What Is the Senior Secondary Certificate of Education?
The Senior Secondary Certificate of Education (SSCE) is the graduation certificate awarded to students in Australian high schools, typically for completing years 11 and 12. However, in some states, adults may be awarded this qualification through a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) college or other provider.
The curriculum and assessment of the SSCE are different in each state and territory. The respective state and territory government determines these themselves. However, the curriculum must address mutually agreed upon national competencies, including:
Graduates at this level will have knowledge, skills and values for diverse pathways to further learning, work and effective participation in civic life.
Alongside a different curriculum and assessment, each state has a different name for the SSCE:
| State | SSCE Name | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory (ACT) | Australian Capital Territory Year 12 Certificate | |
| New South Wales (NSW) | Higher School Certificate |
|
| Northern Territory (NT) | Northern Territory Certificate of Education |
|
| Queensland (QLD) | Queensland Certificate of Education |
|
| South Australia (SA) | South Australian Certificate of Education |
|
| Tasmania (TAS) | Tasmanian Certificate of Education |
|
| Victoria (VIC) | Victorian Certificate of Education Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning |
|
| Western Australia (WA) | Western Australian Certificate of Education |
|
Universities Australia, which is the peak body for Australian universities, generates a nationally standardised final score for each SSCE student. This is called the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR). Broken down, this is the SSCE students’ national ranking, which typically determines their eligibility to study certain courses with certain ‘tertiary’ or post-school education providers. These providers are normally higher education providers such as universities. With the exception of Queensland, which uses its own ranking system called Overall Position (OP), most Australian states and territories use the ATAR system.
Useful Links
- To read more about each of the Australian tertiary qualifications, click here.
- To read more about Australian tertiary education, click here.
- To read more about the different types of Australian tertiary education providers, click here.
References
- ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies, ACT Qualifications, “What is the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF), “Senior Secondary Certificate of Education“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Government of Western Australia, Department of Education, “WACE“, retrived 02/08/18
- New South Wales Education Standards Authority, “About the HSC“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Northern Territory Government, “About the NT Certificate of Education and Training“, retrived 02/08/18
- Office of Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification, “Tasmanian Certificate of Education“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Queensland State Government, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, “Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR)“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Queensland State Government, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, “Overall Positions (OPs)“, retrieved, 02/08/18
- Queensland State Government, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority, “Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)“, retrieved 02/08/18
- South Australian Certificate of Education, “What is the SACE?“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Universities Australia, “About Us“, retrieved 02/08/18
- Victorian State Government Education and Training, “VCE – Victorian Certificate of Education“, retreived 02/08/18
