Not to worry - it turns out there are lots of other ways to get into uni, further
Use your work and life experience. If you didn't finish Year 12, but you've spent years building up your skills in the workforce, then there is a third entry option to consider: the work and life experience pathway. Universities know that on-the-job training counts for a lot.
If your child is unhappy with their current school, they may choose to complete their senior studies at a different school or through an alternative provider such as an RTO. Students who do not wish to finish Year 12 must either enrol in a tertiary course at an RTO, TAFE or university, or find full-time employment.
With no ATAR, or a low rank, there are essentially three ways to get into university. You can do an appropriate VET training qualification, gain and present general evidence of learning, or do a pathway program organised by a university. Let's explore each of these alternative pathways.
If you're under 18, you need to submit a Parent or Guardian Consent Form when you enrol in subjects or apply for a degree. When your parent or guardian signs the form, it tells us, and your uni, that they: are your legal parent or guardian. give you permission to study.
The legal leaving age is 17
Your child cannot leave schooling until they are 17 years old. Your child must go to a school campus (or an approved alternative) until they finish year 10. After year 10, your child does not need to go to a school campus.
Students will start university after their 18th birthday, this is because no child can enter into a contract before then. Students often need student finance or loans to go to university to cover their fees so generally students will start university when their 18 years old or older.
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a number between 0.00 and 99.95 that indicates a student's position relative to all the students in their age group (ie all 16 to 20 year olds in NSW). So, an ATAR of 80.00 means that you are 20 per cent from the top of your age group (not your Year 12 group).
The ATAR is a number from 0 and 99.95 in intervals of 0.05. The highest rank is 99.95, the next highest 99.90, and so on. The lowest automatically reported rank is 30.00, with ranks below 30.00 being reported as 'less than 30'. Find out more about how ATARs are calculated.
Not to worry - it turns out there are lots of other ways to get into uni, further education and the workforce without year 12. Here's just a few: Study a course through an RTO, such as TAFE. A Certificate III is roughly equivalent to year 12, and certificate IV or diploma courses can be used for University entrance.
In Australia, Year 12 is either the 12th or 13th year of compulsory education or the first or second year of post-compulsory education, depending on the state. However, one may leave school in year 10, after completing a series of compulsory tests, unless in Victoria, or Queensland where no tests are required.
Young people who complete Year 12 tend to make a more successful transition from school to work, but employment outcomes for those who complete an apprenticeship or traineeship are just as good.
If you're hoping to do tertiary study, we should point out that you don't necessarily have to finish high school. There are bridging courses available; just speak to your preferred uni or training provider about it.
What age do students finish University? Typically students finish University when they are 21 years old. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Students who take gap years, go on additional work experience or study in industry or even the course you take can prolong the time you spend at university.
Enrolling in High School as a Mature Age Student
After turning 18, there is still the option of completing high school by enrolling at a high school that accepts mature-age students or at the School of Distance Education.
What is the lowest ATAR ever? In theory, the ATAR is a number ranging from 0.05 to 99.95 in intervals of 0.05. The lowest rank is 0.05, the next lowest 0.10, and so on. But the lowest reported rank is 30.00, with all ranks below 30.00 simply reported as 'less than 30'.
Rank, not a score
So an ATAR of 70 doesn't mean you got 70 percent – it means that you're in the top 30 percent of your year group.
The average ATAR usually sits at around 70.00. Why is this? Although an ATAR of 70 places a student in the top 70% of year 12 students overall, it only places them in the top 50% of students who get an ATAR (since certain students will not finish their year 12 studies).
Ethan Tan, 15, became the youngest student ever to get the highest possible ATAR of 99.95 on Friday. The Cranbrook student is one of only 46 students across the state to have achieved the top ATAR this year, and has his sights set on Cambridge or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for next year.
You haven't faced a year of schooling like this before – so some tips on how to get a good ATAR might be just what you need to face the challenges ahead. Luckily, we've got advice from 12 graduates who received a UQ Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship in 2022 by getting an ATAR of 99.90 or 99.95.
The short answer is: No. Your Year 11 grades do not count towards your ATAR! Essentially, the ATAR is a percentile number that's calculated using your HSC Marks — aka, your Year 12 marks. This uses your final HSC marks and your Year 12 internal assessment grades.
An Open University Student must normally be aged 16 or over by the start date of the module for which they wish to enrol or register.
There is only one known person to ever finish high school before the age of nine. Michael Kearney holds the Guinness World Record for being the youngest person to complete secondary education at the age of six.
Michael Kearney earned a bachelor's degree in anthropology in 1994 at the age of 10 years and four months, making him the youngest person to graduate college ever. Kearney had always been a child prodigy.