High school students have enough to worry about, on top of working through their school leaving exams. They have to set up their University Admissions Centre (UAC) accounts and to figure out what they need to study psychology at university. Adding ATAR to the mix - so much stress! Superprof recommends taking a deep breath and sorting through the information you need for your psychology degree in Australia.
What ATAR is required for psychology degrees?
- The ATAR required for entry into psychology degrees in Australia varies by university. Generally, the ATAR range for psychology programs falls between 75 and 99, depending on factors such as the university’s prestige and program competitiveness.
- Top Universities: For highly ranked institutions like the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, or Australian National University, the ATAR typically needs to be closer to 90-99.
- Mid-Range Universities: Some universities may offer entry to psychology programs with an ATAR as low as 75, though this can vary depending on the specific course and year.
- Additional Entry Requirements: Keep in mind that some universities may also have additional entry requirements like interviews, prerequisite subjects, or supplementary application forms.
A Word on ATAR for Psychology
It would be so much easier for us if the Department of Education assigned minimum ATARs by subject!
Instead, we get each school setting ATAR boundaries. Schools vary ATAR requirements by course - one psychology degree plan might insist on 85 ATAR while another goes as low as 70. And then, we have adjustment factors; those too are set by each school, sometimes for each course on offer.
Finally, admissions boards consider students' personal circumstances when applying for university study. Educational bodies have created a range of schemes to ensure maximum application success, regardless of ATAR.
Long story short: ATAR is not a reliable signpost for access to psychology studies.
Of course, ATAR matters; schools wouldn't insist on them if they didn't so we must give them their due. Further on, we'll cover where Australia's best universities for psychology set their ATAR boundaries.
What Subjects Are Needed to Become a Psychologist?
Required and recommended subjects are far more important than ATAR in determining your access to psychology courses. Without these prerequisites, you have no chance of acceptance into study programs that demand them.
Across the board, every psychology degree Australia lists the English language as a requirement.
Beyond English requirements, the subjects you need depend on the course(s) you choose. Researching this topic, we found Advanced Mathematics and Science - one or more of Chemistry, Biology, Physics, or Earth Science listed as requirements.
Many Australian universities offer double degree plans, pairing psychology studies with a matching subject. Often, the second subject - law, marketing, sociology and others, demand prior knowledge of some subject.
For students, choosing the right psychology degree often depends on their high school course selections. The courses you take at Level 12 have more sway over your university application than the ATAR you earn. How well you do in those courses matters, too.
ATAR Cut-Offs for a Psychology Degree Australia
One could drive oneself mad looking for concrete ATAR information from every school.
Fortunately, most Australian universities post desired ATAR prominently, listing them as 'Guaranteed entry' values. Many list ATAR requirements with and without adjustments. Some rely on last year's ATAR performance to set their current year cut-offs. And some post no ATAR at all.
Instead, they rely on a calculator that tallies point values from various sources. Students investigating such schools manually input the required values into the calculator to get a score. The calculator app then tells you whether you might qualify for consideration.
Typically, schools with very competitive entry use 'the calculator method'.
The University of Sydney is an example of such, as are Deakin, Monash, and LaTrobe universities.
With that said, we're happy to note that most schools are upfront about their ATAR program requirements. To give you an idea of what you might expect, this chart gives you a sampling of ATAR cutoffs for some of Australia's top psychology programs.
| 🏫School name | 📄Course name | 😎Guaranteed ATAR | 😞Minimum ATAR | ⏩Minimum ATAR for pathway to psychology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Queensland | Bachelor of Psychological Science | 88 | 88 | 70 Bachelor of Arts |
| University of Melbourne | Bachelor of Arts | 88 | 86 | 86 |
| University of New South Wales (UNSW) | Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) | 97 | 88.85 | 80 Bachelor of Arts |
| University of Adelaide | Bachelor of Psychology | 70 | 70 | 70 Bachelor of Arts |
| University of Western Australia | Bachelor of Psychology | 80 | 80 | 75 Bachelor of Arts |
| Australian National University (ANU) | Bachelor of Science (Psychology) | 80 | 70 | 80 Bachelor of Arts |
| University of Tasmania | Bachelor of Psychological Science | 66.5 | 65 | 50.40 Bachelor of Arts |
| Charles Darwin University | Bachelor of Psychological Science | 78.15 | 60 | 60 Bachelor of Arts |
The Best Psychology Degree Without ATAR
You might be surprised to learn that the best psychology degrees don't necessarily require an ATAR.
