How many units do I need for an HSC ATAR?

Your ATAR is calculated from your best 10 units, which must include at least 2 units of English. Most courses are 2 units, so a typical line-up is 5–6 subjects (10–12 units), and only your best 10 units count.

Do I have to include English in my ATAR?

Yes. At least 2 units of English are mandatory in the ATAR calculation — English is the one subject that always counts, even if it's your lowest-scaling result.

What's the best HSC subject combination for a high ATAR?

There's no single best combination. The right set is the one you'll perform strongly in that also meets your degree's prerequisites. Scaling is one factor — the examples below show how it stacks up, but fit and effort matter more.

Should I pick subjects just because they scale well?

No. A strong result in a subject you enjoy beats a weak result in a high-scaling subject you struggle with. Build your line-up around your strengths, then use scaling to break ties between subjects you'd do similarly well in.

Best HSC Subject Combinations for a High ATAR 2026

Data source: UAC scaling report, Table A3 (2025 HSC) · 2025 data · checked July 2026How we verify →

Your HSC ATAR uses your best 10 units— at least 2 units of English (mandatory) plus your best 8 units from everything else. A strong combination pairs subjects you'll perform in with enough scaling to reward the result. Here's how the rules and the UAC scaling data shape a good line-up.

How HSC combinations work

Best 10 units. Only your top 10 units count towards your aggregate — take 11–12 units so a weaker result can drop out. See the full method on how the HSC ATAR works.
English is compulsory. At least 2 units of English always count, even if it's your lowest-scaling subject.
Extension units add ceiling. One-unit extension courses (Maths Extension 1/2, English Extension) scale among the highest in the state and let strong students add to their best-10 total.
Scaling rewards strong cohorts. Marks in a strong-cohort subject tend to scale higher than the same mark elsewhere — but each HSC mark scales across a range, so it only pays off if you actually place well in it.

Example high-ATAR combinations

Illustrative line-ups, with each course's 2025 average scaled mark per unit (out of 50) from UAC's report. Examples to show how scaling stacks up — not a prescription. Pick for fit and prerequisites.

Maths + science (STEM / health)

The strongest-scaling mainstream mix and the prerequisite set for most STEM and health degrees. Add Mathematics Extension 1 — then Extension 2 on top of it — for the extra scaling ceiling.

Commerce + humanities

A well-rounded line-up for business, law and arts, anchored by Economics — one of the strongest-scaling non-science subjects.

Balanced all-rounder

One maths, a science and a humanities subject — broad university options without over-committing to the maths/science load.

One honest caveat: scaling is a tie-breaker, not a strategy. Build your line-up around what you're genuinely good at and the prerequisites your degree needs — a strong result in a subject you enjoy beats a mediocre one in a "high-scaling" subject you don't.

Where to go next

See which subjects have the strongest competition on our hardest HSC subjects and best- and worst-scaling HSC subjects pages, check any course's full scaling profile, and see how predicted marks feed your rank in how the HSC ATAR works.