ATAR Report 2021

Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre

© QTAC January 2022

Contents

1 Introduction 3

2 Definitions 4

3 Overview of the 2021 Year 12 cohort 5

3.1 Number of subject results provided to QTAC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
3.2 QCAA senior subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3.3 VET qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

4 Inter-subject scaling 10
4.1 Purpose of the subject scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
4.2 The inter-subject scaling algorithm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
4.3 Subject scaling results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

5 ATAR 17
5.1 Tertiary Entrance Aggregate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5.2 Eligibility criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5.3 Subject schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 Participation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.5 ATAR distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

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List of Figures

1 A visual representation of the subject scaling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

2 Maximum percentile ranks variation between iterations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3 Participation Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4 Summary of student allocations to ATAR bands in 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

List of Tables

1 QCAA senior subjects and awarded VET qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

2 QCAA senior subjects - General (GEN) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
3 QCAA senior subjects - Senior External Examination (SEE) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4 QCAA senior subjects - General Extension (GEX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
5 QCAA senior subjects - Applied (APP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
6 Completed VET qualifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
7 Distribution of raw and scaled results - General subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
8 Distribution of raw and scaled results - Applied subjects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
9 Scaled results - Completed VET qualification levels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
10 ATAR eligibility in the 2021 Year 12 cohort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
11 ATAR composition by subject scheme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
12 ATAR distribution, top 20 bands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
13 ATAR distribution, 20-band groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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1 Introduction

This report provides an overview of the calculation of the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank
(ATAR) for the 2021 Queensland Year 12 student cohort.

The report includes a summary of subject enrolments, the outcomes of the inter-subject scaling
process and the allocation of students to ATAR bands.

Further information on how Queensland’s ATARs are calculated may be found at www.qtac.edu.au/atar.

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2 Definitions

ATAR: The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank is a measure of a student’s overall achievement at
school. The value indicates students’ positions relative to the potential Year 12 population in their
Australian State or Territory. ATARs are expressed on a 2000-point scale from 99.95 (highest) to
0.00, in increments of 0.05. ATARs equal to or below 30.00 are reported as “30.00 or less”.

General: Unless otherwise specified, references to General subjects include General, General
Extension and Senior External Examination subjects.

Inter-subject scaling: The process by which raw results are converted to scaled results to allow
comparability between subjects.

QCAA: Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority.

QCE: Queensland Certificate of Education.

QTAC: Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre.

Raw results: The subject result achieved by a student. For General subjects, General Extension
or Senior External Examination subjects, raw results have a score out of 100, as awarded by the
QCAA. For Applied subjects, raw results consist of a letter grade as awarded by the QCAA.

Scaling cohort: The number of students with at least one result in a QCE senior subject (General
or Applied) at Unit 3 and 4 or a completed VET qualification at Australian Qualification Framework
(AQF) level 3 or above in 2021.

Scaled results: This term refers to the subject result generated via the inter-subject scaling pro-
cess. Scaled results are expressed on a 100-point scale, up to 2 decimal places.

TEA: The Tertiary Entrance Aggregate is the combination of the best 5 scaled results for each
student.

VET: Vocational Education and Training.

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3 Overview of the 2021 Year 12 cohort

The Queensland Year 12 cohort in 2021 consisted of 51,957 students, with 48,967 who were part
of the scaling cohort, and 27,277 being ATAR eligible.

Other Year 12 students not included in the cohort were Year 12 students who completed their
senior years through a VET provider, students who completed an alternate curriculum such as
the International Baccalaureate and students who left school before the end of Year 12 (see 5.4
Participation Model).

The number of distinct senior subjects studied in 2021 was 91, comprising 41 General subjects,
5 General Extension subjects, 20 Senior External Examination subjects and 25 Applied subjects.
Subjects that were completed between 2017 and 2019 (under the old QCE system) have been
converted by QCAA to enable ATAR calculations.

