The Higher School Certificate is a locally, nationally and internationally recognized qualification for students who successfully complete secondary education in NSW. Changes to the HSC were introduced in 2000 in response to community demand for a fairer system of assessing and reporting student achievement. The modern HSC has introduced a new curriculum and clearly defined standards of achievement. There are many new Vocational and Education Training (VET) courses available as part of the HSC which earn students nationally recognized industry qualifications.
Most courses offered in the Higher School Certificate consist of a 2 unit Preliminary and 2 unit HSC component. To be eligible for the award of the Higher School Certificate, students must satisfactorily complete at least 12 units of study in their Preliminary study pattern and at least 10 units in their HSC study pattern. Both the Preliminary and HSC study patterns must include:
- at least six units of Board Developed Courses
- at least two units of a Board Developed Course in English
- at least three courses of 2 unit value or greater
- At least four subjects
Higher School Certificate rules and requirements are covered in the Assessment, Certification and examination (ACE) Manual available on the Board of Studies website: www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au
