Tertiary admissions centres prepare for ATAR release

With Year 12 results nearly final, preparations are underway at tertiary admissions centres across the country for the calculation of students’ Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

The Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centres (ACTAC), representing all Australian tertiary admissions centres, emphasises that the ATAR is a rank, not a grade. Its purpose is to provide institutions with a consistent way to compare the overall achievement of students who have completed thousands of different combinations of Year 12 courses. Tertiary admissions centres work together to ensure that the ATAR is nationally consistent, allowing tertiary institutions to select students from across the county in an objective and equitable manner.

While the ATAR is an important consideration for entry into tertiary study, it’s not always the only pathway. For some courses, other criteria may also be used when selecting students, including personal statements, questionnaires, portfolios, auditions, interviews or tests. 

ACTAC Chair, Teresa Tjia said, “The ATAR is designed to indicate readiness for tertiary study; it does not reflect a student’s full range of capabilities and skills, or the many qualities they will bring to life after school.”

Tertiary Admission Centres nationwide will release ATARs on the dates listed below. ACTAC members wish all students every success as they embark on their chosen pathways in 2026.