In addition to QCAA senior subjects, there were 141 distinct Vocational Education and Training
(VET) qualifications completed at Australian Qualification Framework (AQF) level 3 or higher.

The most studied subjects in 2021 for each subject type were English (General), English and
Literature Extension (General Extension), Chinese (Senior External Examination) and Essential
English (Applied).

The most frequently completed VET qualifications for each AQF Level were the Certificate III in
Fitness, the Certificate IV in Crime and Justice Studies, the Diploma of Business and the Advanced
Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance).

3.1 Number of subject results provided to QTAC

Table 1 provides a summary of results in different types of QCAA senior subjects and the total
awarded VET qualifications (Certificate III and above) provided to QTAC in 2021.

Table 1: QCAA senior subjects and awarded VET qualifications

Type Results
Description Code Total Percent

General GEN 156,901 60.01%

Applied APP 80,819 30.91%
Senior External Examination SEE 698 0.27%
General Extension GEX 1,666 0.64%
Vocational Education and Training VET 21,380 8.18%

Total 261,464 100.00%

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3.2 QCAA senior subjects

Table 2, Table 3, Table 4 and Table 5 provide a summary of QCAA senior subject results provided
to QTAC in General and Applied subjects for the 2021 Queensland Year 12 cohort.

Table 2: QCAA senior subjects - General (GEN)

Subject Results
Type Name Total Percent

GEN Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 41 0.03%

GEN Accounting 2,161 1.38%
GEN Aerospace Systems 140 0.09%
GEN Agricultural Science 392 0.25%
GEN Ancient History 2,447 1.56%
GEN Biology 13,430 8.56%
GEN Business 4,450 2.84%
GEN Chemistry 8,194 5.22%
GEN Chinese 821 0.52%
GEN Dance 911 0.58%
GEN Design 3,324 2.12%
GEN Digital Solutions 1,719 1.10%
GEN Drama 3,119 1.99%
GEN Earth and Environmental Science 333 0.21%
GEN Economics 2,517 1.60%
GEN Engineering 1,357 0.86%
GEN English 27,046 17.24%
GEN English as an Additional Language 688 0.44%
GEN Film Television and New Media 2,645 1.69%
GEN Food and Nutrition 964 0.61%
GEN French 598 0.38%
GEN General Mathematics 20,419 13.01%
GEN Geography 3,103 1.98%
GEN German 325 0.21%
GEN Health 2,120 1.35%
GEN Italian 147 0.09%
GEN Japanese 1,245 0.79%
GEN Legal Studies 4,721 3.01%
GEN Literature 2,943 1.88%
GEN Marine Science 791 0.50%
GEN Mathematical Methods 9,958 6.35%
GEN Modern History 4,880 3.11%
GEN Music 2,328 1.48%
GEN Philosophy and Reason 579 0.37%

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 Table 2: QCAA senior subjects - General (GEN) (continued)

Type Name Total Percent

GEN Physical Education 6,006 3.83%

GEN Physics 6,123 3.90%
GEN Psychology 3,641 2.32%
GEN Spanish 246 0.16%
GEN Specialist Mathematics 3,061 1.95%
GEN Study of Religion 3,234 2.06%
GEN Visual Art 3,734 2.38%

Total 156,901 100.00%

Table 3: QCAA senior subjects - Senior External Examination (SEE)

Subject Results
Type Name Total Percent

SEE Ancient History 9 1.29%

SEE Arabic 83 11.89%
SEE Biology 22 3.15%
SEE Chemistry 13 1.86%
SEE Chinese 176 25.21%
SEE English 34 4.87%
SEE General Mathematics 32 4.58%
SEE Indonesian 33 4.73%
SEE Korean 46 6.59%
SEE Latin 14 2.01%
SEE Legal Studies 15 2.15%
SEE Mathematical Methods 17 2.44%
SEE Modern Greek 8 1.15%
SEE Modern History 10 1.43%
SEE Philosophy and Reason 8 1.15%
SEE Physics 9 1.29%
SEE Polish 6 0.86%
SEE Punjabi 8 1.15%
SEE Russian 22 3.15%
SEE Vietnamese 133 19.05%

