Bonus Points and Adjustment Factors Explained

ATAR adjustment factors, which used to be called bonus points, are extra points universities add when deciding whether to offer you a place. They can be the difference between a yes and a no. But most of what students hear about them is too general. The number of points, the rules and the deadlines all depend on the university and the state.

What adjustment factors change (and what they don’t)

Your ATAR never changes. Adjustment factors raise your selection rank for a particular course, and that’s the number universities use to make offers. Since every university runs its own schemes, you can have a different selection rank for every course on your preference list. Also check each university’s guaranteed entry schemes before deciding where to apply.

The main typesThe biggest mistake is assuming points are the same everywhere. Close behind is missing an equity scheme deadline, followed by dropping a course from your preferences because your ATAR looks too low. Some students also believe the adjustment shows up on their ATAR. It won’t, because adjustments only change your selection rank. In most states you won’t see that rank until offers arrive, although SATAC’s portal shows it for SA and NT students.

Subject adjustments reward strong results in relevant Year 12 subjects. Newcastle, for example, gives up to four points based on HSC results, with no separate application needed.

A regional adjustment rewards students who live or go to school in certain areas. Newcastle automatically gives five points to students at schools in designated regional postcodes. UQ gives two through its Rural Access Scheme.

Equity schemes, such as the Educational Access Scheme (EAS) in NSW or SEAS (now called Equity Schemes) in Victoria, recognise disadvantage that affected your Year 11 or 12 studies. Macquarie, for instance, awards up to 10 points through EAS. You usually have to apply for these.

Some universities also reward elite athletes, performers and leaders. Newcastle offers up to four points in this category.

How many points can you actually get?

Less than some guides claim, because most universities cap the total. Western Sydney’s limit is 10 points across all its schemes, and Newcastle’s is 12. At UQ, the total across all schemes is up to 5. A student who qualifies for several schemes can still hit the cap quickly.

Victoria works differently

In Victoria, adjustment points are added to your aggregate (the score behind your ATAR) rather than to your ATAR. VTAC gives an example where a student with an ATAR of 70.00 and an aggregate of 120.41 receives five equity points. Their aggregate becomes 125.41, which converts to a selection rank of 73.40. So five points doesn’t mean five ATAR points. La Trobe, for example, caps adjustments at 20 aggregate points.

How to claim them, step by step

1. Pick your target courses and read each university’s adjustment factors page.
2. Note which adjustments are applied automatically and which need an application.
3. Apply for equity schemes before the deadline. In NSW, UAC says EAS documents should be in by 19 November to count for December Round 2 offers. VTAC’s 2026 SEAS window closed on 9 October, so Victorian students who missed it should ask VTAC about late options.
4. Check prerequisites. Adjustment factors can’t make up for a missing prerequisite subject.
5. Keep courses on your list even if your ATAR is below last year’s lowest selection rank. VTAC specifically recommends this, since your adjustments might cover the gap.

Before finalising your preferences, learn how to check your ATAR and compare it with each course’s published selection rank.

For example: a NSW student with a 78 ATAR attends a school in one of Newcastle’s designated regional postcodes and earns two subject points. At Newcastle, their selection rank becomes 85. At a university without those schemes, it stays at 78. The same ATAR gives very different chances depending on where they apply.

If you’re applying to a NSW university, use the HSC ATAR calculator to estimate your ATAR before finalising your course preferences.

Common mistakes

The biggest mistake is assuming points are the same everywhere. Close behind is missing an equity scheme deadline, followed by dropping a course from your preferences because your ATAR looks too low. Some students also believe the adjustment shows up on their ATAR. It won’t, because adjustments only change your selection rank. In most states you won’t see that rank until offers arrive, although SATAC’s portal shows it for SA and NT students.

Remember that ATAR calculator estimates are not university offers, and your selection rank may differ from your ATAR.

The Bottom Line

ATAR adjustment factors and bonus points are real and worth chasing, but check each university’s rules, caps and deadlines rather than relying on general claims. Use ATAR calculator to estimate your ATAR, then add the adjustments each target university would give you for that course.