HSC assessment
The Higher School Certificate (HSC) is the highest educational award in secondary education in New South Wales. It is awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed Years 11 and 12 at secondary school. To be eligible, students must meet HSC course requirements and sit for the statewide HSC examinations. Read more about how the HSC works on Students Online.
Students will complete school-based assessments as part of their HSC, which together contribute 50% of their final HSC mark for a course (except VET courses). Assessment tasks allow students to show what they know, understand and can do in ways that may not be possible in a written examination. Tasks may include tests, written assignments, practical activities, fieldwork and projects.
Read more about HSC assessment in the following sections:
- Honesty in HSC Assessment – the Standard
- HSC Assessments and Submitted Works – Advice to Parents
- HSC Assessments and Submitted Works – Advice to Teachers
- HSC Assessment in a Standards-Referenced Framework – A Guide to Best Practice
Advice for students about HSC assessment
Students will find information and advice about HSC assessment in the Assessment section of Students Online. Information includes what to expect with assessment tasks, what assessment ranks are and how to check them after the exams, and the guide to completing assessment tasks honestly and with confidence.
HSC: All My Own Work
The HSC : All My Own Work program is designed to help Higher School Certificate students to follow the principles and practices of good scholarship. This includes understanding and valuing ethical practices when locating and using information as part of their HSC studies.
The HSC : All My Own Work program is integrated with other NSW syllabuses and programs. The program is designed to be delivered flexibly as self-paced learning modules.
The program's content is divided into five modules:
- Scholarship Principles and Practices
- Acknowledging Sources
- Plagiarism
- Copyright
- Working with others
HSC rules and procedures
- Issued to HSC students, the HSC Rules and Procedures guide outlines the rules and procedures for the Higher School Certificate, available on Students Online.
Assessment, Certification and Examination (ACE) website
- The Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) website provides current, easily accessible information to principals, teachers, parents and students about the rules and procedures set by the Board of Studies for secondary education in New South Wales.
- The ACE website supersedes the ACE Manual (2005) for all information on policies relating to the Higher School Certificate.
Assessment Resource Centre
- Assessment Resource Centre (ARC) website
- aims to support and enhance professional practice in the assessment and reporting of student achievement across Years K to 12. It has been developed primarily for teachers, although parents and students will also find it useful.
- More NESA sites
- NESA site
- Aboriginal Education
- Assessment Certification Examination (ACE)
- Assessment Resource Centre (ARC)
- Markers Online
- Presiding Officers Online
- Schools Online (Administration)
- School Registration (RANGS)
- Students Online
- Authority portals
- VCS Online
- RTOs Online
- Authorities Online
- More sites
NSW Government