An ATAR calculator can give you a useful idea of the rank you may receive at the end of Year 12. However, it cannot tell you your exact ATAR in advance.

Even official ATAR calculators rely on historical scaling data and assumptions about your final subject results. Your actual ATAR depends on your final marks, how subjects are scaled in your graduating year and how your results compare with the rest of your cohort.

So, how accurate is an ATAR calculator, and how seriously should you take your predicted ATAR?

The simple answer is that an ATAR calculator is best used as a planning tool rather than a guaranteed prediction.

What Is an ATAR Calculator?

An ATAR calculator estimates your rank using the subjects and marks you enter.

Depending on your state, you may be asked to enter:

• predicted HSC marks
• VCE study scores
• QCE subject results
• SACE scaled scores

The calculator then compares your results with scaling information from previous years.

Because current-year scaling is not available until final results are released, every predicted ATAR involves some uncertainty.

How Accurate Are ATAR Calculators?

ATAR calculators can provide a reasonable estimate when:

• you use a calculator designed for your state
• you enter realistic final marks
• the calculator uses recent scaling data
• your performance remains consistent.

They are less accurate when:

• you enter hopeful target marks
• you rely on early Year 11 or Year 12 results
• your trial exams differ from the final exams
• the calculator uses outdated data
• your subject has a small or unpredictable cohort.

There is no guaranteed margin of error. One student’s prediction may be very close, while another student’s estimate may be several ATAR points away.

Why Can Your Predicted ATAR Change?

Subject scaling changes each year

Scaling depends partly on how students in each subject perform across their other subjects.

Because the student cohort changes every year, subject scaling can also change.

Your entered marks may not match your final results

An ATAR calculator is only as accurate as the information you provide.

If you enter a predicted mark of 90 but receive 82, your final ATAR will naturally be lower than the original estimate.

Trial marks are not final marks

Trial exams can vary between schools in difficulty and marking standards.

Your final subject result may also include school assessments, moderation and external exams. Trial marks can provide a useful guide, but they should not be treated as confirmed results.

Your ATAR depends on other students

An ATAR is a rank, not a percentage.

It shows your position compared with other students in your age group. A calculator cannot know exactly how the current graduating cohort will perform.

Why Do Different ATAR Calculators Give Different Results?

Two calculators may produce different estimates because they use:

• scaling data from different years
• different subject conversion methods
• different assumptions
• different state-based ATAR rules.

Always use a calculator designed for your senior certificate.

For example, NSW, Victoria and Queensland use different subjects, inputs and calculation rules. A calculator created for another state will not provide a meaningful estimate.

Can You Predict Your ATAR From Trial Marks?

Yes, but it will only be a rough prediction.

Trial marks may be useful because they show how you perform under exam conditions. However, your final result may change because:

• you improve after Trials
• the final exam is harder or easier
• your school’s Trial paper was unusually difficult
• assessment marks are moderated
• subject scaling changes.

Instead of focusing on one exact number, use your Trial results to estimate an ATAR range.

For example, it is more realistic to say you are tracking around the mid-to-high 80s than to assume your final ATAR will be exactly 87.35.

Do ATAR Calculators Include Adjustment Factors?

Most ATAR calculators estimate your raw ATAR only.

They generally do not include university adjustment factors for:

• subject performance
• educational disadvantage
• regional location
• elite sport
• access schemes.

Adjustment factors increase your selection rank, not your ATAR.

For example:

• ATAR: 82.00
• Adjustment factors: 4 points
• Selection rank: 86.00

Your official ATAR would remain 82.00.

How to Get a More Accurate ATAR Estimate

To improve the reliability of your predicted ATAR:

• use an official calculator from a trusted website
• enter recent and realistic marks
• check that you are entering the correct type of score
• update your prediction after major assessments
• calculate several possible scenarios
• focus on an estimated range rather than one result.

Try entering:

1. Your current expected marks
2. Slightly lower marks
3. Slightly higher marks

This gives you a more realistic picture of the possible outcomes.

Final Verdict: Can You Trust an ATAR Calculator?

You can trust an ATAR calculator to provide a general guide, but not an exact prediction.

Its accuracy depends on:

• the marks you enter
• the data used by the calculator
• subject scaling
• your final performance
• the results of the wider cohort.

Use your predicted ATAR to set study goals, research university courses and build a balanced preference list. Do not treat it as a guaranteed result.

What to do with the Estimated ATAR you get?

As you punch those numbers in, it is important that you do not remain complacent, even if the calculator indicates that you’ve got this in the bag. In the same breath, do not let it stress you out if the calculator indicates that more work is needed to receive your desired ATAR.

Remember, the valuable time you spend entering (or stressing about) marks can be better used actually studying for your subjects. While the ATAR calculator might help to motivate you and set individual subject goals, it has no use unless you actually use that motivation to study and improve your results.

If you do feel you need help with how to study for a particular subject, you can book a free 30 minute study skills consultation with a KIS Academics tutor.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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If you are applying to university, you may see the terms ATAR and selection rank used almost interchangeably. However, they are not the same thing.

Your ATAR reflects your academic ranking at the end of Year 12. Your selection rank is the number a university generally uses to assess your application for a particular course.

Understanding the difference can help you interpret university entry requirements, adjustment factors and course offer data more accurately.

What Is an ATAR?

ATAR stands for Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.

It is a rank between 0.00 and 99.95 that shows your position relative to other people in your age group. An ATAR of 80.00 does not mean you scored 80% in your subjects. It means you performed at or above approximately 80% of your age group.

Universities use the ATAR as one part of the admissions process, but offers for many courses are ultimately based on an applicant’s selection rank.

What Is a Selection Rank?

Your selection rank is the rank a university uses to assess your application for a particular course.

For a recent Year 12 student, it will usually be calculated as:

Selection rank = ATAR + applicable adjustment factors

For example, imagine you receive:

• an ATAR of 82.00
• three subject adjustment points
• two regional adjustment points.

Your selection rank for an eligible course could be 87.00.

However, your official ATAR remains 82.00. Adjustment factors do not permanently change your ATAR.

ATAR vs Selection Rank at a Glance

The simplest way to remember the difference is:

Your ATAR is the rank you receive. Your selection rank is the rank universities may use.

What Are Adjustment Factors?

Adjustment factors are additional points used to calculate your selection rank. They were previously commonly called “bonus points”.

You may receive adjustments for factors such as:

• strong results in subjects related to your chosen degree
• living or attending school in a regional or remote area
• attending a school within a university’s local area
• educational disadvantage or difficult personal circumstances
• elite sporting or performing achievements
• completing certain university preparation programs.

Each university sets its own adjustment schemes. The number of points available and the courses they apply to can therefore differ considerably.

Can Your Selection Rank Be Different for Each Course?

Yes.

You do not necessarily have one selection rank that applies to every course on your preference list.

For example, a university may award you subject adjustment factors for engineering because you performed strongly in Mathematics and Physics. Those same adjustments may not apply to a degree in Arts.

Another university may offer regional adjustments that the first university does not.

You could therefore have:

• an ATAR of 85.00
• a selection rank of 90.00 for one course
• a selection rank of 87.00 for another course
• a selection rank of 85.00 for a course where no adjustments apply.

This is why students should check the adjustment schemes for every university and course they are considering.

What Does the Lowest Selection Rank Mean?

The lowest selection rank is generally the lowest selection rank held by a recent school-leaver who received an offer for that course in a previous admission period.

It may include adjustment factors.

For example, a course may publish a lowest selection rank of 90.00. A student with an ATAR of 86.00 could still have received an offer if four adjustment points increased their selection rank to 90.00.

The lowest selection rank is not necessarily the lowest raw ATAR accepted into the course.

It is also not a guaranteed future cut-off. Entry ranks can rise or fall depending on:

• the number of available places
• the number of applicants
• the strength of those applicants
• changes to the course
• university admission policies.

Do Adjustment Factors Guarantee a University Offer?

No. Adjustment factors can improve your selection rank, but they do not guarantee admission.

You must still:

• submit a valid application
• list the course in your preferences
• satisfy any subject prerequisites
• meet English-language requirements
• complete any interviews, auditions, portfolios or additional tests
• compete for an available place.

A high enough selection rank will not override a compulsory prerequisite or additional admission requirement.

Should You Apply If Your ATAR Is Below the Published Selection Rank?

Usually, yes—provided you are genuinely interested in the course and meet its prerequisites.

Your selection rank may be higher than your ATAR once adjustments are applied. Published entry ranks are also based on a previous group of applicants and may change from year to year.

You should include a mixture of:

• ambitious preferences
• realistic options
• courses with more accessible entry requirements.

List courses in the order you genuinely want to study them, rather than trying to predict which offer you are most likely to receive.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts

Your ATAR is important, but it does not always tell the full story of your university application.

Your selection rank may include adjustments that recognise relevant subject performance, your location, educational disadvantage or other circumstances. Because these adjustments vary between institutions and courses, it is worth researching every degree on your preference list before assuming your ATAR is too low.

An ATAR below last year’s published selection rank does not always mean the course is out of reach.

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NAPLAN results can be super confusing!

Your child’s report may contain proficiency levels, national averages, comparison ranges and descriptions of the skills students are expected to demonstrate. As a parent, it is not always obvious which part of the report matters most, or if a particular result should be a cause for concern.

The most important thing to understand is that NAPLAN is not a pass-or-fail test. It provides one snapshot of your child’s literacy and numeracy performance at a particular point in time.

A NAPLAN result can help you identify your child’s strengths, notice areas where they may require additional support and begin a more informed conversation with their teacher. However, it should always be considered alongside classroom assessments, school reports, teacher observations and your child’s performance throughout the year.

This guide explains how to read your child’s 2026 NAPLAN results, what the four NAPLAN proficiency levels mean and what you can do if your child receives a lower result than expected.

Table of Contents

1. When are the 2026 NAPLAN results released?
2. What does NAPLAN assess?
3. How to read a NAPLAN student report
4. The four NAPLAN proficiency levels explained
5. How to interpret each part of the report
6. What to do if your child receives a low result
7. How to support your child after NAPLAN
8. Frequently asked questions

When Are the 2026 NAPLAN Results Released?

Individual NAPLAN student reports are being provided to schools from the beginning of Term 3 in 2026. Schools distribute these reports to parents and carers, with the exact timing varying between states, territories and individual schools. The national NAPLAN results for 2026 are expected to be released separately in August 2026.

This means there are two different types of “NAPLAN results” that parents may see discussed online:

Individual student results

This is your child’s confidential NAPLAN report. It shows how your child performed in each assessment area and how their performance compares with national expectations.

National NAPLAN results

These are broader statistics published by ACARA. They show patterns across Australia, states and territories, year levels and demographic groups.

The national results do not contain your child’s personal result. They also do not provide individual student details.

If your child completed NAPLAN in March 2026 but you have not received an individual student report, contact their school. ACARA does not hold or distribute individual reports directly to parents.

What Does NAPLAN Assess?

NAPLAN is completed annually by Australian students in:

• Year 3
• Year 5
• Year 7
• Year 9.

It assesses four main areas of literacy and numeracy:

1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Conventions of language
4. Numeracy.

Conventions of language is divided into:

• spelling
• grammar and punctuation.

This means your child’s report will normally contain separate results for reading, writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy.

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NAPLAN assesses skills students learn through the regular Australian Curriculum. It is not designed to test every subject, every classroom skill or your child’s overall academic ability.

For example, NAPLAN does not directly assess:

• science knowledge
• creativity across all subjects
• oral communication
• practical abilities
• teamwork
• effort
• motivation
• artistic or sporting ability.

It should therefore be viewed as one source of information about your child’s literacy and numeracy development, rather than a complete measure of their potential.

How to Read a NAPLAN Student Report

Your child’s NAPLAN Individual Student Report may initially look complicated, but it can be broken into several key pieces of information.

For each assessment area, the report shows:

• your child’s result
• their proficiency level
• the national average for students in the same year level
• the range containing the middle 60% of students nationally
• a description of the skills students at different proficiency levels typically demonstrate.

The front of the report contains general information and instructions for reading it. The middle pages show your child’s results, while the final section provides descriptions of the skills generally associated with each proficiency level.

When reading the report, avoid focusing only on whether your child is above or below the national average.

Instead, ask:

• Which areas are their strongest?
• Are the results consistent with their classroom performance?
• Is one area noticeably lower than the others?
• What does the proficiency description say they can generally do?
• Which specific skills should they work on next?
• Has their performance changed since their previous NAPLAN assessment?

The most useful interpretation usually comes from combining the report with information from your child’s teacher.

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NAPLAN Proficiency Levels Explained

Since 2023, NAPLAN results have been reported using four proficiency levels:

1. Exceeding
2. Strong
3. Developing
4. Needs additional support.

The proficiency expectations are different for each assessment area and year level. A Year 3 student and a Year 9 student may both receive a Strong result, but they are being assessed against different age-appropriate expectations.

What Does Exceeding Mean in NAPLAN?

An Exceeding result means your child’s performance exceeded the challenging but reasonable expectations set for students at their year level at the time of testing.

This indicates that your child demonstrated a sophisticated or advanced understanding of many of the skills assessed in that domain.

For example, depending on the year level and assessment area, an Exceeding result may suggest that a student can:

• interpret complex information
• make detailed inferences when reading
• control more sophisticated writing structures
• use challenging vocabulary effectively
• apply mathematical reasoning to unfamiliar problems
• accurately use complex spelling or grammatical patterns.

An Exceeding result is a strong achievement. However, it does not necessarily mean your child will find every classroom task easy or that they no longer require feedback and challenge.

Parents of students who receive Exceeding results can speak to the teacher about opportunities for extension, advanced problem-solving or more challenging reading and writing tasks.

What Does Strong Mean in NAPLAN?

A Strong result means your child met the challenging but reasonable expectations for their year level at the time of testing.

This is a positive NAPLAN result.

The word “Strong” is not a middle or mediocre category. It means the student is demonstrating the literacy or numeracy skills expected at that stage of schooling.

A student with a Strong result may still have individual skills they need to improve. For example, they may perform strongly overall in writing but require more support with punctuation or paragraph development.

The proficiency level summarises performance across an entire assessment area. It does not mean that every skill within that area is equally strong.

What Does Developing Mean in NAPLAN?

A Developing result means your child is working towards the expectations set for their year level.

This does not mean your child has failed NAPLAN.

It means they demonstrated some of the required knowledge and skills but may require further teaching, practice or support to consistently meet year-level expectations.

If your child receives a Developing result, begin by identifying the specific skills behind it.

For example, a Developing result in numeracy could relate to difficulty with:

• fractions
• place value
• measurement
• interpreting graphs
• mathematical reasoning
• multi-step problems.

A Developing result in reading could relate to:

• identifying implied meaning
• interpreting unfamiliar vocabulary
• connecting information across a text
• distinguishing between main ideas and supporting details
• analysing the author’s purpose.

The result is most useful when it leads to a specific learning plan. “Improve reading” is too broad. “Practise making inferences using evidence from a text” is much more actionable.

Students in the Developing category may require additional assistance, although the type and intensity of support will vary between children. Teachers should interpret the result alongside their knowledge of the student’s ongoing classroom performance.

What Does Needs Additional Support Mean in NAPLAN?

A Needs additional support result means the student did not demonstrate the expected learning outcomes at the time of testing and is likely to require additional support to progress satisfactorily.

Parents should take this result seriously, but it is not a reason to panic or label a child as incapable.

There are many reasons a student may receive this result. These can include:

• gaps in foundational knowledge
• difficulty understanding the test questions
• learning difficulties
• disrupted schooling
• English language development
• test anxiety
• illness, fatigue or distraction on the day
• difficulty using the online test format.

The next step should be a conversation with your child’s teacher.

Ask:

• Does this result match what you see in the classroom?
• Which specific skills does my child find difficult?
• Is further assessment recommended?
• What support will the school provide?
• What can we practise at home?
• How will progress be measured?
• When should we review whether the support is working?

The proficiency result identifies an area that needs attention. It does not, by itself, diagnose a learning disorder or explain why the student is struggling.

NAPLAN Proficiency Levels at a Glance

What Is a Good NAPLAN Result in 2026?

Many parents search for a “good NAPLAN score”, but there is no single score that applies to every student.

The clearest general answer is:

• Exceeding indicates performance above expectations.
• Strong indicates that the student is meeting the challenging expectations for their year level.
• Developing indicates that the student is still working towards those expectations.
• Needs additional support indicates that targeted assistance is likely to be required.

Therefore, both Strong and Exceeding can be considered positive NAPLAN results.

However, the most useful result is not always the highest one. A report that accurately identifies a learning gap can help parents and teachers provide support before the problem becomes more significant.

A child’s result should also be interpreted in context.

For example:

• A Developing result may represent significant improvement for a child who previously required substantial support.
• A Strong result may still reveal a specific weakness requiring attention.
• An Exceeding result may indicate that a child needs greater academic challenge.
• An unexpectedly low result may not reflect the student’s usual classroom performance.

Understanding the National Average and Middle 60%

Your child’s NAPLAN report allows you to compare their performance with students in the same year level across Australia.

It may show:

• the national average
• the range containing the middle 60% of students.

The national average provides a broad reference point. It does not represent a pass mark, nor does every child need to score above it.

The middle 60% shows the range in which the majority of Australian students performed. Your child may appear:

• above this range
• within this range
• below this range.

These comparisons can be informative, but they should not overshadow the proficiency description.

A result slightly below the national average is not automatically a poor result. Similarly, a result above the national average does not mean there are no skills left to improve.

Focus on what your child can currently do and what they need to learn next.

Can You Compare NAPLAN Results Between Years?

