Frequently used statements
Minimum tertiary entrance requirements
You must meet minimum tertiary entrance requirements to be eligible for entry into courses through VTAC. The minimum tertiary entrance requirement for undergraduate higher education courses is satisfactory completion of the VCE or equivalent. Post-secondary vocational education and training (VET) courses may have no minimum tertiary entrance requirements, or VCE (or equivalent), VCE VM or other special entry requirements. VTAC is responsible for assessing minimum tertiary entrance requirements.
Institutional requirements
Some institutions have specific requirements. Examples include minimum age requirements and English language requirements. You must meet these to be considered eligible for entry into a course.
If institutional requirements apply, they are listed on the institution's VTAC page.
Course requirements
You must meet course requirements to be eligible for entry into a course. Course requirements include prerequisites and other essential requirements and admission criteria. No matter how good your ATAR is, unless you meet course requirements you will not be considered by course selection officers for their courses.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite studies are those VCE studies (or equivalents) that you must have successfully completed to qualify for a course. Courses with prerequisites specify which VCE units are required and the result that must be achieved. CourseSearch lists the prerequisites required for the courses you will be applying for.
Essential requirements
Essential requirements are criteria for a course that are compulsory for all applicants. Essential requirements for selection and application must be completed to be considered for entry. Essential requirements for enrolment or graduation are advisory: they are not required for selection, but the course requires them before enrolment or completion of the course.
Essential requirements are listed in the course entry within CourseSearch.
Admission criteria
Admission criteria detail what is considered when selecting applicants for entry into a course. Some criteria are compulsory and others are optional.
Admission criteria are listed in the course entry within CourseSearch.
Terms associated with the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
ATAR
The ATAR is an overall percentile ranking reflecting your comparative Year 12 achievement relative to the relevant age group in a given year. Your ATAR is developed from an aggregate of your VCE study scores. The aggregate is calculated by adding the scores of the primary four studies to a maximum of two available (and permissible) increments. To be eligible for an ATAR you need a minimum of four permissible scorable studies and have successfully completed the VCE.
VCE study score
A score from 0-50, determined by the VCAA, which shows how you performed in a study relative to all other students doing that same study. It is based on your results in school assessments and examinations.
Scaling
A VCE study score provides an indication of your relative performance in a particular study. Scaling adjusts for differences in abilities of students undertaking different studies, so that the scaled study scores are comparable across different studies. It ensures that students are neither advantaged or disadvantaged by the studies they choose. All VCE study scores are scaled (see scaling) by VTAC.
Scaled study score
The VCE study score after it has been scaled for inclusion in the ATAR.
ATAR calculation
Primary four
The four studies that are counted first in the calculation of the ATAR. The primary four aggregate is made up of the scaled study score in one of English, English (EAL), Literature or English Language added to the next best three permissible scaled study scores.
Increments
If available, a maximum of two permissible increments are added to your primary four during the calculation of your ATAR.
Aggregate
The total produced by adding the primary four to a maximum of two available (and permissible) increments. Aggregates are then placed on a percentile scale with intervals of 0.05, which converts the aggregates to ATARs.
Permissible studies and restrictions on studies used in the ATAR calculation
There are rules and restrictions on how different studies contribute to the ATAR. These include rules regarding study area groupings.
Other commonly used terms
CSP
Commonwealth supported place. A place in a degree course subsidised by the Australian Government
CourseSearch
A function on the VTAC website that allows you to search or browse through all courses with applications through VTAC.
Bachelor degree
An undergraduate higher education award, which takes three or four years to complete on a full-time basis. Level 7 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.
Diploma
Either a vocational education and training (VET) or higher education award, which takes one to two years to complete on a full-time basis. Level 5 of the Australian Qualifications Framework.
SEAS
Special Entry Access Scheme. The umbrella program for special consideration at participating VTAC institutions.