Total 698 100.00%

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 Table 4: QCAA senior subjects - General Extension (GEX)

Subject Results
Type Name Total Percent

GEX Chinese Extension 58 3.48%

GEX English and Literature Extension 642 38.54%
GEX French Extension 28 1.68%
GEX German Extension 67 4.02%
GEX Music Extension (Composition) 232 13.93%
GEX Music Extension (Musicology) 12 0.72%
GEX Music Extension (Performance) 627 37.64%

Total 1,666 100.00%

Table 5: QCAA senior subjects - Applied (APP)

Subject Results
Type Name Total Percent

APP Agricultural Practices 720 0.89%

APP Aquatic Practices 2,362 2.92%
APP Arts in Practice 189 0.23%
APP Building and Construction Skills 1,711 2.12%
APP Business Studies 1,148 1.42%
APP Dance in Practice 299 0.37%
APP Drama in Practice 599 0.74%
APP Early Childhood Studies 1,274 1.58%
APP Engineering Skills 2,004 2.48%
APP Essential English 17,319 21.43%
APP Essential Mathematics 16,268 20.13%
APP Fashion 465 0.58%
APP Furnishing Skills 2,631 3.26%
APP Hospitality Practices 2,960 3.66%
APP Industrial Graphics Skills 1,251 1.55%
APP Industrial Technology Skills 2,559 3.17%
APP Information and Communication Technology 1,425 1.76%
APP Media Arts in Practice 1,149 1.42%
APP Music in Practice 690 0.85%
APP Religion and Ethics 6,356 7.86%
APP Science in Practice 2,068 2.56%
APP Social and Community Studies 3,035 3.76%
APP Sport and Recreation 7,058 8.73%
APP Tourism 1,524 1.89%
APP Visual Arts in Practice 3,755 4.65%

Total 80,819 100.00%

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3.3 VET qualifications

Table 6 provides a summary of awarded VET qualifications for the 2021 Queensland Year 12
cohort.

Table 6: Completed VET qualifications

Vocational Education and Training qualification Number of qualifications

Type Level Total Percent

VET Certificate III 17,486 81.79%

VET Certificate IV 1,259 5.89%
VET Diploma 2,626 12.28%
VET Advanced Diploma 9 0.04%

Total 21,380 100.00%

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4 Inter-subject scaling

4.1 Purpose of the subject scaling

Inter-subject scaling is the process used to map each QCAA senior subject and completed VET
qualification to a scale that reflects how students achieved both within and across subjects. This
aims to represent the relative difficulty of achieving a given score by considering how other students
performed in the same studies, as well as considering how they performed across the rest of their
study programme. This enables ranking of the students in terms of their position among this year’s
cohort.

There were 5 subject results scaled for each Applied subject (e.g. Figure 1) and 100 raw results
scaled for each General subject. Senior External Examination (SEE) subjects were scaled with
their General or General Extension equivalents.

Raw results for VET qualifications can be interpreted as binary variables of their completion status
(completed or not completed). Each completed VET qualification level is awarded an independent
scaled result.

100
A

A A

B B

C B C C

D D
C D

E D E
E
E
Subject 1 0 Subject 2

Scaled Result

Figure 1: A visual representation of the subject scaling

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4.2 The inter-subject scaling algorithm

The algorithm used in the inter-subject scaling process performs a number of iterations to update
and refine scaled results until it reaches a full calibration. The number of iterations required to
achieve a solution in 2021 was 28 (Figure 2).

