You can repeat Year 12 subjects to try for a better ATAR, and there is generally no penalty for doing so. In NSW, results can be gathered over five years and only the last attempt at a repeated course counts. Queensland's ATAR uses results from the last five years. Rules differ in each state, and for most students a pathway course is a faster route than repeating.
Repeating Year 12, key facts
- There is generally no penalty in how the ATAR is calculated for repeated subjects.
- NSW: results can be gathered over five years; only the last satisfactory attempt at a repeated course counts.
- Queensland: the ATAR uses results from the last five years. SA and NT: a maximum of three attempts.
- Tasmania: from 2025, the best five results across any two years.
How states treat repeated subjects
| State | Rule |
|---|---|
| NSW | Courses can be accumulated over five years. If you repeat a course, only your last satisfactory attempt counts (UAC). |
| Queensland | The ATAR uses results gained in the last five years, with QTAC rules on repeated subjects. |
| Victoria | You can take more VCE studies in a later year. VTAC applies its own rules on which attempts count. |
| South Australia and NT | The aggregate is calculated from a maximum of three attempts, which can be in non-consecutive years (SATAC). |
| Tasmania | From 2025 the ATAR uses your best five results across any two years. |
Check the exact rules with your admissions centre before you commit.
Is there a penalty for repeating?
There is no general penalty in how the ATAR is calculated. Your repeated results are scaled with that year's students in the normal way. Some universities may treat you as a non-school leaver or ask about your history, but repeating itself does not lower your rank.
When repeating makes sense
- You were seriously affected by illness or circumstances, and you are confident you can do much better.
- You need a specific prerequisite subject that you do not have.
- The course you want has no pathway route.
When a pathway is better
A diploma or related degree often gets you into your target degree in the same time or less, with credit for what you study, and university results then matter more than your ATAR. See getting into uni with a lower ATAR.
Think about the cost
A repeat year costs time and money, and it can be hard on motivation. Equity schemes may also help if your results were affected by circumstances: see SEAS and EAS. And remember the ATAR is one number for one year: read does the ATAR matter.
Repeat or pathway?
| Repeat Year 12 subjects | Take a pathway | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to degree | One extra year before first year | Often no extra time, with credit |
| What you get | A new ATAR | University or TAFE study that counts towards a degree |
| Risk | Results may not improve as much as hoped | Must meet progression grades |
| Best when | You need a prerequisite, or your results were badly affected | You were close to the cut-off or a pathway exists |
Questions to ask before repeating
- Does the course I want have a diploma, transfer or bridging route?
- Would an equity scheme application cover what affected my results?
- How exactly does my admissions centre combine old and new results?
- Can I realistically lift my results by enough to clear the cut-off?
FAQ
Can I repeat the HSC?
Yes. You can repeat HSC courses, and UAC counts only the last satisfactory attempt at a repeated course. Results can be accumulated over five years.
Can I redo VCE subjects?
Yes. You can take VCE studies in a later year. Check VTAC's rules on how repeated or extra studies are counted.
Is there a penalty for repeating Year 12?
Not in the ATAR calculation. Some courses may assess you as a non-school leaver.
Do universities know if I repeated Year 12?
Your results history is available to admissions centres, and some universities treat repeat students as non-school leavers. Repeating does not lower your ATAR itself.