The Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) is a pathway to tertiary study. It is suitable for people who do not have formal qualifications, or for those whose past results may not be competitive enough to receive an offer.

The STAT is an aptitude test that assesses a range of competencies considered important for tertiary study.

STAT Multiple Choice (MC) is the version used by SATAC's partner institutions. It is a two-hour online test evaluating skills associated with verbal and quantitative reasoning.

STAT Written English is not used for entry to courses offered through SATAC.

Sitting the STAT

You can sit the STAT as a pathway to enter most undergraduate, TAFE SA, or higher education courses.

You might consider the STAT if:

  • You are not eligible to apply with any other qualification
  • Your previous grades would not be competitive enough to receive an offer to your preferred course
If you are eligible and competitive enough to apply with another qualification, you do not need to sit the STAT.

If you are unsure whether to sit the STAT contact SATAC for advice before booking a test sitting. 

To sit the STAT to support your application through SATAC, you must book a STAT sitting via ACER. 

Got a question about sitting the STAT? Check out our frequently asked questions – it may have already been answered. If it hasn’t, get in touch – we’re here to help.

Eligibility to use STAT in South Australia and the Northern Territory

Before you book a STAT sitting check first if:

There are rules about using a STAT result for entry to undergraduate courses. Eligibility is based on:

  • your age, and
  • whether you have studied at higher education level, and 
  • how much study you have completed.
Check the selection rules for undergraduate admission pathways for further information.

You can also use results from the STAT to meet the course admission requirements for TAFE SA higher education courses. 

Eligibility rules may be different for interstate institutions. If you are sitting the STAT to apply for a course at an interstate university check your eligibility with the institution or with the tertiary admissions centre in that state.