What Happens If You Don’t Get the ATAR You Need? (And What to Do Next)

Andy Li
Nov 15
2 min read

Finishing Year 12 can feel like everything hinges on one number—but your ATAR is not the end of the story. Thousands of students each year get into their preferred course or a great alternative without hitting their original ATAR goal. Here’s what actually happens if you miss the ATAR you wanted, and the practical steps you can take next.

⭐ 1. Many Offers Don’t Depend Strictly on ATAR

A common myth is that universities only look at your ATAR. In reality, most offer rounds take into account:

Adjustment factors (bonus points): Universities often award points for subjects, location, equity, and more.
Selection rank, not raw ATAR: Your ATAR plus adjustment factors creates your selection rank, which may put you above the published ATAR.

So even if your ATAR is below last year’s cutoff, you may still receive an offer.

⭐ 2. Consider Lower-ATAR Pathway Courses

Every major Victorian university offers pathway programs designed for students who didn’t meet the ATAR requirement. These include:

Diplomas, Certificates, and Foundation Programs

RMIT pathways → https://www.rmit.edu.au/study/applying-to-rmit/pathways
Deakin pathways → https://www.deakin.edu.au/study/how-to-apply/pathways
Monash College diplomas → https://www.monashcollege.edu.au/courses/diplomas

These programs often guarantee entry into second year of your bachelor degree after successful completion.

⭐ 3. Apply for Courses with Similar Prerequisites

Even if you don’t get into your first preference, you might get into:

A similar course at the same uni
The same course at a different uni
A similar field with lower ATAR requirements

The VTAC course search helps compare options: https://www.vtac.edu.au/

Once you're in a related degree, transferring after first year (with good grades) is very common.

⭐ 4. Use the Supplementary Offer Process (VTAC)

If you don’t receive an offer in the main round, VTAC may contact you for supplementary offers.

Details here: https://www.vtac.edu.au/results-offers/supplementary-offers

This process often helps students enter courses that still have available places.

⭐ 5. Unsuccessful? You Can Still Reapply Next Year

If your Year 12 results aren’t what you hoped, you can:

Complete a TAFE or diploma course
Improve your selection rank with tertiary results
Reapply next year through VTAC

Universities place strong weight on tertiary performance—often more than Year 12 results.

⭐ 6. Explore Non-ATAR Pathways

Some options don’t require ATAR at all:

TAFE certificates (Cert III/IV) and diplomas→ https://www.skills.vic.gov.au/s/how-to-start
Apprenticeships or traineeships→ https://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/

These can lead into university degrees later if you choose.

⭐ 7. Take a Gap Year—and Improve Your Application

A gap year can give you:

Work experience
Volunteering (useful for education, health, or social science courses)
Time to prepare for next year's applications

Some programs allow professional experience to strengthen entry.

⭐ 8. Most Importantly—You Still Have Options

Missing your ATAR goal does not close doors. It often simply changes the path you take. University admissions are flexible, pathways are plentiful, and many students end up exactly where they wanted through a different route.

If you're unsure what to do next, speaking with a career adviser or tutor can help you plan a clear pathway. Academic Peak Tutoring is well versed in offering these services and even non-customers are welcome to contact us any time throughout their, or their child's high school journey for free.