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Philosophy: scaling 2026, assessment & grade cut-offs
official VTAC & VCAA data · 2026 forecastA raw study score of 40 in Philosophy scaled to 40.0 in the 2025 VTAC report, and is forecast to scale to about 40.2 in 2026. Philosophy scales close to the raw score; at a raw 40 its scaling has fallen by 1.0 points since 2022. The 2025 mean study score was 29.5.
Philosophy 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 | 46.0 | 46.0 | 45.0 | 45.0 | 45.2 |
| 40 | 41.0 | 41.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 40.2 |
| 35 | 36.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.0 | 35.1 |
| 30 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 30.0 | 29.0 | 29.5 |
| 25 | 25.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 24.1 |
| 20 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 19.0 |
Scaled scores between VTAC's published anchor points are interpolated. See every subject's scaling curve and the method and accuracy.
How Philosophy 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% |
| End-of-year exam | external | 50% |
Philosophy 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 69%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 90 | 81 | 72 | 64 | 57 | 48 | 36 | 18 | 12 | 6 |
| likely ± | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2025 actual | 90 | 80 | 72 | 64 | 58 | 49 | 37 | 16 | 11 | 5 |
| 2024 actual | 90 | 82 | 73 | 64 | 55 | 46 | 36 | 22 | 15 | 10 |
| 2023 actual | 90 | 81 | 72 | 61 | 54 | 46 | 35 | 21 | 13 | 4 |
Coursework Unit 4 school-assessed · out of 100 · forecast state average 70%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 89 | 78 | 69 | 61 | 54 | 48 | 38 | 24 | 19 | 9 |
| likely ± | 1.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
| 2025 actual | 89 | 77 | 68 | 61 | 55 | 49 | 38 | 23 | 19 | 8 |
| 2024 actual | 89 | 80 | 70 | 62 | 53 | 48 | 37 | 25 | 20 | 10 |
| 2023 actual | 89 | 79 | 69 | 59 | 51 | 45 | 39 | 26 | 20 | 10 |
Written Examination external · out of 120 · forecast state average 51%
| A+ | A | B+ | B | C+ | C | D+ | D | E+ | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 forecast | 90 | 80 | 72 | 65 | 56 | 49 | 42 | 33 | 19 | 12 |
| likely ± | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 5.0 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 2.2 |
| 2025 actual | 90 | 80 | 72 | 65 | 56 | 49 | 42 | 33 | 19 | 12 |
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 Philosophy →
About Philosophy
Metaphysics, epistemology and ethics through primary philosophical texts, argued in structured essays.
- Trains rigorous argument like nothing else at school
- Small, discussion-driven classes
- Distinctive preparation for law and academia
Typical time commitment: 3–5 hours a week outside class.
Philosophy questions
What does a study score of 40 in Philosophy scale to?
In the 2025 VTAC scaling report a raw 40 in Philosophy scaled to 40.0. ATARtools forecasts about 40.2 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 Philosophy scaled up or down?
Philosophy scales close to the raw score. In 2025 a raw 30 scaled to 29.0, a raw 40 to 40.0 and a raw 45 to 45.0. For 2026 the forecast is 29.5, 40.2 and 45.2. At a raw 40, scaling has fallen by 1.0 points since 2022.
What mark do I need for an A+ in the Philosophy Written Examination?
We forecast the 2026 A+ cut-off at about 90 out of 120 (likely ±3.7 marks) and an A from about 80. For reference the A+ cut-off was 90 in 2025. The forecast is the recency-weighted average of the last three years' official cut-offs.
How is Philosophy assessed?
Unit 3 SACs (25%), Unit 4 SACs (25%), 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.