ATAR Cut-Offs for Australian Universities: UNSW, USYD, UTS, and Macquarie

ATAR cutoffs have two distinct jobs. For school leavers applying through standard ATAR-based entry, they determine whether an offer comes through. For home-educated students and non-standard applicants, they do something different and equally useful: they tell you how competitive a course is, which helps you calibrate which alternative pathway will get you there.

A course with a cutoff of 99 requires a fundamentally different strategy than a course with a cutoff of 70. Understanding the cutoff landscape for Sydney's major universities — UNSW, University of Sydney, UTS, and Macquarie — gives you a realistic map before you commit to a pathway.

One important note on how cutoffs work before we get into the numbers: the ATAR cutoff published for a given year is the lowest ATAR that received an offer in that round. It is not a minimum requirement. It reflects demand. A course with a cutoff of 85 this year might drop to 82 next year if fewer students apply. Conversely, a cutoff can rise if a course becomes more popular. Published cutoffs are a guide to competitive pressure, not a hard floor.

UNSW Sydney — ATAR Cut-Offs by Faculty

UNSW is one of the more competitively selective universities in Australia. Its Commerce, Law, Engineering, and Medicine programs consistently attract large applicant pools, which keeps cutoffs high.

Commerce and Business

The Bachelor of Commerce at UNSW is one of its most popular programs. The ATAR cutoff for Commerce has historically sat in the high 80s to low 90s — typically around 88 to 93 depending on the year. Combined degrees push higher. A Bachelor of Commerce / Law combination at UNSW has required ATARs in the high 90s, often above 99.

For a home-educated student targeting Commerce, the UNSW-specific alternative pathways worth knowing are the Gateway Admission Pathway (up to 15 ATAR adjustment points for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds), the Uni Prep Program (fee-free bridging), and Portfolio Entry for Arts and Design programs. Commerce-specific portfolio entry is limited, so the Gateway or OUA pathways are the most practical routes into UNSW Commerce without a high ATAR.

Engineering

UNSW Engineering cutoffs typically range from mid-80s for Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in some disciplines up to the low 90s for Software Engineering and Computer Science. The combination of Engineering and Computer Science has required ATARs above 95 in recent years.

Medicine

UNSW Medicine (Doctor of Medicine) is a graduate-entry program and does not use an ATAR for entry. It requires an undergraduate degree with strong GPA results plus a GAMSAT score. This is relevant for home-educated students who might not be positioned for undergraduate medicine at other institutions — UNSW's postgraduate model is more accessible for non-standard applicants with strong undergraduate academic records.

Actuarial Studies

At UNSW, Actuarial Studies is one of its more competitive programs. Expect an ATAR cutoff in the low-to-mid 90s. At the University of Sydney, actuarial studies programs have similar competitive pressure — the Bachelor of Actuarial Studies at USyd has required ATARs around 93 to 96 in recent years.

For home-educated students aiming at actuarial programs, the honest advice is to build toward the target via OUA subjects in mathematics and statistics. Demonstrating strong tertiary performance in quantitative subjects is the most credible alternative to a high ATAR for programs that use numerical reasoning as a primary selection criterion.

University of Sydney (USYD) — ATAR Requirements by Course

USyd sits within the Group of Eight research universities, and its ATAR cutoffs reflect that position. Most undergraduate programs have cutoffs between 75 and 95, with competitive professional programs at the upper end.

General undergraduate programs

Bachelor of Arts at USyd typically requires an ATAR around 80. Bachelor of Science sits similarly. Bachelor of Commerce (now administered through the Business School) has typically required ATARs in the mid-to-high 80s.

Architecture and design

USyd's architecture programs use a Portfolio Admissions Pathway. A portfolio of up to 12 pieces can offset an ATAR deficit entirely. This makes architecture one of the more accessible competitive programs at a sandstone university for non-standard applicants, because the selection criterion includes demonstrated creative ability, not just a number.

Law

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (combined) at USyd has historically required ATARs above 99. This is one of the most selective undergraduate programs in the country. For a home-educated student targeting law, the most realistic path at USyd is gaining entry through an undergraduate degree first, completing it with a strong GPA, and applying to the Juris Doctor (graduate law). The JD does not require an ATAR — it requires a prior undergraduate degree and an LSAT score.

Non-standard entry at USyd

USyd's STAT Entry Scheme is available for domestic students who left school without an HSC two or more years prior and are at least 18 by July 31 of the admission year. The STAT is not available to current school-age applicants or to students who have already completed significant higher education elsewhere. For home-educated students who are 17 and want to enter USyd, TAFE or bridging courses are more accessible than waiting for STAT eligibility.