A full statistical description of the process can be found in “Calculating the ATAR in Queensland-
Technical Document” on QTAC’s dedicated ATAR page at www.qtac.edu.au.
47.570

50

45

40
Maximum percentile rank difference

35
29.880

30
20.790

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12.420

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7.390

10
3.870
2.400
1.140

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0.630
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0
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Iteration intervals

Figure 2: Maximum percentile ranks variation between iterations

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4.3 Subject scaling results

Table 7 and Table 8 provide a selection of percentiles of the distribution of raw and scaled results
for each subject cohort.

The percentiles indicate the proportion of students achieving a result less than or equal to the
reported number. For example, 90% of English students achieve a raw result of 86 or less, and a
raw result of 86 is equal to a scaled result of 91.11.

Table 9 provides the scaled result for each VET qualification level.

The inter-subject scaling process and results were reviewed by the ATAR Technical Committee on
Scaling. The group provides technical and policy advice and oversight of the ATAR calculation.

Table 7: Distribution of raw and scaled results - General subjects

Distribution of results (percentiles)

Subject Result 25% 50% 75% 90% 99%

Raw
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (**)
Scaled
Raw 57.00 68.00 79.00 88.00 96.00
Accounting
Scaled 62.02 76.00 86.00 91.35 94.47
Raw 53.00 64.00 76.00 85.00 92.00
Aerospace Systems
Scaled 48.72 65.48 80.13 87.65 91.68
Raw 64.00 70.00 78.00 84.00 91.00
Agricultural Science
Scaled 42.25 54.87 70.54 79.92 87.81
Raw 57.00 67.00 79.00 88.00 96.00
Ancient History
Scaled 49.67 66.81 82.56 89.99 94.09
Raw 41.00 50.00 60.00 75.00 97.00
Arabic
Scaled 41.71 52.99 65.12 79.92 92.36
Raw 67.00 75.00 84.00 90.00 96.00
Biology
Scaled 58.37 74.60 87.10 92.16 95.34
Raw 56.00 66.00 78.00 87.00 95.00
Business
Scaled 51.87 65.22 78.47 85.72 90.34
Raw 70.00 80.00 88.00 94.00 98.00
Chemistry
Scaled 73.45 88.89 94.93 97.25 98.19
Raw 80.00 90.00 95.00 99.00 100.00
Chinese
Scaled 80.78 88.14 90.81 92.54 92.93
Raw 89.00 92.00 96.00 97.00 99.00
Chinese Extension
Scaled 87.53 89.28 91.27 91.72 92.54
Raw 68.00 79.00 89.00 95.00 100.00
Dance
Scaled 42.81 58.52 71.51 78.01 82.55
Raw 52.00 64.00 77.00 87.00 97.00
Design
Scaled 45.00 60.36 74.90 83.35 89.36
Raw 55.00 68.00 81.00 89.00 96.00
Digital Solutions
Scaled 57.45 74.85 86.77 91.43 94.23
Raw 63.00 74.00 84.00 92.00 98.00
Drama
Scaled 46.08 63.51 76.86 84.78 89.14

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 Table 7: Distribution of raw and scaled results - General subjects (continued)

Subject Result 25% 50% 75% 90% 99%

Raw 66.00 73.00 80.00 85.00 92.00

Earth and Environmental Science
Scaled 49.26 65.05 78.11 85.03 91.59
Raw 63.00 74.00 84.00 90.00 96.00
Economics
Scaled 71.10 86.37 93.74 96.16 97.67

