If you’re in Year 12 and stressing about your ATAR, you’re not alone. But you might be worrying more than you need to. A lower-than-expected score doesn’t automatically shut the door on university. In fact, there are hundreds of courses across Australia with accessible entry requirements, covering fields as varied as science, education, creative arts, health, and technology. Here’s what you need to know.
More courses than you might think
When you search Course Seeker, the official Australian Government course comparison tool, and filter for courses with an ATAR between 30 and 60, you’ll find 1730 courses to choose from at institutions all around the country. That’s not a handful of obscure degrees; it’s a substantial spread of courses at real universities.
Universities such as University of Tasmania, Charles Sturt University, Federation University, and the University of Melbourne are among those with the lowest ATAR cut-offs, while some institutions set no minimum ATAR at all. Entry requirements also shift from year to year depending on demand, so a course that seemed out of reach one year might be more accessible the next.
Some examples to get you started
To give you a sense of what’s out there, here are a few examples drawn from recent Course Seeker data (note that cut-offs change each year — always check the current figures before applying):
- Bachelor of Animal and Veterinary Biosciences at La Trobe University — in 2025, the lowest rank to receive an offer was around 46.4 excluding adjustment factors
- Bachelor of Business at Melbourne Institute of Technology, in 2019 the median rank to receive an offer was 37.9
- Bachelor of Accounting at La Trobe University the lowest rank to receive an offer in 2025 was 41.80
- Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education) at Federation University offers have been made to applicants with an ATAR of 36.15
- Bachelor of Forensic Science at Deakin University — entry was possible with an ATAR of 51.35
- Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science at Australian Catholic University — accessible with an ATAR of 55
So if you are keen to pursue a career in almost any field imaginable but you are expecting or receive a low ATAR, remember there are still plenty of courses that you could receive an offer for.
If you don’t have any low ATAR options listed on your preferences, or you have them listed but they’re not at the top, you can always change them before the cut-off dates for offer rounds. This could increase your chances of receiving an offer (or offers) that you really want.
You’ll still have choices about where you study
With 31 institutions on Course Seeker offering course options with low ATAR requirements, you may not even be limited by where you want to study. Many courses are also available online, which opens up options at universities in other states without needing to relocate.
Regional universities often set modest entry requirements because they need to provide places for all students finishing Year 12 with the ability to complete a degree, so that’s an opportunity worth considering too. Studying regionally or online doesn’t mean compromising on quality.
What if your preferred course is still out of reach?
If the specific course you want at a specific university has an ATAR requirement you don’t think you’ll meet, you still have options worth exploring. First, it’s worth contacting the university’s Future Students team directly. They can point you towards similar courses with lower entry requirements, or explain how an internal transfer might work — where you start in a related degree, perform well in your first year, and then move across to your preferred programme.
Don’t forget that changing your preferences before the cut-off dates for offer rounds is also a useful strategy. If your results come in lower than expected, moving courses with lower requirements higher on your list could make all the difference.
Find out what’s possible
Perhaps a course you really want to do at a specific university is out of reach if your ATAR doesn’t quite hit the mark. What can you do?
It’s always possible that if they don’t receive a huge amount of applications for a course, you could get in with a lower ATAR. Even if the course you’d like is quite competitive, you’ll still have options. Firstly, it’s worth calling the university directly and having a chat with someone in the Future Students team. They can identify similar courses with lower entry requirements, find bridging or tertiary preparation courses that could do the trick, or explain how internal transfers could work in your favour.
Don’t forget there are lots of alternative pathways to university that don’t require an ATAR at all. Plus these days there are heaps of other options you do straight after school other than uni for now. Then you can apply to uni with work or life experience later.
A note for New Zealand students
New Zealand universities use University Entrance (UE) as their standard entry requirement, rather than a ranked score like Australia’s ATAR. For most undergraduate degrees, achieving UE through NCEA Level 3 is sufficient for entry — so the concept of a “low entry rank” works a little differently. That said, some competitive programmes do use rank scores for entry when places are limited, so it’s always worth checking the specific requirements for your chosen degree on the university’s website or through NZQA.
If you’re considering applying to an Australian University, you’ll need to apply through the relevant Tertiary Admissions Centre (TAC). NZQA will help by and converting your UE to an ATAR for you.
Find out what’s possible for you
A low ATAR doesn’t mean giving up on uni if that’s what you’d like to do next. There are lots of alternative pathways into university that don’t require an ATAR at all, and plenty of other post-school options worth considering too. So if university is your goal and your ATAR is lower than you’d hoped, the sheer number of courses available may surprise you.
Start by browsing Course Seeker to see what’s available in your areas of interest or take a look at university websites to find out your options. Heading to Open Days is also a great way to find out more about courses and speak to faculty staff and future students to get the details about all of your options.
For more information on study pathways and university options, head to our university section. Or if you want to explore potential study pathways in general, we have heaps of other blogs you might like to read here.
