When you apply for a university course, your subjects are checked in two stages. First, the university looks at whether you’ve completed the subjects the course requires. Then it ranks everyone who has, usually by their ATAR, a rank that compares Year 12 results across students in the same age group.
The subjects you choose for Year 11 and 12 affect both stages. Understanding how each one works makes it easier to plan a set of subjects that suits the courses you’re interested in, whether you’re choosing for the first time or thinking about a change.
Check requirements for the right year
Subject requirements can change from year to year, and they’re usually published well ahead of time so students can plan before choosing their senior subjects. When you look up a course, make sure you’re checking the requirements for the year you’d be applying, rather than the year you’re in now. If you haven’t settled on which courses to look at yet, our guide to finding a university course that fits you is a good place to start.
Reading a course’s entry requirements
Subject requirements usually fall into three categories, and each one tells you something different about how a subject affects your application.
Prerequisites are subjects you must complete, often to a minimum standard, before you can be considered for a course. If you haven’t met them, you won’t be considered, no matter how high your ATAR is. For example, some health and science degrees list a science subject as a prerequisite.
Assumed knowledge describes what a course expects you to know when you start. It isn’t always required to receive an offer, but classes are taught as though you have it, so starting without it could mean you begin your first year at a disadvantage.
Recommended studies aren’t required for entry. They’re subjects a university suggests because they could make the move into the course smoother.
Universities don’t all use these categories in the same way. Some list only assumed knowledge and don’t set formal prerequisites at all, while others use all three. When you look at a course, note which category each subject falls into, since that tells you whether it’s a condition of entry or something you could catch up on later.
What a prerequisite asks for
Some subjects, like maths, are offered at more than one level. When a prerequisite names a subject like this, it usually specifies the level too, and a different level of the same subject may not count. For example, if a course lists an advanced level of maths as a prerequisite, studying a lower level of maths won’t meet it.
Many prerequisites also set a minimum result. This is usually based on your result in the subject itself, rather than the adjusted score used to calculate your ATAR.
The wording of a prerequisite tells you how much flexibility you have. Some name one specific subject, while others accept any subject from a group, such as any English subject or one of several sciences. A science degree, for example, might ask for English, a particular level of maths, and one of biology, chemistry or physics. In some cases, the minimum result also differs depending on which subject from the group you take, such as a higher minimum for English as an Additional Language.
Choosing a level is a balance. A higher level could meet more prerequisites, but only if you can reach the result the course asks for. Your teachers can help you judge which level suits you based on how you’ve performed so far.
Requirements inside a degree
Getting into a degree is one set of requirements, but the individual units you study once you’re enrolled can have their own. A unit is a single subject at university, usually taken over one semester, and some universities call them courses or subjects instead.
Some units have prerequisites, which can include a high school subject, and you can’t enrol in a unit until you’ve met them. Others list assumed knowledge, and some first-year units expect a particular level of maths, for example.
This means a degree with no subject prerequisites for entry can still include units that expect a school subject you haven’t taken. If you’re interested in a particular major, which is a set sequence of units in one study area, check what its first-year units expect as well as the degree’s entry requirements.
Subjects that count towards an ATAR
The ATAR is calculated slightly differently depending on where you study, so the rules about which subjects count vary too. Common rules include:
- Requirements around English, which often needs to be completed to receive an ATAR
- Limits on how many subjects of a certain type can be included
- Combinations that can’t both count, such as 2 levels of maths
- Vocational qualifications, which can count towards an ATAR in some cases
For the rules that apply to you, check your school’s senior subject handbook or speak to your Careers Advisor.
Where scaling and adjustment factors fit
Once your results are finalised, two other processes may use them.
Scaling adjusts results so students who studied different combinations of subjects can be compared fairly.
Adjustment factors are points some universities add to your ATAR for a specific course, and some are awarded for strong results in subjects related to that course. They only apply to the course offering them and don’t change your ATAR itself.
Other selection criteria
Some courses assess more than your subjects and ATAR, using additional selection criteria. Examples include:
- A personal statement or questionnaire
- A portfolio of work
- An audition
- An interview or test
Depending on the university, these may be used alongside your selection rank (your ATAR plus any adjustment factors) or instead of it. One university might base half its assessment on the ATAR and split the rest between a portfolio and an interview, while another might set a minimum ATAR and then rank applicants on the other criteria.
If a course you’re interested in asks for a portfolio or audition, subjects that give you regular practice in that area could give you more work to draw on.
If you miss a requirement or change direction
Missing a prerequisite doesn’t always rule a course out, but your options depend on the type of requirement. Some university bridging courses meet a prerequisite once you complete them, while others are designed to fill gaps in assumed knowledge before your course begins. Check with the university which options it accepts for the course you want.
If your interests change during Year 11 and you’re thinking about switching subjects, check your new combination against every course you’re still interested in. Dropping a subject could mean losing a prerequisite for a course you haven’t ruled out.
Getting help with your choices
Your Careers Advisor can help you match course requirements to the subjects your school offers. Subject selection events are also a good chance to ask universities questions directly, and a university’s future students team can answer questions about a specific course.
If you’re still weighing up your senior subjects, you can find more in our subject selection resources.