NAPLAN results from 2023 onwards can be compared with one another. However, results from 2023 onwards should not be directly compared with results from 2008 to 2022 because the reporting scales and proficiency standards changed.

This means that a student’s 2026 result can be compared more meaningfully with a result from 2023, 2024 and 2025.

However, you should be cautious when comparing a current result with a pre-2023 NAPLAN report that used the former achievement bands and national minimum standards.

Does Staying in the Same Proficiency Level Mean No Progress?

No. A student who receives Developing in Year 3 and Developing again in Year 5 may still have made substantial progress.

The skills required to achieve each proficiency level become more difficult as students move through school. A Year 5 Developing result reflects more advanced expectations than a Year 3 Developing result. ACARA specifically notes that receiving the same proficiency level in successive NAPLAN years does not necessarily mean that a student has made no progress.

Look at:

• the position of the result within the proficiency range
• the skills described on each report
• classroom assessments
• teacher feedback
• changes in confidence and independence.

Progress is better understood through several sources of evidence than through one label alone.

Why Might a NAPLAN Result Be Lower Than Expected?

NAPLAN reflects how a student performed during a particular assessment.

A lower-than-expected result could reflect a genuine learning gap, but it may also be influenced by:

• anxiety
• tiredness
• illness
• misunderstanding instructions
• rushing
• unfamiliarity with the online format
• losing focus
• technical disruption
• finding the test environment stressful.

Parents should not dismiss a low result, but they should investigate whether it is consistent with other evidence.

Ask your child’s teacher whether the result matches:

• classwork
• school assessments
• homework
• reading ability
• writing samples
• mathematical understanding
• the teacher’s observations.

If the NAPLAN result is much lower than the child’s usual performance, it may be an outlier. If it matches difficulties seen across the year, it may confirm that additional support is needed.

A Note About 2026 NAPLAN Writing Results

Some students experienced connectivity disruptions during the online writing test in 2026. ACARA advises that individual results should always be interpreted carefully because they reflect performance on the day, and this is particularly important for affected 2026 writing results.

Parents may notice a caveat or additional note relating to writing on their child’s 2026 report.

If your child’s writing result seems inconsistent with their usual ability, ask the school:

• whether their test session was affected
• whether the report includes a writing caveat
• how the result compares with classroom writing samples
• whether any follow-up assessment is appropriate.

A classroom writing portfolio compiled over several months will generally provide a broader picture of ability than one timed writing task.

What Should Parents Do After Receiving NAPLAN Results?

Step 1: Read the Entire Report

Do not stop after seeing the proficiency label.

Read the description of the skills typically demonstrated by students at that level. Look at each assessment area separately and note any significant differences.

Step 2: Identify Strengths First

Begin with what your child did well.

For example:

• Was reading stronger than writing?
• Was numeracy their highest area?
• Did spelling improve?
• Did they achieve Strong or Exceeding in a domain they previously found difficult?

Discussing strengths helps prevent the report from feeling like a list of problems.

Step 3: Identify One or Two Priorities

Avoid trying to fix every weaker area at once.

Select one or two specific priorities, such as:

• reading comprehension
• spelling patterns
• sentence punctuation
• persuasive writing structure
• multiplication facts
• fractions
• worded maths problems.

Specific goals are easier to teach, practise and measure.

Step 4: Speak to the Teacher

Ask the teacher to explain how the NAPLAN results compare with your child’s classroom performance.

Useful questions include:

• Is this result consistent with their work in class?
• What are their strongest skills?
• Which skill should we prioritise?
• Is the difficulty related to knowledge, confidence or test technique?
• What support is already available at school?
• What should we practise at home?
• When will progress be reviewed?

Step 5: Create a Manageable Support Plan

The plan should suit your child’s age, needs and attention span.

It may include:

• regular reading
• short writing exercises
• vocabulary practice
• targeted maths questions
• help from the classroom teacher
• school-based intervention
• a structured tutoring program.

Avoid responding to a disappointing report with hours of worksheets. Consistent, targeted practice is usually more useful than an intense short-term reaction.

How Can Parents Support Reading After NAPLAN?

If your child’s reading result was lower than expected, encourage active rather than passive reading.

After reading a passage, ask:

• What was the main idea?
• Why did the character act that way?
• What evidence supports your answer?
• What does this word mean in this sentence?
• What is the author trying to make the reader think or feel?
• What can we infer even though it was not stated directly?

For younger students, read together and discuss the text aloud.

For older students, include a variety of material:

• novels
• news articles
• biographies
• essays
• opinion pieces
• informative texts.

A child may be able to read the words accurately while still finding inference, interpretation or evaluation difficult. The type of practice should match the actual weakness.

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How Can Parents Support Writing After NAPLAN?

Writing improvement usually requires both practice and feedback.

Encourage your child to work on:

• planning before writing
• clear paragraph structure
• sentence control
• vocabulary
• punctuation
• spelling
• editing
• developing ideas with specific details.

Instead of repeatedly writing full essays, students can practise smaller skills.

For example:

• rewrite a weak opening
• improve one paragraph
• correct punctuation in five sentences
• develop stronger topic sentences
• replace vague words
• add evidence to an argument
• edit a paragraph for clarity.

This makes writing improvement more focused and manageable.

How Can Parents Support Numeracy After NAPLAN?

Begin by finding the specific mathematical concept causing difficulty.

Numeracy support may involve:

• strengthening number facts
• practising place value
• working with fractions, decimals and percentages
• interpreting graphs and tables
• developing measurement skills
• translating worded questions into calculations
• explaining mathematical reasoning.

Ask your child to explain how they reached an answer. This can reveal misunderstandings that may not be obvious from the final answer alone.

For example, a child may know how to perform multiplication but struggle to recognise when multiplication is required in a worded problem.

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Should You Get a Tutor After a Low NAPLAN Result?

A lower NAPLAN result does not automatically mean your child needs a tutor.

First, discuss the report with their teacher and determine:

• whether the result matches their regular performance
• which skills require support
• what assistance the school can provide
• whether the difficulty is temporary or ongoing.

Tutoring may be useful when:

• the student has persistent gaps in foundational knowledge
• they need more individual explanation than the classroom can provide
• their confidence is declining
• they avoid reading, writing or mathematics
• school support has not been sufficient
• they require extension beyond the standard curriculum
• the family needs a consistent and structured study routine.

Effective tutoring should be targeted to the child’s actual needs. It should not simply involve completing generic NAPLAN practice tests every week.

A tutor should use the report as one source of evidence, then assess the child’s skills more closely and create an individual learning plan.

How Much Do NAPLAN Results Matter?

NAPLAN results are useful, but they do not determine your child’s entire academic future.

NAPLAN is designed to provide information about literacy and numeracy achievement and help teachers, schools and families identify strengths and areas requiring support. It does not replace the ongoing assessments and professional judgement of teachers.

NAPLAN results do not directly determine:

• school report grades
• Year 12 marks
• an ATAR
• university admission
• intelligence
• future career success.

However, the underlying literacy and numeracy skills assessed by NAPLAN are important.

Difficulty with reading comprehension can eventually affect performance in English, science, humanities and even mathematics. Weak foundational numeracy can make higher-level mathematics increasingly difficult.

The value of the report lies in using it early. A result that identifies a gap in Year 3 or Year 5 provides time to address it before academic demands increase.

Should Parents Compare Schools Using NAPLAN Results?

School-level NAPLAN information is available through the My School website, but it should be interpreted carefully.

A school’s average NAPLAN score reflects the students who completed the test and is only one indicator of school performance. ACARA advises that school comparisons should consider factors such as cohort size, student background, the proportion of students tested and the fact that NAPLAN assesses only part of the curriculum.

When evaluating a school, also consider:

• teaching quality
• student wellbeing
• subject availability
• learning support
• extension opportunities
• school culture
• extracurricular activities
• communication with families
• your child’s individual needs.

A difference in average NAPLAN scores does not tell you everything about which school will be best for a particular child.

NAPLAN Practice Papers & Resources (updated for 2027) | KIS Academics

The NAPLAN may seem daunting, but a little preparation goes a long way. Use these free NAPLAN practice tests & past papers to get you or your child exam ready!

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Frequently Asked Questions About NAPLAN Results 2026

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Choosing your global issue is one of the most important decisions you will make when preparing for the IB English Individual Oral.

Your global issue acts as the central lens for the entire oral. It determines which texts you select, which extracts you analyse, which authorial choices you discuss and how you connect your ideas into one focused argument.

A strong global issue can make the rest of your IO feel much more manageable. A weak or overly broad issue, however, can leave you struggling to find specific evidence or repeatedly making vague statements that do not lead to meaningful analysis.

This guide explains what an IB global issue actually is, how to develop one from your literary and non-literary texts, which mistakes to avoid and how to choose an issue that gives you the best opportunity to demonstrate detailed analysis.

Table of Contents

• What Is the IB English Individual Oral?
• What Is a Global Issue in IB English?
• What Is the Difference Between a Theme and a Global Issue?
• The Five IB Fields of Inquiry
• What Makes a Strong IB English Global Issue?
• How to Develop a Global Issue Step by Step
• Strong Global Issue Examples Across Different Fields
• Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the IB English Individual Oral?

For IB English Language and Literature, the Individual Oral requires you to explore how one global issue is presented through:

• one extract from a literary work
• one extract from a non-literary body of work
• the wider literary work
• the wider non-literary body of work.

The oral consists of a prepared 10-minute response followed by five minutes of questions from your teacher. It is assessed using four criteria: knowledge, understanding and interpretation; analysis and evaluation; focus and organisation; and language.

This guide focuses mainly on IB English Language and Literature. Students completing IB English Literature also use a global issue as the lens for their oral, but their selected texts are literary works rather than a literary work and a non-literary body of work.

What Is a Global Issue in IB English?

In IB terms, a global issue is a real-world issue with broad relevance.

According to the IB, a global issue has three main properties:

1. It has significance on a wide or large scale.
2. It is transnational, meaning that it is evident across different countries, societies or cultures.
3. Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts, meaning that real people experience its effects in ordinary life.

Your global issue therefore needs to be broader than one character, event or country, but focused enough to analyse meaningfully within a 10-minute oral.

For example

Too narrow: The censorship of one particular newspaper during one election.

Too broad: Power.

More appropriate: The use of censorship to suppress political opposition and restrict freedom of expression.

The stronger version applies across different national and cultural contexts while still giving you a clear relationship to investigate.

What Is the Difference Between a Theme and a Global Issue?

A theme is a broad idea that appears in a text. A global issue is a more focused real-world concern involving that idea.

Themes such as the following can be useful starting points:

• identity
• gender
• power
• inequality
• education
• technology
• justice
• freedom
• belonging
• conflict.

However, these single words are generally too broad to function as complete global issues.

You need to ask what your texts specifically suggest about the theme.

For example:

The global issue gives your discussion a clear direction. Instead of speaking generally about “power”, you can examine who controls power, how that control is maintained and what consequences it has for individuals or communities.

The Five IB Fields of Inquiry

When choosing your global issue, it can be helpful to begin with one or more of the five IB fields of inquiry.

These fields are designed to help you brainstorm possible areas of interest and develop a more specific global issue:

1. Culture, identity and community
2. Beliefs, values and education
3. Politics, power and justice
4. Art, creativity and the imagination
5. Science, technology and the environment

The fields are starting points rather than categories you must follow. The IB notes that they are not exhaustive and may overlap significantly. Your global issue does not need to fit perfectly within only one field.

1. Culture, Identity and Community

This field may include issues involving:

• family and social relationships
• race and ethnicity
• nationality
• religion
• gender and sexuality
• migration
• colonialism
• class
• cultural identity
• belonging and exclusion.

Possible global issues include:

• How patriarchal systems negatively affect women’s sense of identity and self-worth
• The impact of forced migration on cultural identity and belonging
• How racial stereotypes contribute to the social exclusion of minority communities
• The loss of Indigenous identity through cultural assimilation
• How social media contributes to the deterioration of teenagers’ self-esteem
• The tension between individual identity and community expectations

2. Beliefs, Values and Education

This field may involve:

• moral and ethical beliefs
• religious values
• cultural traditions
• access to education
• social conditioning
• conflicts between belief systems
• the role of education in shaping identity
• institutional control over knowledge.

Possible global issues include:

• Unequal access to education as a mechanism for perpetuating class inequality across generations
• How education can reinforce dominant cultural values and marginalise alternative perspectives
• The impact of religious intolerance on individual freedom
• How social institutions shape young people’s moral beliefs
• The tension between traditional values and changing social expectations
• The suppression of critical thinking through ideological education

3. Politics, Power and Justice

This field may include:

• political authority
• human rights
• discrimination
• inequality
• censorship
• criminal justice
• war and conflict
• institutional power
• corruption
• wealth and resource distribution.

Possible global issues include:

• How systemic racism contributes to the criminalisation and distrust of marginalised communities
• How authoritarian governments use censorship to restrict political freedom
• The abuse of institutional power and its impact on vulnerable individuals
• The unequal treatment of minority groups within justice systems
• How political propaganda manipulates public opinion
• The relationship between economic inequality and access to justice
• The dehumanising effects of war on civilian populations

4. Art, Creativity and the Imagination

This field may involve:

• artistic freedom
• censorship of creative work
• representation in art
• the commercialisation of creativity
• art as resistance
• beauty and aesthetics
• the social function of art
• who is permitted to create or control cultural narratives.

Possible global issues include:

• The commercialisation of creative expression and its impact on artistic authenticity
• The use of art as a form of resistance against political oppression
• How censorship restricts artistic freedom and public debate
• The exclusion of marginalised voices from dominant cultural narratives
• The role of visual art in challenging social stereotypes
• How commercial pressures influence representations of beauty

5. Science, Technology and the Environment

This field may include:

• climate change
• environmental degradation
• scientific progress
• social media
• digital surveillance
• artificial intelligence
• misinformation
• data privacy
• the relationship between humans and the natural world.

Possible global issues include:

• How social media platforms incentivise the spread of misinformation
• The impact of digital surveillance on privacy and individual freedom
• The tension between economic development and environmental sustainability
• The unequal impact of climate change on disadvantaged communities
• How technological dependence contributes to social isolation
• The ethical consequences of scientific progress without effective regulation
• The manipulation of personal identity through social media algorithms

What Makes a Strong IB English Global Issue?

A strong global issue is:

• specific
• arguable
• clearly present in both selections
• relevant across countries and cultures
• connected to real experiences
• suitable for analysis through authorial choices
• manageable within the time available.

A useful way to judge your issue is to compare the following characteristics.

For example

Weak: Gender

Better: The restriction of female independence within patriarchal societies

Even more focused: How patriarchal expectations pressure women to sacrifice personal identity in order to meet domestic and social roles

The most specific version may not always be the best version. Your issue still needs to be broad enough to apply naturally to both texts and their wider contexts.

How to Develop a Global Issue Step by Step

Step 1: List the Main Themes in Both Texts

Begin by listing the themes, conflicts and social concerns that appear in your literary work and non-literary body of work.

For each text, ask:

• Which people or groups hold power?
• Which people are excluded or marginalised?
• What social values are being challenged?
• What conflict affects the characters or subjects?
• What does the author or creator want the audience to question?
• Which issue appears repeatedly across the wider work?
• Which issue is shown through both content and form?

Do not worry about producing a perfectly worded global issue at this stage. Start by identifying areas of overlap.

Step 2: Find the Strongest Overlap

Compare the two lists and identify concerns that appear clearly in both texts.

For example, both texts may explore:

• the control of women
• racial stereotyping
• the effects of poverty
• political censorship
• the pressure to conform
• the influence of technology
• cultural displacement.

The connection should feel natural. If you need several minutes to explain why one text relates to the issue, the link may be too weak.

Step 3: Identify the Most Relevant Field of Inquiry

Decide which field or fields of inquiry most closely relate to the overlapping concern.

Remember that the field itself is not your global issue.

For example

Field of inquiry: Politics, power and justice
Broad theme: Censorship
Global issue: The use of censorship to suppress political opposition and limit freedom of expression

Step 4: Narrow the Theme into an Arguable Issue

Ask what your texts actually communicate about the theme.

A strong global issue often includes:

• a cause and consequence
• a system and its effects
• a tension between two forces
• the way one group affects another
• the way an institution shapes individual experience.

Useful sentence patterns include:

• How X contributes to Y
• The impact of X on Y
• The use of X to achieve Y
• The tension between X and Y
• The role of X in reinforcing Y
• How X restricts, influences or damages Y

For example:

Theme: Social media
Issue: How social media encourages unrealistic beauty standards and damages young people’s self-esteem

Theme: Education
Issue: How unequal access to education maintains intergenerational poverty

Theme: Power
Issue: The use of fear by authoritarian governments to discourage political resistance

This causal structure is useful, but it is not compulsory. The most important requirement is that the issue is focused, clearly expressed and suitable for both texts.

Step 5: Test the Issue Against the Three IB Properties

Ask these questions:

• Does it have wide significance? - Does this concern affect a substantial number of people or have broader social consequences?
• Is it transnational? - Can the issue be identified across different countries, communities or cultural contexts?
• Is it felt in everyday local contexts? - Does the issue influence the lives, relationships, opportunities or experiences of ordinary people?

If your issue only relates to one character’s personal disagreement, it is probably not sufficiently global.

However, a text may use one character’s experience to represent a much broader issue. The key is explaining how that individual experience reflects a transnational social concern.

Step 6: Test the Issue Against Both Texts

Create a simple evidence table like this.

You should be able to complete each section with specific evidence.

If one column is much weaker than the other, reconsider either the global issue or your choice of text.

Step 7: Choose Extracts That Clearly Represent the Issue

Your extracts should contain enough evidence for detailed analysis.

