ACT ATAR Calculator 2026

Select your BSSS T courses, choose Major or Minor, and enter your estimated course scores (0-100). Your best 3 majors + 0.6 of the next best course form your aggregate.

 

Estimated ATAR

—

Scaling Impact Per Course

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for planning purposes only. This website is not affiliated with the BSSS, UAC, or any government body. The ACT does not publish per-subject scaling data. Scaled scores shown are approximations. AST-based moderation varies by college and year. Treat all results as indicative ranges.

How Is the ATAR Calculated in the ACT?

The ACT ATAR system involves three layers. Colleges (ACT senior secondary schools) assess your work through unit scores across Year 11 and Year 12. The BSSS (Board of Senior Secondary Studies) administers the AST, moderates scores across colleges, and calculates your course scores. UAC (Universities Admissions Centre) then converts your aggregate into an ATAR using the same conversion table as NSW.

The ACT system is fundamentally different from other states. There are no end-of-year exams — your assessment is entirely school-based across two years. The AST exists purely to scale scores between colleges so that a B at one college is comparable to a B at another. Your aggregate is then built from your best 3.6 standard units of scaled course scores.

The Calculation Process

  1. Unit scores: Throughout Year 11 and 12, you receive scores for each unit within your T courses. A major typically has 4 units, a minor has 2 units.
  2. Course score: The BSSS takes your best 80% of unit scores for each course and combines them into a single course score.
  3. AST moderation: In Term 3 of Year 12, all T-package students sit the ACT Scaling Test. The BSSS uses your college’s AST results to scale course scores across different colleges using Other Course Score (OCS) scaling.
  4. Aggregate: Your best 3 scaled major course scores are summed at 100% each, plus 0.6 of the next best course score (major or minor).
  5. ATAR: UAC ranks all ACT aggregates and converts them into ATARs as if ACT students were part of the NSW age cohort.

Key difference from other states: English is NOT mandatory in your ACT ATAR aggregate. Unlike VCE and HSC, your English course only counts if it falls within your best 3.6 courses. If your English score is weaker than your other subjects, it gets excluded automatically.

Understanding T Courses, Majors, and Minors

T courses (Tertiary courses) are the academically rigorous courses that count towards your ATAR. They’re distinct from A (Accredited) courses, which count towards your Year 12 certificate but not your ATAR. Only T courses undergo AST-based scaling.

A major is a T course studied across 3.5 standard units (typically 4 units over Years 11-12, approximately 200 hours). A minor is a shorter commitment at 2 standard units (approximately 100 hours). A double major combines two related subjects (e.g., Specialist Mathematics and Mathematical Methods) into a single 8-unit package.

For your aggregate, only majors can occupy the top three contributing slots (at 100% weight). The fourth slot — weighted at 60% — can be filled by either a major or a minor. Most students complete 5 majors, with the best 3 counting at full value and the 4th at 60%. The 5th is excluded from the aggregate entirely.

The 80% rule: The BSSS uses your best 80% of unit scores for each course. If your major has 4 unit scores, only the best 3.2 count (effectively your top 3). This means one bad assessment period won’t destroy your course score — it drops out automatically.

What Is the AST and How Does It Affect Your ATAR?

The ACT Scaling Test (AST) is a two-day exam held in Term 3 of Year 12, created by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). It tests general academic skills — reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and argumentative writing — rather than subject-specific content.

Your individual AST score does not appear in your ATAR. Instead, the BSSS uses your college’s collective AST results to moderate course scores across different colleges. If your college’s AST cohort performs strongly, everyone’s scaled course scores at your college are lifted. If the cohort underperforms, scores may be moderated down.

This means the AST affects your ATAR indirectly through your college’s overall performance, not through your personal score. However, performing well on the AST helps lift your entire college’s scaling, which benefits you and your classmates.

How ACT Differs from NSW Despite Both Using UAC

Both ACT and NSW students receive ATARs calculated by UAC, but the underlying systems are very different:

FeatureACT (BSSS)NSW (HSC)
Assessment100% school-based50% school + 50% exam
Scaling mechanismAST (general aptitude test)HSC exam performance
English required in aggregate?NoYes (min 2 units)
Aggregate formulaBest 3 + 0.6 x 4thBest 10 units
Course durationYear 11 + 12 combinedYear 12 only for HSC
Best score ruleBest 80% of unit scoresCombined exam + school marks

How to Use the ACT ATAR Calculator

Step 1: Select Your T Courses

Choose your T courses from the grouped dropdown. The calculator starts with five rows. For each course, select whether it’s a Major or Minor using the type dropdown.

Step 2: Enter Course Scores

Enter your estimated or actual course score (0-100) for each course. If you’re in Year 11, use your current unit score averages as a guide. If you’ve completed Year 12, use your final moderated course scores.

Step 3: Calculate and Review

Hit “Calculate My ATAR.” The calculator scales each course, picks your best 3 majors at 100% plus your next best course at 60%, and converts the aggregate to an ATAR estimate. The breakdown shows which courses contribute and how scaling affected each one.

Tips for ACT Students

Your best 3 majors carry the most weight. They contribute at 100% each, while the 4th course only contributes 60%. A one-point improvement in your 3rd-best major is worth more than a 1.67-point improvement in your 4th course.

