Higher School Certificate credentials
ACE 8101
Last Updated: 1 April 2019
The Higher School Certificate testamur
The HSC testamur is awarded to students who have fulfilled all eligibility requirements.
The Higher School Certificate Record of Achievement
An HSC Record of Achievement is issued to students who satisfactorily complete the requirements for the Higher School Certificate.
The Higher School Certificate Record of Achievement is a cumulative record of all Preliminary and HSC courses satisfactorily completed.
Board Developed HSC courses
For Board Developed HSC courses, except Life Skills courses and VET courses, the HSC Record of Achievement shows an examination mark, assessment mark, HSC mark and performance band. For all Board Developed HSC courses the HSC Record of Achievement shows the course name and the year in which it was successfully completed.
(Note: the student's examination mark and assessment mark are averaged to create the HSC mark (rounded if necessary). It is the HSC mark that determines the performance band to which the student's result is allocated.)
For all Board Developed Preliminary courses (except Life Skills courses and VET courses) the HSC Record of Achievement shows the course, the year in which it was satisfactorily completed and the grade awarded.
VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks Courses
For students who undertake a VET Industry Curriculum Framework Course, the course is reported without a mark and with the notation Refer to Vocational Documentation.
The examination in a 240-hour VET Industry Curriculum Framework course is reported with a mark in the columns headed Examination Mark and HSC Mark. A performance band is also reported.
Board Endorsed Courses (including Content Endorsed Courses)
For Board Endorsed HSC courses, except VET courses and Life Skills courses, the HSC Record of Achievement shows a school assessment mark. For these courses, schools submit marks that are aligned to a generic performance scale.
For Board Endorsed Preliminary courses, except VET courses and Life Skills courses, the HSC Record of Achievement shows the grade awarded.
VET Board Endorsed Courses
The VET Board Endorsed Courses are reported without a mark.
Life Skills courses
Students who are undertaking one or more Life Skills courses for the Higher School Certificate receive an HSC Record of Achievement listing any Board Developed and Board Endorsed Courses satisfactorily completed, including Life Skills courses. The Life Skills courses are reported without a mark and with the notation 'Refer to Profile of Student Achievement'.
Credit transfer
Preliminary and HSC units of study for which credit transfer has been granted are reported on the HSC Record of Achievement as Credit Transfer, with the unit value.
Profile of Student Achievement
The Profile of Student Achievement reports on the achievement of syllabus outcomes by students undertaking Stage 6 Life Skills courses. Schools enter via Schools Online the outcomes achieved, either independently or with support, for each Life Skills course. Other Life Skills outcomes achieved from additional syllabuses may also be reported on the Profile of Student Achievement.
Vocational documentation
- A Certificate is awarded to students in VET courses who have fulfilled the requirements of an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) VET qualification. A Transcript of Competencies Achieved listing all units of competency satisfactorily achieved accompanies the Certificate.
- Students who have achieved partial completion of an AQF VET qualification will receive a Statement of Attainment, which lists all units of competency achieved towards the qualification. These documents are issued by NESA on behalf of the school system’s Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). In the case of TAFE - delivered courses or courses delivered by a private provider (a non-systems RTO), the statement is issued by the TAFE or the RTO. The qualification is recognised within the AQF.