VCE vs IB: which is better for an ATAR?
7 min read ยท updated 2026-10-16
Most Victorian students take the VCE, and a number of schools offer the IB Diploma instead or as well. IB students receive a notional ATAR from VTAC, which universities treat the same as a standard ATAR.
How the VCE becomes an ATAR
VCE study scores (out of 50) are scaled to scores out of 55. The aggregate is the scaled score from one English study plus the next three best (the primary four), plus 10% of a fifth and sixth study. Aggregates are then ranked to give an ATAR from 0.00 to 99.95.
How the IB converts
IB Diploma students receive an IB Admissions Score (IBAS), which VTAC converts into a notional ATAR. For the 2025-26 selection year:
- โ IBAS 45: 99.85
- โ IBAS 42: 98.20
- โ IBAS 40: 96.30
- โ IBAS 38: 94.25
- โ IBAS 35: 89.75
- โ IBAS 32: 84.00
- โ IBAS 30: 79.90
- โ IBAS 28: 75.20
- โ IBAS 24: 64.25
Workload and fit
The VCE allows specialisation, with scaling adjusting for each study's cohort rather than its difficulty. The IB requires six subjects plus TOK, the Extended Essay and CAS, which suits broad, organised students and anyone planning to study overseas.
FAQs
What ATAR is 40 IB points in Victoria?๏ผ
An IBAS of 40 converts to a notional ATAR of 96.30 in VTAC's 2025-26 table.
Do IB students get an ATAR in Victoria?๏ผ
They get a notional ATAR from VTAC, treated the same as a standard ATAR for course selection.
Is the IB harder than the VCE?๏ผ
It's broader: six subjects plus the core, while the VCE allows more specialisation.
Why do NSW and Victorian conversions differ slightly?๏ผ
UAC and VTAC publish their own tables for their own selection periods; the values are close but not identical.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-16.
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