How do I secure my place at Melbourne?
You can feel assured in your course preferences and plan ahead with confidence by referring to our 2024 ATAR guarantees, and considering our 2023 lowest selection ranks.
Guaranteed ATARs
Domestic and onshore international school-leaver applicants who complete an Australian Year 12 qualification or the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma in 2023, apply for their preferred undergraduate course via VTAC, satisfy course prerequisites, achieve the 2024 Guaranteed ATAR (or notional ATAR) and preference appropriately to receive an offer will be certain of a place in their chosen degree.
Lowest selection rank
This is the lowest ATAR score (rank) to which offers were made for each undergraduate course in the previous year and should be used as a guide only. Lowest selection ranks are note set in advance and can vary from one year to the next, depending on how many eligible domestic current Year 12 students are in the applicant pool. Domestic 2023 Year 12 applicants who satisfy course prerequisites and achieve an ATAR that is at-level with the 2023 lowest selection rank may be considered for a place, but are not guaranteed.
Access Melbourne Guaranteed ATAR
If you have applied for Access Melbourne, our Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS), you may be eligible for guaranteed entry, if you are a current Year 12 applicant, meet course prerequisites and are confirmed eligible for consideration under our Access Melbourne categories: disadvantaged financial background, resident of a regional or remote area, or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander student. Use the Access Melbourne eligibility calculator to receive an indication of the ATAR you will need to achieve to receive an Access Melbourne offer.
2023 LOWEST SELECTION RANKS AND 2024 GUARANTEED ATARS
| AUSTRALIAN YEAR 12 DOMESTIC STUDENTS | ACCESS MELBOURNE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS* | AUSTRALIAN YEAR 12 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS | INTERNATIONAL IB STUDENTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATARS AND SCORES | 2023 LOWEST SELECTION RANK | 2024 GUARANTEED ATAR | 2024 GUARANTEED ATAR | 2024 GUARANTEED ATAR | 2024 GUARANTEED IB SCORES |
| Bachelor of Agriculture | 68.30 | 72.00 | 68.00 | 70.00 | 25 |
| Bachelor of Arts | 88.00 | 88.00 | 74.00 | 85.00 | 31 |
| Bachelor of Biomedicine | 94.05 | 95.00 | 88.00 | 95.00 | 37 |
| Bachelor of Commerce | 91.00 | 93.00 | 80.00 | 92.00 | 35 |
| Bachelor of Design | 85.00 | 88.00 | 74.00 | 85.00 | 31 |
| Bachelor of Science | 85.00 | 88.00 | 74.00 | 85.00 | 31 |
*These Access Melbourne guaranteed ATARs are only applicable for current Year 12 applicants who meet course prerequisites and are eligible under either the 'disadvantaged financial background' or 'resident of a regional or remote area' categories.
How do VTAC preferences work?
You can list up to 8 course preferences. Each of your nominated VTAC preferences will consider your application at the same time, regardless of where they are placed in your preference list.
Your VTAC preference order won't disadvantage your application
Universities cannot consider whether their course is your preference number 1 or 8 when assessing your application.
You only receive a single offer each round
VTAC examines your preferences and sends you a single offer that corresponds to your highest preference course that wishes to offer to you. Course preferences should be listed in the order you would most like to study, with your dream courses at the top, regardless of how likely you think they are to make you an offer.
When might I receive an offer to study at Melbourne?
Depending on where you complete your secondary school studies, you'll be considered for different VTAC offer rounds, beginning in December. For detailed information about VTAC offer rounds relevant to your curriculum, click here.
What is the Melbourne curriculum?
Discover your strengths and passions, while gaining the knowledge, skills and experience to set you apart and prepare you for the future, whatever you choose to do.
Choose from seven undergraduate degrees that follow the Melbourne curriculum: arts, biomedicine, commerce, design, fine arts, music, and science. Alternatively, we also offer degrees in agriculture and oral health for focused and specialist undergraduate studies.
