How are IB scores converted into ATAR?

With different curriculums that assess and score their students in completely different ways, how are Australian IB students compared against ATAR students for university entry?

If you completed secondary education under a state-imposed curriculum, such as NSW's HSC or Victoria's VCE, you will receive an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

Since all Australian universities use the ATAR, along with any other applicable adjustment factors, to help them decide which students to admit into their institution, how can IB students apply to Australian universities?

Table of Content:

• How is the IB Scored?
• How do Universities compare IB and ATAR then?
• How are IB Scores Converted to ATAR?
• How are IB Scores converted to ATAR for 2026 admission?
• FAQs

How is the IB scored?

Unlike the ATAR, which ranks its student participants and gives them a percentile, the IB allocates points out of 45.

IB students are awarded grades from 1 to 7 for each of their six subjects (for a total of 42) and up to an additional 3 points for the three core components (TOK, EE, CAS).

Theoretically, all IB students could achieve a perfect score of 45 if they all performed extremely well, because it is a score. In the past, 4 to 7% of IB students each year achieved a perfect IB score of 45.

On the other hand, to achieve a perfect ATAR score of 99.95, you have to be in the top 0.05% of students. So it would be impossible for everyone to achieve a perfect ATAR.

How do Universities compare IB and ATAR then?

If you completed a state-imposed curriculum and received an ATAR the traditional way, you would apply to university through your state's university admission portal. For UNSW it is UAC (Universities Admissions Centre) and for Victoria, it is VTAC (Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre). They do the job of allocating students based on ATAR and adjustment factors into their desired course and university.

If you completed the IB and wish to attend an Australian university, you would apply for courses through UAC or VTAC with a notional ATAR based on your IB admissions score. That is, your IB score will be converted into a corresponding ATAR that allows you to apply to university just as if you had done an ATAR curriculum.

This conversion is calculated by The Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centre (ACTAC).

How are IB Scores Converted to ATAR?

There has been some controversy concerning the IB to ATAR conversions.

• In particular, many ATAR students felt the conversions unfair since it gave all IB students with a 45 a 99.95 ATAR despite about 5% of IB students receiving a 45, and only 0.05% of ATAR students receive a 99.95.
• Furthermore, the conversions were very clear-cut and gave no consideration to the performance of the IB students in their respective subjects. This resulted in ACTAC enforcing a slight change in conversion methods in 2022 which differentiated IB students on the same IB score. That is, not all IB 45s would convert to a 99.95.

Amended IB Diploma score to Combined Rank conversion table

How are IB Scores converted to ATAR for 2026 admission?

VTAC

This is the conversion table the VTAC will be using:

Find out more here.

QTAC

This is the conversion table the QTAC will be using:

Find out more here.

Conclusion

Since the conversions change every year based on the data of the previous year, we cannot provide you a generic conversion. Make sure you search up the official conversion table the year that you will be applying for an Australian University. To save you the headache of meeting the cut-off though, a private tutor from KIS Academics can help you get the grades you need!

For more study resources, check out these KIS Academics articles:

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