To get a 70 ATAR, you generally need study scores around 30-35 in most subjects, translating roughly to consistent B or C+ grades (60-70%) in School Assessed Coursework (SACs) and exams, as a 70 ATAR means you performed better than 70% of your age group, with the median for completing students being around 70, not 50. The exact grades depend on subject scaling, but aiming for average performance in your subjects, often around 30 study scores, is the key.
Getting a 70 ATAR is surprisingly achievable, as it's around the median for students who complete Year 12 (not 50), meaning you only need to be in the top 30% of your cohort, not get 70%. You generally need roughly average scaled study scores of about 30 across your best subjects, which often translates to consistent B+ or around 60-70% on internal assessments (SACs) and exams, though scaling and subject choice play a big role.
It's based on overall HSC results and is designed to be a predictor of your first-year performance at university. 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.
17.3% of students received an ATAR of 90.00 or above. 34.6% of students received an ATAR of at least 80.00. 51.3% of students received an ATAR of at least 70.00.
An ATAR of 70 opens doors to many university courses, including broad degrees like Bachelor of Arts, Science, and Business at various Australian universities, often acting as a solid baseline for entry into fields like Media & Communication, International Relations, or even pathways to Health Sciences, with specific requirements varying by institution and course. Many universities offer entry with an ATAR around 70 for general degrees, though specialized programs or honours often require higher scores, so checking university websites (like ECU, UOW, UWA) for specific course codes is key.
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.
What is the ATAR for Medicine in NSW and Canberra? For students wishing to study medicine in New South Wales, they will need to achieve an ATAR above 90 and in most cases in the mid-90s or even higher.
ATAR 80-89: Very strong performance, qualifying for most courses in fields like business, science, and arts. ATAR 70-79: Slightly above average and acceptable for various courses in universities across Australia. ATAR 50-69: Meets entry for some tertiary education pathways and foundation programs.
An ATAR of 80 is not extremely rare but is a very respectable achievement, placing you in the top 20% of your Year 12 age group, meaning you performed better than 80% of your peers nationally. While the median ATAR is around 70, achieving an 80 is difficult and requires strong performance, though it's considered achievable with consistent effort, unlike very high ATARs (90+) which are much rarer.
A very small number of students achieve the perfect 99.95 ATAR each year, typically ranging from the low 40s to low 50s across Australia, with specific numbers varying by state and cohort size (e.g., 53 in NSW/ACT 2025, 42 in Victoria 2025, 37 in Queensland 2025). This top rank signifies performance in the top 0.05% of the age group, making it exceptionally rare.
What grade is 70 percent in Australia? In most of the universities, it will be considered as Credit (C) or Distinction (D) in Australia.
Assessments and Examinations
Assessment methods differ significantly in Australia and the UK. Australia emphasises a blend of coursework and exams, culminating in ATAR scores for university admissions. Meanwhile, the UK emphasises standardised exams such as GCSEs and A-levels.
HSR – your high school rank at the end of grade 12 may need to be an ATAR of 99 or better for direct entry into medical school, but it is lower for some medical schools; click here for ATAR and entry requirements for every medical school in Australia in 2022.
A 70% is often a B or a C, depending heavily on the grading system, but in many US systems it's a low C or C-, while in Australia, 70-74% is typically a Distinction (D), and 60-69% is a Credit (C). It's crucial to check your specific school or country's scale, as 70% can range from a solid pass to a high B or low Distinction.
The hardest universities to get into in Australia are consistently the University of Sydney, UNSW (University of New South Wales), and the Australian National University (ANU), often cited with low acceptance rates (around 30-35%) and high ATAR cut-offs, especially for competitive courses like Medicine, Law, and Engineering. The University of Melbourne also ranks among the most difficult due to its strong reputation and rigorous entry standards, alongside other Go8 (Group of Eight) universities like UQ and Monash.
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)
If you have an ATAR of 70.00, for example, it indicates that you've achieved as well as or better than 70% of the Year 12 school leaver age population in the state.
Nobody can receive an ATAR of 100, and that's because the ATAR is a rank (not a percentage or mark), measured in increments of 0.05.
A - Distinction (75-79%) B+ - Credit Pass (70-74%) B - Credit Pass (65-69%) C+ - Pass (60-64%) C - Pass (50-59%)
Yes, getting a 70 ATAR is quite achievable for most students who complete Year 12, as it's close to the median ATAR (around 70) for completers, requiring roughly study scores of 30 in subjects, which is more attainable than a 50 average, though it depends on your cohort and scaling. It's considered the average performance for those who stay to get an ATAR, not necessarily an "easy" score, but definitely within reach with consistent effort, not necessarily top marks.
A 75% is usually a B or C, depending on the grading scale, often falling into a B- or C+ range in US systems (around 70-79%) but can sometimes be a solid B or even an A in some international or specific Australian scales where higher scores are harder to get. It's a strong pass, but its letter grade varies by institution, often sitting at the cusp of B/C or B+/C+.
The average ATAR is usually around 70.00.
ATARs are calculated in each state to reflect a student's rank against other students in their state. In NSW, the ATAR is calculated and released by UAC. In the ACT, it's calculated by the ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies, in consultation with UAC, and released by schools.
Easiest Doctor to Become: Family Doctor
The simple answer is that it takes the least amount of time. After your four years at medical school, (or a 3-year medical school) you can do a three-year family medicine residency, pass your board exams, and that's it, you're a doctor!
A 3.2 GPA is considered low for medical school, as the average accepted GPA is closer to 3.7+, but it's not impossible; you'd need an exceptional MCAT score, strong clinical experience, research, volunteering, and a significant upward trend in grades to compensate and get accepted into DO programs or some MD programs, especially if you have compelling extracurriculars and personal narrative.
17.3 per cent of students received an ATAR of 90.00 or above, 34.6 per cent received an ATAR of at least 80.00 and 51.3 per cent received an ATAR of at least 70.00. The median ATAR this year was 70.75, slightly lower than in 2024.