The ATAR you need depends on the course, the university and the year, so check the course's recent lowest selection rank. Most degrees sit somewhere between the 60s and 90s, and highly competitive courses such as medicine and law often need 95 or more plus extra tests. Your selection rank, which can include bonus points, is what is compared with the cut-off.
Course cut-off key facts
- Courses list a lowest selection rank: the lowest rank, including adjustments, that received an offer last year.
- Some universities publish guaranteed ATARs.
- Cut-offs move every year, so aim a few points above last year's figure.
- Prerequisites and extra tests can matter as much as the rank.
Three numbers you will see
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Lowest selection rank | The lowest selection rank (ATAR plus adjustments) that received an offer last year |
| Lowest ATAR | The lowest ATAR before adjustments that received an offer, where published |
| Guaranteed ATAR | Some universities promise an offer if your selection rank is at or above this number and you meet the prerequisites |
These figures move every year with demand, so treat last year's number as a guide and aim a few points above it. The difference between ATAR and selection rank is covered in ATAR vs selection rank.
Where to look up a course
- NSW and ACT: UAC course search
- Victoria: VTAC CourseSearch
- Queensland: QTAC course search
- SA and NT: the SATAC Guide
- WA: TISC's course search and minimum ATAR lists
- Every state: the university's own course page, which often lists guaranteed ATARs and prerequisites
What the ranges look like
Lowest selection ranks vary by university, campus and year, so there is no single number for a degree. As a pattern, many general degrees in arts, science, business, IT and education have lowest selection ranks in the 60s to 80s; engineering, commerce, biomedicine and law often sit in the 80s and 90s; and medicine, dentistry and some law programs need very high ranks plus an admissions test and interview. For example, UQ's Bachelor of Nursing had an entry score threshold of 83 for Semester 1, 2026. Course-by-course figures are in ATAR for nursing, ATAR for law and ATAR for medicine.
Beyond the ATAR
- Prerequisites: many courses require particular Year 12 subjects, such as Methods or Chemistry, regardless of your ATAR.
- Extra criteria: medicine and dentistry typically use the UCAT and interviews; creative courses use portfolios or auditions.
- Adjustment factors: bonus points for subjects, location or equity schemes can lift your selection rank. See ATAR bonus points.
Turn a target into a plan
Once you know the number, use the reverse ATAR calculator to see the scores you need in your subjects. If your target is out of reach this year, read getting into uni with a lower ATAR.
Mature-age and non-school applicants
If you finished school some years ago, many universities assess you on other criteria, such as previous study, work experience or the STAT, rather than an old ATAR. See does the ATAR expire.
From a cut-off to the scores you need
Once you know a course's cut-off, here is roughly what it meant in 2025 if you had the same result in every subject. Subject mixes are listed on the reverse ATAR calculator page.
| Cut-off | VCE study score | HSC mark | SACE scaled (of 20) | WACE scaled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70 | 28 | 72 | 13.5 | 52.6 |
| 80 | 32 | 79 | 15.2 | 58.1 |
| 90 | 36 | 85 | 17.0 | 65.8 |
A checklist for every course on your list
- Find the lowest selection rank and, if published, the guaranteed ATAR.
- Check prerequisites and any assumed knowledge.
- Check for extra criteria: tests, interviews, portfolios or auditions.
- Check which adjustment factors the course offers you, then estimate your selection rank with the adjustment box in your state's calculator.
- Rank courses from dream to safe, with at least one you are confident of.
FAQ
What ATAR do you need to be a doctor?
Published minimums for school-leaver medicine range from 90 to 96 for 2027 entry, and offers usually go to much higher ATARs, plus the UCAT and an interview. Every university is compared in ATAR for medicine. Many students instead do a related degree and apply for graduate medicine.
What ATAR is needed for nursing?
It varies by university. UQ's entry score threshold was 83 for Semester 1, 2026, while UNE guarantees entry at 65.00 for 2027. See ATAR for nursing.
Do international students need an ATAR?
International students who finish an Australian Year 12 or the IB receive an ATAR or notional ATAR. IB students can estimate theirs with the IB to ATAR converter. Others apply with their own country's qualifications.
My ATAR is below the cut-off. Should I still list the course?
Often yes, as long as you meet prerequisites: adjustment factors may lift your selection rank, and cut-offs move. List it alongside realistic options.
How far above the cut-off should I aim?
A few points. Cut-offs move with demand each year, and your own results can vary by a few points from any estimate.