Raw 56.00 67.00 80.00 88.00 95.00

Engineering
Scaled 64.15 80.17 91.37 95.04 96.98
Raw 55.00 65.00 77.00 86.00 97.00
English
Scaled 54.24 70.39 84.57 91.11 95.66
Raw 73.00 85.00 93.00 97.00 100.00
English and Literature Extension
Scaled 83.73 92.14 95.30 96.39 97.04
Raw 53.00 61.00 72.00 81.00 92.00
English as an Additional Language
Scaled 52.93 65.57 79.72 87.68 93.63
Raw 60.00 72.00 84.00 92.00 99.00
Film Television and New Media
Scaled 41.65 57.40 71.79 79.54 84.92
Raw 53.00 64.00 77.00 85.00 95.00
Food and Nutrition
Scaled 44.37 57.98 72.49 79.70 86.59
Raw 71.00 81.00 90.00 94.00 99.00
French
Scaled 84.06 93.15 96.96 97.90 98.68
Raw
French Extension (**)
Scaled
Raw 56.00 65.00 75.00 83.00 92.00
General Mathematics
Scaled 49.47 61.07 72.59 80.11 86.58
Raw 54.00 63.00 75.00 84.00 93.00
Geography
Scaled 52.99 67.76 82.84 90.00 94.38
Raw 73.00 83.00 90.00 95.00 99.00
German
Scaled 81.42 92.08 95.84 97.40 98.23
Raw 72.00 81.00 91.00 99.00 100.00
German Extension
Scaled 79.90 90.53 96.21 98.23 98.39
Raw 55.00 64.00 75.00 84.00 94.00
Health
Scaled 47.06 60.03 74.03 82.81 89.61
Raw
Indonesian (**)
Scaled
Raw 59.00 76.00 87.00 91.00 98.00
Italian
Scaled 66.71 84.58 91.32 93.02 95.28
Raw 64.00 77.00 88.00 94.00 98.00
Japanese
Scaled 72.56 84.89 91.40 93.77 94.99
Raw
Korean (**)
Scaled
Raw
Latin (**)
Scaled
Raw 55.00 66.00 78.00 87.00 96.00
Legal Studies
Scaled 54.39 69.71 82.51 88.99 93.26
Raw 66.00 78.00 88.00 94.00 99.00
Literature
Scaled 71.15 86.26 93.19 95.62 96.99
Raw 61.00 68.00 76.00 82.00 90.00
Marine Science
Scaled 47.71 60.28 73.08 80.76 88.24
Raw 60.00 72.00 84.00 92.00 99.00
Mathematical Methods
Scaled 78.45 89.40 95.13 97.16 98.24
Raw
Modern Greek (**)
Scaled

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 13

 Table 7: Distribution of raw and scaled results - General subjects (continued)

Subject Result 25% 50% 75% 90% 99%

Raw 60.00 71.00 83.00 91.00 97.00

Modern History
Scaled 55.87 74.09 87.43 92.64 95.15
Raw 67.00 80.00 90.00 96.00 100.00
Music
Scaled 54.59 74.92 85.75 90.16 92.38
Raw 81.00 90.00 95.00 99.00 100.00
Music Extension (Composition)
Scaled 74.18 84.68 88.82 91.40 91.95
Raw
Music Extension (Musicology) (**)
Scaled
Raw 81.00 89.00 96.00 98.00 100.00
Music Extension (Performance)
Scaled 70.10 80.98 87.77 89.28 90.63
Raw 60.00 73.00 86.00 93.00 99.00
Philosophy and Reason
Scaled 65.01 82.61 92.39 95.27 96.88
Raw 57.00 68.00 78.00 86.00 95.00
Physical Education
Scaled 47.37 62.70 74.80 82.38 88.63
Raw 70.00 80.00 89.00 95.00 99.00
Physics
Scaled 72.80 88.50 95.22 97.41 98.28
Raw
Polish (**)
Scaled
Raw 68.00 76.00 84.00 89.00 95.00
Psychology
Scaled 56.61 71.37 82.65 87.72 92.07
Raw
Punjabi (**)
Scaled
Raw
Russian (**)
Scaled
Raw 68.00 78.00 88.00 92.00 98.00
Spanish
Scaled 72.56 85.89 93.34 95.14 96.99
Raw 66.00 78.00 88.00 93.00 98.00
Specialist Mathematics
Scaled 87.33 94.99 97.78 98.53 99.03
Raw 62.00 72.00 82.00 89.00 97.00
Study of Religion
Scaled 64.92 79.31 88.82 92.97 95.95
Raw 73.00 82.00 87.00 93.00 97.00
Vietnamese
Scaled 78.25 85.00 87.94 90.80 92.36
Raw 55.00 66.00 79.00 88.00 98.00
Visual Art
Scaled 47.13 61.30 75.76 83.34 89.40
Note:
(**) Results are not reported for subjects completed by less than 50 students.

