What Is the ATAR? A Rank, Not a Percentage Mark

How do subject results become an ATAR? This guide connects certificates, scaling, aggregates and university selection ranks, including the differences between states.

William

James Ruse Graduate (Ranked No. 1 in Australia at the Time of Graduation)

Updated Oct 27, 2026 · Official-source explainer

This guide is based on official information available at the review date. Rules can change by intake, subject and applicant category, so use the current official guide and any updates when you apply.

An ATAR of 90.00 does not mean 90 per cent

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank tells you where your academic achievement sits within an age cohort. The scale runs from 0.00 to 99.95, in steps of 0.05. A rank of 90.00 broadly places a student in the top ten per cent of the relevant age cohort, not at a 90% exam mark or necessarily the top ten per cent only of ATAR recipients. Authorities have rules for reporting lower ranks.

From achievement to selection

01
Subject assessment
02
Moderation / scaling
03
Aggregate
04
ATAR
05
Course selection

Nationally comparable does not mean calculated identically

Aggregate structures: see each state guide for conditions

Jurisdiction	Main structure
NSW	Two English units + best eight other units; out of 500
Victoria	Primary four including English + up to two increments
Queensland	Best five eligible results; English completion required, not automatic inclusion
WA	Best four scaled scores + eligible course bonuses
SA / NT	Best eligible 90 Stage 2 credits
Tasmania	Final-year 45 credits plus up to 30 additional credits
ACT	Best 3.6 courses; AST contributes through scaling

Scroll horizontally to view the table.

Scaling is not a guaranteed reward for a difficult subject

Scaling supports comparison across subjects, using information about the achievement of the students taking them. It is not a fixed difficulty bonus. The adjustment varies by year and result level. Choosing a high-scaling subject is not necessarily helpful if you struggle to perform well in it.

How is a selection rank different from an ATAR?

Adjustment factors normally affect a course-specific selection rank, not the published ATAR. A high rank alone may not be enough: prerequisites, interviews and admissions tests can still be required.

Sources & verification

Reviewed 27 October 2026. Historical-cycle documents are explicitly labelled.