ANU Adjustment Factors
Your ATAR is a great start — but it isn't the whole story. Adjustment factors recognise the subjects you've excelled in, the challenges you've worked through, and the talents you've built outside the classroom, and can add to your selection rank for the programs you want most.
Every ANU program has minimum admission requirements you'll need to meet. Adjustment factors can lift your selection rank above that minimum, but they don't guarantee a place — all ANU applications are assessed competitively.
School results + adjustment factors = Selection rank.
15
maximum adjustment factors, cumulative across all schemes
70+
minimum rank before adjustment factors are applied
5
shared cap on Elite Athlete + Subject schemes
The essentials:
- Adjustments don't change your school results (ATAR or equivalent); they change your selection rank for a particular program preference.
- Because they're program-specific, your selection rank can differ across the different programs you apply for.
- You can receive up to 15 adjustment factors in total, across all schemes combined. For excluded programs (see below), the maximum is 5.
- The Elite Athlete Friendly University Entry Scheme, and Subject Adjustment Scheme share a combined cap of 5 adjustment factors, within your overall limit of 15. Excluded programs don't accept adjustment factors from these two schemes at all.
- Your selection rank is based on results from an accepted qualification and meets the requirements set out in the ANU Admissions Procedure
Are you eligible?
You can be considered for adjustment factors if:
- You're applying for an undergraduate coursework program.
- Your school results (ATAR or equivalent), or Year 11 results (for ASA Early Entry applicants), must be equal to a rank of 70 or higher (before adjustment factors are applied).
- You've completed less than one year of full-time equivalent tertiary study, if you've studied at this level before.
Four ways to boost your rank
Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to apply through one or more of the following schemes.
Diversity Scheme
For applicants from backgrounds that help build a more balanced student community at ANU. This scheme also includes portfolio-based adjustment factors for selected programs.
Education Access Scheme (EAS)
For applicants who have encountered circumstances outside of their control that may have had a negative impact on their secondary school results during Year 11 and Year 12.
Elite Athlete Friendly University (EAFU) Entry Scheme
For applicants who are registered with a National Sporting Organisation as recognised by the Australian Sports commission, have competed in a sport at a state, national, or international level, and that their participation has impacted their secondary study.
Subject Adjustment Scheme
For applicants who've achieved strong results in particular secondary school subjects.
How to apply
The way you apply depends on whether you're applying directly to ANU through the ASA Early Entry Application or through UAC.
- Log in to your ANU application and select Adjustment factors.
- Complete the eligibility questions for each relevant scheme.
- If you're eligible, download the UAC coversheet, using your ASA Early Entry application number where an application number is requested.
- Upload the completed coversheet and your supporting documentation before the application deadline.
Complete the relevant adjustment factor sections within your UAC application and upload any required supporting documentation through UAC.
Take the time to review the eligibility requirements for each scheme before applying to ensure you provide all required documentation.
You will automatically be assessed for Subject Adjustments once you complete Year 12, and for the Diversity Scheme if eligible. Other adjustment factors like EAS, Elite Athlete Scheme and Portfolio-based adjustment factors require an application and supporting documentation.
Programs with a different cap
A small number of highly competitive ANU programs work a little differently: they accept a maximum of 5 adjustment factors overall, and only through the Education Access Scheme and the Diversity Scheme.