Students from Vocational Education and Training (VET) programs are welcome to apply via UAC despite their education not delivering any final score. Others, such as people who've been out of the education system for a few years, are exempt from ATAR requirements, too. And international students don't have ATAR requirements to fulfil. Furthermore, many online accredited psychology courses don't ask for ATAR.
Those populations aside, providing an ATAR is the general rule. What can you do if yours is too low for the courses you're aiming for?
Finally, you can ensure your path to your future career in psychology by retaking Year 12 and resitting your exams. You might consider this option as a last resort because of the time and effort it demands. Besides, you won't be guaranteed a better outcome.
Optimise Your UAC Application for Your Psychology ATAR
In this article's introduction, we noted that a school requiring a high ATAR usually means entry to their programs is competitive. That could make it harder for you to access the best Psychology degree Australia.
But all is not lost. Throughout this article, we've emphasised that university entry doesn't rely only on ATAR.
How you present yourself as a candidate and what you bring to the school matter just as much.
How you manage your application makes all the difference. To help you achieve the best results, we dedicate the rest of this article to UAC application strategies.
Research Your Options
You know you want to study psychology, but where will you find the best psychology degree Australia? Unfortunately, nobody knows your definition of best. Do you want top online psychology courses, or will you only consider on-campus courses? Other aspects to consider include:
- whether you wish to work with patients or do research
- consider industrial/commercial psychology careers versus humanitarian applications
- the type of psychology you wish to study: clinical psychology, forensic psychology, child psychology and more
Once you have a rough idea of your future plans, you can look for schools with programs to help you achieve them.
First, make a list of learning and career goals.
Then, find the schools that will help you get there.
List Your Preferences
As you comb through the list of schools, choose 10 - twice the number you can apply to. That gives you a greater chance of acceptance into a program of your choice. Be sure to make notes about those programs' pros and cons! And then, rank them in order of preference and be sure to note your reasons for your rankings.
Entry requirements matter but they're not set in stone. Keep them in mind, but don't reject a school over requirements at this stage. You may yet find an alternate pathway into them.
Changing Your Preferences
As you fill out your UAC application, you'll select up to five universities. Place your top-ranked school in first place, even if entry there is hyper-competitive. Later, should you not receive an offer from its admissions office, UAC will promote your second choice, and so on, until you receive an offer.
You can change your preference order before the closing dates for each offer round.
You can also change your selected courses.
You'll likely be bombarded with information during the period between applying and waiting for results. You'll receive emails and updates from the schools and UAC. You might hear something from your teachers or on social media that changes your mind about one of your choices. You might simply decide to study clinical psychology instead of psychological science, for instance.
Students often change their preferences as they wait for the next round of offers to begin. Take advantage of these opportunities to maximise your chances of acceptance into a program you want.
Submit an Eye-Catching Application
UAC streamlines the university application process. You no longer need to scramble for your results to post them, nor do you risk forgetting a document; the system reminds you.
However, some aspects remain from legacy application systems - times when students mailed in paper applications. Some psychology courses require cover letters and personal statements. Others might ask for supporting documentation, such as teacher recommendations.
Your application's nuts and bolts - ATAR, school transcripts and such don't give you much shine. The documents you create, your personal statement and others, are your chance to dazzle.
If you've done volunteer work or have relevant life experience, highlight it in your writing. These are the things that make your application stand out.
You must submit all supporting documentation in PDF format.
Hardcopies, scanned copies and other document formats will not be accepted.
This targeted guidance for the Psychology ATAR question is a part of a larger series on how to become a psychologist in Australia. Click that link to learn all you need to know about earning your psychology degree Australia.
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