What Are VCE and ATAR? A 5-Minute Guide to Understanding Victoria's High School System

A complete overview of Victoria's VCE curriculum and the ATAR ranking system — helping students and parents quickly grasp the key information for university entry.

What is VCE?

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the high school graduation certificate in Victoria.

Students typically begin the VCE program in Year 11, where they can choose from over 200 available subjects. Most students select at least four or more subjects to count towards their final score.

Each subject is divided into four units (Unit 1–4):

Unit 1 & 2 are usually taken in Year 11
Unit 3 & 4 are completed in Year 12

After completing their VCE studies, students receive a Study Score for each subject, graded out of 50. This is often referred to as the Raw Score.

How Is the Final VCE Study Score Calculated?

Each VCE subject's final score is made up of two main components:

Study Score = SAC (School Assessed Coursework) + Exam (External Examination)

SAC (School Assessed Coursework):

Set and marked by your school throughout Year 12. The format varies depending on the subject and can include tests, essays, reports, projects, or other assessments.

Exam:

Set and administered by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) between October and November each year. Most subjects have one final exam, while a few subjects—like Maths—have two.

Let's look at two examples for a better understanding:

Mathematical Methods:

Unit 3 SAC: 20%
Unit 4 SAC: 20%
Exam 1: 20%
Exam 2: 40%

→ SACs are conducted in Year 12 and set by your school.

→ Exams are conducted in November and set by the VCAA.

Chemistry:

Unit 3 SAC: 20%
Unit 4 SAC: 30%
Final Exam: 50%

→ SACs are done during Year 12 at school.

→ The final exam is held in November and organised by the VCAA.

In summary:

SACs are internal assessments set by your school during Year 12.
Exams are external and set by the VCAA. Most subjects have one exam, but some (e.g., Maths) have two.
SAC is not a specific test format, but a category of school-based assessments that differ by subject.
Your final study score is calculated by combining SACs and exams according to each subject's specific weighting.

What Is the ATAR?

The ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) is a national ranking score used for university admissions across Australia.

For example:

An ATAR of 90 means you performed better than 90% of students nationwide (i.e. you're in the top 10%).
An ATAR of 99.95 puts you in the top 0.05%, essentially the highest possible ranking.

Who Calculates the ATAR?

In Victoria, the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) is responsible for calculating the ATAR.

VTAC takes students' scaled VCE study scores (after scaling) and converts them into a national ranking known as the ATAR.
This ensures students from Victoria can be fairly compared with students from other Australian states.
The ATAR is a relative ranking, not an absolute score.
The maximum ATAR is 99.95.

ATAR Calculation Process:

After students complete the VCE, they receive a Raw Study Score for each subject.
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is responsible for marking and releasing these raw scores.
VTAC takes over and applies scaling adjustments to calculate each subject's Scaled Score.
VTAC uses these scaled scores to calculate the ATAR, which is then used for university admissions ranking.

What Is the "Scaling System"?

The raw study scores in VCE subjects are adjusted through a scaling process, which directly affects the final ATAR.

In high-scaling subjects (e.g. Specialist Maths), a Raw Score of 40 might be scaled up to 52.
In low-scaling subjects (e.g. Business Management), a Raw Score of 40 might be scaled down to 35.

Scaling ensures fairness by accounting for the competitiveness and difficulty of different subjects.

The scaling of each VCE subject is updated annually. Here is the 2024 Scaling Report: https://vtac.edu.au/files/pdf/reports/scaling-report-24.pdf

In other words, choosing the right subjects is crucial.

Different VCE subjects have different scaling effects, and choosing the wrong ones may negatively impact your final ATAR, potentially costing you a spot at your dream university. To achieve a higher ATAR, it's not just about studying hard — strategic subject selection and early planning are just as important.

Austin Education offers one-on-one professional subject selection consultations.

Our experienced advisors will help you choose high-scaling subjects that align with your interests, strengths, and future goals — maximising your ATAR potential.

The Relationship Between VCE Scores and ATAR

As mentioned earlier, the ATAR is calculated based on the Scaled Scores (after subject scaling) of your VCE subjects — specifically, your top six subjects.

The system selects your best four subjects, known as the Primary Four.
These Primary Four subjects each count 100% towards your aggregate score — and English (or an approved English subject) must be one of them.
The next two subjects with lower scores contribute 10% each towards your aggregate.

How to Read Your ATAR Statement

Sample 2024 ATAR Statement from Austin Education Top Scorer

This is a real ATAR statement from a 2024 Austin Education student:

ATAR Score: 99.95

→ In the top 0.05% of students across Australia – the highest possible rank!

Primary Four Subjects (100% weight):

→ English, Specialist Maths, Latin, Mathematical Methods

Fifth and Sixth Subjects (10% weight each):

→ Biology, Chemistry

Final Aggregate Score: 212.26

→ This is the sum of the weighted scaled scores.

→ VTAC then converts this number into a national ATAR ranking.

According to the 2024 ATAR Conversion Table, an aggregate of 212.26 equals an ATAR of 99.95 — the top ranking possible!

https://vtac.edu.au/files/pdf/reports/atar-to-aggregate-24.pdf

Why Are Some Subjects Dated 2023 on the ATAR Statement?

VCE course arrangements vary between schools. Some students choose to complete certain VCE subjects earlier—often in Year 11—based on their academic readiness and study plan. This allows them to build a stronger foundation and reduce pressure in Year 12.

If you'd like to get ahead with early planning, strategic subject selection, and stress-free preparation, contact us for a personalised one-on-one consultation. We'll help tailor your VCE study path based on your progress and goals—maximising your ATAR potential.

Ready to Maximise Your ATAR Potential?

Whether you need strategic subject selection guidance, VCE preparation, or personalised study planning, Austin Education has the expertise to help you achieve your goals.

👉 Book your free consultation today to get started on your VCE journey!

*This article provides a basic overview of the VCE and ATAR systems. Specific subject structures, scoring, and planning options may differ by school and year. For more detailed, individual advice, feel free to reach out for a one-on-one consultation.