Help develop the HSC exams
Find out how HSC exams are developed and how you can get involved. See what roles are available, the selection criteria and how to apply.
HSC exam development
Each year, NESA employs experienced teachers and academics to design and assess the HSC exams.
Develop your skills and knowledge
Setting or assessing HSC exams is an opportunity for experienced teachers and academics to:
- further develop their understanding of assessment techniques
- enhance their skills in setting exams
- contribute towards their professional development.
The exam development process
Exam committees, chaired by a Chief Examiner, develop the HSC exams. The exam development process commences in Term 4 of the year prior to the exam and continues until June. A practising teacher usually spends 1 day assessing each exam during Term 1 or early in Term 2.
Exams and marking guidelines are also reviewed by a syllabus expert, the supervisor of marking, a literacy specialist, an assessment expert and a copy editor.
In the same year that the exam is being developed, Chief Examiners, committee members and assessors must not:
- teach or tutor the relevant HSC course(s) to students
- have a close relative (e.g. spouse, sibling or child) who is either teaching or enrolled as a HSC student in the relevant course(s).
Read more information about assessing language extension courses.
Chief Examiners, committee members and assessors must maintain complete confidentiality regarding all HSC exams and committee discussions. They must also sign a Statutory Declaration to this effect.
Understanding the different roles and responsibilities
The Chief Examiner chairs the exam committee. They also have responsibilities in the marking and standards-setting processes. In some cases, the Chief Examiner may have responsibility for more than one course.
As Chair of the exam committee, the Chief Examiner ensures that:
- the exam paper conforms to NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) principles and is of high quality
- the marking guidelines are appropriate
- the final version of the exam paper is accurate.
The Chief Examiner's role in the marking process
The Chief Examiner guides the supervisor of marking and senior markers in the development and validation of the marking kit. The Chief Examiner:
- signs a declaration that each question or task will achieve valid and reliable results
- completes a written report to the Standards Committee
- in some cases, attends a meeting with the Standards Committee, usually in late November or early December.
Chief Examiners can also apply to be HSC markers to see how exam questions perform. This is provided they meet minimum criteria determined by the Markers Award and follow standard exclusions.
Availability
All Chief Examiners need to be available throughout the exam setting and marking periods. During the NSW public school summer holidays, attendance at up to three meetings may be required. Prospective applicants taking extended leave during this period should not apply.
Exam committees develop the exam papers and marking guidelines.
Where possible, each exam committee has a balance of secondary teachers and tertiary educators. Committees will also have representation from government and non-government schools and gender balance, where this is feasible.
Exam committee members can also apply to be HSC markers to see how exam questions perform. However, they must meet minimum criteria determined by the Markers Award and follow standard exclusions.
Committee meetings
The number of committee meetings depends on the nature of the exam paper but involves at least eight days. Meetings are held at the NESA office and last a full day from 8.30 am to 4:30 pm. Training is provided in late September or early October.
Availability
Committee members need to be available from October in the year prior to the exam until the end of June in the exam year.
During the NSW public school summer holidays, attendance at up to three meetings may be required. Prospective applicants taking extended leave during this period should not apply.
Teachers with recent experience teaching a course assess and comment on the draft exams prepared by the exam committee.
Assessors provide an independent assessment of the exam paper. This involves evaluating and commenting on the paper as a subject expert and as an experienced teacher. Assessors provide responses to the draft exam paper and advice to the exam committee about the appropriateness of exam questions.
Availability
HSC exams are assessed between late February and April. Prospective applicants taking extended leave during this period should not apply.
Selection requirements
A minimum of 3 years recent teaching experience is generally considered necessary to develop the HSC exams.
All applicants are expected to demonstrate:
- appropriate qualifications and experience as a teacher of HSC students or first year tertiary students in the relevant subject. Preference may be given to applicants who have taught the HSC course in the last 3 years.
- high-level knowledge of the relevant HSC syllabus
- the capacity to apply NESA principles to the development of examinations and marking guidelines
- additional professional experience (for example, a trade)
- high-level oral and written communication skills
- the capacity to work in a team to deliver educational materials to specified deadlines.
