Economics ATAR Units 3 and 4 examine Australia's global relationships, macroeconomic performance and policy through data, calculations and models. These original resources are not affiliated with SCSA.
Economics ATAR Year 12 syllabus — effective 1 January 2024 · guide last reviewed . Always check the current syllabus on the SCSA site ↗.
The current 2026 paper allows 10 minutes reading and 180 minutes working. Candidate raw marks are 20 multiple choice, 50 data interpretation, 15 for the chosen Unit 3 extended answer and 15 for the chosen Unit 4 extended answer. The corresponding weights are 20%, 50%, 15% and 15%. Raw marks and percentage weights are recorded separately even where their numerical values coincide.
Past papers on this subject span more than one syllabus. Papers written under an older one still work as practice, but the units and content areas they test have changed — the index labels every paper with the syllabus it was set under.
Each area below lists the concepts named in the syllabus, what the SCSA exam asks of them, and the mistake that most often costs marks.
Trade, protection, external accounts, terms of trade, exchange rates and foreign investment.
Calculate, model and analyse Australian external-sector data, then make justified conclusions and recommendations.
Do not confuse balance-on-goods-and-services with the whole current account, a financial-account credit with export revenue, or appreciation with an automatic improvement in net exports.
Business cycle, AE, AD–AS, fiscal and monetary policy, productivity and APF.
Use correctly labelled models, calculations and recent Australian evidence to analyse shocks and evaluate policy.
Include multiplier effects where relevant; distinguish SRAS from LRAS and planned from actual budget outcomes.
Two: one of two Unit 3 questions and one of two Unit 4 questions.
In 2025 both columns total 100, but they are separate concepts. Record section raw marks and weights independently.
Up to three calculators unable to create or store programs or text are permitted.
No. They are original ATARMAxxing material; official SCSA papers are linked separately.
Knowing the syllabus is the first half. The other half is seeing how SCSA actually asks it — every official paper for Economics is indexed by the same areas above.