Admission criteria and entry schemes

Australian Year 12 students

Admission is based on the selection rank you receive after award of your Australian Year 12 qualification or International Baccalaureate (IB) in 2026. The selection rank considers your ATAR or equivalent rank, plus any adjustment factors you’re eligible for.

Selection rank adjustments

Selection rank adjustments may allow you to receive an offer to a degree even though you have an ATAR below the published lowest selection rank. Macquarie University takes into account a number of adjustment factors when calculating your selection rank. 

Macquarie University adjustment factors

Equity-based adjustments

Educational Access Scheme

Macquarie recognises that life circumstances or events beyond your control can impact education, opportunity and achievement. That’s why we consider your individual situation. If you’ve experienced educational or social disadvantage, or other special circumstances, you may be eligible to receive up to five additional points.

Macquarie University EAS applications are processed centrally through UAC.

Achievement-based adjustments

The following factors recognise your record of accomplishment in a range of interest areas and activities:

Elite Athletes and Artistic Performers

If performing, training or competitive commitments have affected your HSC or study preparation, you may be eligible for selection rank adjustments.

Macquarie participates in UAC’s Elite Athlete and Performer Scheme (EAPS). For detailed MQ criteria, visit Macquarie University’s achievement-based adjustment factors. By applying for EAPS through UAC, applicants can have their circumstances taken into consideration by Macquarie.

How to apply for UAC's Elite Athlete and Performer Scheme

Academic Advantage

Academic Advantage applies to the majority of Macquarie’s degrees and recognises your achievements in Year 12 subjects that relate to Macquarie’s degrees.

Depending on your performance in certain subjects related to your degree of interest, you may receive up to a maximum of six adjustment factor points. UAC will automatically adjust your selection rank if a Macquarie University degree is listed in your preferences.

Academic Advantage
 

Duke of Edinburgh's, King’s Scout and Queen’s Guide Awards
 

If you’ve completed the Duke of Edinburgh's, the King’s Scout or the Queen’s Guide awards, you may be eligible to receive up to six additional points. This adjustment factor scheme recognises your commitment, discipline and determination to venture outside of your comfort zone to excel and develop your interpersonal, employability and practical skills.

Duke of Edinburgh, King’s Scout and Queen’s Guide Awards

Criteria that may apply in addition to the ATAR

In addition to achieving the standard of performance required for admission, for certain degrees you may be required to also satisfy additional selection criteria. This may involve completing a personal statement, questionnaire, portfolio of work, audition, interview or test. These criteria are considered either instead of, or in conjunction with, your ATAR or equivalent.

Details of additional selection criteria and how you can meet these requirements are outlined in the degree descriptions.

If you’re undertaking your Year 12 studies outside of Australia and you’re applying for a degree that has additional selection criteria that you think you’ll find difficult to meet, contact Macquarie University.

Assumed knowledge

Assumed knowledge is specified in the degree descriptions. While it’s not a requirement for acceptance into a degree, you may find the degree difficult if you haven’t completed the specified HSC subjects.

Bridging courses

Bridging courses provide learning support, a useful refresher and a solid foundation for your university studies.

Mathematics and statistics

The Numeracy Centre offers free help with the mathematics or statistics component of any first-year degree/major, including those in accounting, actuarial studies, biology, chemistry, economics, electronics, mathematics, physics, psychology and statistics. The centre works on a drop-in basis during the week and runs a variety of bridging courses at the beginning of every session.

The Numeracy Centre also offers a number of courses at the start of each year on a fee-paying basis.

The Preparatory Course in Mathematics is an intensive course that's ideal if you plan to enrol in first-year mathematics units or if you need a solid review of introductory mathematical concepts.

Two different streams are available. Review sessions are also run to refresh prerequisite knowledge early in the session.

For more information, visit the Numeracy Centre website, call (02) 9850 8924 or email fse.numeracy@mq.edu.au

Chemistry

The chemistry bridging course is ideal if you plan to study university science but you didn’t study chemistry at HSC level, if you need to gain confidence in chemistry, or if you want a refresher course in chemistry.

The course is excellent preparation for any of the following units:

• CHEM1001/CHEM102
• BMOL1001
• BIOL1620

For more information, contact fse.molsci-reception@mq.edu.au or call (02) 9850 8275.
 

Physics

The physics bridging course prepares you for studies in physics, astronomy, engineering, medical sciences and related disciplines. It provides learning support, a useful refresher and a solid foundation for your university studies in physics.