Look for extracts with:

• several identifiable authorial choices
• a clear connection to the global issue
• important language, visual or structural features
• a significant moment in the wider work
• enough complexity to support multiple analytical points.

The IB expects students to discuss both the extracts and the wider work or body of work. Your extracts act as an entry point into the discussion, rather than being the only material you analyse.

For example, a literary extract may provide opportunities to discuss:

• imagery
• characterisation
• symbolism
• narrative perspective
• dialogue
• setting
• structure
• tone.

A non-literary extract may provide opportunities to discuss:

• composition
• colour
• typography
• camera angle
• framing
• salience
• direct address
• rhetorical appeals
• juxtaposition
• slogans
• layout.

An extract that clearly mentions your issue but contains very few interesting authorial choices may not be the strongest option.

Strong Global Issue Examples Across Different Fields

The following examples demonstrate an appropriate level of focus. They should still be adjusted to reflect the precise concerns of your chosen texts.

Culture, Identity and Community

• How patriarchal systems negatively affect women’s sense of identity and self-worth
• The impact of migration on cultural belonging and personal identity
• How racial stereotypes contribute to the exclusion of minority communities
• The conflict between individual identity and restrictive social expectations
• How social media promotes beauty standards that damage teenagers’ self-esteem

Beliefs, Values and Education

• Unequal access to education as a mechanism for perpetuating class inequality across generations
• How institutional education reinforces dominant cultural values
• The impact of religious intolerance on individual freedom and social belonging
• The conflict between traditional beliefs and changing attitudes towards gender
• How ideological education discourages independent thought

Politics, Power and Justice

• How systemic racism contributes to the criminalisation of marginalised communities
• How authoritarian regimes use censorship to create political and social unrest
• The use of propaganda to manipulate public opinion
• How economic inequality restricts access to justice
• The abuse of institutional power and its effects on vulnerable individuals

Art, Creativity and the Imagination

• The commercialisation of creative expression and its impact on artistic authenticity
• The use of art to resist political oppression
• How censorship restricts artistic freedom
• The exclusion of minority perspectives from mainstream cultural representation
• How commercial media reinforces unrealistic standards of beauty

Science, Technology and the Environment

• How social media incentivises the spread of misinformation
• The impact of digital surveillance on personal privacy
• The tension between economic development and environmental sustainability
• The disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable communities
• How technological dependence contributes to social isolation

Common Global Issue Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Choosing a Single-Word Theme

Issues such as “identity”, “war”, “gender” or “power” are too broad on their own.

Use them as starting points and then specify:

• what causes the problem
• who is affected
• how they are affected
• which system or behaviour is responsible.

Mistake 2: Forcing One Text to Fit

The issue may be perfect for your literary work but only loosely connected to your non-literary body of work.

This creates an unbalanced oral and can lead to superficial analysis.

Both texts should provide enough relevant material for you to examine the issue through specific authorial choices.

Mistake 3: Making the Issue Too Text-Specific

Avoid including character names, author names or text titles in the global issue itself.

For example:

Too text-specific:
How Macbeth’s ambition leads to his downfall

More global:
How the pursuit of power can erode personal morality and identity

You can then explore how Macbeth’s experience represents this wider issue.

Mistake 4: Choosing an Issue That Is Only National

An issue can originate from or be represented through one country, but it should reflect a concern that extends across national or cultural boundaries.

For example:

Too restricted:
The effect of one Australian law on one community

More global:
How discriminatory laws contribute to the marginalisation of minority communities

Mistake 5: Focusing on the Issue Instead of the Texts

The IO is not a presentation about the history of racism, climate change or gender inequality.

The global issue is the lens through which you analyse the texts. Your focus should remain on how the authors or creators present the issue through their choices.

Brief contextual information can be useful, but it should not replace textual analysis.

Mistake 6: Treating the IO as Plot Summary

Explaining what happens in the extract is not enough.

You need to explain:

• how the issue is constructed
• which choices create meaning
• why those choices were made
• how audiences are positioned
• how the extract connects to the wider work.

Mistake 7: Trying to Cover More Than One Global Issue

Your oral should remain focused on one clearly defined global issue.

You may discuss several related effects or ideas, but they should all contribute to the same central issue. Attempting to cover several separate global issues is likely to weaken the focus and organisation of your response. Current IB examiner guidance notes that using more than one issue can have a self-penalising effect on focus.

Tips for Achieving High Marks in the IB English IO

Balance Your Two Texts

Give approximately equal analytical weight to the literary work and non-literary body of work.

You should also balance:

• discussion of each chosen extract
• discussion of each wider work or body of work.

Do not spend seven minutes analysing your literary text and then rush through the non-literary text in the remaining time.

Analyse Authorial Choices

Do not simply identify a technique.

Instead of saying: The author uses imagery.

Explain:

• what the imagery suggests
• why it appears at that moment
• how it shapes the audience’s understanding
• how it presents the global issue.

The same principle applies to visual techniques. Identifying colour, framing or camera angle only becomes analysis when you explain how the choice creates meaning.

Move Between the Extract and Wider Work

Your extract provides close analytical evidence, but you also need to demonstrate knowledge of the entire literary work and non-literary body of work.

A useful structure is:

1. Analyse a detailed choice in the extract.
2. Explain how it presents the global issue.
3. Connect it to another relevant moment in the wider work.
4. Draw a broader conclusion about the creator’s perspective.

This shows that you understand both the small details and the text as a whole.

Link Back to the Global Issue Explicitly

Throughout the IO, explain how each point relates to your chosen issue.

Do not assume the connection is obvious.

Useful linking phrases include:

• This presents the global issue by…
• Through this choice, the author reveals…
• This reinforces the damaging effects of…
• The audience is therefore positioned to recognise…
• Across the wider work, this issue is developed through…
• This representation suggests that…

Use Synonyms Without Losing Precision

Keep a small bank of synonyms for the key words in your global issue.

For example, if your issue focuses on surveillance, related terms may include:

• monitoring
• observation
• intrusion
• scrutiny
• data collection
• loss of privacy.

This helps you maintain a clear connection to the issue without repeating exactly the same phrase throughout the oral.

However, clarity is more important than avoiding repetition. Do not replace a precise term with an inaccurate synonym simply to sound more sophisticated.

Do Not Force Comparison

The current IB examiner guidance states that the Individual Oral is not formally a comparative task. You do not need to constantly compare and contrast the two texts.

Your main task is to explore how the global issue is presented in both selections.

You may discuss similarities or differences when they help your argument, but do not waste time forcing comparative sentences that do not add analytical value.

Prepare for the Five-Minute Follow-Up Discussion

After your prepared oral, your teacher will ask questions designed to explore your knowledge and analysis further.

Prepare by considering:

• other moments in the wider texts that relate to your issue
• alternative interpretations
• contextual influences
• why the creators chose particular forms or techniques
• whether the texts offer similar or different perspectives
• how audiences may respond differently.

Do not simply memorise your 10-minute speech. You need to understand your texts and argument well enough to respond naturally to questions.

Use Your Outline as Prompts, Not a Script

The official outline allows a maximum of 10 bullet points. These points should help structure your oral, but they should not become an excessively detailed script that you read aloud.

Use short prompts for:

• your global issue
• your main arguments
• key techniques
• brief quotations or visual details
• wider-work references
• transitions.

Final Global Issue Checklist

Before confirming your global issue, ask:

• Is it more specific than a single-word theme?
• Does it have significance on a large scale?
• Is it relevant across countries or cultures?
• Is its impact felt in everyday life?
• Is it clearly present in both of my texts?
• Can I find strong evidence in both extracts?
• Can I discuss it across the wider work and body of work?
• Does it allow me to analyse authorial choices?
• Can I explore it properly within 10 minutes?
• Can I explain it clearly in one sentence?

If you cannot confidently answer yes to these questions, refine the wording or reconsider your texts before moving further into your preparation.

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The QCE English external exam requires you to write an analytical essay in response to an unseen question about a literary text you have studied.

While the exact text and question will differ between students, the fundamental skills needed to write a strong analytical essay remain the same. In this guide, we will avoid giving advice about specific literary texts and instead focus on strategies you can use to write your best possible essay.

What Does the QCE English Analytical Essay Assess?

The QCAA external assessment asks students to respond to an unseen question using the patterns and conventions of an analytical essay. Students must analyse the text, develop an informed perspective and communicate their argument clearly to an audience with a deep understanding of the text.

The assessment objectives can be grouped into three main areas.

Knowledge application

This measures how well you understand and analyse the text.

You need to:

• analyse perspectives and representations of concepts, identities, times or places
• examine the cultural assumptions, attitudes, values or beliefs underpinning the text
• explain how the text invites audiences to adopt particular positions
• analyse the effects of aesthetic features and stylistic devices.

This is where much of your analysis occurs. You need to identify the specific techniques the author has used and explain the effect those choices have on the audience.

The highest-level responses move beyond obvious or surface-level interpretations. They explore ambiguity, complexity and the wider implications of the author’s choices.

Organisation and development

This measures the structure and flow of your response.

You need to:

• establish a clear thesis
• select relevant evidence
• organise your ideas logically
• sequence your arguments effectively
• use cohesive devices to connect the different parts of your essay.

Your essay should feel like one developing argument rather than three unrelated body paragraphs. Each paragraph should build on the one before it and contribute to your overall thesis.

Textual features

This includes your:

• language choices
• sentence structures
• spelling
• grammar
• punctuation
• control of written expression.

These features matter because they allow you to communicate your argument clearly and convincingly. However, do not avoid expressing a strong or sophisticated idea simply because you are worried about making one small spelling mistake.

One important idea runs through all of these assessment objectives: your essay needs to focus on the author’s craft, not simply the characters or plot.

Name the author regularly and discuss their deliberate choices. Avoid writing about characters as though they are real people who have acted independently of the author.

For example, rather than writing:

Macbeth becomes increasingly violent because he wants more power.

You could write:

Shakespeare uses Macbeth’s escalating violence to expose how unchecked ambition gradually erodes moral judgement.

The second example focuses on the author’s construction of the character and the wider purpose of that construction.

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Where Do I Start? Unpacking the Question

Find the key concept

Most QCE English questions are built around an important concept. This could be:

• power
• identity
• morality
• isolation
• ambition
• conflict
• justice
• loyalty
• belonging.

Identify and circle the main concept in the question.

Work out the direction of the question

Consider exactly what the question is asking you to do.

Are you being asked to:

• explain how an idea is represented?
• evaluate the importance of an idea?
• discuss the extent to which a statement is true?
• analyse how the audience is positioned?
• examine the relationship between two ideas?

Each direction requires a slightly different thesis.

A question asking “to what extent” requires you to make a judgement. You should not simply describe how the idea appears in the text.

Respond directly to any stimulus or quotation

The question may include a quotation, statement or particular interpretation of the text.

You need to respond directly to this material. Do not simply recycle a memorised essay and hope that it loosely relates to the question.

Your thesis and arguments should make it clear that you have understood the specific task.

Brainstorm several possible angles

Before deciding on your thesis, brainstorm two or three possible interpretations.

Choose the interpretation you can support with your strongest and most specific evidence, rather than automatically selecting the first idea that comes to mind.

A response that does not properly answer the question will be marked down, regardless of how sophisticated the writing sounds. Spending a few minutes analysing the prompt is therefore worth the time.

QCE English Analytical Essay Structure

In your younger years, you may have learnt a very strict essay structure. At the QCE level, your structure can be more flexible and sophisticated while still maintaining a strong foundation.

The essay can be divided into three main sections:

1. Introduction
2. Body paragraphs
3. Conclusion

How to Write a QCE English Essay Introduction

A useful target for your introduction is approximately 125–175 words.

Your introduction should contain the following elements.

1. General statements

Begin with two or three sentences that provide relevant background information about the text.

You may briefly introduce:

• the author
• the title
• the text type
• the historical or cultural context
• the central concerns of the text.

Keep this context relevant. Avoid providing a long biography of the author or an extended summary of the plot.

2. Thesis statement

Your thesis should directly answer the essay question.

It should usually be no more than one or two sentences and briefly preview the main direction of your arguments.

A strong thesis may identify:

• the author’s overall representation of the concept
• the author’s purpose
• the effect on the audience
• the central arguments you will explore.

Your thesis should not simply repeat the wording of the question. It needs to establish your own informed interpretation.

Can you memorise your introduction?

You can generally memorise the format of your introduction and some broad contextual statements about the text.

These statements should remain flexible enough to suit different questions. Preparing them beforehand can give you an easy rhythm at the beginning of the exam instead of leaving you overwhelmed by a blank page.

However, your thesis must always be adapted to the unseen question.

How to Write QCE English Body Paragraphs

The body of your essay will usually contain approximately 600–700 words, although the quality of your analysis is more important than reaching an exact number.

Each body paragraph should develop one clear argument that supports your thesis.

1. Topic sentence

Begin with a topic sentence that establishes the paragraph’s main argument.

The sentence may identify:

• the idea being explored
• the characters or events involved
• the author’s construction of that idea
• how the argument supports your thesis.

You can follow the topic sentence with further elaboration if additional context is needed.

2. Evidence

Introduce specific evidence from the text.

If you are using a quotation, set it up and integrate it naturally into your own sentence. Avoid dropping a quotation into the paragraph without explanation.

If you are referring to an event or situation, clearly explain what has happened and why that moment is relevant to your argument.

3. Analysis

After presenting your evidence, analyse it in detail.

Consider:

• What does the evidence reveal?
• Which technique has the author used?
• Why has the author made this choice?
• How does it support your paragraph’s argument?
• How does it connect to your thesis?
• How is the audience positioned?
• What response does the author encourage from the audience?

The analysis should be longer and more detailed than the quotation itself.

4. Repeat the evidence and analysis

Most body paragraphs will contain two or three pieces of evidence.

Repeat the evidence-and-analysis process as needed, ensuring that each section flows naturally into the next.

Your quotations should not feel like separate examples placed beside each other. They should work together to develop one central argument.

5. Concluding statement

End the paragraph by explaining how the evidence supports the paragraph’s argument and your overall thesis.

Avoid simply repeating your topic sentence word for word. Instead, show what the paragraph has demonstrated about the author’s representation of the central concept.

How Many Body Paragraphs Should You Write?

In most cases, two or three body paragraphs will be appropriate.

One body paragraph may not demonstrate a broad enough understanding of the text and would likely become too long for the marker to follow easily.

Four or more body paragraphs may make it difficult to develop sufficiently deep analysis within the available time.

It is generally better to write three well-developed paragraphs containing detailed analysis than four or five paragraphs that only discuss the text at a surface level.

The body paragraphs are where most of your argument and analysis will occur. Their flow will improve when you integrate direct quotations naturally and examine the author’s language in detail.

When preparing for the exam, practise writing individual body paragraphs on different topics using a wide range of quotations.

You do not always need to write an entire practice essay. Regularly practising topic sentences, quotation integration and analysis can help you develop a form of “muscle memory” for the exam.

The more paragraphs you practise, the more likely you are to have useful ideas and evidence that can be adapted to the unseen question.

How to Write a QCE English Essay Conclusion

A useful target for your conclusion is approximately 75–125 words.

Your conclusion should be brief and should not introduce a completely new argument.

1. Summarise your arguments

Summarise the two or three main arguments explored in your body paragraphs.

This will normally take one or two sentences.

2. Reinforce your thesis

Restate your overall interpretation of the text.

Do not repeat your original thesis word for word. Paraphrase it and show how your body paragraphs have proven the argument.

3. Answer the “so what?” question

Finish by connecting your discussion to a broader idea.

You could consider:

• the ongoing relevance of the text’s themes
• what the text reveals about human behaviour
• whether the author’s message remains relevant today
• which groups, situations or social issues the text may relate to.

Your conclusion should be short and focused. By this stage, the marker will already have formed much of their judgement about your response.

However, it is still important to follow essay conventions. If you are running out of time, even a brief one- or two-sentence conclusion is better than leaving the essay unfinished.

How to Integrate Quotations Effectively

Quotation integration deserves its own section because it is something many students find difficult.

Remember that quotations are there to support your analysis, not replace it.

Embed quotations into your sentences

Integrate the quotation grammatically into your own sentence rather than presenting it as a standalone line.

Identify the technique

Name the technique demonstrated by the quotation either before or after you present it.

This could include:

• imagery
• symbolism
• metaphor
• paradox
• irony
• repetition
• juxtaposition
• characterisation
• soliloquy
• structural placement.

Unpack the quotation

Explain what the technique does and why the author has chosen to use it at that specific moment.

Do not stop after identifying the technique. Simply writing “this is imagery” is not analysis.

Combine quotations with paraphrased evidence

You can combine direct quotations with paraphrased references to the text.

This is particularly useful in the external exam because you will be writing from memory. If you are not confident that you remember the exact wording of a quotation, it may be safer to paraphrase the moment accurately.

Weak example

“Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” This shows things are not what they seem.

Stronger example

Shakespeare’s paradoxical opening declaration that “fair is foul, and foul is fair” destabilises the audience’s sense of moral certainty from the outset, establishing the tension between appearance and reality that continues throughout the play.

The stronger example:

• integrates the quotation
• identifies the technique
• explains its effect
• connects the evidence to a broader idea in the text.

QCE English Analytical Essay Example Paragraph

Question focus: How does the composer explore the destructive nature of ambition?

