What ATAR is Needed for Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a highly sought-after career as it offers an active and varied day to day work life. It’s the perfect blend of health and sciences, interacting with people, and not being stuck at a desk all day long. However, like many health-related careers, gaining entry to a Bachelor of Physiotherapy program can be quite competitive.
This year, high school students will be some of the first to navigate the changes brought about by the switch from the Overall Position (OP) ranking system to the new Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). The new ATAR system brings numerous benefits, however, it may take some getting used to. Regardless of how the scores are determined, high school students looking towards a career in this field should continue to focus on English, maths, sciences and physical education, and strive for the highest possible grades in these courses.
What ATAR is Needed for Physiotherapy?
What ATAR do you need to study physiotherapy? That depends on which university and program you decide to apply for – but be prepared to aim high in all of your high school courses to have the very best chance of getting into the school of your dreams. The required ATAR for physiotherapy does vary among Universities but minimums normally fall within the range of 78 – 98. For students looking at programs that require an ATAR of 90 or higher, it’s quite common to enlist the help of professional tutors to assist them with reaching their goals.
Students study physiotherapy will undertake a variety of academic, clinical and science courses including biomedical, physical and behavioural science. In order to graduate, students will need to prove that they have all the skills and professional knowledge required for entry-level clinical physiotherapy practice. The required ATAR for physiotherapy is on average about a 90, which may be challenging but definitely not impossible!
Does your aspiring physiotherapist worry that they may not be able to meet the required ATAR needed to get into the program of their choice?
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Calculating your ATAR Score for a Physiotherapy Degree
Physiotherapy normally requires prerequisite subjects such as English, mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, health and physical education. For some courses, students may be required to also sit the Undergraduate Medical and Health Science Admission Test and undergo an interview process.
However, the most common entrance factor is the ATAR score. Taking over from the former Overall Position system, the ATAR score is a little complicated to calculate but thankfully students only have to worry about achieving as high a mark as possible in each of their core subjects and all of the calculations will be done for them. (See QTAC’s guide to calculating ATAR). For a more simplified version, our cheat sheet on understanding the ATAR system is a great starting point.
What if you don’t have the minimum ATAR for Physiotherapy?
Although the entrance requirements for physiotherapy degrees can be quite competitive, some universities offer alternative options for gaining entry into the program without necessarily meeting the minimum ATAR for Physiotherapy. Some universities may offer students “bonus points” in order to bump up their ranking (selection rank). Factors such as attending schools in certain locations, year 12 subject performance and eligibility for Educational Access Schemes can all play a role in determining a selection rank for a particular course that is higher than a student’s original ATAR. An individual’s selection rank can vary between different universities and even among different courses at the same school. Post-secondary schools will automatically use your ATAR + adjustments (if you are eligible) to determine your selection rank for a particular course.
How to achieve the ATAR for Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy can be one of the hardest courses to get into, so students aspiring to get into this field of study should aim to achieve top marks (especially in maths and science). Achieving the minimum ATAR for physiotherapy may feel daunting but we’re here to help. If you are choosing a school with a minimum ATAR for physiotherapy in the 90s, top marks in the last few years of high school are an absolute must. Students will need to demonstrate perseverance, dedication and the right mind-set in order to stay on track to reach their full potential and achieve the highest grades possible. Whether your child’s goal is to work with seniors as an occupational therapist, or to travel with top athletes to the next Olympic games, A Team Tuition can help. Our top-notch tutors help high school students boost their confidence, mindset and attitude to make all of their dreams a reality.
Looking at other career paths? Find out the ATAR scores needed for: