Australian High School: Comparing All Eight State & Territory Certificates
A practical map of HSC, VCE, QCE, WACE, SACE, NTCET, TCE and ACT SSC—separate from the ATAR.
William
James Ruse Graduate (Ranked No. 1 in Australia at the Time of Graduation)
· Official-source explainer
There is no single national school-leaving exam
State and territory authorities manage senior qualifications and assessment. It helps to start with three separate things: your completion certificate, your subject results and your ATAR. You can finish school through a non-ATAR pathway. Completing school and getting into a particular degree are therefore two different parts of the plan.
| Jurisdiction | Certificate | Assessment / ATAR bodies |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | HSC | NESA / UAC |
| Victoria | VCE | VCAA / VTAC |
| Queensland | QCE | QCAA / QTAC |
| Western Australia | WACE | SCSA / TISC |
| South Australia | SACE | SACE Board / SATAC |
| Northern Territory | NTCET | NT education authorities / SACE Board / SATAC |
| Tasmania | TCE | TASC |
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT SSC | ACT BSSS |
Scroll horizontally to view the table.
Junior and senior secondary years
Years 7–10 generally provide broad study across English, mathematics, science, humanities, health/PE, arts, technologies and languages. Subject counts, elective slots and semester arrangements vary by school. Senior programs become more specialised, but the role of Year 11 results differs between jurisdictions.
- 01
State system
- 02
Completion
- 03
ATAR eligibility
- 04
Degree requirements
How to compare assessment loads
School tests, assignments, oral assessments, folios and statewide written examinations serve different roles. Counting final exams alone will not tell you how Queensland General subjects compare with ACT continuous assessment. Read each subject’s assessment plan for tasks, weighting and timing.
If moving interstate or applying abroad
Before moving, confirm credit recognition, assumed learning, language eligibility and final-year study requirements with the receiving school. Japanese and overseas universities may request earlier transcripts; results that do not directly contribute to an ATAR can still matter for admission.
Sources & verification
Reviewed 27 October 2026. Historical-cycle documents are explicitly labelled.