Shakespeare constructs ambition as a force that erodes identity rather than fulfils it, most clearly through Macbeth’s soliloquies leading up to Duncan’s murder. His admission that he has “no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition” shows that Macbeth recognises his desire for power has no genuine justification, yet chooses to pursue it regardless. The imagery of a rider losing control of a horse suggests that ambition has become something external and uncontrollable rather than a rational decision, positioning the audience to view his downfall as self-inflicted rather than solely the result of fate or the witches’ prophecy. This moment of clarity is abandoned almost immediately once Lady Macbeth pressures him further, and this pattern continues throughout the play: each act of violence temporarily silences his conscience while accelerating the destruction of his identity. By placing this internal conflict before the murder rather than after it, Shakespeare allows the audience to witness ambition corrupting Macbeth’s judgement in real time, reinforcing the play’s broader warning about the psychological cost of unchecked power.

Notice how this paragraph:

• establishes a clear argument
• names techniques such as soliloquy and imagery
• explains why Shakespeare made these choices
• analyses the effect on the audience
• connects each example back to the central argument.

Final QCE English Essay Tips

Plan before you write

Use your planning time properly.

Write your thesis first and spend time ensuring it is clear, specific and directly connected to the question.

Then write brief dot points for your two or three arguments, including the quotations and techniques you plan to use.

If you still have time, draft your topic sentences.

Edit your essay

Leave time to review your response where possible.

Strong writing often comes from strong editing and choosing the best word for each sentence.

Check for:

• unclear wording
• repeated ideas
• missing words
• sentence fragments
• punctuation mistakes
• arguments that do not clearly connect to the question.

Editing can improve your response across all assessment objectives, not only spelling and grammar.

Organise your quotations into categories

Do not memorise one long, unsorted list of quotations.

Instead, organise your evidence according to:

• character
• theme
• concept
• technique
• key moment.

This makes quotations easier to remember and helps you find suitable evidence regardless of the question you receive.

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Choosing your VCE subjects can feel like deciding your entire future before you have even finished Year 10.

You may already know that you want to study medicine, engineering or law. You may have a general interest in science or business without knowing the exact degree. You may also have no idea what you want to do and simply want to avoid closing important doors.

The reassuring answer is that one VCE subject decision rarely determines your entire career.

However, some university courses have strict subject prerequisites. Missing one can make you ineligible for direct entry, even when your ATAR is high enough. Other subjects may not be compulsory but can make your first year at university considerably easier.

The best VCE program should therefore:

1. Meet the prerequisites for the courses you are considering.
2. Prepare you for the content you will study at university.
3. Include subjects you can realistically perform well in.
4. Keep enough options open if your plans change.

This guide uses currently published university information and VTAC’s prerequisites for 2028 entry. Requirements can change, so always check the VTAC listing for the year you plan to begin university. VTAC specifically provides separate prerequisite information for Year 10 and Year 11 students because different graduating cohorts apply in different years.

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Table of Contents

• How VCE subjects affect university entry
• Medicine
• Biomedical science and medical science
• Nursing and allied health
• Engineering
• Computer science, IT and cybersecurity
• Data science and actuarial studies
• Business, commerce and economics
• Law
• Science
• Psychology
• Teaching
• Architecture and design
• Arts, humanities and communications
• Music, visual arts and creative courses
• What to choose if you are unsure
• Whether you should choose subjects based on scaling
• What happens if you miss a prerequisite
• Frequently asked questions

How Do VCE Subjects Affect University Entry?

There are three separate questions to consider when selecting a VCE subject:

• Is it required for entry?
• Will it prepare you for the course?
• Will you perform well enough for it to help your ATAR?

These are not always the same thing.

Course Prerequisites

A prerequisite is a condition that you must meet before you can be considered for a course.

A university might require:

• Units 3 and 4 of a particular VCE study
• A minimum study score in that study
• An English study
• A mathematics or science study
• An audition, folio, interview or admissions test

Your ATAR does not override a prerequisite.

For example, a student may have an ATAR comfortably above the selection rank for a degree but remain ineligible because they did not complete Mathematical Methods.

VTAC states that prerequisites generally apply to all applicants unless the course listing says otherwise. Students who do not meet them may need to use an alternative pathway or complete an accepted equivalent.

Recommended Preparation

A subject may still be useful even when it is not compulsory.

Biology might not be required for a particular health degree, but it can prepare you for anatomy and physiology. Legal Studies may not be required for law, but it can introduce legal terminology and structured argument.

Recommended preparation should influence your decision, but not at the expense of every subject you enjoy or perform well in.

Your English Study Is Always Important

To qualify for an ATAR through VTAC, you must complete at least four permissible Unit 3 and 4 studies, including one from the English group.

Your primary four must include your highest scaled score from:

• English
• English as an Additional Language
• English Language
• Literature

The other three subjects in your primary four are generally your next-highest permissible scaled study scores. Up to two additional studies can contribute as 10% increments.

This means your English result cannot simply become your fifth or sixth subject. One English-group study must form part of your primary four.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Medicine?

Strong Subject Combination

• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematical Methods
• English
• One or two subjects you enjoy and can perform strongly in

Chemistry is the most important subject to protect if you are seriously considering direct-entry medicine in Victoria.

Monash University is currently the only Victorian university offering a direct-entry medical degree for school leavers. Its Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine requires a minimum VCE study score of 30 in Chemistry. It also requires at least 30 in an English study other than EAL or 35 in EAL.

Mathematics is not currently a formal prerequisite for Monash direct-entry medicine. However, Mathematical Methods can still be useful preparation for statistics, research and future scientific study.

Biology is also not the formal Monash prerequisite, but it introduces relevant concepts involving:

• Cells
• Genetics
• Homeostasis
• Immunity
• Disease
• Human body systems

For students choosing between Biology and Chemistry, Chemistry is generally the safer subject to retain because it is the actual prerequisite for Monash medicine and several biomedical pathways.

Do You Need to Complete the UCAT?

For domestic direct-entry applicants, Monash requires the UCAT ANZ. Applicants may then be invited to an interview based on their UCAT and academic ranking.

Your subject selection is therefore only one part of the process. You also need to consider:

• Your ATAR
• Your Chemistry and English study scores
• UCAT preparation
• Interview preparation
• Your overall Year 12 workload

Do not choose the most difficult possible VCE combination simply because it looks appropriate for medicine. Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Methods and Specialist Mathematics may sound impressive, but the combination is only useful if you can manage it while achieving competitive results and preparing for UCAT.

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What About Medicine at the University of Melbourne?

The University of Melbourne offers medicine as a graduate degree rather than a direct undergraduate course.

Students usually complete an undergraduate degree first and then apply for the Doctor of Medicine. Your undergraduate degree does not necessarily have to be Biomedicine, although science-based preparation can be helpful.

Your VCE choices should therefore reflect the undergraduate degree you may use as your first step. If you are considering Melbourne Biomedicine, Chemistry and Mathematical Methods are particularly important.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Biomedical Science or Medical Science?

Strong Subject Combination

• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematical Methods
• English
• Physics, Psychology or Health and Human Development

Biomedical science usually combines biology, chemistry, physiology, anatomy, genetics, pharmacology and research methods.

For the University of Melbourne’s Bachelor of Biomedicine, students must satisfy course prerequisites. The university identifies VCE Mathematical Methods and Chemistry as prerequisites that can also be completed through approved equivalents.

This makes Chemistry and Mathematical Methods the safest combination for students considering Melbourne Biomedicine.

Biology is extremely useful preparation, even where it is not formally required. First-year biomedical courses often move quickly through molecular biology and human physiology, so prior exposure can make the transition less overwhelming.

Biology or Health and Human Development?

If you can only select one, Biology is generally the stronger academic foundation for biomedical science.

Health and Human Development is useful for understanding public health, health outcomes and Australian health systems. However, it does not cover cellular and molecular science to the same depth as Biology.

Choose Health and Human Development as a complementary subject rather than assuming it replaces Biology or Chemistry.

Does Biomedical Science Guarantee Entry Into Medicine?

No.

Biomedical science is a common pathway towards graduate medicine, but completing the degree does not automatically produce a medical-school offer. Students still need to meet the relevant university results, admissions-test and interview requirements.

Choose biomedical science because you are interested in the degree itself and its potential career or postgraduate pathways, not because you assume it is a guaranteed waiting room for medicine.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Nursing and Allied Health?

This area includes courses such as:

• Nursing
• Midwifery
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Paramedicine
• Pharmacy
• Nutrition and dietetics
• Exercise and sport science
• Speech pathology
• Radiography
• Public health

Strong Subject Combination

• Biology
• English
• General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods
• Chemistry
• Health and Human Development
• Physical Education or Psychology

The exact prerequisite varies significantly between courses.

For example, current VTAC information for several nursing pathways requires an English study and some mathematics completed at Units 1 and 2 or Units 3 and 4. Other health courses, including occupational therapy and paramedicine examples in the same published guide, may require only an English study.

That does not mean science is irrelevant.

Biology is useful for anatomy, physiology and disease. Chemistry becomes especially valuable for pharmacy, nutrition, medical science and degrees involving pharmacology or biochemistry.

Mathematics is also useful for:

• Medication calculations
• Statistics
• Research methods
• Biomechanics
• Interpreting clinical data

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Which Subjects Are Best for Physiotherapy?

A useful combination would include:

• Biology
• Physical Education
• Mathematical Methods or General Mathematics
• Chemistry
• English

Physical Education can introduce biomechanics, movement and performance. Biology supports anatomy and physiology, while mathematics prepares you for research and quantitative subjects.

Which Subjects Are Best for Pharmacy?

Prioritise:

• Chemistry
• Mathematical Methods
• Biology
• English

Pharmacy involves chemistry, pharmacology, physiology and medication calculations. Chemistry is generally more important than Health and Human Development for this pathway.

Which Subjects Are Best for Psychology-Based Health Degrees?

Consider:

• Psychology
• Biology
• Mathematical Methods or General Mathematics
• English
• Health and Human Development

University psychology includes research methods and statistics, not only discussions of behaviour. A mathematics subject can therefore be more useful than students expect.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Engineering?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Systems Engineering
• English

Mathematical Methods should be your main priority if engineering is a serious possibility.

Engineering degrees involve calculus, algebra, modelling, statistics and numerical problem-solving. Specialist Mathematics provides even stronger preparation, although it may not always be a formal entry requirement.

Physics is especially useful for mechanical, civil, electrical, aerospace and mechatronics engineering. Chemistry is particularly relevant for chemical, materials, environmental and biomedical engineering.

For Monash Engineering, current entry requirements include at least 25 in Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics and at least 25 in either Chemistry or Physics.

VTAC’s published 2028 prerequisites similarly show that Monash engineering courses require:

• An English study
• Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics
• Biology, Chemistry or Physics, depending on the course

Chemical Engineering and Pharmaceutical Science specifically requires Chemistry alongside Methods or Specialist Mathematics.

Which Sciences Should You Choose?

Mechanical, civil, electrical, aerospace or mechatronics engineering:
Physics is the most directly useful science.

Chemical engineering:
Chemistry should be your priority.

Biomedical engineering:
Biology, Chemistry and Physics can all be useful. Mathematical Methods remains essential preparation.

Environmental engineering:
Chemistry, Physics, Geography and Environmental Science can all provide relevant knowledge.

Software engineering:
Mathematical Methods is generally more important than Physics, although Physics still develops useful problem-solving skills.

Do You Need Specialist Mathematics?

Not always for admission, but it is excellent preparation.

Students who complete Specialist Mathematics may begin university with greater familiarity with vectors, complex numbers, calculus and mathematical modelling.

However, a strong Methods result is better than choosing Specialist Mathematics without the necessary foundation and allowing both maths results to suffer.

Is Systems Engineering Necessary?

No.

VCE Systems Engineering can introduce design, mechanical systems, electronics and engineering processes. It may help confirm whether you actually enjoy engineering.

However, it usually does not replace Mathematical Methods, Physics or Chemistry as an entry prerequisite.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Computer Science, IT or Cybersecurity?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Applied Computing
• Algorithmics
• Physics
• English

Computer science is more mathematical than many students expect.

A university computer science degree may include:

• Programming
• Algorithms
• Discrete mathematics
• Logic
• Data structures
• Databases
• Artificial intelligence
• Computer systems
• Cybersecurity
• Statistics

Monash’s Bachelor of Computer Science currently requires at least 25 in Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics. It does not require a VCE science subject.

This is why Mathematical Methods is a safer choice than General Mathematics for students considering computer science at universities with similar prerequisites.

Do You Need Applied Computing?

Not necessarily.

Applied Computing can introduce programming, data analysis, software development or cybersecurity concepts. It may make your first semester more familiar, but many university courses teach programming from the beginning.

A student with strong mathematics and problem-solving skills can succeed without prior coding experience.

What About Information Technology?

IT degrees can be less mathematically restrictive than computer science degrees, depending on the university and specialisation.

Some IT courses accept General Mathematics or have no mathematics prerequisite, while more theoretical computer science courses may require Methods.

Because the course names sound similar, check each one separately. A Bachelor of Information Technology and a Bachelor of Computer Science at the same university may have different prerequisites.

What Should You Choose for Cybersecurity?

A useful combination is:

• Mathematical Methods
• Applied Computing
• Algorithmics
• English
• Legal Studies or Business Management

Cybersecurity combines technical skills with risk, privacy, law and organisational decision-making. Legal Studies or Business Management can provide useful context, although mathematics and computing remain the stronger technical preparation.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Data Science?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Applied Computing
• Algorithmics
• Physics
• Economics

Data science combines mathematics, statistics and programming.

At university, you may study:

• Probability
• Statistical modelling
• Calculus
• Linear algebra
• Machine learning
• Databases
• Data visualisation
• Programming

Mathematical Methods is the minimum sensible preparation for most data-science pathways. Specialist Mathematics is strongly recommended when you can manage it successfully.

Applied Computing is helpful, but your mathematical foundation is usually more important than already knowing one programming language.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Actuarial Studies?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Economics
• Accounting
• Business Management
• English

Actuarial studies is highly mathematical. It involves probability, statistics, economics, finance and risk modelling.

If actuarial studies is a serious goal, take Mathematical Methods and strongly consider Specialist Mathematics.

Economics provides relevant knowledge about markets and financial systems, while Accounting and Business Management may help you understand commercial applications.

However, these business subjects do not replace advanced mathematics.

Do not select actuarial studies simply because you are “good with money.” The degree is closer to applied mathematics and statistics than everyday budgeting.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Business or Commerce?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• General Mathematics
• Economics
• Accounting
• Business Management
• English

The best mathematics choice depends on the university and the commerce major you are considering.

Mathematical Methods is the safest option for keeping access open to:

• Commerce
• Economics
• Finance
• Actuarial studies
• Business analytics
• Quantitative majors

The University of Melbourne provides alternative ways to satisfy its Mathematical Methods prerequisite, confirming that Methods-level knowledge is required for courses including Commerce.

VTAC’s current 2028 information also shows that commerce and economics courses at Monash require Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics. Some banking, finance and general business courses accept General Mathematics, but this is not universal.

Is Business Management Required for Commerce?

No.

Business Management can introduce operations, human resources and organisational strategy, but universities normally teach these concepts within the degree.

It is useful preparation, not a replacement for mathematics prerequisites.

Is Accounting Required for an Accounting Degree?

Usually not.

VCE Accounting can give you an early understanding of financial statements, transactions and reporting. However, university accounting courses generally begin with foundational content.

Choose it because you are interested in the subject, not because you believe you cannot become an accountant without it.

Which Subjects Are Best for Economics?

Prioritise:

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics where manageable
• Economics
• English

University economics can become highly mathematical, particularly in econometrics, modelling and advanced theory.

VCE Economics is useful for concepts and terminology, but it should not be treated as a substitute for mathematics.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Law?

Strong Subject Combination

• English
• Literature
• English Language
• Legal Studies
• History
• Politics
• Economics
• Philosophy

Most law degrees do not require Legal Studies.

This often surprises students, but universities teach legal principles and systems within the degree. Legal Studies can still provide useful background in:

• Legislation
• Courts
• Rights
• Criminal and civil law
• Legal reform
• Structured argument

The most valuable preparation for law is often a subject that develops your ability to read carefully, analyse evidence and write logically.

English, Literature and History are all strong choices for this reason.

Should You Choose English, Literature or English Language?

Choose the English study that best suits your strengths.

English provides broad preparation in textual analysis and argument.

Literature is valuable for students who enjoy detailed interpretation and close reading.

English Language suits students interested in linguistics, language structures and analytical writing.

Your highest scaled English-group score must form part of your ATAR primary four, so performance matters more than choosing the English subject that sounds most impressive.

What About a Law Double Degree?

Check the requirements for both components.

A Law and Commerce double degree may require Mathematical Methods because of Commerce. Law and Engineering may require Methods and a science. Law and Arts may require only an English study.

Do not look only at the word “Law” in the course title.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Science?

Science is an extremely broad category, so your best subjects depend on the major you may eventually choose.

General Science Combination

• Mathematical Methods
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Environmental Science
• Geography
• Psychology
• English

Where possible, choose at least two sciences alongside Mathematical Methods.

Biology, Genetics or Biotechnology

Choose:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematical Methods

Modern biology involves molecular science, data and chemistry. Students interested in genetics, microbiology or biotechnology will benefit from taking both Biology and Chemistry.

Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry

Choose:

• Chemistry
• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Physics

Chemistry should be the priority. Mathematics and Physics provide useful preparation for physical chemistry, modelling and laboratory calculations.

Physics or Astronomy

Choose:

• Physics
• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics

University physics is heavily mathematical. Specialist Mathematics is particularly valuable for calculus, vectors and mathematical modelling.

Environmental Science

Choose:

• Environmental Science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Geography
• Mathematical Methods

Environmental science combines natural science, fieldwork, data analysis and policy. The ideal combination depends on whether you are more interested in ecology, climate, conservation, geology or environmental management.