Select a major
Your major is at the core of your undergraduate degree. Through every year of study, you will build in-depth specialist knowledge in your chosen major. Each degree has a different set of majors for you to explore.
Breadth study
Unique to the Melbourne curriculum, you'll explore subjects outside your core study area – we call this breadth. Tailor your course to fit your individual passions and career ambitions. You may choose to take a single subject in something you’ve always been curious about; or take a sequence of three or more subjects called a breadth track.
Breadth can help you develop knowledge and skills that will complement your career goals. For example, if you're studying science, communications and media breadth subjects will help you to write for journals and reports. Alternatively, learn a language, tap into your musical side or deep-dive into cultural studies. The choice is yours.
Who do I talk to about updating my preferences or planning my degree?
We're here to help you feel supported through this time of the year and answer any questions you may have.
There are many factors to consider when updating your course preferences. Our Future Students team are available to answer your questions about specific course details, the Melbourne curriculum, scholarships, equity programs, University Accommodation or guaranteed graduate study pathways and more.
Do you offer scholarships and special entry schemes?
Yes, we are proud to have a comprehensive scholarship and equity program. Our offering includes awards, bursaries, grants and full scholarships. Each of these may be awarded to an applicant based on a broad spectrum of criteria ranging from academic merit to residential location or financial hardship. Discover our full range of scholarships on our scholarships page.
Most Melbourne scholarships are considered automatically as part of your application, but some can require a separate application. For example, the First in Family Scholarship for commencing commerce students and the Indigenous Accommodation Grant are open now for applications.
Check your faculty website and search on the scholarships website to discover all scholarships you could be eligible for.
Access Melbourne
Access Melbourne is our Special Entry Access Scheme (SEAS) for domestic applicants. SEAS applications for 2024 entry were submitted via VTAC (applications closed in October 2023).
Access Melbourne ensures that your unique personal circumstances, such as financial hardship, medical conditions, or location, are considered when your course application is assessed. Indigenous and mature-aged applicants (23 years old+) may also be eligible for Access Melbourne consideration. If you have applied for Access Melbourne, depending on what categories you apply under, you could benefit from guaranteed entry to one of our participating bachelors degrees or you may be offered a place at Melbourne even if your ATAR is below the lowest selection rank (subject to meeting course prerequisites).
All Access Melbourne applicants are also automatically considered for the Narrm Scholarship.
Study score consideration in addition to ATAR
If your ATAR is below the usual level selected but you are eligible for at least one of these four Access Melbourne categories: Disadvantaged financial background, Resident of a regional or remote area, Difficult circumstances and/or Disability or medical condition.
You may be considered for a place at Melbourne using criteria in addition to your ATAR. You'll need to:
- Satisfy all course prerequisites
- Achieve a (raw) VCE study score of at least 35 in one or more of the VCE Unit 3/4 subjects (or equivalent) specified for your course(s) of interest at Melbourne
- Achieve an ATAR of at least 72.00 for the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Design and Bachelor of Science; 78.00 for the Bachelor of Commerce; 86.00 for the Bachelor of Biomedicine.
Can I secure my study pathway from an undergraduate degree into a professional masters degree?
Yes, the University offers guarantees, pathway courses and scholarships for students applying for 2024 entry to Melbourne undergraduate degrees.
Melbourne Chancellor's Scholarship
The Melbourne Chancellor's Scholarship is a comprehensive scholarship awarded to eligible high-achieving Year 12 school leavers in Australia. You’ll automatically be considered for this scholarship if you are eligible when you apply to the University of Melbourne via VTAC.
The Melbourne Chancellor’s Scholarship provides recipients with numerous benefits including a guaranteed Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in one of the University’s professional masters degrees, for students who meet all course prerequisites and entry requirements. Domestic and international school leavers are eligible for this scholarship.
What is a Graduate Degree Package?
