What ATAR Do You Need for Nursing?

The ATAR for nursing at most Australian universities recently sat between about 60 and 75 for a standard Bachelor of Nursing. That makes nursing more accessible than many people expect. Two warnings, though. Plenty of students get in below the published figure, and nursing comes with entry steps that have nothing to do with your ATAR.

Nursing ATARs at a glance

University	Figure	What it is
Western Sydney	50.15 / 60.05	Lowest ATAR and lowest selection rank, Semester 1 2026
UniSQ	60.00	Lowest adjusted rank, Trimester 1 2025
Deakin	51.35 to 70.05	Lowest selection rank in 2026, varying by campus
QUT	74.00	Selection rank threshold, with guaranteed entry from 80 for Semester 1 2027
Sydney	84	Selection rank for Nursing (Advanced Studies), 2027 entry

Why students get in below the published number

Western Sydney’s 2026 data is a good example. The lowest selection rank was 60.05, but the lowest ATAR was 50.15. That’s ten points lower, because adjustment factors lifted some students’ ranks. The median ATAR was 63.45.

Some universities also offer a guaranteed ATAR below their usual cut-off for eligible students. Deakin’s is 61 at the campus where the main figure is 70.05. Before you decide a course is out of reach, check which adjustment factors you might qualify for.

When nursing gets more competitive

The usual Bachelor of Nursing ATAR is fairly modest, but combined and advanced degrees are a different story. In UAC’s December 2025 offer round, one nursing and paramedicine double degree had a lowest selection rank of 94.30. Sydney’s Advanced Studies nursing degree asks for 84. If you’re comparing courses, compare the exact degree.

Nursing entry requirements beyond the ATAR

Check each course page for prerequisites and assumed knowledge. The bigger surprise for most students is the placement checks. At CQUniversity, for example, students need an Australian Federal Police check, a Working with Children Check and NDIS worker screening, plus immunisation records, before placement starts. The police and working with children checks can each take more than 28 business days, so CQU tells students to apply at least six weeks before the deadline. Start these as soon as you accept an offer.

One common mistake is chasing a higher-ranked university for prestige alone. For registration, what matters is that your course is accredited by ANMAC and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. UTS, for instance, lists both. Pick the course that suits you, as long as it carries that accreditation.

Pathways if your ATAR falls short

You have more options than most students realise. UniSQ runs a free pathway program into its Bachelor of Nursing for students who don’t have an ATAR or missed the cut-off, so nursing without an ATAR is possible. Some universities, such as CQUniversity, also offer an enrolled nurse pathway: complete a Diploma of Nursing, register as an enrolled nurse, then finish the bachelor’s degree in about two years.

For example: a student finishes with an ATAR of 58 and wants to nurse in Sydney. They could check whether adjustment factors take their selection rank past Western Sydney’s 60.05. If not, they could do a pathway program and apply the following year.

The Bottom Line

For a standard Bachelor of Nursing, an ATAR for nursing in the 60s or low 70s is enough at many universities, and adjustment factors can bring that lower. Check whether the figure is a guaranteed ATAR or last year’s lowest rank, confirm the course is accredited, and start your placement checks early. To test whether your expected marks reach your target, run them through our ATAR calculator.