QTAC offers an ATAR Appeal process which gives ATAR recipients the opportunity to request a review of their final ATAR result calculation. An ATAR Appeal is made by lodging a formal application online. All ATAR recipients have the right to appeal. However, appeals must be lodged by the ATAR recipients themselves.
The 2023 ATAR Appeals period will run from when ATARs are released on 15 December 2023 until 31 January 2024.
When to consider an appeal?
An ATAR appeal should only be considered in situations where the student has good reason to believe that their ATAR has not been calculated in accordance with QTAC’s approved rules, policies, procedures and practices. These rules are contained in the approved document, Calculating the ATAR in Queensland Technical Document (see QTAC website).
Where your ATAR is likely to change due to amendments (changes) in your QCE results e.g. due to a review, you do not need to lodge an appeal. (See below for more information)
Appeal Fee
The ATAR Appeal fee is $35 (incl. GST). Payment must be made online when the Appeal Application is submitted. If the Appeal is successful the fee will be fully refunded.
How to Lodge an Appeal
- Contact QTAC to discuss any concerns with your ATAR and to work out the best way forward.
- Familiarise yourself with the Calculating the ATAR in Queensland Technical Document.
- Use this in your Appeal to prepare the reasons why you believe a review and recalculation of your ATAR is needed.
- Prepare supporting documentation for your appeal. All supporting documentation attached to your application must be clearly identified with your full name and LUI.
- Complete the ATAR Appeal form.
- Pay the appeal fee online at the time of lodging the Appeal application.
- Submit the ATAR Appeal online application form.
The Appeal Outcome
The Appeals process will be managed by QTAC’s ATAR Technical Adviser and recalculation of the ATAR will be conducted by QTAC’s statistician. QTAC will endeavour to commence work on an Appeal submission within five business days from submission.
Applicants will be emailed the outcome of their Appeal. If an applicant is successful in their appeal, a new ATAR will be issued and the applicant’s records will be updated with the recalculated ATAR. The new ATAR will supersede the original ATAR. Interstate Tertiary Admission Centres will be advised of the applicant’s new ATAR if the applicant has consented to share this information. If the student has lodged a QTAC application, the application will be updated with their new ATAR.
Appeal or Amendment?
The appeal process should only be used to request a review of the final ATAR result calculation. You do not need to lodge an appeal where your ATAR is likely to change due to amendments in your QCE results. Amendments will be automatically processed by QTAC when the amended results come through to QTAC from the QCAA.
QCAA Amendments
Any change to the original QCAA year 12 results data used to calculate the ATAR for initial release to individual students is called an Amendment. Types of amendments include changes to QCE results, addition of VET qualifications, changes to personal data such as corrections to names, date of birth, LUIs etc.
QTAC usually receives QCE data and results amendments from the QCAA on Mondays. Depending on when the amendment files are received, amendments are usually processed within 24 to 48 hours. It can take a couple of days for the changes to make it through to the ATAR Portal.
Where QCE results have changed, QTAC’s statistician recalculates the ATARs and the final amendment file is uploaded to the ATAR Portal and other systems.
Students whose ATARS have been recalculated and have changed as a result of new QCAA results data will be notified by email that their ATAR has changed. They can also log in to the ATAR Portal to see their result and download a new certificate.
We encourage students to contact us at QTAC to discuss their ATAR concerns with our QTAC ATAR specialists before lodging an appeal.
Online ATAR Appeals submissions for the 2023 ATAR will close on 31 January 2024.
All appeal-related queries should be directed to the ATAR hotline 1300 193 173 or email ATARappeals@qtac.edu.au.
QTAC will continue to receive amendments to students’ QCAA results and these will be processed as amendments and ATARs automatically recalculated.
How to access the Appeal Service
To access the ATAR Appeal Service use the online request form. Complete the form with all the required details and make payment via credit card.