When are ATARs released in 2024?

Congratulations! You’ve survived the exam period and now it’s time to sit back, relax and wait for your ATAR results to be released.  

For school leavers, it’s been an emotional and exciting time. From final assembly to Year 12 formal, the past few months have been a whirlwind of activity.   

With Christmas on the horizon, you’re probably keen to find out your results and get on with the rest of your life.  

To help you get started, we’ve collated all the nitty-gritty details you need to know about ATAR release dates for each state and territory. 

Bookmark this to read between beach trips, movie expeditions and whatever other fun plans you’ve been looking forward to.  

First things first, what is an ATAR score? 

With so many students graduating with different scores across a range of subjects, it’s hard for tertiary institutions to compare the overall achievements of all Year 12 students who plan on attending university once they finish school.  

That’s where your ATAR comes in.  

Short for Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank, your ATAR is a ranking of your Year 12 results and is shown as a number between zero and 99.95.  

It measures your overall academic achievement compared with all other final year students in Australia, (except for Queenslanders– you have your very own system ).  

If it helps, you can think of the ATAR as your position. If you’ve received an ATAR of 80.00, you will have an overall rating equal to (or better than) 80% of other ATAR recipients in your state or territory.  

When is the 2024 ATAR release? 

Victoria  

2024 VCE Results drop on Thursday, 12 December at 7AM.  

That’s right folks. Make sure you add this date to your phone calendar app so you (and your nearest and dearest) can look forward to finding out your long-anticipated results.  

One caveat: you must have completed at least four VCE studies in a recognised combination to have your ATAR calculated.   

New South Wales, ACT and Tasmania  

Students from NSW, ACT and Tassie will be able to access their HSC or TCE results from 6am on Wednesday, 18th December 2024 via the University Admissions Centre (UAC). 

However, feel free to snooze on your alarm as ATARs will not be released on the UAC website until 9am. 

NSW students will also be able to download their HSC PDF Package from 8:30am 19 December 2024.  

Western Australia  

WA 2024 ATAR results will be released on Sunday, 15 December according to the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre.  

Students will be able to access their Universities Admission Advice Letters online from this date. 

South Australia and Northern Territory 

End-of-year results for SA and NT students will be released via Student Online at 8:30am on Monday 16 December 2024. 

SA students will also receive an official certificate (if eligible) and Record of Achievement (ROA) in the post (how retro!) 

Queensland  

Queenslanders, set your phone alarms!  

Year 12 results will be available from 7am, Thursday 12 December 2024 with the ATAR release scheduled for 9am Friday 13 December 2024.  

What do I need to know about my VCE results? 

Firstly, your VCE results are simply that – some results.  

They don’t define you as a person and there is so much more to life after Year 12 than whether or not you get your first choice when it comes to university preferences.  

Lower than anticipated ATAR?

If your ATAR scores are not what you’ve hoped, take a moment to breathe and reassess.  

Remember, there are countless pathways to achieve your goals and what may feel like a setback can often be an opportunity in disguise.  

Many successful people have taken the road less travelled – you may be familiar with notable College dropouts like Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates and, to state the obvious, things worked out for them.  

Ultimately, a lower ATAR doesn’t mean the end of your aspirations. Forge your own path and remain open to new possibilities.  

Deakin University holds a Change of Preference event designed to help you find a course you’ll love. The event provides students with course information, pathway options and course advice. 

Deakin’s Change of Preference events will be held on 13 December 2024. Find out how you can attend one of the events across Deakin’s four campuses here. 

Deakin Special Entry Access Scheme

Life happens. We get it.  

Sometimes, you don’t get the ATAR you want and that’s ok.  

If you’ve overcome significant obstacles whilst preparing for university, you should apply for special consideration via the VTAC Special Entry Access Scheme. 

This can improve your chances of securing a place in the university course you want to study by adjusting your rankings to reflect your full potential. Find out more about the scheme here.  

Closing thoughts

The culmination of 12 plus years of schooling distilled into one mark can feel underwhelming.  

Don’t: Obsess over your ATAR 

Try not to get caught up in comparing yourself to others – you are and always will be more than the ATAR you receive.  

Do: Celebrate the win 

You’ve finished Year 12. Facts. That’s a huge win in itself.  

Make sure you spend some time enjoying the company of friends and family, preferably outdoors.  

You’ve probably had enough of study and screens for a little while.  

And do get around to unpacking your exam pencil case at some point.