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Environmental Science: scaling 2026, assessment & grade cut-offs
official VTAC & VCAA data · 2026 forecastA raw study score of 40 in Environmental Science scaled to 39.0 in the 2025 VTAC report, and is forecast to scale to about 38.5 in 2026. Environmental Science scales down: a raw score is worth less than its face value; at a raw 40 its scaling has risen by 1.0 points since 2022. The 2025 mean study score was 28.1.
Environmental Science 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 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 | 50.0 |
| 45 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 44.0 | 44.0 |
| 40 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 39.0 | 38.5 |
| 35 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 33.0 |
| 30 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 |
| 25 | 22.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 23.0 | 22.9 |
| 20 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 |
Scaled scores between VTAC's published anchor points are interpolated. See every subject's scaling curve and the method and accuracy.
How Environmental Science is assessedDefault weights from the VCAA study design; the calculator lets you edit them.
| Assessment | Type | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 3 SACs | school-assessed | 20% |
| Unit 4 SACs | school-assessed | 30% |
| End-of-year exam | external | 50% |
Environmental Science 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 100 · forecast state average 70%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 93 | 87 | 80 | 73 | 64 | 57 | 48 | 39 | 20 | 10 |
| likely ± | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2025 actual | 93 | 87 | 80 | 72 | 63 | 56 | 47 | 39 | 20 | 10 |
| 2024 actual | 92 | 86 | 80 | 73 | 65 | 57 | 48 | 39 | 19 | 10 |
| 2023 actual | 93 | 87 | 81 | 74 | 66 | 59 | 49 | 39 | 19 | 10 |
Coursework Unit 4 school-assessed · out of 120 · forecast state average 73%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 111 | 102 | 93 | 83 | 74 | 65 | 54 | 35 | 24 | 12 |
| likely ± | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 2.0 |
| 2025 actual | 111 | 102 | 93 | 83 | 74 | 66 | 56 | 36 | 24 | 12 |
| 2024 actual | 110 | 102 | 93 | 83 | 74 | 64 | 52 | 36 | 24 | 12 |
| 2023 actual | 110 | 101 | 92 | 83 | 74 | 64 | 48 | 28 | 24 | 12 |
Written Examination external · out of 240 · forecast state average 58%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 193 | 179 | 164 | 147 | 128 | 109 | 91 | 72 | 37 | 24 |
| likely ± | 7.4 | 8.4 | 9.4 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9.8 | 7.4 | 4.3 |
| 2025 actual | 193 | 178 | 162 | 144 | 125 | 105 | 87 | 69 | 35 | 24 |
| 2024 actual | 191 | 178 | 165 | 149 | 131 | 113 | 95 | 72 | 39 | 24 |
| 2023 actual | 199 | 185 | 170 | 154 | 136 | 119 | 101 | 82 | 39 | 24 |
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 Environmental Science →
About Environmental Science
Earth systems, biodiversity, energy and environmental management — science applied to real-world sustainability.
- Distinctive content for environment-focused pathways
- Smaller cohort, discussion-rich classes
- Combines field work with data analysis
Typical time commitment: 3–5 hours a week outside class.
Environmental Science questions
What does a study score of 40 in Environmental Science scale to?
In the 2025 VTAC scaling report a raw 40 in Environmental Science scaled to 39.0. ATARtools forecasts about 38.5 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 Environmental Science scaled up or down?
Environmental Science scales down: a raw score is worth less than its face value. In 2025 a raw 30 scaled to 28.0, a raw 40 to 39.0 and a raw 45 to 44.0. For 2026 the forecast is 28.0, 38.5 and 44.0. At a raw 40, scaling has risen by 1.0 points since 2022.
What mark do I need for an A+ in the Environmental Science Written Examination?
We forecast the 2026 A+ cut-off at about 193 out of 240 (likely ±7.4 marks) and an A from about 179. For reference the A+ cut-off was 193 in 2025, 191 in 2024 and 199 in 2023. The forecast is the recency-weighted average of the last three years' official cut-offs.
How is Environmental Science assessed?
Unit 3 SACs (20%), Unit 4 SACs (30%), End-of-year exam (50%). School-assessed marks are statistically moderated against the external exam results, then the study score is scaled by VTAC for the ATAR.