What ATAR Do I Need for Physiotherapy?
The complete guide to physiotherapy ATAR requirements across Australia, including the 2026 shift to postgraduate entry, prerequisite changes, and alternative pathways.
The ATAR you need for a direct-entry Bachelor of Physiotherapy in Australia ranges from approximately 85.00 to 95.00. Regional universities may accept applicants in the mid-80s, while highly competitive metropolitan programs require 90.00 to 95.00. However, the landscape is shifting rapidly for 2026 and beyond. Major universities like the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and Monash now only offer physiotherapy at the postgraduate level (Doctor of Physiotherapy), meaning your undergraduate ATAR calculation must first get you into a competitive feeder degree like Biomedical Science or Exercise Science, followed by a separate postgraduate application.
The 2026 Landscape: Undergrad vs. Postgrad
To understand physiotherapy ATAR requirements, you must first understand that there is no longer a single, unified entry path. The Australian physiotherapy education system has split into two distinct models, and which model you target will completely change your ATAR strategy.
Model 1: Direct-Entry Bachelor of Physiotherapy (4 Years)
Offered primarily by non-Group of Eight (Go8) universities and some metropolitan institutions. You apply from high school using your ATAR. If accepted, you complete a four-year accredited degree and are eligible for registration. This is the most direct route, and the ATAR requirements listed in our table below apply to this model.
Model 2: Postgraduate Doctor of Physiotherapy (3+3 Years)
Offered by most Go8 universities (University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Monash, University of Queensland). There is no direct undergraduate physiotherapy entry. Instead, you must complete a three-year undergraduate degree (usually Biomedical Science, Health Science, or Exercise Science) with a very high GPA (typically 5.5 to 6.5 out of 7.0), then apply for the three-year Doctor of Physiotherapy (DPT). Admission to the DPT is highly competitive and often requires an interview.
Many students assume the postgraduate model is an “easier” backdoor entry because there is no specific “Physiotherapy ATAR.” This is incorrect. To gain a competitive GPA in Biomedical Science at a Go8 university, you typically needed an ATAR of 90–95 just to get into the bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, you are then competing against all your high-achieving peers for a limited number of DPT places. The postgraduate model is not easier; it just shifts the competition from age 17 to age 20.
Bachelor of Physiotherapy ATAR Requirements by State
The following table shows the indicative ATAR requirements for direct-entry Bachelor of Physiotherapy programs available for 2025 and 2026 applicants. These are the degrees you can enter directly from high school.
| University | Degree | Indicative ATAR | Key Notes for 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Griffith University | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~88.00 | Gold Coast campus. Highly regarded. See full Griffith ATAR requirements. |
| Uni of South Australia | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~90.00 | Adelaide metro. Very competitive. Strong clinical network. |
| Curtin University | Bachelor of Science (Physiotherapy) | ~90.00 | Perth. Structured as a Bachelor of Science with physio major. |
| La Trobe University | Bachelor of Applied Science / Master of Physiotherapy | ~88.00 | Bundoora (Melbourne) and Bendigo. Accelerated pathway model. |
| UOW | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~90.00 | Wollongong. Strong regional and metro placement network. |
| U Newcastle | Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours) | ~89.00 | Central Coast campus. Embedded honours. |
| ACU | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~86.00 | Brisbane, North Sydney, Melbourne. Slightly lower threshold than Go8 feeders. |
| Charles Sturt Uni | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~85.00 | Albury-Wodonga / Orange. Most accessible direct-entry program in Australia. |
| Federation Uni | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~85.00 | Ballarat. Growing program. Good regional employment pipeline. |
| UTAS | Bachelor of Physiotherapy | ~87.00 | Hobart. Excellent for students wanting to work in regional TAS. |
Do not waste time searching for direct-entry Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Queensland, or Flinders University. These institutions have fully transitioned to the postgraduate Doctor of Physiotherapy model. You must complete a related bachelor’s degree first.
Prerequisites and Non-ATAR Hurdles for 2026
An ATAR of 90.00 does not guarantee entry into physiotherapy. Universities are increasingly moving toward holistic admissions, meaning you must clear multiple hurdles before receiving an offer.
Subject Prerequisites (Becoming Stricter)
For 2026 entry, assume the following are mandatory or strongly assumed at virtually all institutions offering direct-entry physiotherapy:
- Mathematical Methods: Once assumed knowledge, this is now a strict prerequisite at several universities, including Griffith and UniSA. General Mathematics is not accepted.
- Biology: Mandatory at most institutions. You must understand human biological systems before starting anatomy and physiology.
- Chemistry or Physics: Not universally required, but strongly recommended. Griffith recommends Chemistry. UOW recommends Physics. Having at least one of these significantly strengthens your application and prepares you for biomechanics and biochemistry units.
- English (Units 3 & 4): Standard prerequisite across all states.
The CASPer Test and Interviews
Several physiotherapy programs now require you to sit the CASPer test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics) or attend a formal panel interview. CASPer tests your personal attributes like empathy, communication, ethics, and critical thinking. It is a situational judgement test that cannot be studied for in the traditional sense, though practice tests are available. Universities using CASPer for 2026 physiotherapy entry include ACU, Charles Sturt, and La Trobe.