UTS (University of Technology Sydney) — ATAR Cut-Offs

UTS is one of Australia's strongest technology and professional practice universities. Its Computer Science and IT programs are particularly competitive.

Computer Science and IT

The Bachelor of Computer Science at UTS has typically required an ATAR around 80 to 86 in recent years. The combined degree in Computer Science with Business has pushed into the high 80s. For a home-educated student, UTS does not have the same breadth of portfolio or non-ATAR pathways as some other institutions. The practical route into UTS Computer Science without an ATAR is a TAFE Diploma in IT or a strong OUA result in quantitative subjects, submitted as a non-year 12 application.

Communications and creative industries

UTS Communications programs — journalism, public relations, media — have had ATAR cutoffs that vary from the mid-70s to the low 80s depending on the specialisation. Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) at UTS has typically sat around 78 to 82.

The Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation at UTS, a distinctive interdisciplinary program, has historically had cutoffs in the mid-80s but also places significant weight on a personal statement and supplementary application — giving non-standard applicants a foothold.

Engineering

UTS Engineering programs generally require ATARs in the mid-to-high 70s to low 80s, lower than UNSW equivalents. Software Engineering has required around 82 to 86. This is an important distinction if a student is targeting an engineering degree at a Sydney university — UTS Engineering is meaningfully less selective than UNSW Engineering, and the alternative pathways to get there are correspondingly more accessible.

Non-standard entry at UTS

UTS assesses non-school leaver admissions and emphasises VET pathways. Early entry programs are available based on Year 11 equivalent performance and extracurricular portfolios for school students, but home-educated students apply as non-year 12 applicants through UAC, with their TAFE or OUA results as the primary selection criterion.

Macquarie University — ATAR Cut-Offs

Macquarie is a strong university that occupies a middle tier in terms of selectivity — less competitive than Go8 institutions, but more competitive than regional universities. This makes it a realistic target for home-educated students using alternative pathways.

General ATAR landscape

Macquarie's cutoffs typically range from the low 70s to the high 80s. Bachelor of Arts around 72-78, Bachelor of Science around 75-82, Bachelor of Commerce around 78-85. These cutoffs are achievable via alternative pathway selection ranks — for example, a completed TAFE Certificate IV generating a selection rank of approximately 74 is competitive for a significant proportion of Macquarie's program offerings.

Macquarie Next Step Pathway

This is one of the most useful non-ATAR pathways in Sydney. Non-school applicants enroll in four undergraduate Macquarie units alongside current students. Achieving the required grades guarantees transition into the corresponding bachelor's degree. There is no ATAR requirement to enter the Next Step Pathway — the entry criterion is the ability to handle the coursework. This makes Macquarie Next Step one of the most accessible routes into a Group of Eight-adjacent Sydney university for home-educated students.

What a Diploma of Business Does to Your Selection Rank

This comes up frequently and is worth addressing directly. A completed AQF Diploma of Business — obtained through TAFE or a registered training organisation — generates a selection rank that varies slightly by state TAC but is generally assessed in the range of 74 to 82, depending on the institution and the GPA achieved in the Diploma.

A Certificate IV in Business yields a lower rank, typically around 74 — enough for entry into most Macquarie programs, some UTS programs, and a wide range of regional university business degrees, but not competitive for UNSW Commerce or USyd Business School programs.

The practical implication: if a home-educated student's target is commerce or business at UNSW or USyd, a TAFE Diploma alone is unlikely to be competitive for those specific institutions. The most viable routes to UNSW or USyd Business are through strong OUA results, the Macquarie Next Step pathway followed by a cross-institutional transfer, or the UNSW Gateway Pathway if socioeconomic eligibility applies.

For most other Sydney business programs, a Diploma of Business is a genuinely competitive credential that bypasses the ATAR entirely.

The Honest Picture: Which Sydney University Is Most Accessible Without an ATAR

Ranked by accessibility for home-educated students through alternative pathways:

1. Macquarie — Next Step Pathway, broad TAFE recognition, moderate cutoffs
2. UTS — Strong VET pathway recognition, engineering cutoffs more accessible than UNSW
3. UNSW — Gateway Pathway and Uni Prep available, but Commerce and Engineering cutoffs require strong alternative credentials
4. USyd — Portfolio pathway for creative programs, STAT available at 18+, but most programs require strong tertiary GPA from OUA or bridging

None of these universities is unreachable without an ATAR. The question is how much runway you need — how early to start building the alternative credential that creates your selection rank.

The Australia University Admissions Framework maps each of these institutions' alternative entry schemes in detail, including the specific OUA subjects that align with each faculty's selection criteria and the deadlines that apply to non-year 12 applications through UAC.

See more Australia homeschool guides →