Applicants for the role of Chief Examiner are also expected to demonstrate:
- the capacity to provide leadership to the exam committee during the preparation of the exam and marking guidelines
- the ability to manage the work of the committee and meet deadlines
- the capacity to engage effectively with the supervisor of marking and senior markers in the development and validation of the marking kit.
In general, a minimum of 3 years recent experience teaching Year 12 is considered sufficient.
Applicants must have the necessary experience to assess the exam papers. Preference may be given to applicants who:
- have taught the HSC course in the last 3 years
- can demonstrate an understanding of the principles and practices that apply to exam development.
Conditions of appointment
Before being appointed as Chief Examiner, committee member, or assessor you must agree to the following conditions. You must:
- sign a confidentiality agreement regarding your work on secure exam material
- be available for meetings at the NESA office during the setting and reviewing periods, generally from October to June. This may involve up to three days during the NSW public school summer holidays. (Assessing an exam usually takes one day.)
- not have a close relative (e.g. spouse, sibling or child) who is either teaching or enrolled as a HSC student in the relevant course
- not teach or tutor the relevant HSC course to students in the exam year (including Term 4 in the previous year)
- not mark or moderate school assessments in the relevant course in the exam year (including Term 4 in the previous year)
- not set or review papers in the relevant HSC course(s) for school systems (e.g. Catholic/TAFE/Regional Trials) or commercial organisations (e.g. test writing organisations or online organisations) in the exam year (including Term 4 in the previous year)
- not lecture at meetings or study courses for students and teachers for the relevant course(s) in the exam year (including Term 4 in the previous year)
- not speak at any meetings on the content or interpretation of the syllabus or exam specifications for the relevant course(s) in the exam year (including Term 4 in the previous year)
- disclose whether you are an author of textbooks/videos/teaching materials/study guides that are in general use in schools or TAFE in the relevant subject area
- disclose your status in any professional associations in the relevant subject area
- complete mandatory training.
For committee members, the maximum term is 5 consecutive years. For Chief Examiners, the maximum term is 6 consecutive years.
Language extension exams
Applicants can be considered to write or assess a language extension exam where they are teaching the related 2-unit Continuers course. However, applicants cannot be considered if they have 2-unit Continuers students sitting the Extension exam that they want to write or assess.
Remuneration
The payment structure for each course is listed below. The Examining and Testing Branch will determine meeting requirements.
| Tiers | Chief Examiners | Committee members |
|---|---|---|
| 6-8 meeting days | $3638 | $1364 |
| 9-11 meeting days | $3668 | $1377 |
| 12+ meeting days | $3697 | $1388 |
Allowances
In addition to the payments above, Chief Examiners, committee members and assessors receive allowances and other payments.
Chief Examiners & committee members
- Chief Examiners receive a payment for attendance at their marking centre. This is currently $925.
- Metropolitan Chief Examiners and committee members are paid a travel allowance.
- Non-metropolitan Chief Examiners and committee members are reimbursed for travel and other expenses.
- A flat rate of $371 is paid to Chief Examiners and committee members who develop multiple exam papers for one course.
Assessors
- Assessors receive a fee (approximately $276 per course) and a travel allowance.
Schools
- A teacher's involvement in exam development work may occur during school hours. Their school may then need to employ a casual teacher to backfill their position. Where this occurs, NESA reimburses the school to cover the cost of employing the casual teacher.
Completing the application form
Download the 2025 Higher School Certificate Exam Development Application Form (PDF 607.18KB), also available in Word (DOCX 67.44KB).
Part A
Please ensure that you complete the relevant sections in Part A in full, and that your application has been endorsed.
You can apply for more than one role in the same application.
Part B
Applicants for Chief Examiner must also complete Part B.
You can apply for multiple courses and roles on the one application if all the relevant information is included.
If your application for Chief Examiner is unsuccessful, you will only be considered for committee membership if you also tick the Committee Member box on page 1 of the form.
Getting your application endorsed
The principal must endorse your application if you're currently based at a school, or a supervisor if based at a TAFE college or university. They need to complete Section A and agree to release you if your application is successful.
An appropriate person must endorse your application by completing Section B if you're retired or not working in a school, TAFE college or university. This is to verify that you are suitable for the position.
