University Admission

The ATAR enables direct access to courses at universities.  The maximum ATAR is 99.95 and the ATAR reports a student‘s rank relative to all other Western Australian students of Year 12 school leaving age. The ATAR maintains comparability from year to year and it provides consistency for access to universities Australia wide.

An ATAR of 80 would mean that a student achieved in the top 20% of all Western Australian students of Year 12 school leaving age.  The ATAR required to gain entry to a particular course depends on applicant demand and the supply of places available in the course.

For students studying the WA Certificate of Education

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank is calculated from a student’s Tertiary Entrance Aggregate (TEA) which is based on the aggregate mark from the student’s four highest WACE ATAR subjects plus any applicable subject bonuses. The maximum TEA is 430.

The calculation of the TEA is subject to the following conditions:

• A LOTE bonus of 10% of one LOTE scaled score is added to the aggregate of the best four scaled scores, irrespective of whether the LOTE subject scaled score was counted as one of the best four.
• A Mathematics bonus of 10% of the scaled score for each of Mathematics Methods and Mathematics Specialist is added to the aggregate of the best four scaled scores, irrespective of whether the Mathematics Methods and/or Mathematics Specialist course scaled scores was counted in the best four.
•  Unacceptable combination rules will apply to ATAR Mathematics courses (see below)
  • Mathematics Applications and Mathematics Specialist are an unacceptable combination (they both may be studied to achieve a WACE).
  • Therefore only one score from the unacceptable combination can be used in the calculation of the ATAR.

WACE ATAR Examination and School based results
The results in each course are a 50:50 combination of WACE ATAR examinations performance and school assessments, except where subjects are taken on a non-school candidate basis.

For students studying the IB Diploma

The Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank is calculated from the Diploma mark using a conversion table available from TISC. All the IB Diploma rules and regulations apply.

Some tertiary courses require previous study to a satisfactory level in specific Year 12 subjects. Details of any prerequisites will be found in the course guides produced by the individual Tertiary Institutions Admissions Centre. They are also included in the University Admissions guides.

http://www.tisc.edu.au/static/guide/admission-req-sleaver.tisc

Curtin University commenced an undergraduate Medicine degree in 2017.  Applicants are required to obtain a satisfactory UCAT and Casper score, a successful interview and a competitive ATAR.  Curtin’s indicative ATAR selection rank is 95 however, it is in most cases, always higher.

UWA offers a limited number of “Assured Pathway” places to students who achieve an ATAR of 98+, a suitable UCAT score and a successful interview.

Students who do not secure this pathway may complete any Bachelor degree and then compete for a place in the 4 year Doctor of Medicine (MD) or a 4 year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDMD) course. These students will be required to sit the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT), obtain a minimum GPA of 5.5 in their undergraduate degree which is approximately equivalent to a weighted average of 65% and attend a structured interview.

Students seeking a place in most undergraduate Medicine/Dentistry degrees in Australia are required to sit the UCAT. https://www.ucat.edu.au

TISC runs a joint applications system for admission to undergraduate courses at Western Australian universities.

Applicants for Medicine, Dentistry, Podiatry and the Assured Pathway to Pharmacy at UWA must include this preference by the end of September – it cannot be added after then.