamala completed Dance in Year 10 so her study score was scaled in 2019, and Health and Human Development in Year 11, which was scaled in 2020. Her result for Dance was included as an increment because it was one of her lowest two scaled scores (apart from English, which must be in her primary four).

ATAR snapshot: Scott

Scott didn’t know what he wanted to do when he left school, so he chose a wide range of studies that he was good at. He performed well across all of his studies, met the prerequisites of the course he was interested in and was offered a place.

It is also interesting to note that all of Scott’s studies were scaled down but this didn’t prevent him getting the ATAR he was aiming for.

ATAR snapshot: Yelena

Yelena completed an approved higher education study and performed very well in it. Results in higher education studies can only contribute as an increment and not as part of the primary four. Yelena’s result in this study was greater than 90, therefore the increment is 5.0.

ATAR snapshot: Fandral

Fandral didn’t choose subjects based on his interests. He chose four studies that had previously been scaled up, even though he wasn’t very interested in or good at them. Fandral did not excel in these studies, and even though four of his six studies were scaled up (including a VCE Language study) his ATAR was not as high as it could have been if he had chosen studies based on what he was good at, interested in and enjoyed.