About the HSC

NESA and the HSC

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) oversees the HSC.

Every year, we evaluate the HSC to ensure that it remains inclusive, flexible and caters for the diverse range of student backgrounds, abilities and goals.

We consider changes and improvements, and consult on changes that affect the wider education community. NESA Board members and staff play an important role in supervising the HSC’s quality.

Courses

Students must complete at least 12 units of preliminary courses and 10 units of HSC courses, including English, to receive the HSC.

The most popular courses are:

• Elective subjects – Maths, Biology and Business Studies
• Languages – French, Japanese and Chinese
• Vocational education and training (VET) courses – Hospitality, Construction and Business Services.

Find out more about HSC courses.

Exam snapshot

Each year more than:

• 60,000 students sit a compulsory English exam.
• 700,000 exam papers are printed (after each paper has been reviewed at least 6 times).

Learn more about exam development and marking. 

Find more of the latest HSC facts and figures.

Staff

Thousands of staff work on the HSC so it's moderated and assessed fairly. The members of the exam committees and all staff are bound by strict security and confidentiality measures.

In 2023 there were:

• 96 exam committees
• 300 exam committee members
• 124 written exams.

Find more of the latest HSC facts and figures.

Each year more than:

• 7,500 supervisors and presiding officers work in more than 750 exam centres.
• 5,500 markers mark exams in physical locations and online.
• 800 support staff work in various jobs including monitoring scanners, packing artworks and driving forklifts help make the HSC possible.

Find out more about how NESA develops HSC exams.

Results

HSC results and other documents that show the student's achievement are issued by NESA:

• via Students Online
• by email
• by text message.

Read about HSC credentials for samples and explanations of each document, including VET certificates and statements of attainment.

HSC students may also receive reports, references and other documents from their school about attendance, punctuality, attitude and work experience.

Find out more about how HSC results are determined and the moderation process used to produce the final mark.

Call the HSC Results Inquiry Centre on 1300 13 83 23 if you have questions about your results.

Merit lists

High-achieving students are recognised in 4 merit lists. Students are recognised as:

• First in course if they receive first place in a HSC course or optional exam and in the highest band possible
• All-round achievers if their results are in the highest band in 10 or more HSC course units.
• Top achievers if they achieve a top place in a course based on a result in the highest band
• Distinguished achievers if they have a result in the highest band in one or more courses.

History of the HSC

The first HSC was held in 1967. About 18,000 students sat the first HSC exams, compared with roughly 74,480 students in 2022.

In the 1967 exams:

• English was compulsory.
• 28 subjects were offered at levels 1, 2 or 3.
• 90% completed one of 4 Maths courses.
• 80% completed one of 3 Combined Science courses.
• 12 languages were offered – French was studied by more than one third of students and 5 students studied Japanese.
• 32 students studied Sheep Husbandry and Wool Technology, which included a practical test in wool classing.
• Art included a 3-hour practical exam.