Information for Employers
School Certificate (Year 10)
The School Certificate is the credential awarded to NSW students who have satisfactorily completed Years 7-10 at secondary school.
Useful information for employers about the School Certificate features answers to frequently asked questions such as ‘what employment skills do students obtain’ and ‘how old does a student have to be to leave school’.
Visit the School Certificate for more information about how the School Certificate works.
Preliminary HSC (Year 11)
The Preliminary component of a course must be satisfactorily completed before commencing the HSC component. Most students complete the Preliminary component in Year 11. Preliminary courses may be accumulated but there is no time limit associated with their completion. Students may return to complete their Higher School Certificate programs at any time once they have satisfied Preliminary course requirements.
A Record of Achievement is awarded by the Board of Studies NSW to eligible students at the end of the HSC Preliminary Course in Year 11. It lists all courses satisfactorily completed in the Preliminary year for the HSC. No marks or grades are recorded on this certificate. See a sample Record of Achievement.
Higher School Certificate (Year 12)
The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the highest educational award in New South Wales schools. It is awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed Years 11 and 12 at secondary school.
Useful information for employers about the Higher School Certificate features answers to frequently asked questions such as ‘what courses do students study’ and ‘what is the ATAR’.
Read more about HSC Results and also how the HSC works.
Vocational Education and Training (VET)
One-third of students studying for their HSC undertake a Vocational Education and Training (VET) course. There is a wide range of courses available, including 12 Industry Curriculum Frameworks that allow students to gain Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Certificates, usually at Certificate II level. Read more about the HSC in Useful information for employers.
A limited number of School Certificate VET courses are available for study in Years 9-10 (Stage 5) that lead to a Certificate I AQF VET qualification. Students in Stage 5 are also able to undertake early commencement of HSC (Stage 6) VET courses. Read more about the School Certificate in Useful information for employers.
Further information
If you require further information, please email Customer Service at the Board of Studies NSW.