School Student Frequently Asked Questions

Adjustment factors are extra points that can be added to your university aggregate. This adjusted aggregate is then used to calculate your course selection rank.

Learn more about adjustment factors. 

If you have a current mySATAC undergraduate application, you can log in to view your Year 12 rank for each preference. Where applicable, any eligible adjustment factors will be included in the displayed Year 12 rank, provided the course considers them.

Some preferences may not show a Year 12 rank, even if you have received an ATAR. This is because certain courses assess additional entry requirements or use criteria other than a Year 12 rank.

No. As long as you successfully complete the subject (minimum grade of C- or better) and the course/s you are applying for considers subject-based adjustments, you will receive the adjustment factors even if that subject does not make up the 90 credits used in your ATAR calculation.

No. Adjustment factor schemes administered by SATAC apply only to SATAC undergraduate applications. If you apply through a different tertiary admissions centre or directly to an institution, SATAC’s adjustment factor schemes will not be used. However, those centres or institutions may offer their own schemes that can alter your Year 12 selection rank.

Assumed knowledge refers to background knowledge from a SACE/NTCET Stage 1 or Stage 2 subject, or an identified skill, that is expected and will support a student’s understanding of the content in a particular undergraduate course.

The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a rank – not a mark or score.

It’s a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that shows how you performed compared to all students your age (16–20-year-olds) who completed an Australian Year 12 program – not just students at your school.

Learn more about the ATAR.

Completion and Successful Completion refer to different minimum grade requirements in the SACE.

Completion means achieving a grade of E or better at Stage 1 and a grade of E- or better at Stage 2.

Successful Completion means achieving a grade of C or better at Stage 1 and a grade of C- or better at Stage 2.

Counting restrictions limit the number of credits from a specific subject area that can be included in the calculation of an ATAR. They are used to encourage students to study a broad range of subjects.

You can view the counting restrictions for each subject learning area in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet. Alternatively, speak with your school to ensure your study meets the rules and requirements for ATAR calculations.

Flexible option refers to the final 30 credits of study contributing to the university aggregate. These 30 credits can include scores from 10 or 20 credit TAS and/or Recognised Studies. 

A precluded combination occurs when there is significant overlap in the content of a SACE subject and a Recognised Studies subject.

When two subjects form a precluded combination, they cannot both be counted towards your ATAR.

If you complete a SACE subject and a Recognised Studies subject that form a precluded combination, only the SACE subject will be included in your ATAR calculation – even if you receive a higher score for the Recognised Studies subject.

You can view precluded subject combinations in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet. Alternatively, speak with your school to ensure your study meets the rules and requirements for ATAR calculations.

Prerequisites are SACE or NTCET Stage 2 subjects (or equivalent) in which a student must achieve a minimum grade of C- (or equivalent) to be eligible for selection into a course.

For IB Diploma students, where a prerequisite can be met by a Standard Level (SL) subject, a minimum grade of 4 is required. Where a Higher Level (HL) subject is required, a minimum grade of 3 is required.

A raw score is the numeric result you receive for each individual assessment component in a SACE or NTCET subject. These scores are used to calculate your overall subject grade.

Recognised Studies are subjects or learning experiences outside of SACE or NTCET that can contribute to your ATAR. These can include International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma subjects, interstate Year 12 subjects, university subjects, or VET awards. 

To count, the study must have the approval of the SACE Board to count towards the SACE or NTCET, and approval from the universities to count towards an ATAR.

Learn more about Recognised Studies. 

Yes. You can include more than one type of Recognised Studies (for example, a VET award and university studies) in the 30-credit flexible option of your ATAR. However, Recognised Studies can contribute a maximum of 20 credits to your ATAR.

If you complete multiple types, SATAC will allocate the credits to give you the best possible outcome. This might mean using 20 credits from one type, or 10 credits from each of two types, depending on the credit value of each.

Yes. If your Recognised Studies was completed in the same year – or earlier – than when SATAC first calculated your ATAR, it can be included in any subsequent recalculations.

Keep in mind, however, that the ATAR can only include study completed across a maximum of three attempts, which do not have to be in consecutive years.

Scaling is a mathematical process that allows performance in different SACE/NTCET Stage 2 subjects to be compared fairly, even though the subjects have different content, objectives, and assessment methods. Raw scores are scaled to make them comparable before they are combined to calculate the university aggregate.

Learn more about scaling.

A scaled score is the result of adjusting a student’s raw score in a subject to a consistent scale, allowing fair comparison across all students.

A selection rank determines how competitive a student is compared to other applicants for the same course. It is usually based on the ATAR but can be adjusted by factors such as bonus points or other course-specific selection criteria.

Tertiary Admissions Subjects (also known as TAS) are SACE Stage 2 subjects approved by SATAC’s member institutions as suitable preparation for tertiary study. Students must complete a minimum number of TAS credits to be eligible for an ATAR.

The TES is a document that provides key information for tertiary entrance, including the university aggregate and ATAR. SATAC issues the TES on behalf of Adelaide University, Charles Darwin University, Flinders University, and TAFE SA.

Your TES is available through your SACE Students Online account, where you can download and print an official copy.

If you need a digital copy sent directly to an institution, the SACE Board can email an official verification of your TES on behalf of SATAC.

If the institution does not accept digital documents, the SACE Board can provide a hard copy of your TES on official paper stock. This option is only available until the end of the Stage 2 clerical check period in early February.

To request a verification email or a hard copy, please contact the SACE Board.

The university aggregate is a score between 0 and 90.00, calculated from a student’s scaled results in Tertiary Admissions Subjects (TAS). This score is then used to determine the student’s ATAR.

A valid pair occurs when two 10-credit TAS from the same subject area are used together instead of a single 20-credit TAS in calculating an ATAR.

You can view valid subject pairs in the Tertiary Entrance Booklet. Alternatively, speak with your school to ensure your studies meet the rules and requirements for ATAR calculations.