Does Year 11 Count Towards Your ATAR?

Starting Year 11 next year and wondering and whether your results count towards your ATAR?

You’ve come to the right article! While your Year 11 grades don’t exactly count towards your ATAR, it’s super important to strive to do your best.

We’ll walk you through why Year 11 is an important part of your senior years and how it impacts your results and university options.

Let’s get started!

What Do You Study in Year 11?

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your HSC ATAR? 

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your VCE ATAR? 

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your QCE ATAR? 

Why Should You Still Do Well in Year 11 

What Do You Study in Year 11?

For many Australian students, Year 11 is the second-last year of high school! You’ll be prepping for Year 12 and studying core topics for your subjects.

Besides the mandatory two units of English, you can choose up to 12 units of study. If you have 11 or 12 units, you have the opportunity to drop down to 10 units.

This is essentially your trial period to set you up for Year 12. But, don’t take this “trial period” too lightly! Year 11 is an important time to get comfortable with studying for longer periods of time and higher expectations for assessments.

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your HSC ATAR? 

The short answer is: No. Your Year 11 grades do not count towards your ATAR!

Essentially, the ATAR is a percentile number that’s calculated using your HSC Marks — aka, your Year 12 marks. This uses your final HSC marks and your Year 12 internal assessment grades.

This means your Year 11 results will not be included in your final ATAR. However, you must successfully complete 12 units of study in Year 11 in order to progress to Year 12 and be eligible for an HSC Certificate. 

Want to find out more about how your HSC Results get calculated into an ATAR? Take a look at our guide here!  If you are looking for support to succeed in Year 11, get in touch with our Hoxton Park tutoring team!

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your VCE ATAR? 

When it comes to the VCE, Year 11 doesn’t count towards your ATAR.

When you complete your VCE, your ATAR will be calculated using your Year 12 internal and external assessments.

So, your Year 11 marks won’t affect your ATAR score! But, Year 11 is still super important because you will need to complete Units 1 and 2 in Year 11 before progressing to Units 3 and 4 in Year 12. 

Think of it as a trial period for Year 12 — use this time of less study pressure to experiment with what study techniques suit you best. 

Check out how to study for your VCE external exams over the holidays here!

So even though your Year 11 results won’t actually count towards your ATAR, they will still contribute towards your final VCE Certificate! 

Does Year 11 Count Towards Your QCE ATAR? 

For the QCE, Year 11 doesn’t count towards your ATAR! 

Note! If you are doing the real IA1 at the end of your Year 11 year, those results will count towards your ATAR! Learn all about what your IA1s entail.

However, any passes and fails in Units 1 and 2 will count towards the final Certification of Education. So it’s important to perform well in both Year 11 and 12 in order to be awarded your QCE. 

This is why Year 11 isn’t a time to slack off, even though it’s not counted towards your ATAR! You have Year 11 to find what study techniques and learning style suits you the best! You can find out more about the QCE and ATAR here! 

Check out where your school ranks on the list of top co-ed and single sex schools in Brisbane based on ATAR results!

Why Should You Still Do Well in Year 11 

Now that you know that Year 11 doesn’t actually count towards your ATAR (what a relief!), you might be tempted to assume the year isn’t worth anything, and the main thing is to just pass your subjects.

However, the future Year 12 version of you will be thanking you if you study well in Year 11! In other words, try your best in Year 11 and make the year count!

We’ll unpack two reasons why this is the case.

Reason #1: You’re Learning the Foundations for Year 12 

One major reason to still work hard in Year 11 is that the foundational content you learn will be super important in Year 12.

A lot of the Year 12 syllabus extends upon the key information you’ve already studied in Year 11.

So whether you’re studying Biology, Economics, Modern History, or Maths, you’ll find the content that you covered in Year 11 is really helpful and relevant throughout Year 12!

Not only is the foundational content you learn super important, Year 11 is also a great way to develop healthy study habits in preparation for Year 12.

We’ve got a little cheatsheet to acing Year 11 in our personalised study planner here!

You can experiment with different study strategies, learn to minimise exam stress, and build an ideal study plan that works with your schedule and personal study preference! 

This way, doing well in Year 11 can help you form the foundations for Year 12 and ultimately affect your results and ATAR! 

Reason #2: Better Year 11 Results, Better Chance for Early Entry Offers

Another reason to work hard in Year 11 is that even though your results don’t count towards your ATAR, your results can still affect your university opportunities!

Many unis offer Early Entry pathways that do not have a minimum ATAR requirement, which means you can get into your dream university based on your Year 11 grades!

Learn more about applying for early entry here!

Universities evaluate your application based on a range of criteria (your leadership skills, extracurricular activities, paid work and volunteer experience, the list goes on!).

Alongside these factors, universities assess your academic achievements for early entry — which is why you should still do your best in Year 11! 

Example #1: Macquarie Uni

Macquarie University, for example, has a Leaders and Achievers Early Entry Scheme. 

This looks at your leadership experience, extracurricular commitment, and Year 11 academic achievements before offering you an early entry into Macquarie Uni. 

Example #2: UAC Schools Recommendation Scheme (SRS).

The SRS allows universities to make an offer based on your Year 11 achievements and a recommendation from the school. Unis might offer you early entry solely on SRS criteria, or they might still require a minimum ATAR.

This minimum ATAR requirement will vary depending on the university and degree, but it will be lower than the standard selection rank! 

The SRS is available for students who are completing an Australian Year 12 qualification including the HSC, VCE, and QCE!

So even though your Year 11 results don’t count towards your ATAR, they are still really important and can help you get into your dream uni!

Want more tips on how to get into uni without an ATAR? Take a look at our guide here! 

There You Have It!

In this article we’ve unpacked how Year 11 can influence your ATAR.

While your actual marks don’t count towards your ATAR, Year 11 passes and fails do still count towards your HSC, VCE, or QCE qualification. Plus, you’ll need the foundational knowledge you learn during Year 11 to prepare for Year 12, as well as applying for early entry!

Find out what it means to drop a subject for Year 12 and what affect that will have on your ATAR results!

Rest assured that any bad results in Year 11 won’t count towards your ATAR — just make sure to still work hard throughout the year! 

Wondering what ATAR you should aim for? Learn why you shouldn’t aim for a high ATAR.

Are you looking for some extra help with preparing for Year 11?

We have an incredible team of tutors and mentors!

Getting nearer to the end of Year 11 and ready to start preparing for the leap up to Year 12? Here’s what to do, and what not to do…

We can help you master your subjects and ace your upcoming assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online! We also have tutors across Victoria, including your perfect tutor in Essendon!

We’ve supported over 8,000 students over the last 11 years, and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!

To find out more and get started with an inspirational tutor and mentor, get in touch today or give us a ring on 1300 267 888!

Maitreyi Kulkarni is a Content Writer at Art of Smart Education and is currently studying a Bachelor of Media and Communications (Public Relations and Social Media) at Macquarie University. She loves writing just about anything from articles to poetry, and has also had one of her articles published with the ABC. When she’s not writing up a storm, she can be found reading, bingeing sitcoms, or playing the guitar.