If you haven’t completed physics to HSC level or equivalent, this course is recommended if you plan to enrol in:

• PHYS1510/PHYS1520 or PHYS1010/PHYS1020
• WPHY1510/ WPHY1520

It's also excellent preparation for:

• PHYS1210 and a foundation for the GAMSAT
• Foundations for engineering units, such as MECH1001, CIVL1001, ENGG1000 and ENGG1050.

For more information, contact fse.physacadmin@mq.edu.au or call (02) 9850 4244.

Macquarie University bridging courses

Other admission options

Macquarie Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Scheme

The Macquarie Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Scheme considers your Year 11 academic performance alongside your extracurricular activities, casual work experience and community involvement to assess your eligibility for an early offer into a Macquarie degree. The scheme is available for most Macquarie degrees and applications are made directly to the University.

Macquarie Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Scheme

Schools Recommendation Schemes
 

Limited ATAR

Under certain circumstances, you may be admitted based on a Limited ATAR.

Pathways to Macquarie University

If you’ve previously undertaken tertiary studies, you’ll be considered for selection on the basis of your overall record of academic merit – for both secondary and tertiary study. If you have tertiary award studies but you haven’t completed a Year 12 certificate, you’ll be considered for selection on the basis of your tertiary rank.

Former Macquarie University students

If you’re a previous Macquarie student applying to return to the same undergraduate degree after completing an exclusion period, you will need to apply via UAC.

Admission is competitively based on academic merit. It's recommended that you undertake further studies to improve your academic performance.
 

Macquarie recognises VET qualifications completed at Certificate IV level or higher for entry purposes. If you’ve completed a Diploma, Advanced Diploma, or Associate Degree, you may also be eligible for admission with credit into particular courses. You will be considered for admission based on your VET selection rank or your ATAR if you have completed the HSC or equivalent Year 12 qualification, whichever is higher.

Other entry programs

Macquarie University College

Macquarie University College offers foundation and diplomaprograms as pathways into bachelor degrees. Developed to prepare you for university study, foundation programs such as UniReady, Standard Foundation, or the Intensive Program enable seamless transition to the first year of an undergraduate degree, whereas diploma programs will enable you to transition to the second year of selected degrees. Articulation criteria may apply in addition to successful completion of the pathway program. 

Open Universities Australia

Open Universities Australia allows you the flexibility to study Macquarie units at your own pace, building towards a full Macquarie degree. Study is completely online for most units and is open to students with an ATAR below entry requirement, or even no ATAR at all.

If your highest level of education is the Higher School Certificate (or equivalent), you’ll be assessed on the basis of those results.

Some degrees require you to attend an interview. Visit Macquarie University coursefinder to learn more about entry requirements for your chosen degree.

If you don’t have adequate formal education qualifications, but you do have informal learning and work experience, you can submit a portfolio for entry into a diploma or foundation program offered by Macquarie University College.

Pathways

If the above entry programs don't meet your personal circumstance, you still have options. Explore the following pathways:

• internal transfer programs (enrol in a degree with a lower ATAR and transfer into your desired degree)
• Special Tertiary Admissions Test – for non current school leavers over the age of 20 only, who do not hold any other academic qualifications at Cert IV or above.

If you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident of Australia with overseas qualifications, check the commonly accepted overseas secondary qualifications.

If you apply on the basis of overseas qualifications, you may be required to sit an English language proficiency test.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Entry Pathway provides tertiary study opportunities for First Nations students who may not have completed their HSC or acquired a necessary selection rank for entry into their degree of choice.

This pathway involves a two-stage process: an online application and then a face-to-face interview. Offers are made according to merit, based on demonstrated capacity and readiness to undertake university study.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Indigenous Student Support Officer prior to applying. Call (02) 9850 8624.

In recognition of your ADF service, your selection rank for an undergraduate degree will be increased by 5 points. The points will be allocated when you declare and provide valid proof of your ADF service in your UAC application.

The basic admission qualification for postgraduate courses is completion of a relevant recognised bachelor degree. Admission is competitive and you’ll be considered on the basis of academic merit and any other criteria as specified by the University. Details of admission qualifications and any additional requirements such as work experience, supplementary forms or interviews are listed in the individual course descriptions in the course search.

Overseas qualifications and English language proficiency

If you’ve undertaken studies overseas, you may have to provide proof of English language proficiency.

You may have to submit additional material as part of your application process; this will depend on the course/s for which you’re applying. Submit your material by the date specified in the individual course descriptions.

For details, check individual course descriptions in the course search.

In recognition of ADF service, successful applicants may be eligible for a 10 per cent discount on their postgraduate coursework fee.