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Chinese First Language: scaling 2026, assessment & grade cut-offs
official VTAC & VCAA data · 2026 forecastA raw study score of 40 in Chinese First Language scaled to 45.0 in the 2025 VTAC report, and is forecast to scale to about 44.6 in 2026. Chinese First Language scales up: a raw score is worth more than its face value; at a raw 40 its scaling has stayed about the same since 2022. The 2025 mean study score was 32.9.
Calculate your Chinese First Language study score and ATAR →
Chinese First Language scaling: raw to scaled study scoreOfficial VTAC scaling reports 2022–2025, plus the 2026 forecast (a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports).
| Raw study score | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 51.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.1 |
| 45 | 49.0 | 48.0 | 48.0 | 48.0 | 48.1 |
| 40 | 45.0 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 45.0 | 44.6 |
| 35 | 40.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 39.1 |
| 30 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.1 |
| 25 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 25.0 | 25.6 |
| 20 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 18.0 | 18.6 |
Scaled scores between VTAC's published anchor points are interpolated. See every subject's scaling curve and the method and accuracy.
How Chinese First Language is assessedDefault weights from the VCAA study design; the calculator lets you edit them.
| Assessment | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| Unit 4 SACs | school-assessed | 25% |
| Oral exam | external | 10% |
| Written exam | external | 40% |
Chinese First Language grade cut-offs 2026: forecastThe lowest mark each grade starts at, forecast from the last three years' official VCAA cut-offs. Typical error is shown as "likely ±".
Coursework Unit 3 school-assessed · out of 50 · forecast state average 72%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 43 | 39 | 34 | 30 | 25 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 8 | 5 |
| likely ± | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| 2025 actual | 43 | 39 | 34 | 30 | 25 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 2024 actual | 43 | 38 | 33 | 29 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023 actual | 44 | 40 | 35 | 32 | 26 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
Coursework Unit 4 school-assessed · out of 50 · forecast state average 73%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 43 | 39 | 34 | 31 | 27 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
| likely ± | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 1.5 | 0.8 |
| 2025 actual | 43 | 39 | 34 | 31 | 26 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 2024 actual | 43 | 38 | 34 | 31 | 27 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 5 |
| 2023 actual | 44 | 40 | 36 | 33 | 29 | 24 | 19 | 10 | 7 | 5 |
Oral And Written Examination external · out of 200 · forecast state average 63%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 150 | 140 | 130 | 121 | 110 | 94 | 74 | 56 | 36 | 20 |
| likely ± | 6.2 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 8.2 | 6.2 | 3.6 |
| 2025 actual | 157 | 147 | 138 | 129 | 118 | 103 | 79 | 60 | 40 | 20 |
| 2024 actual | 141 | 131 | 121 | 111 | 100 | 85 | 69 | 51 | 26 | 20 |
| 2023 actual | 141 | 128 | 118 | 107 | 97 | 78 | 65 | 53 | 42 | 20 |
Cut-offs change every year with how hard the assessment is, so a harder paper can move every grade together. See the full 2025 grade distribution for Chinese First Language →
Chinese First Language questions
What does a study score of 40 in Chinese First Language scale to?
In the 2025 VTAC scaling report a raw 40 in Chinese First Language scaled to 45.0. ATARtools forecasts about 44.6 for 2026, from a recency-weighted blend of the last six reports. Treat it as a guide: VTAC publishes the real 2026 numbers in December.
Is Chinese First Language scaled up or down?
Chinese First Language scales up: a raw score is worth more than its face value. In 2025 a raw 30 scaled to 33.0, a raw 40 to 45.0 and a raw 45 to 48.0. For 2026 the forecast is 33.1, 44.6 and 48.1. At a raw 40, scaling has stayed about the same since 2022.
What mark do I need for an A+ in the Chinese First Language Oral And Written Examination?
We forecast the 2026 A+ cut-off at about 150 out of 200 (likely ±6.2 marks) and an A from about 140. For reference the A+ cut-off was 157 in 2025, 141 in 2024 and 141 in 2023. The forecast is the recency-weighted average of the last three years' official cut-offs.
How is Chinese First Language assessed?
Unit 3 SACs (25%), Unit 4 SACs (25%), Oral exam (10%), Written exam (40%). School-assessed marks are statistically moderated against the external exam results, then the study score is scaled by VTAC for the ATAR.