Mathematics or Statistics

Choose:

• Mathematical Methods
• Specialist Mathematics
• Physics
• Algorithmics
• Economics

Take the highest level of mathematics that you can manage successfully. University mathematics becomes much more abstract than VCE General Mathematics.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Psychology?

Strong Subject Combination

• Psychology
• Biology
• Mathematical Methods or General Mathematics
• English
• Health and Human Development
• Sociology

VCE Psychology is useful but not normally essential for beginning a psychology degree.

University psychology usually includes:

• Biological psychology
• Cognition
• Development
• Social psychology
• Research methods
• Statistics
• Experimental design

For that reason, Biology and mathematics can be just as valuable as VCE Psychology.

Students sometimes choose psychology because they enjoy discussing personality or mental health, then find the statistics and research components unexpected. Selecting a mathematics subject helps prepare you for this side of the degree.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Teaching?

The ideal combination depends on whether you want to teach early childhood, primary school or secondary school.

Primary Teaching

Consider:

• English
• General Mathematics or Mathematical Methods
• Biology or Environmental Science
• History
• Geography
• Health and Human Development

Primary teachers work across several learning areas, so a broad subject selection is useful.

Current published prerequisites for several Victorian primary-teaching courses require an English study plus either Units 1 and 2 of an accepted mathematics study or any Units 3 and 4 mathematics.

Secondary Teaching

Choose subjects related to the area you may eventually teach.

For example:

Mathematics teacher:
Mathematical Methods and Specialist Mathematics.

Science teacher:
Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Environmental Science.

English teacher:
English, Literature or English Language.

History teacher:
Australian History, Ancient History, History Revolutions or Global Empires.

Health and physical education teacher:
Physical Education, Health and Human Development and Biology.

Language teacher:
Continue the relevant language.

University teaching methods normally depend on the subjects you complete at tertiary level, but a strong VCE foundation will make those university studies easier.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Architecture?

Strong Subject Combination

• Visual Communication Design
• Art Creative Practice or Art Making and Exhibiting
• Product Design and Technologies
• Mathematical Methods or General Mathematics
• Physics
• English

Architecture combines creative design with technical and spatial reasoning.

Visual Communication Design can develop:

• Drawing
• Design processes
• Visual presentation
• Technical communication
• Portfolio skills

Mathematics supports measurement, geometry and structural reasoning. Physics is useful for understanding forces, materials, light, heat and building performance.

Not every architecture degree requires a folio for direct school-leaver admission, but many design courses use additional selection tasks. Always check whether the application requires:

• A folio
• A selection task
• An interview
• A written statement
• Specific file formats or deadlines

Do You Need Visual Communication Design?

Not always, but it is useful.

A student can enter architecture without studying it, depending on the course. However, prior design practice can make studio work and portfolio preparation less unfamiliar.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Design?

The right subjects depend on the type of design.

Graphic or Communication Design

Choose:

• Visual Communication Design
• Art Creative Practice
• Media
• English

Industrial or Product Design

Choose:

• Product Design and Technologies
• Visual Communication Design
• Systems Engineering
• Mathematical Methods
• Physics

Fashion Design

Choose:

• Product Design and Technologies
• Art
• Visual Communication Design
• Business Management

User Experience or Digital Design

Choose:

• Visual Communication Design
• Applied Computing
• Media
• Psychology
• English

Creative skill matters, but so does your ability to explain design decisions and respond to a brief.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Arts, Humanities or Communications?

Strong Subject Combination

• English
• Literature
• English Language
• History
• Politics
• Sociology
• Philosophy
• Languages
• Media
• Economics

Arts degrees can include majors in:

• History
• Politics
• International relations
• Languages
• Philosophy
• Sociology
• Literature
• Anthropology
• Media
• Criminology
• Geography

English and History are especially useful because they build research, source analysis and extended writing skills.

Languages are valuable for international studies, diplomacy, translation and global careers. Politics and Economics are useful for public policy and international relations.

Media can help students interested in journalism, film, advertising, public relations and digital communication.

Most arts courses provide broad flexibility, so your priority should be developing strong communication and analytical skills while earning a competitive ATAR.

What VCE Subjects Should You Pick for Music, Visual Arts or Creative Courses?

Music

Consider:

• Music Performance
• Music Composition
• Music Inquiry
• Theatre Studies
• English

Many university music courses require an audition. Your performance preparation may therefore be just as important as your ATAR.

Fine Art

Consider:

• Art Creative Practice
• Art Making and Exhibiting
• Visual Communication Design
• English

A folio or selection task may be required.

Film, Television and Media

Consider:

• Media
• English
• Literature
• Theatre Studies
• Visual Communication Design

Acting or Theatre

Consider:

• Theatre Studies
• Drama
• English
• Literature
• Music

Auditions, interviews and portfolios can have strict closing dates that differ from the standard VTAC application timeline. Research them early rather than waiting until the end of Year 12.

What Should You Choose If You Have No Idea What You Want to Study?

Not knowing is normal.

Your goal should be to create a balanced program that keeps several pathways available without filling your timetable with subjects you dislike.

A versatile combination might include:

• One English-group study
• Mathematical Methods
• One laboratory science
• One humanities or social science subject
• One subject you genuinely enjoy
• One additional subject based on your developing interests

Mathematical Methods is particularly useful for keeping pathways open in:

• Engineering
• Computer science
• Data science
• Commerce
• Economics
• Biomedicine
• Some science courses

Chemistry is useful for:

• Medicine
• Biomedicine
• Pharmacy
• Chemical engineering
• Nutrition
• Several science pathways

Physics is especially useful for engineering and physical science.

Biology supports health, biomedical and environmental pathways.

This does not mean every uncertain student should choose Methods, Chemistry and Physics. You still need to consider your ability, workload and interests.

Keeping every possible door open is not helpful if the workload prevents you from performing well in any subject.

Should You Choose VCE Subjects Based on Scaling?

Scaling matters, but it should not control your entire subject selection.

VTAC scales study scores to compare students completing different subjects fairly. Scaling reflects the competitiveness of the cohort taking each study, rather than a simple judgement that one subject is “good” and another is “bad.”

VTAC specifically warns that choosing subjects solely because they scaled up in previous years can work against students. A strong result in a subject that scales down can contribute more than a weak result in a subject that scales up.

Use this order when selecting subjects:

1. Check university prerequisites.
2. Consider useful preparation.
3. Consider your strengths and interests.
4. Consider your expected workload.
5. Consider scaling last.

Do not choose Specialist Mathematics when you dislike mathematics and have no relevant university goal simply because it scales well.

Do not drop a subject you consistently perform strongly in because students online call it a “bad” subject.

VTAC’s own examples show students reaching strong ATAR outcomes even when most or all of their studies were scaled down.

What Happens If You Miss a Prerequisite?

Missing a prerequisite can make direct entry more complicated, but it does not always end the pathway.

Possible options include:

• Completing an accepted bridging course
• Taking an equivalent university subject
• Entering a related degree and applying to transfer
• Completing a diploma or pathway program
• Applying to another university with different requirements
• Beginning through a mid-year intake
• Using a foundation or enabling program

The University of Melbourne, for example, accepts approved alternatives for VCE Mathematical Methods, including specific online or external mathematics programs. However, timing rules may prevent a summer bridging subject from being used for the immediately following Semester 1 intake.

Monash also publishes alternative pathways for students who have not met certain mathematics and science prerequisites.

A pathway may add time, cost or transfer uncertainty. It is therefore usually easier to complete a known prerequisite during VCE when you are capable of doing so.

However, choosing the wrong subject at sixteen does not permanently eliminate every route into a career.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Choosing your HSC subjects can feel like making a permanent decision about your future.

You may already know exactly what you want to study at university. You may have a vague idea that you like science, business or writing. Or you may have absolutely no idea and simply want to avoid accidentally closing a door.

The good news is that most HSC subject decisions are not as permanent as they seem.

Many university degrees do not have strict HSC subject prerequisites. However, they may list certain subjects as assumed knowledge or recommended studies. You might still be admitted without completing those subjects, but the first year of university could be considerably harder.

The best subject combination therefore does three things:

1. Keeps you eligible for the degrees you are considering.
2. Prepares you for the content you will study at university.
3. Gives you the strongest chance of earning a competitive ATAR.

Here is what you should consider based on what you might want to study after Year 12.

Table of Contents

• Prerequisites, assumed knowledge and recommended studies
• Medicine and medical science
• Nursing and allied health
• Engineering
• Computer science, IT and cybersecurity
• Data science and actuarial studies
• Business, commerce and economics
• Law
• Science
• Psychology
• Teaching
• Architecture and design
• Arts, humanities and communications
• Music, visual arts and creative degrees
• What should you choose if you are still unsure?
• Should you pick subjects based on scaling?
• Frequently asked questions

First, Understand the Different University Requirements

Before choosing subjects, you need to understand three terms that universities use.

Prerequisite

A prerequisite is a requirement you must satisfy to be eligible for admission.

For example, a degree may require a particular result in Mathematics Advanced. If you do not meet that prerequisite or an accepted equivalent, you may not be eligible to receive an offer through the usual pathway.

Strict HSC subject prerequisites are less common than many students assume, but they still exist for some courses and institutions.

Assumed Knowledge

Assumed knowledge means the university expects you to already understand material from a particular HSC subject.

It does not always prevent you from receiving an offer. However, the university may begin teaching from the assumption that you already understand those concepts.

UNSW explains that students who do not have the listed assumed knowledge are not necessarily prevented from enrolling, but may be at a considerable disadvantage. UTS similarly states that it does not impose HSC subject prerequisites across its courses, although faculties may list assumed knowledge and recommended studies.

Recommended Studies

Recommended studies are subjects that would be useful preparation but are not necessarily required or assumed.

For example, Legal Studies may be helpful for someone interested in law, but it is generally not required to begin a law degree.

The distinction matters. A subject can be useful without being compulsory, and a subject can be assumed knowledge even when it is not a formal admission requirement.

University requirements also change. Always check the official course page for the year in which you expect to begin university rather than relying on an older school booklet or a friend’s experience.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Medicine?

Strong Subject Combination

• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematics Advanced
• English Advanced
• One subject you enjoy and can perform well in

Chemistry is generally the most useful science for students considering medicine. It provides a foundation for understanding biochemical processes, medications, molecular interactions and human physiology.

Biology is also highly relevant because it introduces genetics, cells, disease, homeostasis and body systems. However, depending on the university, Chemistry may be more commonly recommended than Biology.

Mathematics Advanced is useful for developing quantitative reasoning and preparing for statistics, research methods and scientific calculations.

For UNSW’s redesigned undergraduate medicine program, English is listed as assumed knowledge and Chemistry is recommended. Medicine admission also involves more than choosing the correct HSC subjects. Most undergraduate medicine programs require applicants to sit UCAT ANZ, while selection may also involve an interview and academic results.

Do You Need Biology for Medicine?

Not always.

Many students assume that Biology is compulsory because medicine involves the human body. While it is excellent preparation, universities commonly teach the necessary biological foundations within the degree.

Chemistry may be more difficult to learn from scratch because university courses can move quickly into molecular and biochemical concepts.

The Most Important Warning for Future Medicine Students

Do not build an impossibly difficult subject combination simply because it looks impressive.

Choosing Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Mathematics Extension 1 and English Advanced may provide excellent preparation, but it is only a sensible combination when you can manage the workload and perform strongly.

Medicine admission is highly competitive. A theoretically perfect combination is not useful when it significantly lowers your marks or leaves you no time to prepare for UCAT.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Medical Science?

Strong Subject Combination

• Chemistry
• Biology
• Mathematics Advanced
• English Advanced or Standard
• Physics, Investigating Science or another strong subject

Medical science degrees commonly involve biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and statistics.

For example, UNSW’s Bachelor of Medical Science lists Chemistry and Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge.

Biology will make many first-year topics more familiar, even where it is not formally required. Physics can also be valuable for areas such as medical imaging, biomechanics and neuroscience.

Medical science is not the same as undergraduate medicine. Completing a medical science degree does not automatically make you a doctor, although it may be used as preparation for postgraduate medicine or a career in health research.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Nursing and Allied Health?

This category includes degrees such as:

• Nursing
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational therapy
• Exercise physiology
• Speech pathology
• Nutrition and dietetics
• Pharmacy
• Radiography
• Chiropractic science

Strong Subject Combination

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics Standard 2 or Advanced
• English Standard or Advanced
• PDHPE, Community and Family Studies or another suitable subject

Biology is helpful across most health degrees because you will study anatomy, physiology and disease.

Chemistry becomes particularly important for pharmacy, nutrition, medical science and some areas of clinical science. Mathematics is useful for statistics, medication calculations, biomechanics and research methods.

PDHPE can provide useful context around health, movement and performance, but it generally does not replace the scientific foundations provided by Biology or Chemistry.

Some health courses also have clinical placement requirements, inherent requirements or additional English-language standards. UAC recommends checking the specific requirements for health and professional courses rather than assuming that ATAR is the only criterion.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Engineering?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Extension 1
• Physics
• English Standard or Advanced
• Chemistry for selected engineering areas
• Engineering Studies or another subject you can perform strongly in

If you are seriously considering engineering, Mathematics Extension 1 is probably the most useful HSC subject you can choose.

Engineering degrees contain substantial university-level mathematics. Depending on your specialisation, you may study calculus, linear algebra, differential equations, statistics and numerical methods.

Physics is also extremely useful because engineering applies concepts involving forces, motion, energy, electricity, waves, materials and thermodynamics.

UTS lists Mathematics Extension 1 and Physics as assumed knowledge for its Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering degree. UNSW similarly lists Mathematics Extension 1 and Physics as assumed knowledge for Civil Engineering.

Which Sciences Should You Pick for Different Engineering Degrees?

Mechanical, civil, electrical, aerospace or mechatronic engineering:
Mathematics Extension 1 and Physics should be your main priorities.

Chemical engineering:
Mathematics Extension 1 and Chemistry are especially valuable, with Physics also useful.

Biomedical engineering:
Mathematics Extension 1 is important. Physics and Chemistry are generally helpful, while Biology can provide useful background.

Environmental engineering:
Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Earth and Environmental Science can all be relevant.

Software engineering:
Mathematics Advanced or Extension 1 is generally more important than Physics, although Physics can still strengthen your problem-solving skills.

Do You Need Engineering Studies?

Engineering Studies is relevant, but it is rarely more important than Mathematics or Physics.

It may help you understand materials, design processes, mechanics and engineering practice. However, universities are more likely to expect mathematical and physical knowledge than content from Engineering Studies.

Treat Engineering Studies as a useful addition rather than a replacement for Mathematics Extension 1 or Physics.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Computer Science, IT or Cybersecurity?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Advanced
• Mathematics Extension 1, particularly for computer science
• Software Engineering
• Information Processes and Technology
• English Advanced or Standard

Computer science is not simply learning how to use computers. University courses can involve programming, algorithms, discrete mathematics, logic, databases, networks and software design.

Mathematics Advanced is commonly listed as assumed knowledge. More mathematically intensive computing degrees may recommend or assume Mathematics Extension 1.

For example, UTS lists Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge for several IT and cybersecurity courses and recommends Mathematics Extension 1. Its Computing Science Honours degree lists Mathematics Extension 1 as assumed knowledge.

Do You Need to Study Computing at School?

Not necessarily.

Software Engineering or Information Processes and Technology can provide a useful introduction, but many university computing courses teach programming from the beginning.

Mathematical reasoning, persistence and problem-solving are often more important than already knowing a specific programming language.

A student who has never programmed but has strong mathematical and analytical skills can still succeed. A student who has built several small programs may begin with more confidence, but they will still need to learn university-level theory and development practices.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Data Science?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Extension 1
• Mathematics Extension 2 where manageable
• Software Engineering
• Economics
• Physics or another analytical subject

Data science combines mathematics, statistics and computing.

You should expect university study in areas such as probability, statistical modelling, linear algebra, programming, machine learning and databases.

UNSW’s Bachelor of Data Science and Decisions lists Mathematics Extension 1 as assumed knowledge.

Software Engineering is useful because it introduces computational thinking and programming. Economics can also help students understand how data is used to explain behaviour and support decision-making.

However, your mathematics preparation should generally be the priority.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Actuarial Studies?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Extension 1
• Mathematics Extension 2
• Economics
• Business Studies
• English Advanced

Actuarial studies is highly mathematical. It combines probability, statistics, finance, economics and risk modelling.

Mathematics Extension 1 should be considered essential preparation, even where a particular course does not formally describe it as a prerequisite. Mathematics Extension 2 is also highly valuable when you can perform well in it.

Economics may introduce useful ideas involving markets, interest rates and financial decision-making, while Business Studies can provide broader commercial context.

Do not choose actuarial studies simply because you are “good with numbers.” Look into the actual degree content. It involves rigorous mathematical and statistical work rather than basic financial calculations.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Business or Commerce?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Advanced
• Economics
• Business Studies
• English Advanced or Standard
• Legal Studies or a language

Business and commerce degrees can lead to majors in:

• Accounting
• Finance
• Marketing
• Management
• Business analytics
• Information systems
• Human resources
• International business

Mathematics Advanced is particularly useful for finance, economics, accounting, analytics and quantitative business subjects.

UNSW’s Bachelor of Commerce lists Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge. UTS lists Mathematics and two units of English as assumed knowledge for its Bachelor of Business.

Business Studies can make some introductory university content familiar, but it is not normally required. Economics is particularly helpful for students considering economics, finance, public policy or commerce.

English is also important. Business students still complete reports, presentations, case studies and written analyses. Do not assume that commerce is purely numerical.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Economics?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Advanced
• Mathematics Extension 1
• Economics
• English Advanced
• Business Studies or Legal Studies

Many students are surprised by how mathematical university economics can become.