How Physio ATARs Compare to Other Health Degrees
Understanding where physiotherapy sits in the hierarchy of health degree competitiveness helps you calibrate your expectations and backup plans. If you are targeting an ATAR in the high 80s or low 90s, you likely have a range of health careers available to you.
- Dentistry (ATAR 95–99): Significantly harder to enter than physiotherapy. Dentistry requires near-perfect ATARs plus the UCAT and rigorous interviews. If you are considering both, dentistry should be viewed as a stretch goal, while physiotherapy is a more realistic target for the same student.
- Physiotherapy (ATAR 85–95): Highly competitive, but accessible to the top 10–15% of students. The clinical placement caps make it more competitive than many degrees with similar ATARs.
- Psychology (ATAR 65–95): Entry to a psychology degree is generally much easier than physiotherapy (as low as 65 for a Bachelor of Psychological Science). However, psychology has a different kind of bottleneck: gaining a place in the honours year is extremely competitive. Physiotherapy’s bottleneck is at the front door (entry); psychology’s bottleneck is in the middle of the degree.
- Teaching (ATAR 50–85): Teaching is a useful contrast. A primary teaching degree may require an ATAR of 65. Physiotherapy requires 85–95. This 20 to 30 point difference reflects the strict clinical placement limits in physiotherapy versus the larger intake capacities in teaching. However, both lead to stable, respected professional careers.
Alternative Pathways: The Exercise Science Route
If your ATAR falls below the 85.00 threshold for direct physiotherapy entry, the most reliable alternative pathway is through an Exercise Science or Health Science degree. This is a well-established route, and universities actively design these degrees to feed into physiotherapy.
How it works:
- Enrol in a Bachelor of Exercise Science or Bachelor of Health Science. These degrees typically have ATAR requirements of 65.00 to 75.00.
- Achieve a high GPA in your first year (typically a minimum of 5.5 to 6.0 out of 7.0, but higher is safer).
- Apply for an internal transfer into the Bachelor of Physiotherapy at the same university. Many universities reserve a specific quota of physiotherapy places specifically for internal Exercise Science transfers.
- If successful, you receive credit for your first-year units and transition into the physiotherapy program, usually adding only one extra semester to your total study time.
This pathway is heavily utilised at universities like Griffith (Bachelor of Exercise Science to Bachelor of Physiotherapy), ACU, and Charles Sturt. It requires discipline in your first year, but it is a proven and well-trodden path that removes the need for a 90+ ATAR straight out of high school.
If you plan to use the Exercise Science transfer route, ensure you choose a university that offers both the Exercise Science degree and the Physiotherapy degree. Transferring from an Exercise Science degree at University A to a Physiotherapy degree at University B is much harder than an internal transfer, as external applicants are given lower priority for the limited clinical placement spots.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ATAR you need for a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in Australia typically ranges from 85.00 to 95.00. Regional universities like Charles Sturt or Federation University may accept applicants in the mid-80s, while highly competitive programs at universities like Griffith University or the University of South Australia generally require 88.00 to 92.00. It is important to note that many Group of Eight universities no longer offer direct-entry undergraduate physiotherapy, having transitioned entirely to postgraduate Doctor of Physiotherapy programs.
Dentistry is significantly harder to get into than physiotherapy. Direct-entry Bachelor of Dentistry programs in Australia typically require ATARs between 95.00 and 99.00, plus additional requirements like the UCAT and interviews. Physiotherapy direct entry sits lower, generally between 85.00 and 95.00. However, because many top universities have moved physiotherapy to the postgraduate level, the true competition for physiotherapy is now hidden in the undergraduate degrees used as feeding degrees, which also require high ATARs.
It is very difficult to enter a Bachelor of Physiotherapy directly with a low ATAR (below 85) because clinical placement spots are strictly capped. However, alternative pathways exist. The most common route is to enrol in a related degree with a lower ATAR threshold, such as a Bachelor of Exercise Science, Bachelor of Health Science, or Bachelor of Biomedical Science (which may accept ATARs in the 65–75 range), achieve a high GPA in your first year, and then apply for an internal transfer into the physiotherapy program.
While prerequisites vary by university, the most common and strongly recommended subjects for physiotherapy are Mathematical Methods (required or assumed by most universities), Biology (highly recommended for anatomy and physiology foundations), and either Chemistry or Physics (recommended by some universities). English is a standard prerequisite for all university degrees. For 2026 entry, check specific university websites as prerequisites are becoming stricter, particularly for programs transitioning to graduate entry.
Not entirely, but the trend is rapidly moving in that direction. Several major universities, including the University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the University of Queensland, now only offer physiotherapy at the postgraduate level (Doctor of Physiotherapy). However, many excellent universities—including Griffith University, La Trobe University, University of South Australia, Curtin University, and Charles Sturt University—still offer direct-entry Bachelor of Physiotherapy programs for Year 12 students.