What ATAR Do You Need for Psychology?

The ATAR for psychology at most Australian universities ranged from about 70 to the mid-80s for 2026 entry. Many students got in lower than that once adjustment factors were counted. The number matters less than most students think, because getting into a psychology degree is the easiest step on the way to becoming a psychologist.

Psychology ATARs at a glance

University and course	Figure	What it is
Curtin, Bachelor of Psychology	70	Guaranteed ATAR or selection rank
Deakin, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)	80.20 to 81.75	Lowest selection rank in 2026, varying by campus
Sydney, Bachelor of Psychology	76.15 / 85.10	Lowest ATAR and lowest selection rank, Semester 1 2026
UTS, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours)	75.45 / 86.40	Lowest ATAR and lowest selection rank, Semester 1 2026

The Sydney and UTS rows show why the published figure can mislead. At UTS, the lowest selection rank was 86.40, but the lowest ATAR was about 11 points lower once adjustment factors were added. Sydney has no guaranteed ATAR and expects most applicants to need 85 or higher. Even so, it made offers to students with ATARs as low as 76.15.

Three-year or four-year degree?

To become a psychologist, you need a four-year accredited sequence of study. You can do this as a four-year honours degree, or as a three-year degree followed by a separate honours year.

The three-year route usually has a lower entry rank, but your honours place depends on your university marks. The four-year degree gives you a direct path into fourth year, but most set a minimum average. Students who miss it usually exit with a three-year degree.

If your ATAR is lower, a diploma can work as a stepping stone. Griffith’s Diploma of Psychological Science had an entry threshold of 60.00 for 2026 and leads into second year of the Bachelor of Psychological Science once you finish it.

The ATAR is the easy part

Registration requires six years of education and training. After the four-year sequence, you either do a master’s (or a combined master’s and PhD) or follow the 5+1 internship pathway. The 5+1 route means a fifth year of study, then a year of supervised practice in an approved workplace. On the 5+1 route, you also need to pass the National Psychology Exam. The older 4+2 internship pathway closed to new applicants on 30 June 2022, so ignore any guide that still recommends it.

Postgraduate places are competitive, so your university marks will matter more than your ATAR ever did. The Psychology Board of Australia consulted in 2026 on replacing the current pathways with a single five-year degree. Consultation has closed and nothing is final yet, so check the Board’s website when you get closer to finishing your degree.

For example: a student with an ATAR of 74 misses UTS but takes a three-year psychology degree elsewhere. Their ATAR is now irrelevant. What decides their future is whether their first three years of marks are strong enough for honours.

Common mistakes

One is ruling out a psychology degree because its ATAR looks higher than your estimate, without checking adjustment factors or guaranteed entry. Another is choosing a general arts degree with a psychology major without checking that it’s accredited and leads to honours. A third is assuming a bachelor’s degree on its own lets you work as a psychologist. It doesn’t.

The Bottom Line

An ATAR for psychology in the 70s or low 80s gets you into an accredited degree at many universities. Check whether the figure is guaranteed or last year’s lowest rank, confirm the course leads to an accredited fourth year, and plan for six years in total if you want to become a psychologist. To see where your marks are likely to land, try our ATAR calculator.