First-year economics may begin with familiar concepts such as supply and demand, but later study can involve calculus, statistics, econometrics and mathematical modelling.

HSC Economics is valuable because it introduces economic reasoning and terminology. However, strong mathematics preparation may become even more important at university, particularly for econometrics or advanced economic theory.

Choose Mathematics Extension 1 when it is available to you and you can manage it successfully.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Law?

Strong Subject Combination

• English Advanced
• Modern History or Ancient History
• Legal Studies
• Economics
• Society and Culture
• A language

Law degrees generally do not require Legal Studies.

This surprises many students, but universities teach the legal system and legal reasoning within the degree. HSC Legal Studies can still be very useful because it introduces legislation, cases, legal institutions and structured written responses.

English Advanced is arguably more important preparation. Law students read large volumes of complex material, analyse arguments and write precise responses supported by authority.

History is also excellent preparation because it teaches research, source evaluation, argument construction and extended writing.

For some combined degrees, the other half of the degree may carry its own assumed knowledge. For example, UNSW’s Commerce/Law degree lists Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge because of the commerce component.

Will Legal Studies Give You an Advantage?

It may give you an initial familiarity with legal terminology, but students who did not study it are not automatically behind.

Your ability to read carefully, form logical arguments and write clearly will matter more over the full degree.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Science?

The best science subjects depend on which type of science interests you.

General Subject Combination

• Mathematics Advanced
• At least two sciences
• English Advanced or Standard
• Mathematics Extension 1 for mathematical or physical sciences

UNSW’s Bachelor of Science lists Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge, with the relevant sciences depending on the intended area of study.

Biology, Biotechnology or Genetics

Choose:

• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics Advanced

Chemistry is important because modern biology increasingly operates at the molecular level.

Chemistry or Medicinal Chemistry

Choose:

• Chemistry
• Mathematics Advanced
• Physics where possible

UNSW courses in medicinal chemistry list Chemistry and Mathematics Advanced as assumed knowledge.

Physics or Astronomy

Choose:

• Physics
• Mathematics Extension 1
• Mathematics Extension 2 where manageable

University physics relies heavily on calculus and mathematical modelling. Strong mathematics preparation is essential.

Environmental Science

Choose:

• Earth and Environmental Science
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Mathematics Advanced
• Geography

Mathematics or Statistics

Choose:

• Mathematics Extension 1
• Mathematics Extension 2
• Physics, Software Engineering or Economics

For a mathematical degree, taking the highest level of mathematics you can successfully manage will make the transition to university significantly easier.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Psychology?

Strong Subject Combination

• English Advanced
• Biology
• Mathematics Advanced or Standard 2
• Society and Culture
• Community and Family Studies

Psychology at university is more scientific and statistical than many students expect.

You may study neuroscience, cognition, social behaviour, developmental psychology, research methods and statistics. Biology is helpful for understanding the brain and nervous system, while Mathematics supports your statistics and research subjects.

English is important because psychology involves research reports, critical analysis and academic writing.

Society and Culture and Community and Family Studies may introduce relevant social and behavioural concepts, but they do not replace the scientific and statistical components of a psychology degree.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Teaching?

The ideal subjects depend on whether you want to teach early childhood, primary school or secondary school.

Primary Teaching

Consider:

• English Standard or Advanced
• Mathematics Standard 2 or Advanced
• At least one science
• Geography or History
• Community and Family Studies

Primary teachers teach across several learning areas, so a broad subject combination can be useful.

Some NSW teaching degrees require particular HSC performance standards. Current UAC course listings commonly specify at least three Band 5 results, including one in English, with primary teaching courses also often requiring an appropriate mathematics result. The precise requirement varies between courses and institutions.

Secondary Teaching

Choose subjects connected to what you would eventually like to teach.

For example:

• Future mathematics teacher: Mathematics Extension 1 and preferably Extension 2
• Future science teacher: Relevant HSC science subjects
• Future English teacher: English Advanced and Extension
• Future history teacher: Modern History, Ancient History or History Extension
• Future language teacher: Continue the relevant language

Your university teaching specialisations usually depend on the subjects you study within your degree, but arriving with a strong HSC foundation will help.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Architecture?

Strong Subject Combination

• Mathematics Advanced
• English Advanced or Standard
• Visual Arts
• Design and Technology
• Physics
• Industrial Technology

Architecture combines creativity with technical problem-solving.

Visual Arts and Design and Technology can help develop design thinking, visual communication and project work. Mathematics supports measurement, geometry and structural understanding. Physics is helpful for structures, materials, heat, light and environmental systems.

Current University of Sydney architecture course information includes HSC Mathematics and English Standard as assumed knowledge for relevant first-year architectural history and theory study.

Depending on the institution, a design or architecture application may also involve a portfolio, questionnaire or other selection criteria. UAC notes that some university courses use portfolios, auditions, interviews or tests alongside academic results.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Arts, Humanities or Communications?

Strong Subject Combination

• English Advanced
• English Extension 1
• Modern History or Ancient History
• History Extension
• Society and Culture
• Studies of Religion
• Languages
• Economics or Legal Studies

Arts degrees are broad. You may study history, politics, philosophy, languages, literature, sociology, media or international relations.

English Advanced is valuable because most humanities degrees involve substantial reading and essay writing.

History develops research, source analysis and argument construction. Society and Culture is useful for students interested in sociology, anthropology, culture or social research. Languages are particularly valuable for international studies, translation and global careers.

Communications and media students may benefit from English, Society and Culture, Drama, Visual Arts or Design and Technology, depending on whether their interests are in journalism, writing, screen production, public relations or digital media.

These degrees often have flexible entry requirements, so your priority should be subjects that allow you to develop strong communication skills and earn a competitive ATAR.

What HSC Subjects Should You Pick for Music, Visual Arts or Other Creative Degrees?

Music

Consider:

• Music 1 or Music 2
• Music Extension
• English
• Drama

Visual Arts and Design

Consider:

• Visual Arts
• Design and Technology
• Industrial Technology
• English
• Mathematics for architecture or technical design

Film, Theatre and Performance

Consider:

• Drama
• English Advanced
• Visual Arts
• Music
• Society and Culture

Creative degrees may place significant weight on an audition, portfolio, interview or creative submission. UAC advises students to check additional selection criteria carefully because these requirements may be considered alongside, or occasionally instead of, selection rank.

Do not assume that your creative subject automatically produces the portfolio required for university admission. Research the portfolio or audition requirements early enough to develop suitable work.

What Should You Pick If You Have No Idea What You Want to Study?

This is completely normal.

You do not need to decide on your permanent career before starting Year 11. However, you should try to maintain a broad set of options.

A versatile combination might include:

• English Advanced or Standard
• Mathematics Advanced
• One science
• One humanities or social science subject
• One subject you genuinely enjoy and perform well in
• One additional course based on your developing interests

Mathematics Advanced is particularly useful for keeping pathways open in commerce, science, computing and some health degrees.

A science subject can also preserve options that would be more difficult to recover later. Chemistry is especially useful for medicine, medical science, pharmacy, nutrition and several science degrees. Physics is highly useful for engineering and physical science.

At the same time, do not fill your timetable entirely with subjects you dislike for the sake of “keeping doors open.” You still need to complete the courses successfully and earn an ATAR.

Should You Choose HSC Subjects Based on Scaling?

Scaling should be considered, but it should not control your entire decision.

A course with historically strong scaling does not guarantee a strong contribution to your ATAR. You still need to perform well relative to the other students taking that subject.

Likewise, a course that scales lower can still contribute effectively when you achieve a strong result.

The better order of priorities is:

1. Check prerequisites.
2. Check assumed knowledge.
3. Consider which subjects prepare you for university.
4. Consider your ability and interest.
5. Look at scaling only after the first four factors.

Do not choose Physics when you dislike Physics, struggle with mathematics and have no intention of pursuing a related degree purely because someone told you it scales well.

Do not avoid a subject you love and regularly perform strongly in purely because students online call it a “bad-scaling subject.”

Your ATAR depends on your scaled performance, not the reputation attached to your subject names.

Can You Still Study a Degree Without the Recommended HSC Subjects?

Often, yes.

Universities offer bridging courses in areas such as Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biology. UNSW, UTS and the University of Sydney all advertise bridging options for students who need additional preparation before beginning relevant university study.

However, a bridging course is not always equivalent to completing two years of HSC study.

It can help you learn the essential foundations, but you may still need to work harder during your first year. Where a subject is clearly connected to your intended degree and you are capable of completing it at school, it is usually better to develop that knowledge gradually during Years 11 and 12.

The existence of a bridging course should be treated as a backup pathway, not an automatic reason to ignore assumed knowledge.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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A 90 ATAR sounds super intimidating. When I was completing Year 12, it felt like the number belonged to a completely different category of student: the people who came first in every subject, started studying six months early and somehow never procrastinated.

That was not me.

Throughout Year 12, I regularly felt as though I was underperforming. I compared my marks with the strongest students in my classes, focused on every question I got wrong and assumed everyone else understood the ATAR system better than I did.

I eventually received an ATAR of 92.

I was obviously happy, but my first reaction was mostly surprise. My internal picture of a “90 ATAR student” had been someone nearly perfect. My actual experience was much less impressive: I worked consistently in some periods, fell behind in others, had assessments I was proud of and had assessments I preferred not to discuss.

So, is a 90 ATAR hard to get?

Yes, but probably not in the way you think.

A 90 ATAR is a strong and competitive result. It requires you to perform well across your subjects and generally remain consistent over Year 12. However, it does not require perfect marks, a flawless assessment record or twelve-hour study days.

Table of Contents

• What does a 90 ATAR actually mean?
• How many students receive an ATAR above 90?
• Do you need Band 6s in every subject?
• What marks do you need for a 90 ATAR?
• Does subject scaling decide whether you can get 90?
• What makes a 90 ATAR difficult?
• What a realistic 90 ATAR student looks like
• How to improve your chances of reaching 90
• Frequently asked questions

What Does a 90 ATAR Actually Mean?

The first thing to understand is that an ATAR is a rank, not an average mark.

An ATAR of 90.00 means that you performed well enough to be placed ahead of approximately 90% of your age group. It does not mean you averaged exactly 90% across your HSC subjects.

This distinction matters because students often imagine that a 90 ATAR requires five HSC marks above 90.

It does not.

In NSW, UAC calculates your ATAR using an aggregate of scaled marks from:

• Your best two units of English
• Your best eight remaining units

Your HSC marks are converted into scaled marks before they are used in this calculation. Scaling allows students completing different combinations of subjects to be compared fairly.

Because the ATAR is based on scaled marks and relative performance, there is no universal subject average that guarantees a 90 ATAR.

How Many Students Receive an ATAR Above 90?

By definition, an ATAR of 90 places you around the top 10% of your age group.

However, you may come across statistics showing that more than 10% of ATAR recipients achieve 90 or above. For example, UAC’s preliminary report for the 2025 NSW HSC stated that 17.3% of students who received an ATAR achieved 90.00 or higher.

This is not a contradiction.

The ATAR compares you with your broader age cohort, including people who did not complete an ATAR-eligible study program or did not receive an ATAR. The group of students who actually receive an ATAR is already a smaller and more academically focused part of the total age group.

From one perspective, 90 is extremely difficult because it places you near the top of the state.

From another, approximately one in six NSW students who received an ATAR in 2025 achieved 90 or above.

That is still a major accomplishment, but it is not a result reserved for five students sitting in the front row of every selective school.

Do You Need Band 6s in Every Subject?

No, and this is probably the biggest misconception I had during Year 12. I thought a 90 ATAR student needed to open their HSC results and see 90s across the entire page.

A Band 6 is an HSC mark between 90 and 100 in a two-unit course. However, your ATAR is not calculated by simply averaging the HSC marks displayed in your results. UAC uses scaled marks, and the relationship between an HSC mark and a scaled mark differs between courses and years.

A student may receive a 90 ATAR with a combination of strong Band 5 results and one or more Band 6 results. Another student might receive several marks above 90 but achieve a different ATAR because of their subject combination and the scaling applied that year.

You should certainly aim to maximise every mark available. However, receiving an 82 in one course does not automatically remove you from contention for a 90 ATAR.

Your best ten eligible units are considered. If you study more than ten units, one weaker course may not contribute at all, apart from the requirement that your best two English units must be included.

What Marks Do You Need for a 90 ATAR?

There is no completely accurate answer until the year’s HSC results have been processed.

Scaling changes each year because it depends on the academic performance of the students completing each course. Even if you correctly predict all your HSC marks, an ATAR calculator can only provide an estimate using historical data.

As a very broad goal, students aiming for a 90 ATAR should usually be working towards strong Band 5 performance across their contributing subjects, with higher results wherever possible.

However, avoid turning this into a rigid rule such as:

I need exactly 85 in every subject.

An 85 in one course will not necessarily contribute the same scaled mark as an 85 in another. Your final ATAR will also depend on which ten units become your best scaled units.

ATAR calculators can help you test different possibilities, but they should be used as planning tools rather than fortune tellers. UAC’s ATAR Compass uses scaling statistics from the previous five years and clearly warns that the result is only an estimate.

The healthiest way to use a calculator is to ask:

Roughly what standard should I be working towards?

The least healthy way is to enter every individual assessment mark after midnight and decide that your future career is over because the estimate dropped by 1.4 points.

Does Subject Scaling Decide Whether You Can Get 90?

Subject scaling matters, but students often misunderstand how much power it has.

Scaling does not exist to reward students for selecting subjects that sound difficult. It exists so UAC can compare students who completed different courses. UAC explains that scaling reflects the strength of the competition within a course, not its perceived difficulty.

A high-scaling subject is not automatically helpful when you perform poorly in it. Similarly, doing well in a course that scales lower can still make a strong contribution to your ATAR.

This is why choosing Mathematics Extension or Physics solely because someone told you they “scale well” is not always a smart strategy. A subject you understand, enjoy and can perform strongly in may contribute more than a supposedly impressive subject in which you consistently struggle.

A 90 ATAR is possible through many different subject combinations. Some combinations may make the highest possible ATARs more difficult, but students should not assume that humanities, arts or lower-scaling courses automatically prevent them from reaching 90.

One student on Reddit reported achieving a 97 ATAR without studying mathematics or science, despite describing their subjects as poor-scaling. This is only one person’s experience, but it demonstrates why strong performance matters more than blindly selecting stereotypically high-scaling courses.

What Do Past Students Actually Say?

Reddit discussions are not official ATAR advice. Students may be using different state systems, remembering marks inaccurately or simplifying complicated scaling processes.

However, these discussions are useful because they reveal how students genuinely experienced Year 12. The most common theme is not that a 90 ATAR is effortless. It is that students often imagined it would require far more perfection than it actually did.

The last example is particularly useful. The student initially posted results that another commenter estimated would produce an ATAR around 80. They later returned to report an ATAR of 94.45 after improving substantially, including reaching first place in Biology.

This does not mean every student can instantly turn an 80 estimate into a 94. It shows that early Year 12 marks do not permanently determine your final result. Rankings can change, study habits can improve and later assessments may reveal a very different level of performance.

Other Reddit discussions are much less optimistic. Some students correctly point out that achieving 90 means outperforming most people in your age group and requires genuine application.

Both perspectives can be true.

A 90 ATAR is not easy in the sense that you can ignore school for twelve months and confidently expect one. It is achievable in the sense that you do not need to be a genius, attend an elite school or earn full marks in every task.

What Actually Makes a 90 ATAR Difficult?

Consistency Matters More Than One Brilliant Result

You cannot usually rely on one strong subject to carry four subjects you have neglected.

A 90 ATAR generally requires solid performance across most or all of the ten units that contribute. You can survive a disappointing task, but repeated underperformance becomes harder to overcome.

This is where many capable students struggle. They are not unable to understand the content. Their effort simply arrives in bursts.

They study intensely before one assessment, burn out afterwards and then repeat the cycle. A 90 ATAR becomes much more realistic when your ordinary weeks are productive—not only the week before Trials.

You Are Competing Against Other Strong Students

An ATAR is relative. Improving your own marks matters, but your final rank also reflects how your performance compares with everyone else.

This is especially noticeable around higher ATAR ranges. Moving from an ATAR of 70 to 80 and moving from 90 to 95 are not equivalent challenges. As you move higher, you are competing against students who are increasingly consistent.

The difference may come down to avoiding preventable mistakes, producing stronger extended responses or converting knowledge into marks under timed conditions.

Exam Technique Becomes Important

Knowing the content is only part of the job.

To perform at a 90-ATAR level, you must also be able to:

• Interpret unfamiliar questions
• Identify what the marking criteria require
• Allocate time appropriately
• Structure extended responses
• Show sufficient working
• Avoid losing easy marks
• Perform under pressure

I had assessments where I knew the topic well but did not communicate that knowledge effectively. That was one reason I felt I was performing worse than I actually was: my mistakes felt obvious after the exam.

The students who improve most during Year 12 are often not learning twice as much content. They are becoming better at turning what they already know into marks.

Your Own Expectations Distort Your Perspective

At a competitive school, a student ranked in the middle of a strong class may assume they are doing terribly.

You may hear classmates discuss 95 ATAR goals, Extension subjects and unusually high marks until a result in the 70s feels like failure. In another cohort, the same result may place a student near the top.

This was one of my biggest problems. I judged my performance against the strongest person I knew rather than against the standard required for my own goals.

Feeling behind does not always mean you are actually behind.

What Does a Realistic 90 ATAR Student Look Like?

There is no single personality or study routine.

A realistic 90 ATAR student might:

• Receive mostly Band 5s and a Band 6
• Be excellent in two subjects and solid in the others
• Attend a comprehensive public school
• Study creative or humanities subjects
• Struggle during part of Year 12 and improve later
• Occasionally procrastinate
• Have a social life and extracurricular activities
• Feel uncertain about their ATAR until results day

They are usually not perfect. What they generally do well is respond to feedback.

When they receive a poor mark, they work out why. When they repeatedly run out of time, they complete timed papers. When their essays lack analysis, they seek feedback and rewrite them. When a study method produces no improvement, they change it.

The difference is often adaptability rather than intelligence.

How to Improve Your Chances of Reaching 90

Work Backwards From the Course, Not the Number

Find the university course you want to enter and check its previous selection rank, prerequisites and available adjustment factors.

Remember that an advertised selection rank is not always the same as the raw ATAR received by the lowest admitted student. Universities may apply adjustment points for factors such as subjects, location, educational disadvantage or extracurricular achievement.

Your goal might be a course with a selection rank of 90, but you may not need a raw 90 ATAR to receive an offer.

Prioritise Your Largest Mark Losses

Look at your recent assessments and determine where the easiest recoverable marks are.

Improving from 14 out of 20 to 17 out of 20 across repeated extended responses may be more valuable than spending ten hours perfecting a topic that contributes one multiple-choice question.

Your study plan should be based on evidence from your own work.

Use Feedback Immediately

Feedback has a short expiry date.

When you receive an assessment, review it while you still remember what you were thinking. Ask your teacher why marks were lost and complete another similar question within the same week.

Reading a teacher’s comment and promising to “remember it next time” is rarely enough.

Complete Timed Practice

Untimed study can make you feel prepared without testing whether you can perform under examination conditions.

Start with timed sections before moving into full papers. Mark them carefully and keep a record of recurring errors.

One properly reviewed paper is more useful than three papers completed without checking why you lost marks.

Do Not Make Panic-Based Subject Decisions

Do not drop a subject simply because someone online says it scales poorly. Do not continue a course you dislike solely because it scales well.

Consider your marks, ranking, workload, interest and the possibility that extra units may provide a useful backup. Scaling should be one consideration, not the entire decision.

Protect Your Ability to Keep Working

A 90 ATAR does not require you to abandon sleep, exercise or every social event.

Extreme schedules often feel productive for several days before becoming impossible to maintain. Consistent two-hour sessions across many weeks will usually achieve more than an occasional ten-hour panic session.

The goal is not to create the most impressive study timetable. It is to create one you will genuinely follow.

So, Is a 90 ATAR Hard?

A 90 ATAR is objectively a high result. It places you ahead of most students in your age group and requires strong overall performance.

But it is not reserved for naturally gifted students, selective-school duxes or people who have been preparing since Year 9.

You do not need perfect internal marks. You do not need a Band 6 in every subject. You do not need to study only Mathematics Extension and science courses. You do not need to feel confident throughout the entire year.

I certainly did not.

I spent much of Year 12 believing I was performing poorly because I focused on every weak result and compared myself with students aiming for ATARs far above mine. Receiving a 92 taught me that your perception of your performance can be much harsher than the final calculation.

The honest answer is this:

A 90 ATAR is difficult enough that you must take Year 12 seriously, but achievable enough that an ordinary, imperfect and occasionally stressed student can absolutely reach it.

Study Guide: The Ultimate 99+ ATAR 30-day Study Guide (updated 2025) | KIS Academics

Need to get exam ready in 30 days? Let me show you how I organised my time to get a 99.90 ATAR.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

How to build a study routine for a perfect ATAR

Hi, my name’s Poppy, and I’m excited to share how I achieved a 99.95 ATAR, and help you build a study routine to achieve your best too!

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

How to get a 99+ ATAR - A Medical Student’s Study Routine

As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Frequently Asked Questions

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You have just received your HSC Trial results, and they are nowhere near what you expected.

Perhaps you studied for weeks but froze during the exam. Maybe the paper focused heavily on your weakest topics. Or perhaps you walked out feeling confident, only to discover that your answers did not earn the marks you thought they would.

Whatever happened, it is easy to look at one disappointing number and assume your ATAR is now doomed.

The good news is that a bad Trial result does not automatically ruin your ATAR. Trials are important, but they are still only one part of your school assessment program. You also have the final HSC exams ahead of you, which provide a major opportunity to improve your overall results.

Table of Contents

• Do HSC Trial marks directly affect your ATAR?
• How much are HSC Trials actually worth?
• Why your assessment rank matters
• How much can the final HSC exams help?
• What should you do after disappointing Trial results?
• When should you genuinely be concerned?
• Frequently asked questions

Do HSC Trial Marks Directly Affect Your ATAR?

Your Trial mark is not sent directly to UAC and inserted into an ATAR formula.

Instead, Trials usually form part of your school-based assessment program. Your Trial result is combined with your other Year 12 assessment tasks according to the weightings published by your school. This produces your school assessment mark and, importantly, your assessment rank within your course.

For most HSC courses with an external examination, your final HSC mark is calculated using:

• 50% of your HSC examination mark
• 50% of your moderated school assessment mark

Schools choose the individual tasks, dates and weightings within their assessment programs, provided they follow NESA’s course requirements. This means the exact value of your Trial examination can differ between schools and subjects.

Your ATAR is then calculated separately by UAC using your scaled HSC marks, not your Trial marks. In NSW, it is based on your best two units of English and your best eight remaining units.

So, while your Trials can influence your eventual ATAR through your school assessment results, the relationship is not as simple as:

Bad Trial mark = bad ATAR.

There are several stages between the mark printed on your Trial paper and the ATAR you eventually receive.

How Much Are HSC Trials Actually Worth?

The exact weighting of your Trials should appear in your school’s Year 12 assessment schedule.

A Trial examination might be one of your larger internal tasks, but it still contributes only part of the school-assessment half of your HSC mark.

Imagine your Trial is worth 30% of your school assessment mark. You expected to receive 80 but instead received 60.

The difference between those results is 20 marks. After applying the 30% weighting, the effect on your raw school assessment total would be six marks:

20 × 0.30 = 6

Because school assessment contributes half of the final HSC course mark, this difference would represent roughly three marks in the combined result before considering NESA’s moderation process.

That is not insignificant, but it is also very different from losing 20 marks from your final HSC result.

The precise effect will depend on:

• The Trial’s weighting
• Your other assessment results
• Your assessment rank
• The gaps between students at your school
• Your cohort’s performance in the HSC exam
• Your own final examination result

Before panicking, check the actual weighting rather than assuming the Trial represents your entire HSC course.

Why Your Assessment Rank Matters

Your raw school marks are not simply copied onto your final HSC results.

NESA moderates school assessment marks so that students from schools with different task difficulties can be compared fairly. The moderation process considers how each school-course group performs in the common HSC examination. The submitted rank order is retained, while the group’s assessment marks are adjusted using its examination performance.

This means two things.

First, a difficult Trial paper does not automatically disadvantage your school. If everyone received lower marks because the exam was unusually hard, NESA’s moderation process is designed to account for differences between school assessment programs.

Second, your position within the cohort is important. A mark of 65 could be disappointing in one class but place you near the top of another. Looking only at the raw mark without considering the course average, rank and mark distribution can give you a misleading impression of how badly you performed.

A lower Trial result may reduce your rank, particularly if the exam has a large weighting. However, it does not erase the results you achieved in earlier tasks, and it does not determine the 50% of your HSC mark that comes from the external exam.

How Much Can the Final HSC Exams Help?

The final HSC examination contributes 50% of your HSC mark in most examined courses. This gives you a substantial opportunity to improve your final result.

Suppose your moderated assessment mark eventually becomes 76, but you earn 88 in the HSC examination. Your combined HSC mark would be:

(76 + 88) ÷ 2 = 82

That would produce a final HSC mark of 82, placing you in Band 5 for a two-unit course.

The examination cannot completely remove your school assessment performance, but it can make a meaningful difference. It also affects the examination results used to moderate your school cohort’s assessment marks.

Your final exams are therefore not a formality. They are one of the two main components of your HSC results and should now become your primary focus.

What Should You Do After Disappointing Trial Results?

1. Wait Until You Have Seen the Actual Paper

The number alone tells you that something went wrong. It does not tell you what went wrong.

Go through every lost mark and classify the cause. Did you:

• Lack the required content knowledge?
• Misread the question?
• Provide insufficient detail?
• Use the wrong structure?
• Make avoidable calculation errors?
• Run out of time?
• Fail to address the marking criteria?

A student who lost marks because of two missing syllabus topics needs a different plan from a student who knew the content but repeatedly failed to answer the question being asked.

Your Trial paper should become a personalised checklist for the final HSC exam.

2. Look for Patterns, Not Isolated Mistakes

Do not spend hours obsessing over one unusual question that is unlikely to appear again.

Instead, identify recurring problems. You might discover that most of your lost marks came from extended responses, unfamiliar applications, poor time management or weak explanation.

These patterns should determine how you study over the coming weeks.

For example, if you lost marks because your essays became rushed, writing more notes is unlikely to solve the problem. You need timed essay practice. If you struggled to apply Physics concepts to unfamiliar situations, rereading the textbook alone will not be enough. You need to complete more application-based questions and analyse the marking guidelines.

3. Stop Treating Every Subject Equally

After Trials, your study plan should become more strategic.

Some subjects might require major content revision. Others may only need regular exam practice. You should allocate your time according to:

• The size of the gap between your current and target performance
• How easily the lost marks can be recovered
• The number of units that may contribute to your ATAR
• Your upcoming exam timetable
• The specific weaknesses revealed by your Trials

This does not mean abandoning your lowest subject. It means deciding where each hour of study is likely to have the greatest effect.

4. Practise Under Real Exam Conditions

Completing questions with your notes open and no time limit can create a false sense of confidence.

Begin completing full sections and papers under realistic conditions. Follow the official time limit, remove your notes and use only the equipment permitted in the examination.

After marking each paper, record your errors. Your goal is not simply to complete as many papers as possible. Your goal is to make sure the same mistake does not appear in the next one.

5. Ask for Specific Feedback

Instead of asking your teacher, “How do I improve?”, ask a focused question such as:

• Why did this response receive three marks rather than five?
• What was missing from my thesis?
• Where did my calculation method become incorrect?
• How could I have answered this more efficiently?
• Which topics should I prioritise before the HSC?

Specific questions are more likely to produce advice you can immediately apply.

A tutor can also help you distinguish between a content problem, an exam-technique problem and a time-management problem. This is particularly useful when you are studying consistently but your marks are not improving.

When Should You Genuinely Be Concerned?

You should take your Trial results seriously when they reveal a persistent problem rather than a single poor performance.

For example, you may need to make substantial changes when:

• Your Trial result follows several weak assessment results
• You have large gaps in syllabus knowledge
• You are repeatedly unable to finish exams
• You understand content but cannot apply it independently
• Your study routine is inconsistent or unsustainable
• You do not know why you are losing marks

Even in these situations, concern should lead to action rather than panic.

There is still a major difference between recognising that your current approach is not working and deciding that improvement is impossible. Trials are useful precisely because they reveal these problems before the external examinations.

Avoid Trying to Predict Your Exact ATAR From Trial Marks

Trial marks are not scaled HSC marks, and an ATAR estimate based only on your raw Trial percentages will be unreliable.

UAC calculates the ATAR from scaled marks in eligible HSC courses. Scaling considers your position in each course and the performance of the students studying that course. A higher raw HSC mark in one subject does not necessarily produce a higher scaled mark than a slightly lower result in another subject.

Online ATAR calculators can be useful for exploring possible scenarios, but they rely on historical scaling data and predicted HSC marks. They cannot know exactly how future marks will be scaled.

Rather than repeatedly entering your Trial results into calculators, focus on the marks you can still earn.

Study Guide: The Ultimate 99+ ATAR 30-day Study Guide (updated 2025) | KIS Academics

Need to get exam ready in 30 days? Let me show you how I organised my time to get a 99.90 ATAR.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

How to build a study routine for a perfect ATAR

Hi, my name’s Poppy, and I’m excited to share how I achieved a 99.95 ATAR, and help you build a study routine to achieve your best too!

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

How to get a 99+ ATAR - A Medical Student’s Study Routine

As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Trials Are Feedback, Not a Final Verdict

A disappointing Trial result matters, but it is not the same thing as a final HSC result or an ATAR.

Your Trials have shown you how your current preparation performs under examination conditions. That information may be uncomfortable, but it is extremely valuable. You now have the opportunity to correct weak topics, improve your exam technique and enter the HSC examinations with a much clearer plan.

Do not waste the remaining weeks repeatedly calculating what your ATAR might be. Review what happened, decide what needs to change and start collecting the marks that are still available.

For students who need more targeted support, a KIS Academics tutor can help analyse Trial feedback, prioritise weaknesses and build a practical HSC study plan around the time remaining.

Want more personalised guidance to help support you through your studies? Find a KIS Academics tutor today!

What Our Students & Parents Say

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Choosing between UTS and Macquarie University isn't as straightforward as comparing global rankings or ATAR cut-offs.

On paper, both universities are excellent. Both have modern facilities, strong graduate employment outcomes and respected degrees across Business, IT, Health and Science.

But after spending time on both campuses, you quickly realise they offer completely different university experiences.

UTS feels like an extension of Sydney's CBD. It's fast-paced, practical and connected to industry. Macquarie, on the other hand, feels much more like the traditional university experience. It's spacious, leafy and has a stronger sense of community because almost everything happens on one large campus.

If you're trying to decide between the two, this guide will walk you through the differences that actually matter—not just the ones you'll find in university brochures.

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Does Ranking Matter?

It's usually the first thing students look at, but probably the least important.

Macquarie generally appears higher than UTS in many international university rankings. That sounds impressive until you realise those rankings are largely based on research output, academic citations and international reputation.

If you're a Year 12 student wondering where you'll get the better education, those rankings won't tell you much.

Neither employer nor interviewer is likely to care whether your university was ranked 130th or 90th in the world. They'll care about what you've actually done during university—your internships, work experience, extracurricular involvement and communication skills.

So rather than chasing rankings, think about where you'll actually enjoy studying for the next three or four years.

Campus & Location

This is probably the biggest difference between the two universities.

UTS doesn't really have what most people imagine when they think of a university campus.

Instead, it's a collection of modern high-rise buildings spread throughout Sydney's CBD, directly opposite Central Station.

Some people love this.

You can leave a lecture and be eating ramen in Chinatown ten minutes later. Darling Harbour, Haymarket and the city are literally your backyard.

Others find it lacks that traditional university atmosphere. Students often head home straight after class because there isn't one central campus where everyone naturally gathers.

Macquarie couldn't be more different.

Everything is centred around one enormous campus in Macquarie Park.

There are huge open lawns, lakes, cafés, study spaces and sports facilities. Students tend to spend the entire day on campus rather than commuting in just for lectures.

One thing that's often overlooked is how convenient Macquarie has become. Since the Metro opened, getting there is surprisingly easy, and having Macquarie Centre literally next door is a luxury you don't fully appreciate until you're a student there.

Need groceries?

Forgot your charger?

Want to watch a movie after class?

It's all a two-minute walk away.

Student Life & Culture

If you're looking for the stereotypical university experience—the one you see in movies—Macquarie probably comes closer.

Because students spend more time on campus, clubs and societies tend to feel more visible. You'll regularly see people studying on the lawns, grabbing coffee between lectures or hanging around after classes.

UTS has plenty of clubs as well, but the atmosphere is different.

Many students commute from all over Sydney, attend classes, then head straight to work or home.

That's partly because UTS attracts a lot of students balancing university with part-time jobs, and partly because the CBD itself becomes your social space rather than the campus.

Neither environment is better, it really comes down to what you're looking for.

Food Around Campus

This one is surprisingly difficult because both universities score highly—but for different reasons.

UTS arguably has the greatest variety of food of any university in Sydney.

Step outside campus and you have access to Chinatown, Haymarket, Darling Square and hundreds of cafés, restaurants and dessert shops.

You're genuinely spoiled for choice.

Macquarie, however, has one huge advantage.

Macquarie Centre.

Having one of Australia's largest shopping centres directly beside your university is incredibly convenient. There are dozens of restaurants, cafés and takeaway options, plus supermarkets when you're trying to save money.

If you're someone who enjoys trying new food every week, UTS probably wins.

If convenience matters more, Macquarie is hard to beat.

Which University Is Better For Your Degree?

There isn't one winner across every discipline. Macquarie has built an outstanding reputation in Psychology, Business, Accounting, Finance and Health Sciences. UTS is often the stronger choice for Design, Architecture, IT, Computer Science, Engineering and Media thanks to its practical teaching style and close industry connections.

The biggest advice I'd give is this: Don't compare universities and instead compare faculties. A university that's excellent for Engineering might not be the best choice for Psychology.

Teaching Style

The teaching philosophies are noticeably different.

UTS has always positioned itself as Australia's leading university of technology. Expect plenty of group projects, presentations, industry case studies and practical assignments. You'll often hear students joking that "everything is a group assignment."

Macquarie strikes a balance between theory and practice. Depending on your degree, you'll generally find slightly more traditional lectures combined with tutorials, labs and practical work.

Neither approach is better—they simply suit different learning styles.

Graduate Employability

Both universities perform well when it comes to graduate employment.

UTS benefits enormously from its location. Many students complete internships in the CBD during semester because employers are only a short train ride—or even walk—away.

Macquarie has a different advantage.

Macquarie Park has quietly become one of Australia's biggest business and technology precincts, with companies including Microsoft, Optus, Johnson & Johnson and many others based nearby.

Students often underestimate how valuable that proximity can be when applying for internships.

Final Verdict

After comparing the two, I don't think one university is objectively better.

They're simply built for different students.

