Securing a spot at university has become more difficult, with students needing a higher ATAR to get into most courses.

So, you missed out on your first preference, now what?

Last year more than 90 per cent of offers were made in the first round, and courses are not required to participate in subsequent rounds.

Application processing fees must be paid to be considered for an offer.

For all 2016 year 12 students and adults who have applied for an undergraduate tertiary course in 2017, the wait is over. Now decisions have to be made.

They are the secret weapons helping schools achieve impressive VCE results.

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Victoria's road toll in the new year has already climbed higher than the same time last year after an 80-year-old man died in the state's north-east on Saturday morning.

Three months ago, Tala Afshak* was labouring through VCE without parents, a visa, or a faint hope that she would be able to afford university fees.

It's not easy being the youngest in a line of siblings boasting 90 plus ATARs.

The score has been described as a "magical number" - an important benchmark for schools.

When Thomas D'Souza enrolled in Victoria University's Bachelors of Engineering Building Surveying course in 2002, he had hoped to be walking out with a qualification allowing him to practise as an engineer in Australia.

A Jewish school that strives to "make achievement cool" has leapfrogged its competitors to become the top VCE performer.

They have the same name, achieved similar study scores and were both ranked within the top two per cent of the state this year.

Education Minister James Merlino congratulates students.        

 You've probably never heard of the state high school that outperformed almost every Victorian school to achieve three perfect scores in further maths.

Live coverage of the 2016 VCE and ATAR results.

For five excruciating days, Natasha Kennedy resisted the temptation of opening her VCE results.

Campbell Rider is one of thousands of students in the public school system who watched on, as news of the VCE results at the state's top private schools rolled in.

Saad Al-Kassab missed two years of school as mortars flew over his home in war-torn Syria.

The long wait is over for VCE students who have not already received their results.

The ATAR is based on up to six VCE results. The results do not all have to be from the one year. The ATAR is calculated using:

Schools furious about a major leak of sensitive VCE data have called the blunder "atrocious" and are demanding that a list of affected students be released.

Some Victorian students have already got their tertiary admission ranks online or been sent them via text message, days before they are due to be released.

Victorian students are reporting that they have already got their tertiary admission ranks online or been sent them via text message days before they are due to be released.

Half the senior roles in Victoria's courts, local governments and public sector would be held by women under ambitious targets set by the state government.

A look of disappointment swept across Andrew Vassett's face as his VCE results flashed up on the computer screen.