A guide to Year 12 Certificates and Tertiary Entrance Requirements
in Australia
Published by the Board of Studies NSW for the Australian Curriculum, Assessment
and Certification Authorities (ACACA)
Students normally study Preliminary (usually done in Year 11) and HSC
(usually done in Year 12) courses over one or two years. They may accumulate
HSC courses over a period of up to five years. Courses generally consist
of two units per year. Each unit requires 60 hours indicative school
time per year. Extension courses (except in the case of VET) can only
be done in combination with a two unit course and carry an additional
value of one unit.
| Courses
accredited by the NSW Board of Studies |
| Board
Developed Courses |
| Duration |
1 or 2 years |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
Yes |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
1 or 2 units @ 60 hours per unit |
| Assessment methods |
External exam at the end of the HSC
course and moderated internal (school-based) assessment (except
for VET and Life Skills Courses) |
| Developed by |
Board of Studies |
| Delivered by |
Schools, colleges of TAFE |
| Board
Developed TAFE Delivered VET Course |
| Duration |
1 or 2 years |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
Yes |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
2 units |
| Assessment methods |
Assessed by TAFE, results accredited towards both
HSC and TAFE studies |
| Developed by |
Board of Studies/TAFE |
| Delivered by |
Colleges of TAFE |
| Board
Endorsed Courses School Developed |
| Duration |
1 or 2 years |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
No |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
1 or 2 units |
| Assessment methods |
Internal (school-based) assessment |
| Developed by
|
Individual schools or groups of schools, endorsed
by the Board of Studies |
| Delivered by |
Schools |
| Board
Endorsed Courses Content Endorsed (CECs) |
| Duration |
1 or 2 years |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
No |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
1 or 2 units |
| Assessment methods |
Internal (school-based) assessment |
| Developed by |
Board of Studies |
| Delivered by |
Schools, colleges of TAFE |
| Board
Endorsed Courses VET |
Duration |
1 or 2 years |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
No |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
Varies |
|
Assessment methods |
Assessed by schools (school delivered) or TAFE (TAFE
delivered), results accredited to both HSC and TAFE studies |
| Developed by
|
School or TAFE, endorsed by the Board of Studies |
| Delivered by |
School or TAFE |
| Board
Endorsed Courses University Developed |
|
Duration |
1 year |
| Accepted for tertiary entrance? |
No |
| No of Units/Length of study time |
1 or 2 units |
|
Assessment methods |
Assessed by delivering University, results accredited
to HSC study pattern. |
|
Developed by
|
Universities in conjunction with schools and endorsed by the Board
of Studies |
| Delivered by |
Universities |