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 Table 8: Distribution of raw and scaled results - Applied subjects

Subject Result 25% 50% 75% 90% 99%

Raw C B B A A
Agricultural Practices
Scaled 6.23 19.38 19.38 46.52 46.52
Raw C B B A A
Aquatic Practices
Scaled 8.69 22.88 22.88 48.05 48.05
Raw C C B A A
Arts in Practice
Scaled 8.67 8.67 26.84 58.64 58.64
Raw C B B A A
Building and Construction Skills
Scaled 6.76 16.14 16.14 33.81 33.81
Raw C B B A A
Business Studies
Scaled 12.13 28.58 28.58 53.69 53.69
Raw C B A A A
Dance in Practice
Scaled 9.41 22.67 45.28 45.28 45.28
Raw C B B A A
Drama in Practice
Scaled 8.12 23.26 23.26 50.95 50.95
Raw C B B A A
Early Childhood Studies
Scaled 8.83 24.63 24.63 52.43 52.43
Raw C B B A A
Engineering Skills
Scaled 7.26 18.76 18.76 40.53 40.53
Raw C B B A A
Essential English
Scaled 10.50 23.63 23.63 44.94 44.94
Raw C C B B A
Essential Mathematics
Scaled 12.15 12.15 25.75 25.75 46.52
Raw C B B A A
Fashion
Scaled 22.26 43.38 43.38 67.22 67.22
Raw C B B A A
Furnishing Skills
Scaled 6.97 18.86 18.86 41.92 41.92
Raw C B B A A
Hospitality Practices
Scaled 12.32 29.45 29.45 55.37 55.37
Raw C B B A A
Industrial Graphics Skills
Scaled 12.85 30.19 30.19 55.92 55.92
Raw C B B A A
Industrial Technology Skills
Scaled 9.54 24.60 24.60 50.23 50.23
Raw C B B A A
Information and Communication Technology
Scaled 12.29 30.34 30.34 57.50 57.50
Raw C B B A A
Media Arts in Practice
Scaled 12.21 28.55 28.55 53.45 53.45
Raw C B B A A
Music in Practice
Scaled 7.76 23.62 23.62 53.22 53.22
Raw C B B A A
Religion and Ethics
Scaled 26.16 54.60 54.60 80.33 80.33
Raw C C B A A
Science in Practice
Scaled 11.29 11.29 26.89 51.51 51.51
Raw C B B A A
Social and Community Studies
Scaled 8.21 23.79 23.79 52.14 52.14
Raw C B B A A
Sport and Recreation
Scaled 7.74 23.90 23.90 54.04 54.04
Raw C B B A A
Tourism
Scaled 11.25 27.41 27.41 52.93 52.93
Raw C B B A A
Visual Arts in Practice
Scaled 11.51 27.24 27.24 51.88 51.88

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 15

 Table 9: Scaled results - Completed VET qualification levels

Level Scaled Result

Certificate III 39.84

Certificate IV 52.63
Diploma 56.40
Advanced Diploma (**)
Note:
(**) Results are not reported for VET qualification levels completed by less than 50 students.

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 16

5 ATAR
5.1 Tertiary Entrance Aggregate

The inter-subject scaling outputs are used to determine each student’s Tertiary Entrance Aggre-
gate (TEA). The TEA is a measure of a student’s “overall performance” and it is used to derive
an order rank. The TEA is determined from the scaled results achieved by students, but it is also
dependent on a combination of policy rules which determine:

• the eligibility of a student for a TEA and subsequently an ATAR; and

• the subject results that should be used to compose each individual TEA.