If you're teaching at a Saturday School, Section A must be completed by the home school principal (where applicable) and Section B by the principal of the Saturday School.
Applications without the required endorsements will not be considered.
Submitting your application
After you have completed the application:
- get the required signatures
- email your application to testdevelopment@nesa.nsw.edu.au.
If you have a query, call (02) 9367 8824 (Head, Examination Development).
Closing dates
- Chief Examiner applications close Wednesday 24 July 2024.
- Committee member applications close Friday 16 August 2024.
- Assessor applications close Friday 15 November 2024.
Statement of Equity Principles
NESA's statement of equity principles and related guiding statements inform project and writing teams of syllabuses, support documents, exams, assessment guidelines and other relevant educational materials produced by NESA.
- Agriculture
- Arabic Continuers
- Armenian Continuers
- Automotive
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Chinese Extension
- Classical Greek (Classical Greek Continuers, Classical Greek Extension)
- Community & Family Studies
- Construction
- Dance
- Design and Technology
- Engineering Studies
- English (English Advanced, English Standard & English Studies)
- English Extension
- Enterprise Computing
- Entertainment
- Filipino Continuers
- Financial Services
- Food Technology
- French Beginners
- German Continuers
- German Extension
- Hospitality
- Indonesian Beginners
- Information and Digital Technology
- Investigating Science
- Italian Continuers
- Italian Extension
- Japanese Continuers
- Korean Beginners
- Korean in Context
- Legal Studies
- Mathematics Extension (Extension 1 and Extension 2)
- Modern Greek Continuers
- Modern Greek Extension
- Modern History
- Music (Music 1 and Music 2)
- PDHPE
- Physics
- Primary Industries
- Science Extension
- Serbian Continuers
- Software Engineering
- Spanish Extension
- Studies of Religion I and II
- Textiles and Design
- Tourism, Travel and Events
- Vietnamese
- Visual Arts
This list was last modified 13 June 2024.
The following HSC examination committees need applications for members and assessors.
Some committees are responsible for more than one course, as listed below.
- Classical Greek (Classical Greek Continuers and Classical Greek Extension)
- Classical Hebrew (Classical Hebrew Continuers and Classical Hebrew Extension)
- Latin (Latin Continuers and Latin Extension)
- Dance
- Drama
- Music (Music 1 and Music 2)
- Visual Arts
- English (English Advanced, English Standard and English Studies)
- English as an Additional Language or Dialect
- English Extension
- Aboriginal Studies
- Ancient History
- Business Studies
- Economics
- Geography
- History Extension
- Legal Studies
- Modern History
- Society and Culture
- Studies of Religion I and II
- Arabic Continuers
- Arabic Extension
- Armenian
- Chinese and Literature
- Chinese Beginners
- Chinese Continuers
- Chinese Extension
- Chinese in Context
- Croatian
- Filipino
- French Beginners
- French Continuers
- French Extension
- German Beginners
- German Continuers
- German Extension
- Indonesian Beginners
- Indonesian Continuers
- Indonesian Extension
- Italian Beginners
- Italian Continuers
- Italian Extension
- Japanese Beginners
- Japanese Continuers
- Japanese Extension
- Japanese in Context
- Korean and Literature
- Korean Beginners
- Korean Continuers
- Korean in Context
- Modern Greek Beginners
- Modern Greek Continuers
- Modern Greek Extension
- Modern Hebrew Continuers
- Serbian
- Spanish Beginners
- Spanish Continuers
- Spanish Extension
- Swedish
- Vietnamese Continuers
- Mathematics Extension (Extension 1 and Extension 2)
- Mathematics (Advanced, Standard 1 and Standard 2)
- Community and Family Studies
- PDHPE
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Earth and Environmental Science
- Investigating Science
- Physics
- Science Extension
- Agriculture
- Design and Technology
- Engineering Studies
- Enterprise Computing
- Food Technology
- Industrial Technology
- Software Engineering
- Textiles and Design
- Automotive
- Business Services
- Construction
- Electrotechnology
- Entertainment Industry
- Financial Services
- Hospitality
- Human Services
- Information and Digital Technology
- Primary Industries
- Retail Services
- Tourism, Travel and Events