Admission criteria
NSW students who received a UAI
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) replaced the 91桃色 Admission Index (UAI) in NSW and the ACT in 2009. The highest rank became an ATAR of 99.95, as opposed to a UAI of 100.
The ATAR indicates a student's position in relation to their age cohort. The scaling process and the rank order of students remains the same, and the same applicants continue to be selected for the same tertiary courses.
All states and territories have adopted the universal name 'ATAR'.
The following table gives a broad overview of how UAIs translate to ATARs.
| UAI | ATAR |
|---|---|
100.00 | 99.95 |
99.00 | 99.05 |
98.00 | 98.10 |
97.00 | 97.20 |
96.00 | 96.30 |
95.00 | 95.40 |
94.00 | 94.45 |
93.00 | 93.55 |
92.00 | 92.65 |
91.00 | 91.75 |
90.00 | 90.80 |
85.00 | 86.25 |
80.00 | 81.65 |
75.00 | 77.10 |
70.00 | 72.55 |
65.00 | 67.95 |
60.00 | 63.40 |
For more detail, download the complete UAI to ATAR conversion table.
Non-degree courses
If you successfully complete a non-degree course, such as foundation studies, a preparatory course, or a certificate, diploma or associate degree course, a university may guarantee you entry into a particular degree course. Otherwise, you can use your non-degree studies to apply and compete for admission to other degree courses. You may also be awarded credit for some studies undertaken in your non-degree course.
Some institutions may offer you a place in a lower-level course if you鈥檙e not eligible or competitive enough to receive an offer to the course to which you鈥檝e applied. These are known as 鈥榮lipback offers鈥� and are released up to two days after scheduled offer rounds. You can access them in the same way as standard offers.
Tertiary preparation courses
Tertiary preparation courses are designed for applicants who haven't completed Year 12 or who aren't attempting Year 12 this year. Minimum age requirements usually apply and the length of these courses differs between institutions. Most institutions will consider the tertiary preparation courses offered by other institutions. You are strongly advised, however, to check this with each institution.
TAFE courses
Institutions may take into account TAFE qualifications, usually Certificate IV or above. Some institutions require you to have completed the course before it will be considered.
Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT)
If you have no formal qualifications on which to base your application to a tertiary institution, you may be eligible to be considered for entry to a course by sitting STAT. Institutions will consider your results in addition to any other information available when assessing your application.
STAT is a series of tests designed to assess a range of competencies considered important for success in tertiary study. It assesses your ability to think critically and analyse the material given, rather than testing your knowledge of specific academic subjects. There are two versions of STAT: Multiple Choice and Written English.
In NSW and the ACT, STAT is managed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). Dates, fees, locations and booking information for STAT test sittings in NSW/ACT can be found on the . Also check whether an institution will accept STAT for the course you are considering, and which STAT versions you need to sit, by contacting the admissions office at the relevant institution.