Senior Secondary Certificate of Education
The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) is the graduation certificate awarded to most students in Australian high schools, and is equivalent to the Advance Placement in North America and the GCE A-Levels of the United Kingdom. Students completing the SSCE are usually aged 16 to 18 and study full-time for two years (years 11 and 12 of schooling). In some states adults may gain the certificate through a Technical and Further Education college or other provider.
The curriculum, assessment and name of the SSCE is different in each state and territory. The government of each determines these themselves, although the curriculum must address mutually agreed national competencies.
| State | SSCE title | Abbreviation |
| New South Wales[1] | Higher School Certificate
Board Developed Course - ATAR Board Endorsed Course - Non-ATAR Content Endorsed Course - Non-ATAR Life Skills Course - Non-ATAR |
HSC |
| Victoria[2] | Victorian Certificate of Education - ATAR Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning - Non-ATAR | VCE VCAL |
| Queensland[3][4][5] | Queensland Certificate of Education
"Authority" Subjects - OP/ATAR "Authority-Registered" Subjects - Non-ATAR |
QCE |
| South Australia | South Australian Certificate of Education | SACE |
| Western Australia | Western Australian Certificate of Education
2016 - present: "ATAR" and "General" Courses 2007 - 2015: Stage 2 and Stage 3 subjects (ATAR) 2007-2015: Preliminary and Stage 1 subjects (Non-ATAR) |
WACE |
| Tasmania | Tasmanian Certificate of Education
Level 3 - ATAR Level 1 and Level 2 subjects - Non-ATAR |
TCE |
| Australian Capital Territory[6] | Australian Capital Territory Year 12 Certificate
"T" and "H" course Subjects - ATAR "A","V","M',"C","E" and "R" course Subjects - Non-ATAR |
|
| Northern Territory | Northern Territory Certificate of Education | NTCE |
Universities Australia generates a nationally standardised final score for each SSCE exam student called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Universities and other Higher Education providers typically use this mark as the main criterion in selecting domestic students. Most States and Territories in Australia uses the ATAR system with the exemption of Queensland. Queensland has its own ranking system called Overall Position (OP).
See also
References
- NSW, Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards. "HSC – Board of Studies Teaching and Educational Standards NSW". www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
- "Victorian Certificate of Education Index". www.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
- Project, c=AU; o=The State of Queensland; ou=Department of Education, Training and Employment; ou=QGOV. "Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) | Education and training". www.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-12-22.
- government, corporateName=Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority; jurisdiction=Queensland; address=Melbourne St, South Brisbane, Qld 4101; contact=+61 7 3864 0299; email=office@qcaa.qld.edu.au; sector=. "Information about Authority subjects". Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- government, corporateName=Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority; jurisdiction=Queensland; address=Melbourne St, South Brisbane, Qld 4101; contact=+61 7 3864 0299; email=office@qcaa.qld.edu.au; sector=. "Information about Authority-registered subjects". Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Retrieved 2017-08-20.
- "ACT Senior Secondary Certificate and Record of Achievement".