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Results week

What if you change your preferences?

Checked against each admissions centre's own website on 17 September 2026, for students starting university in 2027. Dates can change, so confirm yours with your admissions centre before you act.

When your results come out, you get a window to rethink your course preferences before offers are made. How long that window is depends on your state, and in some states it is very short. Here are the dates and rules for 2027 entry.

The short version

  • In each offer round you get one offer, for the highest course on your list that you're eligible for. That's how UAC, VTAC, QTAC and TISC all describe it. So put courses in the order you actually want them, not the order you think you'll get in.
  • In New South Wales and the ACT, UAC says a course is not harder to get into because it sits lower on your list.
  • Changing your list is free in New South Wales, the ACT and Victoria, as often as you like. In Queensland your first three changes are free and each one after that costs $75.
  • Changes close shortly before each offer round, then reopen once offers are out, so you can keep adjusting for later rounds.
  • Some windows are tight. In Western Australia, preferences for the main round close at 11:59pm on the day results come out. In Victoria, VCE students have until noon two days after results.

Before results day

Use every preference you have, and include at least one course you'd be happy with that is a safer bet. If there's a pathway course into the degree you want, add that too. VTAC keeps change of preference open after results partly so you have time to add pathway courses.

Entry ranks change from year to year, so a course whose lowest ATAR last year was above yours is still worth listing if you want it. How ATARs really work

Dates and rules in your state

Times are local to each state.

New South Wales and the ACT UAC

ATARs released on the UAC website
Wednesday 16 December 2026, 9am
December Round 2, UAC's main offer round
Change preferences by Friday 18 December 2026, 11:59pmOffers Wednesday 23 December 2026, 7:30am
January Round 1
Change preferences by Tuesday 29 December 2026, 11:59pmOffers Friday 8 January 2027, 7:30am

More rounds follow in January and February.

  • Up to 5 preferences.
  • You're offered the first course on your list you're eligible for. UAC says a course is not harder to get into because it sits lower on your list.
  • Free, as often as you like, except for short periods just before each offer round.

Check latest dates with UAC

Victoria VTAC

Change of preference for the December round closes at noon on Saturday 12 December for VCE students, two days after results come out.

VCE results and ATARs released
Thursday 10 December 2026, 7am
December round, the first round for current Year 12 students
Change preferences by Saturday 12 December 2026, 12 noonOffers Wednesday 23 December 2026, 10am
January round 1
Offers Tuesday 12 January 2027, 2pm
January round 2
Offers Wednesday 27 January 2027, 2pm

February rounds follow from Wednesday 3 February 2027.

  • Up to 8 preferences.
  • You're offered the highest course on your list you're eligible for.
  • Free, as often as you like. It closes briefly just before each round. A course you've been offered can't be deleted from your list, only moved.

Check latest dates with VTAC

Queensland QTAC

ATARs released
Friday 18 December 2026, 9am
December offer round
Change preferences by Monday 21 December 2026, 12pmOffers Wednesday 23 December 2026, from 11am
Mid-January offer round
Change preferences by Thursday 7 January 2027, 11:45pmOffers Thursday 14 January 2027, from 8:30am

More rounds on 21 January and into February.

  • Up to 6 preferences.
  • You get one offer each offer date, for your highest eligible preference.
  • Your first three changes are free. Each change after that costs $75.

Check latest dates with QTAC

Western Australia TISC

Preferences for the main round close at 11:59pm on Sunday 20 December, the day results come out.

WA ATAR results online
Sunday 20 December 2026, 8am
Main round
Change preferences by Sunday 20 December 2026, 11:59pmOffers Thursday 24 December 2026
Second round
Change preferences by Wednesday 13 January 2027, 11:59pmOffers Wednesday 20 January 2027
  • Up to 6 preferences.
  • You're offered the highest course on your list you're eligible for, if a place is available.

Check latest dates with TISC

South Australia and the Northern Territory SATAC

SATAC doesn't publish the results date; Year 12 results come from the SACE Board. SATAC's 10 December offer round does not use 2026 Year 12 results.

Mid-January offer round, SATAC's main offer round
Change preferences by Wednesday 6 January 2027Offers Thursday 14 January 2027, by 9am
Second January offer round
Offers Thursday 28 January 2027
  • Up to 6 preferences.

Check latest dates with SATAC

Tasmania UTAS

Year 12 results released by TASC
Wednesday 16 December 2026

In Tasmania you apply to the University of Tasmania directly. It makes first-round offers to Tasmanian Year 12 applicants, based on their ATAR, in mid-December.

Check latest dates with UTAS

Rethinking your list?

Put in your actual ATAR and see every course you're likely to be eligible for, with the reasons shown. Or compare every university in the study area you're set on.

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