5.2 Eligibility criteria

In order to be eligible for an ATAR, students are required to satisfactorily complete (i.e. attain a
letter grade of “C” or better) in one of the following QCAA English senior subjects:

• English

• English as an Additional Language

• Literature

• English and Literature Extension

• Essential English.

The TEAs and subsequently the ATARs are determined from the 5 scaled results or the best 5
scaled results attained between 2017 and 2021, excluding precluded subject combinations. The
TEAs can include either:

• 5 General subjects at Units 3 and 4, or

• 4 General subjects at Units 3 and 4 and 1 Applied subject at Units 3 and 4, or

• 4 General subjects at Units 3 and 4 and 1 completed VET qualification at AQF Certificate III
level or higher.

Table 10 shows a summary of the 2021 Queensland Year 12 cohort by ATAR eligibility.

Table 10: ATAR eligibility in the 2021 Year 12 cohort

ATAR eligibility Students Percent

Ineligible 24,680 47.50%

Eligible 27,277 52.50%

Total 51,957 100.00%

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 17

5.3 Subject schemes

Table 11 shows the number of students eligible for an ATAR in 2021 by subject scheme.

Table 11: ATAR composition by subject scheme

Scheme Students Percent

5 General 19,035 69.78%

4 General, 1 VET 3,645 13.36%
4 General, 1 Applied 4,597 16.85%

Total 27,277 100.00%

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 18

5.4 Participation Model

As each state and territory uses different ATAR eligibility rules and subject scaling methods,
Queensland’s scaled results and TEAs cannot be compared directly to those of other jurisdictions.

ATAR bands form the basis of comparison of overall student achievement across different states
and territories. In order to achieve this, each jurisdiction employs a participation model to allocate
ATAR eligible students within the entire potential Year 12 population (which includes, but is not
limited to, students who left school and students who completed an alternative curriculum such as
the International Baccalaureate).

The participation model is defined as a cubic spline function parametrised by the participation
rate, where the participation rate is the number of ATAR eligible students on the potential Year 12
population in Queensland1 . Figure 3 shows the participation model used in Queensland in 2021.

100.0%

90.0%
Proportion of places to allocate

80.0%

70.0%

60.0%

50.0%

40.0%

30.0%

20.0%

10.0%

0.0%
0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

40.00

45.00

50.00

55.00

60.00

65.00

70.00

75.00

80.00

85.00

90.00

95.00

99.95

ATAR

Figure 3: Participation Model

1 See ”Modelling the participation function with a one-parameter family of cubic splines” (Harrison and Hyndman, 2015).

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 19

5.5 ATAR distribution

This section includes a summary of the allocation of students into bands, according to the par-
ticipation model used in 2021. Figure 4 shows the number of students allocated to each ATAR
band.

36

34

32

30

28

26

24
Number of students

22

20

18

16

14

12

10

0
0.00

5.00

10.00

15.00

20.00

25.00

30.00

35.00

40.00

45.00

50.00

55.00

60.00

65.00

70.00

75.00

80.00

85.00

90.00

95.00

99.95

ATAR

Figure 4: Summary of student allocations to ATAR bands in 2021

Students receiving an ATAR of 99.95 did so with 11 different combinations and 14 distinct Gen-
eral subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering, English, French, German, German
Extension, Latin, Literature, Mathematical Methods, Physics, Specialist Mathematics and Study
of Religion.

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 20

Table 12 shows the number of students allocated in the first 20 bands (from 99.00 to 99.95) and
Table 13 provides a summary of students’ allocations in 20-band intervals.

