ATAR Cutoffs by Course

Adjustment factors are not automatic — you must apply for them, and eligibility criteria vary by university and state. The most common adjustment scheme in NSW is UAC's Educational Access Scheme (EAS), which can add up to 10 ATAR points for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Victoria, VTAC administers similar Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) adjustments. Because these add up to 10 points, a student with an ATAR of 89.00 and maximum adjustments has the same selection rank as a student with an ATAR of 99.00 — they are applying for the same spots. For highly competitive courses, understanding adjustment factors is as important as understanding the raw ATAR cutoff.

The figures in this table represent the lowest selection rank that received a main-round offer — not the average or typical ATAR of students admitted. For highly competitive courses like Medicine, Law, and Dentistry, the competitive ATAR is often 2–5 points higher than the lowest selection rank shown, because only a handful of students received offers at the margin. Most successful applicants achieved considerably higher. Guaranteed entry thresholds (where universities commit to offering entry to any applicant above a specific ATAR) are more reliable anchors and are noted where available.

Medicine is structurally different from every other course on this list. In New South Wales, there is no direct undergraduate entry to medicine at the University of Sydney or UNSW — both programs are graduate-entry only, requiring a completed bachelor's degree before application. UNSW medicine applicants must hold a bachelor's degree and then sit the GAMSAT. The University of Melbourne's Doctor of Medicine is also graduate-entry only. Direct undergraduate medicine pathways (MBBS) are available at universities including the University of Queensland, Monash, Flinders, James Cook, and Bond, all of which also require UCAT in addition to ATAR.

ATAR cutoffs shift each year based on application demand and cohort size. A course that had a cutoff of 90.00 last year may have a 91.50 cutoff next year if more high-achieving students applied — or an 88.00 cutoff if fewer did. This year-to-year variation is particularly pronounced for courses that are expanding enrolments (cutoffs may fall) or that have recently gained prestige (cutoffs may rise quickly). The figures here represent recent published data, but you should always verify current-year cutoffs directly with each university or through the relevant admissions centre website before finalising your preferences.

Some courses — Architecture, Design, Fine Arts, Drama, and Music in particular — use ATAR as a threshold, not a primary selection criterion. A typical threshold might be 65+ or 70+, after which applicants are selected based on portfolio, audition, or creative work alone. In these fields, a student with an ATAR of 75 and an exceptional portfolio may be preferred over a student with an ATAR of 92 and an average portfolio. If you are applying for a creative or performance-based course, begin preparing your portfolio or audition well before application deadlines, and check each university's supplementary selection process carefully.

Finally, ATAR is not the only pathway into competitive courses. Alternative entry programs, pathway qualifications (Certificate IV, Diploma), and enabling programs offered by universities themselves allow students who miss their target ATAR to enter their chosen field through an alternative route — often within one additional year. For courses with high personal and financial stakes (Medicine, Law, Engineering), these pathways are worth researching early so that subject selection and academic planning can account for them if needed.