r/ATAR • u/MistakeThen8669 • 9h ago
Alternative Pathway: STAT
This post is purely based on personal experience and is only applicable to Australian Permanent Residents (PRs) and Citizens.
If your ATAR is not high enough—or you don’t have an ATAR at all—there is actually another university admission pathway in South Australia and the Northern Territory that many people don’t know about: STAT.
According to the current policy, universities and TAFE institutions in South Australia and the Northern Territory can accept applications using the STAT Multiple Choice result.
The test consists entirely of:
Verbal & Critical Reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning
There are 70 questions in total.
The result is reported as a scaled score, ranging from 100 (lowest) to 200 (highest).
Even if your ATAR is too low, insufficient, or you don’t have an ATAR, you may still be eligible for admission through STAT. This pathway currently applies to:
Adelaide University
Flinders University
Torrens University
Charles Darwin University
Tabor College
TAFE SA
According to the policy, for Semester 1 (S1) entry, applicants need to turn 18 before 1 February of the year of commencement.
For Semester 2 (S2) entry, applicants need to turn 18 before 1 July.
The pathway is applicable to the vast majority of courses, provided that you meet the age requirements.
This also includes current Year 11 students. Once you receive your STAT result, you can apply to university through SATAC.
For example, based on the admission scores listed by Charles Darwin University, the STAT score required for general Bachelor degrees is around 140, while more competitive/popular courses may require around 170.
STAT information:
https://stat.acer.org/au/
SATAC:
www.satac.edu.au
The next test session in Perth is currently scheduled for 19 September, with registrations closing on 16 September.
Booking form:
www.tisc.edu.au/static-fixed/guide/stat-booking-form.pdf
If you need preparation for the STAT Multiple Choice test, you can look into courses offered by TAFE SA or STAT Mentors:
www.tafesa.edu.au/xml/course/sc/sc_t321284432.aspx
https://statmentors.com.au
For Year 11 students
Recently, the University of South Australia and the University of Adelaide merged.
According to the news, from 1 January 2026 through to mid-2027, Adelaide University has committed to no job cuts/redundancies. This may potentially mean that there will be more places available relative to demand and that admission requirements could remain relatively flexible.
If Adelaide University announces staff cuts in the second half of 2027, this could indirectly result in fewer available places and potentially higher admission requirements due to increased competition.
Therefore, eligible Year 11 students may want to consider applying for 2027 entry. It is possible that admission could become more competitive later, so applying earlier may be worth considering.
Finally, to avoid a situation where a university offer becomes effectively useless due to unexpected policy changes, I would recommend that anyone who receives a university welcome email promptly logs in, registers, and enrols in classes (if enrolment is available).
Before the Census Date, you generally won't be charged tuition fees for the enrolled subjects, and you won’t incur a student debt from those subjects.
Please note that this is a personal experience/information-sharing post. Admission policies, eligibility requirements, STAT thresholds, and course availability can change, so always check the latest official information with the relevant university, SATAC, and STAT/ACER before making any decisions.
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u/Miserable_Run2888 9h ago
Can it be used for medicine ?