Choose UTS if you:

• Want to study in the middle of Sydney.
• Like practical, industry-focused learning.
• Are interested in Design, Engineering, IT or Media.
• Prefer the energy of the CBD.

Choose Macquarie University if you:

• Want a traditional campus experience.
• Like having everything in one place.
• Are studying Psychology or Health.
• Want a quieter, more community-focused environment.

Both universities will give you excellent opportunities.

The better question isn't "Which university is better?"

It's:

"Which university feels more like somewhere I'd actually enjoy spending the next three or four years?"

If you can, attend both Open Days, walk around the campus, sit in the food court and talk to current students. You'll learn more in two hours on campus than you will from reading twenty ranking tables.

Still need help deciding which University to go to or how to boost your HSC marks to get into the career pathway you want? Check out more of our University and HSC study guides.

Need more Academic support to get into the degree of your dreams?

Whether you're aiming for Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, Law or another competitive degree, achieving a strong ATAR is the first step. At KIS Academics, our experienced tutors have helped hundreds of students maximise their results and gain admission to Australia's top universities.

If you're ready to put yourself in the best position for university success, get in touch with KIS Academics today.

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As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

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Study Guide: The Ultimate 99+ ATAR 30-day Study Guide (updated 2025) | KIS Academics

Need to get exam ready in 30 days? Let me show you how I organised my time to get a 99.90 ATAR.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Want more personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor from KIS Academics can make the biggest difference!

What Our Students & Parents Say

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If you've narrowed your university choices down to Macquarie University (MQ) and Western Sydney University (WSU), you're probably wondering which one is actually better.

Both universities have grown enormously over the past decade.

Macquarie has developed a reputation for strong business, psychology and health programs, while Western Sydney University has invested heavily in modern campuses, practical learning and industry partnerships.

So which one should you choose?

Let's compare them from the perspective of what actually matters as a student.

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Does University Ranking Matter?

This is probably the first thing students compare.

Macquarie generally ranks higher in global university rankings than Western Sydney University.

However, rankings don't tell the whole story.

They mainly measure:

• Research output
• International reputation
• Academic citations
• Research funding

They don't measure:

• Teaching quality
• Student experience
• Industry placements
• Campus culture
• How much you'll enjoy your degree

For most employers, your work experience, internships and extracurricular involvement matter far more than whether your university ranked 130th or 350th globally.

Campus & Location

Macquarie University

Macquarie's biggest advantage is its campus.

Everything is located together in one enormous modern campus with plenty of green space.

Even better, it has its own Metro station, making it one of the easiest universities in Sydney to reach.

Macquarie Centre is literally next door.

That means students have immediate access to:

• Hundreds of shops
• Restaurants
• Cafés
• Gyms
• Cinemas
• Supermarkets

Many students end up spending just as much time at Macquarie Centre as they do on campus.

Western Sydney University

Western Sydney University is different.

Rather than having one campus, WSU has multiple campuses across Greater Western Sydney including:

• Parramatta
• Penrith
• Campbelltown
• Liverpool
• Hawkesbury
• Bankstown

The experience depends heavily on which campus your course is based at.

The newer Parramatta City campus is particularly impressive, with modern learning spaces and excellent public transport connections.

Macquarie wins if you want a traditional university campus.

WSU wins if you live in Western Sydney and want a campus close to home.

Student Life

Macquarie

Macquarie has a relaxed atmosphere. Students tend to stay on campus between classes because there are plenty of cafés, lawns and study spaces. There are over 130 clubs and societies covering everything from sport and gaming to culture and professional networking.

WSU

WSU students often have a stronger sense of community because many live locally. The university places a strong emphasis on inclusivity and supporting first-generation university students. Its societies are active, although generally smaller than those at Macquarie.

Food Around Campus

Macquarie

This category isn't even close. Being next door to Macquarie Centre means students have access to dozens of cafés, restaurants and fast-food options within a two-minute walk.

Whether you're after sushi, burgers, bubble tea or a quick coffee between lectures, you'll have plenty of choice.

WSU

Food options vary by campus. Parramatta has excellent nearby dining options, while some of the suburban campuses have fewer choices.

Which University Is Better For Your Degree?

Business

🥇 Macquarie

Strong industry links and a well-regarded business school.

Psychology

🥇 Macquarie

One of Australia's best-known psychology programs.

Accounting & Finance

🥇 Macquarie

Excellent reputation among employers.

Health Sciences

I'd say very close. Both universities have invested heavily in health education and clinical placements.

Nursing

Slight edge to Western Sydney University because of its strong hospital partnerships throughout Greater Western Sydney.

Education

Very close again. WSU has an excellent reputation for teacher education, particularly in Western Sydney.

Graduate Employability

This is where many students overthink things. Neither university is likely to limit your career opportunities. Employers care far more about:

• Internships
• Work experience
• Networking
• Communication skills
• Leadership experience

Students who actively seek opportunities during university often outperform graduates from more prestigious universities who only focus on grades.

Industry Connections

Both universities place a strong emphasis on employability.

Macquarie benefits from its proximity to the Macquarie Park business precinct, which is home to many global companies in technology, finance and healthcare.

Western Sydney University has extensive partnerships with local industries, hospitals, schools and government organisations across Greater Western Sydney, creating valuable placement opportunities for students.

Final Verdict

Choose Macquarie University if you:

• Want a traditional university campus.
• Prefer a single, well-connected location.
• Are studying Business, Psychology or Finance.
• Value having Macquarie Centre right next door.

Choose Western Sydney University if you:

• Live in Western Sydney.
• Want practical, career-focused learning.
• Are studying Nursing, Education or Health.
• Prefer smaller campuses and a strong local community.

Still need help deciding which University to go to or how to boost your HSC marks to get into the career pathway you want? Check out more of our University and HSC study guides.

Need more Academic support to get into the degree of your dreams?

Whether you're aiming for Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, Law or another competitive degree, achieving a strong ATAR is the first step. At KIS Academics, our experienced tutors have helped hundreds of students maximise their results and gain admission to Australia's top universities.

If you're ready to put yourself in the best position for university success, get in touch with KIS Academics today.

How to memorise English Essays effectively and adapt them to ANY question

Struggling to see how you’ll write a whole essay in only 40 minutes? Not sure whether you should memorise an essay or go in blind? We got you! Here’s our fool proof step-by-step guide to memorise essays that you can adapt to ANY question.

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KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

How to get a 99+ ATAR - A Medical Student’s Study Routine

As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Study Guide: The Ultimate 99+ ATAR 30-day Study Guide (updated 2025) | KIS Academics

Need to get exam ready in 30 days? Let me show you how I organised my time to get a 99.90 ATAR.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Want more personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor from KIS Academics can make the biggest difference!

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇

If you're reading this article, chances are you've already narrowed your university choices down to the University of New South Wales (UNSW) and the University of Sydney (USYD).

Good news—you really can't go wrong with either.

Both universities consistently rank among Australia's best, produce world-class research and have excellent graduate outcomes. If someone told you they got into either university, nobody would bat an eyelid.

But despite their similarities, they offer very different university experiences.

One has a bustling campus packed with engineering projects, startup culture and arguably the best clubs and societies in Australia. The other is famous for its stunning sandstone architecture, rich history and traditional university experience.

So which one is actually better?

As someone who studies at UNSW and has plenty of friends (and even a brother) studying at USYD, here's my honest comparison.

Table of Contents

• Does University Ranking Actually Matter?
• Campus & Location
• Student Culture
• Clubs & Societies
• Food Around Campus
• Accomodation
• Engineering, Commerce, Medicine & Law
• Semesters vs Trimesters
• Teaching Style
• Graduate Employability

Does University Ranking Actually Matter?

Let's get the obvious question out of the way. Yes, both universities rank incredibly well internationally.

Every year you'll see slightly different numbers depending on whether you're looking at QS, Times Higher Education or another ranking system. But after speaking with graduates and employers, rankings honestly matter far less than high school students think.

Unless you're planning to work overseas immediately after graduation, employers care much more about:

• Your internship experience
• Your extracurricular involvement
• Your communication skills
• Your portfolio
• Your grades

Nobody gets hired simply because they went to USYD instead of UNSW. Choose the university where you think you'll actually enjoy spending the next four or five years.

Campus & Location

UNSW

UNSW is located in Kensington, around 15–20 minutes from Central via the Light Rail. The campus feels enormous. It's spread across a huge area with wide walkways, green lawns, modern buildings and dedicated precincts for Engineering, Business, Science and Medicine. Because everything is concentrated into one campus, it feels like a little city. One downside is there isn't a train station directly outside campus, although the new Light Rail has made getting there much easier.

Another huge bonus?

You're only a short bus ride from Coogee Beach!

USYD

USYD sits between Camperdown and Darlington. It's only about a 10-minute walk from Redfern Station and even closer to Newtown. Walking through campus genuinely feels like something out of Harry Potter!

The sandstone buildings are beautiful and there's no denying that USYD has one of Australia's most iconic campuses. Because it's so close to Newtown and the CBD, there are endless cafés, restaurants and bars within walking distance.

• Want convenience? USYD
• Want a modern campus? UNSW
• Want the prettiest campus? USYD

Student Culture

This is probably the biggest difference.

UNSW

UNSW has one of the strongest student communities in Australia. Orientation Week is massive. Hundreds of clubs compete for your attention, giving away free food, bubble tea, tote bags and merchandise.

The university heavily supports student-run projects.

You'll find societies building:

• Formula Student race cars
• Rockets
• Satellites
• Solar cars
• Medical technology
• Start-ups

If you're studying Engineering, Computer Science or Commerce, you'll never run out of things to get involved in. The culture feels ambitious and people genuinely enjoy building things outside class.

USYD

USYD also has fantastic societies. Law, Medicine, Arts and Business societies are especially active. The overall vibe feels slightly more traditional.

Many students head into Newtown after class rather than staying on campus. You'll also notice more political and activist societies around campus compared to UNSW.

Which Campus Looks Better?

This one's easy in my opinion (but this one is just my opinion).

USYD wins. The sandstone architecture is incredible. It's also a popular tourist destination because of how beautiful it is. UNSW, on the other hand, is much newer and more practical. Think glass square buildings rather than castles.

Food Around Campus

USYD

One advantage of USYD is Newtown.

Within five minutes you have:

• Thai
• Japanese
• Korean
• Vietnamese
• Cafés
• Bubble tea
• Bars
• Dessert shops

You're spoiled for choice.

UNSW

UNSW has improved dramatically in recent years.

You'll find:

• Nene Chicken
• PapaRich
• Soul Origin
• Guzman y Gomez
• Sharetea
• Yallah Eats
• Various cafés

Randwick and Kensington also have plenty of food nearby but perhaps not as trendy.

Which University Is Better For Your Degree?

Engineering

🥇 UNSW

This isn't particularly controversial. UNSW Engineering has one of the strongest reputations in Australia. Its industry links, student projects and practical focus are outstanding.

Computer Science

Slight edge to UNSW. The computing culture is incredibly strong. Hackathons, coding competitions and startup opportunities are everywhere, but same as USYD.

Commerce

Very close. Both universities are excellent. UNSW tends to be slightly more industry-focused while USYD leans a little more theoretical however I'd say the difference to employers is negligable.

Medicine

Both are exceptional. Choose based on:

• Course structure
• Entry pathway
• Clinical placements

rather than prestige.

Arts & Humanities

USYD has historically been regarded as stronger in Arts and Humanities. Its long academic history shows here.

Semesters vs Trimesters

This is probably the biggest deciding factor however UNSW is switching back to semesters in 2028 so it doesn't really matter anymore.

UNSW

Three terms.

Pros:

• Smaller course load each term
• Easier to accelerate your degree
• More flexibility

Cons:

• Short two-week breaks
• Easier to burn out
• Harder to travel
• Courses sometimes feel rushed

USYD

Two semesters.

Pros:

• Longer holidays
• More relaxed pace
• Better for internships

Cons:

• Heavier workload during semester

Teaching Style

UNSW

• Technical
• Practical
• STEM-focused
• Industry-oriented

USYD

• Research-driven
• Theoretical
• Essay-heavy in many disciplines

Accommodation

USYD has a larger range of historic residential colleges while UNSW has more modern on-campus accommodation, with some catered options.

Off-campus rent is expensive around both universities, although Kensington and Randwick are often slightly cheaper than Camperdown.

Graduate Employability

This is where many students overthink things. Truthfully... There is almost no meaningful difference. Both universities attract major employers and both have outstanding alumni. Getting internships, joining societies and building experience will matter far more than the university logo on your degree.

Final Verdict...

At the end of the day, both universities are outstanding.

Rather than asking "Which university is better?", ask yourself:

Which university feels more like somewhere I'd enjoy spending the next four years?

Visit both Open Days, talk to current students, walk around campus and grab lunch. You'll probably know which one feels right.

Need Help Getting Into UNSW or USYD?

Whether you're aiming for Engineering, Medicine, Commerce, Law or another competitive degree, achieving a strong ATAR is the first step. At KIS Academics, our experienced tutors have helped hundreds of students maximise their results and gain admission to Australia's top universities.

If you're ready to put yourself in the best position for university success, get in touch with KIS Academics today.

How to memorise English Essays effectively and adapt them to ANY question

Struggling to see how you’ll write a whole essay in only 40 minutes? Not sure whether you should memorise an essay or go in blind? We got you! Here’s our fool proof step-by-step guide to memorise essays that you can adapt to ANY question.

KIS Academics BlogKIS Academics

How to get a 99+ ATAR - A Medical Student’s Study Routine

As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Can You Still Get a 90+ ATAR If You’re Behind?

Worried you’re behind in Year 12? Learn how you can still achieve a 90+ ATAR with the right strategy, study methods, and support from expert tutors.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Study Guide: The Ultimate 99+ ATAR 30-day Study Guide (updated 2025) | KIS Academics

Need to get exam ready in 30 days? Let me show you how I organised my time to get a 99.90 ATAR.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

Want more personalised study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor from KIS Academics can make the biggest difference!

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇

Planning ahead for the 2027 school year? Whether you're organising family holidays, booking childcare, preparing for SACE exams or scheduling tutoring, having the complete South Australian school calendar in one place makes planning much easier.

This guide includes:

• South Australia School Term Dates 2027
• South Australia School Holiday Dates 2027
• South Australia Public Holidays 2027

Bookmark this page—we update it whenever the South Australian Government releases any changes.

South Australia School Term Dates 2027

South Australia School Holiday Dates 2027

South Australia Public Holidays 2027

Need Extra Support During the School Year?

Whether your child is preparing for NAPLAN, SACE, ATAR, scholarship exams or simply wants to improve their confidence in Maths, English or Science, KIS Academics offers personalised tutoring designed to help South Australian students achieve their academic goals.

Ready to help your child succeed in 2027? Contact KIS Academics today to learn more about our tutoring programs.

Let us find the perfect match for you and your child.

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇

Planning ahead for the 2027 school year? Whether you're organising family holidays, booking childcare, preparing for ATAR exams or scheduling tutoring, having the complete Western Australian school calendar in one place makes planning much easier.

This guide includes:

• Western Australia School Term Dates 2027
• WA School Holiday Dates 2027
• WA Public Holidays 2027

Bookmark this page—we update it whenever the Western Australian Government releases any changes.

Western Australia School Term Dates 2027

Western Australia School Holiday Dates 2027

Western Australia Public Holidays 2027

Need Extra Support During the School Year?

Whether your child is preparing for NAPLAN, ATAR, scholarship exams or simply wants to improve their confidence in Maths, English or Science, KIS Academics offers personalised tutoring designed to help Western Australian students achieve their academic goals.

Ready to help your child succeed in 2027?

Let us find the perfect match for you and your child.

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇

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Planning ahead for the 2027 school year? Whether you're organising family holidays, booking childcare, preparing for QCE exams or scheduling tutoring, having the complete Queensland school calendar in one place makes planning much easier.

This guide includes:

• Queensland School Term Dates 2027
• Queensland School Holiday Dates 2027
• Queensland Public Holidays 2027
• Student-Free & Professional Development Days
• Access to Queensland school holidays iCalendar

Bookmark this page—we update it whenever the Queensland Government releases any changes.

Queensland School Term Dates 2027

Queensland schools begin Term 4 on a Tuesday because the King's Birthday public holiday is observed on the first Monday in October.

Queensland School Holiday Dates 2027

Queensland Public Holidays 2027

* The Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) public holiday generally applies to the Brisbane local government area. Other regional councils may observe different show holidays.

Staff professional development days

Term 1: Thursday 21 January, Friday 22 January, Monday 25 January—3 days

Term 2: Thursday 8 April to Friday 9 April—2 days

Term 3: Friday 3 September—1 day

Subscribe to Queensland school holidays iCalendar

For Apple devices (IOS)

1. Copy the calendar URL—http://education.qld.gov.au/about/Documents/qld-school-holidays.ics External link
2. On your iPhone, open Settings
3. Scroll down and select Calendar
4. Select Accounts
5. Select Add Account
6. Select Other
7. Under Calendars, select Add Subscribed Calendar
8. Paste the URL into the Server field.
9. Select Next
10. Adjust any settings (description/name, alerts, etc.)
11. Select Save

For Android devices

1. Open up and log into your personal Google account at http://www.google.com/calendar External link
2. On the left hand side of the page select Other Calendars and select the drop down arrow
3. Select Add by URL
4. Copy and paste the URL—http://education.qld.gov.au/about/Documents/qld-school-holidays.ics
5. Select Add Calendar

Need Extra Support During the School Year?

Whether your child is preparing for NAPLAN, ATAR, scholarship exams or simply wants to improve their confidence in Maths, English or Science, KIS Academics offers personalised tutoring designed to help students achieve their academic goals.

Ready to help your child succeed in 2027?

Let us find the perfect match for you and your child.

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