NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC) Examination Papers 2013
2013 HSC Examination Papers are being published progressively
HSC Exam Workbooks
New HSC study resources now available to buy online.
Work through real exam questions from the HSC exam papers. Use feedback straight from the HSC markers. Compare your responses with top-scoring HSC student answers.
Marking guidelines
Marking guidelines are developed by the examination committee, and are used at the marking centre in marking student responses. For each question, the marking guidelines are contained in a table showing the criteria associated with each mark or mark range.
For some examinations (and some questions), the examination committee also develops ‘sample answers’ or ‘Answers may include’. The committee does this:
- as part of the development of the examination paper to ensure that the questions will effectively assess students’ knowledge and skills, and
- in order to provide some guidance to the Supervisor of Marking about the nature and scope of the responses expected of students.
How sample answers are used at marking centres varies. Sample answers may be used extensively and even modified at the marking centre or they may be considered only briefly at the beginning of marking. In a few cases, the sample answers are not intended to be exemplary or even complete answers or responses.
A copy of the mapping grid, which maps each question in the examination to course outcomes and content as detailed in the syllabus, is also included.
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginal Studies | Aboriginal Studies Exam Paper | Aboriginal Studies Marking guidelines | Aboriginal Studies Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Agriculture | Agriculture Exam Paper | Agriculture Marking guidelines | Agriculture Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Ancient History | Ancient History Exam Paper | Ancient History Marking guidelines | Ancient History Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Arabic Beginners | Arabic Beginners Marking guidelines | No Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Arabic Continuers | Arabic Continuers Marking guidelines | Arabic Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Arabic Extension | Arabic Extension Marking guidelines | Arabic Extension Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Armenian Continuers |
Armenian Continuers Exam Paper |
Armenian Continuers Marking guidelines | Armenian Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Automotive | Automotive Exam Paper | Automotive Marking guidelines | Automotive Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biology | Biology Exam Paper | Biology Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Business Services | Business Services Exam Paper | Business Services Marking guidelines | Business Services Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Business Studies | Business Studies Exam Paper | Business Studies Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dance | Dance Exam Paper | Dance Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Design and Technology | Design and Technology Exam Paper | Design and Technology Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Drama | Drama Exam Paper | Drama Marking guidelines | Drama Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Dutch Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper
is not available on this website but may be located on the
website listed below. Please note the following link will
take you outside the BOSTES website to a
website not maintained by BOSTES. Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority |
||
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filipino Continuers |
Filipino Continuers Exam Paper |
Filipino Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Financial Services | Financial Services Exam Paper | Financial Services Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Food Technology | Food Technology Exam Paper | Food Technology Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| French Beginners |
French Beginners Audio (mp3) |
French Beginners Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| French Continuers | French Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| French Extension | French Extension Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Mathematics | General Mathematics Exam Paper | General Mathematics Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Geography | Geography Exam Paper | Geography Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| German Beginners | German Beginners Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| German Continuers | German Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| German Extension | German Extension Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hindi Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| History Extension | History Extension Exam Paper | History Extension Marking guidelines | History Extension Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Hospitality | Hospitality Exam Paper | Hospitality Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Human Services | Human Services Exam Paper | Human Services Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Hungarian Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: South Australian Certificate of Education Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese Background Speakers |
Japanese Background Speakers Exam Paper |
Japanese Background Speakers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Japanese Beginners | Japanese Beginners Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Japanese Continuers |
Japanese Continuers Exam Paper |
Japanese Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Japanese Extension | Japanese Extension Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Heritage Japanese | Heritage Japanese Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khmer Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: South Australian Certificate of Education Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Korean Background Speakers |
Korean Background Speakers Exam Paper |
Korean Background Speakers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Korean Continuers | No Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Heritage Korean | Heritage Korean Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latin Continuers | Latin Continuers Exam Paper | Latin Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Latin Extension | Latin Extension Exam Paper | Latin Extension Marking guidelines | Latin Extension Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Legal Studies | Legal Studies Exam Paper | Legal Studies Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macedonian Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Malay Background Speakers | The following HSC Examination paper
is not available on this website but may be located on the
website listed below. Please note the following link will
take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a
website not maintained by BOSTES. South Australian Certificate of Education |
||
| Maltese Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Mathematics | Mathematics Exam Paper | Mathematics Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Mathematics Extension 1 | Mathematics Extension 1 Exam Paper | Mathematics Extension 1 Marking guidelines | Mathematics Extension 1 Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Mathematics Extension 2 | Mathematics Extension 2 Exam Paper | Mathematics Extension 2 Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Mathematics (General) | Mathematics (General) Exam Paper | General Mathematics Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Metal and Engineering | Metal and Engineering Exam Paper | Metal and Engineering Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Modern Greek Beginners |
Modern Greek Beginners Exam Paper |
Modern Greek Beginners Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Modern Greek Continuers |
Modern Greek Continuers Exam Paper |
Modern Greek Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Modern Greek Extension | Modern Greek Extension Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Modern Hebrew Continuers | Modern Hebrew Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Modern History | Modern History Exam Paper | Modern History Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Music 1 | Music 1 Exam Paper | Music 1 Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Music 2 | Music 2 Exam Paper | Music 2 Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persian Background Speakers |
The following HSC Examination paper
is not available on this website but may be located on the
website listed below. Please note the following link will
take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a
website not maintained by BOSTES. South Australian Certificate of Education |
||
| Personal Development, Health and Physical Education | PDHPE Exam Paper | PDHPE Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Physics | Physics Exam Paper | Physics Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Polish Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: South Australian Certificate of Education Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Portuguese Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Primary Industries | Primary Industries Exam Paper | Primary Industries Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Services | Retail Services Exam Paper | Retail Services Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Russian Background Speakers | The following HSC Examination paper
is not available on this website but may be located on the
website listed below. Please note the following link will
take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a
website not maintained by BOSTES. South Australian Certificate of Education |
||
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Science | Senior Science Exam Paper | Senior Science Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Serbian Continuers | Serbian Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Society and Culture | Society and Culture Exam Paper | Society and Culture Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Software Design and Development | Software Design and Development Exam Paper | Software Design and Development Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Spanish Beginners | Spanish Beginners Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Spanish Continuers | Spanish Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Spanish Extension | Spanish Extension Notes from the Marking Centre | ||
| Studies of Religion I | Studies of Religion I Exam Paper | Studies of Religion Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Studies of Religion II | Studies of Religion II Exam Paper | ||
| Swedish Continuers | Swedish Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Textiles and Design | Textiles and Design Exam Paper | Textiles and Design Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Tourism and Events | Tourism and Events Exam Paper | Tourism and Events Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Turkish Continuers | The following HSC Examination paper is not available on this website but may be located on the website listed below. Please note the following link will take you outside the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW (BOSTES) website to a website not maintained by BOSTES: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority Feedback is available on the performance of NSW students in the oral examinations. |
||
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ukrainian Continuers |
Ukrainian Continuers Exam Paper |
Ukrainian Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre |
| Subject | Examination Paper | Marking guidelines (what are these?) and sample answers (what are these?) | Notes from the Marking Centre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vietnamese Continuers |
Vietnamese Continuers Exam Paper |
Vietnamese Continuers Notes from the Marking Centre | |
| Visual Arts | Visual Arts Exam Paper | Visual Arts Notes from the Marking Centre |

- Need help with downloading and viewing?
- You can also convert PDF documents into alternative formats.
NSW Government