Table 12: ATAR distribution, top 20 bands

ATAR Number of Students Cumulative percentage of students

99.95 32 0.12%
99.90 32 0.23%
99.85 31 0.35%
99.80 33 0.47%
99.75 33 0.59%
99.70 32 0.71%
99.65 32 0.82%
99.60 32 0.94%
99.55 33 1.06%
99.50 32 1.18%
99.45 32 1.30%
99.40 31 1.41%
99.35 32 1.53%
99.30 33 1.65%
99.25 33 1.77%
99.20 31 1.88%
99.15 33 2.01%
99.10 32 2.12%
99.05 33 2.24%
99.00 31 2.36%

Table 13: ATAR distribution, 20-band groups

ATAR Number of students Cumulative percentage of students

99.00 - 99.95 643 2.36%

98.00 - 98.95 650 4.74%
97.00 - 97.95 654 7.14%
96.00 - 96.95 652 9.53%
95.00 - 95.95 650 11.91%
94.00 - 94.95 650 14.29%
93.00 - 93.95 659 16.71%
92.00 - 92.95 652 19.10%
91.00 - 91.95 653 21.49%
90.00 - 90.95 647 23.87%
89.00 - 89.95 644 26.23%
88.00 - 88.95 639 28.57%
87.00 - 87.95 641 30.92%
86.00 - 86.95 635 33.25%
85.00 - 85.95 634 35.57%
84.00 - 84.95 624 37.86%
83.00 - 83.95 619 40.13%
82.00 - 82.95 621 42.41%
81.00 - 81.95 612 44.65%

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 21

 Table 13: ATAR distribution, 20-band groups (continued)

ATAR Number of students Cumulative percentage of students

80.00 - 80.95 606 46.87%

79.00 - 79.95 598 49.06%
78.00 - 78.95 590 51.23%
77.00 - 77.95 581 53.36%
76.00 - 76.95 572 55.45%
75.00 - 75.95 564 57.52%
74.00 - 74.95 556 59.56%
73.00 - 73.95 540 61.54%
72.00 - 72.95 533 63.49%
71.00 - 71.95 518 65.39%
70.00 - 70.95 501 67.23%
69.00 - 69.95 491 69.03%
68.00 - 68.95 473 70.76%
67.00 - 67.95 456 72.43%
66.00 - 66.95 438 74.04%
65.00 - 65.95 418 75.57%
64.00 - 64.95 397 77.03%
63.00 - 63.95 385 78.44%
62.00 - 62.95 365 79.78%
61.00 - 61.95 348 81.05%
60.00 - 60.95 333 82.27%
59.00 - 59.95 315 83.43%
58.00 - 58.95 298 84.52%
57.00 - 57.95 282 85.56%
56.00 - 56.95 270 86.55%
55.00 - 55.95 255 87.48%
54.00 - 54.95 239 88.36%
53.00 - 53.95 229 89.20%
52.00 - 52.95 216 89.99%
51.00 - 51.95 204 90.74%
50.00 - 50.95 191 91.44%
49.00 - 49.95 182 92.10%
48.00 - 48.95 173 92.74%
47.00 - 47.95 159 93.32%
46.00 - 46.95 151 93.87%
45.00 - 45.95 140 94.39%
44.00 - 44.95 131 94.87%
43.00 - 43.95 123 95.32%
42.00 - 42.95 115 95.74%
41.00 - 41.95 106 96.13%
40.00 - 40.95 99 96.49%
39.00 - 39.95 92 96.83%
38.00 - 38.95 86 97.14%
37.00 - 37.95 79 97.43%
36.00 - 36.95 72 97.70%

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 22

 Table 13: ATAR distribution, 20-band groups (continued)

ATAR Number of students Cumulative percentage of students

35.00 - 35.95 67 97.94%

34.00 - 34.95 61 98.17%
33.00 - 33.95 56 98.37%
32.00 - 32.95 52 98.56%
31.00 - 31.95 46 98.73%
30.00 - 30.95 43 98.89%
0.00 - 29.95 303 100.00%

ATAR Report 2021 - Queensland Tertiary Admissions Centre Page 23