Our Graduate Degree Packages for school leavers bundle an undergraduate degree offer with an offer for a place in one of our specialised, professional graduate school programs. This means you have secured your undergraduate and graduate place at the University of Melbourne from day one. Graduate Degree Packages are open to domestic and international school leavers applying for study at Melbourne in 2024. Applicants need to complete an Australian Year 12 or the International Baccalaureate (IB) in Australia to be eligible for a Graduate Degree Package. Australian citizens who complete the above qualifications outside of Australia are also eligible.
Domestic students are eligible for a CSP for both their undergraduate and graduate studies, while international students may receive an International Fee Place place in both their undergraduate and graduate programs.
You may select your preferred package based on the career outcome you're working toward. For example, you can enrol in the Bachelor of Science and have your spot in the Master of Engineering locked in right away.
Applications for our Graduate Degree Packages must be made through VTAC. Each Graduate Degree Package has a unique VTAC code. You won't automatically be offered a place in the single undergraduate degree that corresponds to your chosen Graduate Degree Package. It is important to ensure you have included the single degree VTAC code on your preference list if you wish to be considered for the single degree.
Will Access Melbourne and other special entry access schemes be taken into consideration?
Access Melbourne and other special entry access schemes will not apply for Graduate Degree Package applicants. Such applicants will need to ensure they meet the ATAR requirement for their desired package.
Applicants who are eligible for Access Melbourne and a Graduate Degree Package will still be considered for a Melbourne Access Scholarship.
When I receive a Graduate Degree Package offer am I locked into completing the graduate program?
You do not have to complete your chosen graduate degree to receive your undergraduate qualification when you accept a Graduate Degree Package offer. You may conclude your studies with a bachelors qualification, or choose to pursue another career by applying for a different graduate degree. Please note that your guaranteed place in the graduate program will only apply to the course listed in the Graduate Degree Package.
What if I don't have an ATAR?
The Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is used to measure your overall academic achievement in comparison to other Year 12 students studying in Australia. It is a national rank, not a mark, that indicates your position relative to others in your age group and is used by most universities to determine eligibility for entry into a course.
I studied an International Baccalaureate (IB)
You will be sent a notional ATAR statement. A notional ATAR is a rank calculated by VTAC and used to directly compare the results of applicants who have studied under different Victorian educational systems. A notional ATAR is treated in the same way as a normal ATAR for course selection purposes.
I studied at a high school overseas
You’ll need to check if your education provider’s qualification meets the minimum Victorian Tertiary Entrance Requirements.
I didn't complete Year 12
If you didn’t complete Year 12 and are a non-school leaver (23 years of age or older), we have an entry pathway through Access Melbourne, our special entry scheme. You’ll need to demonstrate your likelihood to succeed in your application. If you are already studying a graded, cognate Diploma or Advanced Diploma at TAFE or another university you may be able to use those results as part of your application to study with us.
What pathway options are available?
If you don't meet the direct entry requirements, there are a range of undergraduate entry pathways to help you achieve your dream of studying with us.
Diploma in General Studies
The Diploma in General Studies (DiGS) is taught at our Dookie campus in regional Victoria and offers a pathway to enter the Bachelor of Arts, Agriculture, Biomedicine, Commerce, Design or Science at the University of Melbourne.
DiGS will help you to develop the academic skills required for success at university. Upon completion, you may receive guaranteed entry into one of the above undergraduate degrees. Guaranteed entry applies only to those eligible for Access Melbourne and upon meeting the required guaranteed scores on completion of the DiGS. The 2023 lowest selection rank (lowest ATAR selected) was 49.15. This program is only available to domestic students.
Supported degree programs for Indigenous Australian students
Designed for motivated and aspiring Australian Indigenous students who have not obtained the results for direct entry into the Bachelor of Science or Diploma of General Studies.
These extended courses aim to build a strong foundation for future success among a range of disciplines. During your additional year of study, you may access specialised academic support through foundation studies in key areas such as academic literacy, communication and performance, literature, philosophy and environmental studies. In addition, you’ll also receive tailored support through Murrup Barak (the Melbourne Institute for Indigenous Development). Eligible students who receive an ATAR score of 50.00+ are encouraged to apply.
