Tertiary pathways and University
To be eligible for selection into most other undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia, the ATAR is the primary criterion for entry.
What if I want to go to University?
The main universities in Adelaide, South Australia are:
​
​
Eligible students will apply to any of these institutions through the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC) at https://www.satac.edu.au/. To be eligible for selection into these university courses/programs, students must:
​
-
Qualify for the SACE
-
Obtain a required Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). For more information on: ATAR calculation and scaling go to https://www.satac.edu.au/pages/calculating-the-university-aggregate-and-atar and scaling https://www.satac.edu.au/pages/scaling
-
Meet any prerequisite subject requirements for the course/program. Typically courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering, Science, Mathematical, Computing and Information Technology degrees require prerequisite subjects to be completed in Year 12. To access this information, for the above universities go to SATAC course search
​
A number of university programs also list SACE subjects as ‘Assumed Knowledge’. These subjects indicate the academic background that is assumed of students entering the program. However, while desirable, these subjects are not required for admission into the course/program.
​
To be eligible for selection into most other undergraduate-entry university programs in Australia, the ATAR is the primary criterion for entry. However, for some interstate programs, an adjusted equivalent ATAR is calculated and/or different prerequisite subject(s) may apply, for example Year 12 English.
​
Please check with the relevant interstate Tertiary Admission Centres if interstate tertiary study is a possibility for you.
Go to https://www.vtac.edu.au/applying/66-general-information/general-information/255-tacs.html for links to other interstate tertiary admission centres.
​
How does grading work in SACE?
For each subject, school grades A to E for Stage 1 and A+ to E- for Stage 2 are reported. In Stages 1 and 2 subjects, descriptions of each grade level are defined in each subject’s outline, called Performance Standards. The performance standards describe in detail five levels of achievement, A to E.
Individual grades for summative tasks are determined by the teacher using these performance standards. Teachers undergo rigorous quality assurance training and external moderation with the SACE Board to ensure the interpretation of these performance standards are correct and consistently applied.
​
Assessments of subjects at Stage 1 are entirely school based and may be subject to a moderation audit by the SACE Board. Assessments of subjects at Stage 2 have a 70% school assessment component and a 30% external assessment component. Results of the 70% school assessed component are moderated by the SACE Board in all subjects.
The 30% external assessed component (Folio, Performance or Exam) is marked by one or more markers appointed by the SACE Board.
​
Following Year 11, student grades in consultation with teacher’s recommendations give a valuable insight of a student’s ability to continue with the subject in Year 12. Some individual subjects in Year 12 will have specific entry grade requirements and it is important these are adhered to ensure maximum success in Year 12.
Learn more
ABOUT SACE MARKING AT PORTSIDE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
Contact our SACE Coordinator
ADAM DAVIS
If you have any questions about this information, please contact Dr Davis your SACE Coordinator by phone on 8341 5133 or email adam.davis@portside.sa.edu.au