Pathways into university
Visit the TASC website, for more information about university entrance.
What is my ATAR?
You meet the General Entry Requirements of the University of Tasmania if you’ve completed the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) and have SA results in at least four (maximum five) Level 3 or Level 4 subjects accredited by TASC, or you’ve completed an interstate senior secondary certificate and have an ATAR. You can find out more about eligibility at Admission requirements.
For most courses, selection of Year 12 Applicants will be based on an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) number. (In Tasmania, the ATAR was previously known as the Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER).
Your ATAR is based on your overall Tertiary Entrance Score (TE Score). This score is calculated by combining your best Level 3 or Level 4 course scores from two senior secondary years (two years from either Years 11, 12 or 13).
The ATAR ranges between zero and 99.95 and details the student’s percentile rank compared with other Year 12 students in their state. For example, an ATAR of 80.00 indicates that the student has an overall TE Score equal to, or better than, 80% of Year 12 school leavers in Tasmania that year.
Your ATAR is based on your total best-five equivalent scaled scores.
The two years of study which your ATAR can be calculated from don’t have to be consecutive.
Each of our courses has a Guaranteed Entry ATAR, which you can find in the Course and Unit Handbook. This means, if you have the right ATAR, you can be guaranteed a place within that course.
If there are no Guaranteed Entry ATAR scores, you’ll need to look at the entry requirements.
The clearly-in ATAR listed for each course entry is indicative of the ATAR score for first-round offers to school-leaver applicants. For courses where entry is highly competitive (e.g. Medicine, Pharmacy, Health Science/ Medical Radiation Science), a minimum ATAR applies and places are allocated according to strict quotas.
Where a clearly-in or minimum ATAR score is not listed, entry to the course is on the basis of special requirements, such as an audition or portfolio submission, or completion of another qualification.
These changes will impact current year 11 students completing the Tasmanian Certificate of Education.
Learn more (PDF File, 238KB)
ATAR scores do not apply to international applicants unless they are currently completing Year 12 in Australia.
If your secondary qualification is considered equivalent to the Australian Year 12, your final grades will be converted into an equivalent ATAR score.
International applicants should can email international.study@utas.edu.au for information on admission requirements specific to studies undertaken in their home country.
Remember: Your ATAR isn’t everything
If your ATAR doesn't meet the requirements for a course you want to study, then don’t worry. There are many ways for you to study with us.
If you’re not eligible for your preferences, we’ll provide you with other course options. We have many pathways that can help you get into your chosen course later.
To talk with us about options, contact our Information Centre at course.info@utas.edu.au or call 13 8827 (13 UTAS).
Some students complete study paths that don’t result in an ATAR. This might include Vocational Education and Training (VET) study, senior schooling at home, or going to a school with a non-standard curriculum.
Don’t worry. You’ll be assessed according to your study plan, subjects and results. Then, you’ll be given something called an Assessed Entry Score (AES). This will be converted to a rank.
Yes, your scores will be converted to an equivalent Tasmanian score. TASC will then calculate your TE and ATAR.
Yes, but you can only count results from two calendar years. In other words, you can count results from Year 11 and Year 13, or Year 12 and Year 13, but not from all three.
No. Only courses studied in two years of senior secondary education can contribute towards the ATAR. Studies in Year 10 are ineligible to be used in calculating an ATAR.
What is the TCE?
The Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) is a qualification issued to students who meet the TCE Participation and Achievement Standard and the Everyday Adult Standards. Refer to Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) for more information.
To learn more, go to the TASC website.
Yes. Subject scaling is applied to HAP and UCP units in the same way as scaling for TASC Level 3 and Level 4 subjects.
Will my year 10 results count towards the ATAR?
No. Only courses studied in two years of senior secondary education can contribute towards the ATAR. Studies in Year 10 are ineligible to be used in calculating an ATAR.
Selection is based on eligibility and merit. Eligibility means you can be considered for your chosen course. Your rank then determines whether you’ll be selected.
Offers are made by rank until the course is filled or the minimum score for the course is reached. However, meeting the admission requirements does not guarantee you entry into the course of your choice.
You won’t receive an ATAR if you've completed the IB diploma. Instead, you’ll be given a rank similar to an ATAR.
Scaling is a way of standardising marks to make sure that students are not disadvantaged by their subject choices. It does not change your ranking within a course.
Not a recent School Leaver?
If you have not recently left school, or have not completed Years 11 and 12, you may meet another of the University’s General Entry Requirements (GER).
What else do I need to get into my preferred course?
Every course has its own requirements. Some of these include interviews and auditions. Special requirements refers to any requirements in addition to normal General Entry Requirements, e.g. UMAT/ ISAT score for Medicine – Surgery, or an audition for performing arts courses.
Specific Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) Level 3 and/or Level 4 subjects (or interstate equivalent) may be required in addition to University of Tasmania General Entry Requirements for entry to some courses.
You can meet these requirements with studies from your TCE or through additional foundation units and pathway programs.
Check the entry requirements section in the Course and Unit Handbook under the degree you want to study.
Refer to Admission requirements for more information.
Need more information?
You can find more FAQ's relating to your study at AskUs.
Information on how to apply to other Universities interstate
International students
ATAR scores do not apply to international applicants unless they are currently completing Year 12 in Australia.
If your secondary qualification is considered equivalent to the Australian Year 12, your final grades will be converted into an equivalent ATAR score.
International applicants should can email international.study@utas.edu.au for information on admission requirements specific to studies undertaken in their home country.