ATAR for Teaching in Australia

What ATAR do you need for teaching?

Teaching cut-offs usually run from about 65 to 80. Primary and secondary education degrees sit in a similar range. And the exact number depends on the university and the state.

Several states have set a minimum ATAR for initial teacher education, often near 65 to 70. This is a floor for direct entry, not a competitive cut-off. And some universities set their own higher figure.

Double degrees, such as a Bachelor of Education with arts or science, can sit higher than a standard single degree. Competitive secondary specialisations can too.

The non-academic and testing requirements

Teaching is one of the few fields where your ATAR is only part of the picture. Many programs use a non-academic requirement to check you are suited to teaching.

This is often a questionnaire about your motivation and experience, and sometimes a short interview. It sits alongside your ATAR rather than replacing it.

There is also a literacy and numeracy test that teaching students must pass before they can graduate and be registered. It does not affect entry. But it is a required part of the course. So it is worth knowing about early.

Getting in with a lower ATAR

If your ATAR is below the minimum, teaching still has clear pathways. Enabling or foundation programs run by universities are a common way in, and lead directly into an education degree.

Studying a related degree and then completing a postgraduate teaching qualification is another route. This is especially common for secondary teaching.

Because some programs weigh non-academic strengths, mature-age and career-change applicants often have more options than a school leaver expects. Adjustment factors also lift your selection rank toward the minimum.

Primary, secondary and the subject you teach

Primary teaching prepares you to teach across subjects, while secondary teaching focuses on one or two teaching areas, such as maths, science or English. Secondary specialisations can have their own subject requirements.

You apply through your state admissions centre. And your ATAR is calculated the same way wherever you sit Year 12. Use the calculator above as a guide. Then confirm the current cut-off, the minimum-ATAR rule, and any non-academic requirement for the universities on your list.