Meeting HSC eligibility requirements

To be eligible for the HSC, you must:

• satisfactorily complete Years 9 and 10 or gain other qualifications that satisfy NESA

• complete HSC: All My Own Work (or its equivalent) before you submit any work for Preliminary or HSC courses, unless you are only entered for Year 11 and Year 12 Life Skills courses

• satisfactorily complete courses in the patterns of study detailed below

• sit for and make a serious attempt at the required HSC exams

• meet the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy within five years of starting your HSC course

 

Certain patterns of study and course requirements apply

You must satisfactorily complete:

• a Preliminary pattern of study that includes at least 12 units (Year 11)

• an HSC pattern of study that includes at least 10 units (Year 12)

 

Both patterns of study must include at least:

• 6 units of Board Developed Courses

• 2 units of a Board Developed Course in English

• 3 courses of 2 or more units (either Board Developed or Board Endorsed Courses)

• 4 subjects.​

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HSC courses

There are many HSC courses but not all of them contribute to an ATAR.

Courses are classified as Board Developed (BDC) or Board Endorsed (BEC).

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ATAR courses

ATAR courses are developed and formally endorsed by NESA. Board Developed Courses (BDC) are the only courses that can be included in ATAR calculations. They are classified as Category A or Category B courses.

Only 2 units of Category B courses can be included in the ATAR calculation.

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ATAR Eligibility

To be eligible for an ATAR, students must satisfactorily complete at least 10 units of ATAR courses.

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These ATAR courses must include:

• 8 units of Category A courses

• 2 units of English

• 3 Board Developed courses of 2 units or greater

• 4 subjects

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Satisfactorily completing a course

Students will be considered to have satisfactorily completed a course if they have:

• followed the course developed or endorsed by NESA

• applied diligence and sustained effort to the set tasks and experiences provided in the course by the school

• achieved some or all of the course outcomes

• made a genuine attempt at assessment tasks 

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Students will also need to make a serious attempt at the HSC examination for the course.