The AST matters more than students think. Your individual score isn’t published, but your college’s collective AST performance directly affects how all your course scores are scaled. Take the AST seriously — it lifts or drops everyone at your college.

Double Majors in Maths scale highest. Specialist Methods (the double major combining Specialist Mathematics and Mathematical Methods) consistently attracts the strongest cohort in the ACT. If you’re mathematically strong, this combination can significantly boost your aggregate.

English is optional in your aggregate. Unlike every other state except Queensland, English doesn’t have to count towards your ACT ATAR. If your English score is weaker than your other courses, it gets excluded. However, most universities still require English for ATAR eligibility purposes.

The 80% rule protects you. One bad unit score in a major gets dropped automatically. If you bombed one assessment in Chemistry but performed well in the other three, only your best three count. Don’t panic over one bad result.

Minors contribute at 60% maximum. A minor can only fill the 4th aggregate slot (at 0.6 weight). A high-scoring major in the 4th slot contributes more than a minor — but a minor you score 90 in contributes more than a major you score 50 in.

Calculators for other states: Victoria (VCE) · NSW (HSC) · Queensland (QCE) · Western Australia (WACE) · South Australia (SACE) · Tasmania (TCE) · All states

Frequently Asked Questions About ACT ATAR

The BSSS takes your best 80% of unit scores for each T course, combines them into course scores, then scales them across colleges using AST results. Your aggregate equals your best 3 major scaled scores plus 0.6 of your next best course score. UAC then ranks this aggregate and converts it to an ATAR using the NSW age cohort conversion table.
The Board of Senior Secondary Studies (BSSS) is the ACT authority that manages the senior secondary system. It administers T (Tertiary) and A (Accredited) courses, runs the ACT Scaling Test, moderates course scores across colleges, and provides data to UAC for ATAR calculation. The BSSS is the ACT equivalent of NESA in NSW or VCAA in Victoria.
T (Tertiary) courses are the academically rigorous courses that count towards your ATAR. They undergo AST-based scaling and contribute to your aggregate. A (Accredited) courses count towards your ACT Senior Secondary Certificate but not your ATAR. You must complete a T package (at least 20 standard units of T courses including specific requirements) to receive an ATAR.
The ACT Scaling Test is a two-day general aptitude exam in Term 3 of Year 12. It tests reading, quantitative reasoning, and argumentative writing rather than subject content. Your individual score is not published or used directly. Instead, your college’s collective AST performance is used to moderate everyone’s course scores at that college. A strong college AST performance lifts all students’ scaled scores at that college.
Your aggregate is built from 3.6 standard units: your best 3 major T course scores at 100% weight each, plus 0.6 of your next best course score (either major or minor). Most students complete 5 majors, with the best 3 counting fully, the 4th at 60%, and the 5th excluded. Only major courses can fill the top 3 slots.
A major is a T course studied across approximately 3.5 standard units (typically 4 units over Years 11-12, about 200 hours of study). A minor is 2 standard units (about 100 hours). A double major combines two related subjects into 8 units. For ATAR purposes, only majors can fill the top 3 aggregate slots at 100% weight. A minor can only fill the 4th slot at 60% weight.
UAC converts both ACT and NSW aggregates to ATARs, but the underlying assessment systems are completely different. ACT assessment is 100% school-based (moderated by the AST), while NSW uses 50% school and 50% exam. The ACT aggregate formula is best 3 + 0.6 of 4th, while NSW uses best 10 units. ACT ATARs are directly comparable to NSW ATARs for university entry purposes.
Based on historical patterns, Specialist Methods (the double major combining Specialist Maths and Methods) scales highest, followed by Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Classical Studies, Economics, Philosophy, and Latin. English and Literature sit roughly neutral. Physical Education, Sport and Recreation, Media, and Design and Technology tend to scale down. Exact scaling varies by year and cohort.
ANU is the primary university for ACT students. Indicative 2026 cutoffs: Medicine 99.00+, Law 96.00+, Commerce and Economics 88.00+, Engineering 85.00+, Computer Science 82.00+, Arts 75.00+. ACT students also commonly apply to NSW universities through UAC, where the same ATAR cutoffs apply as for NSW students.
The ACT does not publish per-subject scaling data or AST moderation factors. This calculator uses approximate scaling adjustments based on historical cohort patterns. Because AST moderation varies by college and year, actual results may differ from estimates. Treat all results as indicative ranges for planning purposes, not exact predictions.
ACT Year 12 results and ATARs are typically released in mid-to-late December. Students receive their ACT Senior Secondary Certificate from the BSSS and their ATAR from UAC. The exact date varies each year and is published by the BSSS in advance. ACT results typically come out around the same time as NSW results.
The AST is compulsory for all students completing a T package who want to receive an ATAR. If you do not sit the AST, your course scores cannot be scaled across colleges, and you will not receive an ATAR. Special provisions are available for students who cannot attend due to illness or other approved circumstances.
The BSSS uses Other Course Score (OCS) scaling to moderate school-based assessments. It compares each student’s course scores against their performance in their best 4 courses and the AST. This adjusts scores so that a grade at one college is comparable to the same grade at another. The process preserves your ranking within each course at your college — it only changes the scores used to represent those rankings on a common scale.