Cohort insights
2007 was the year that most students who sat HSC exams in 2019 started their 13 years of schooling.
The total number of HSC students in 2019.
Making the HSC the most popular school credential in Australia in 2019.
How many students are studying for the HSC?
The HSC is the most popular high school credential in Australia with 75,006 students studying one or more HSC courses in 2019. Of these students, 67,915 are on track to complete their HSC this year.
Where are students studying their courses?
The majority are studying for the HSC at schools in the Sydney metropolitan area. The others are studying in regional areas of NSW, and a small number outside NSW.
The location is based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Remoteness Area classification.
Enrolment data is taken from 1 September 2019.
Learn more about the HSC course enrolments by region
Learn more about HSC course enrolments
Exam insights
There are now 123 written exams, which will be reviewed by the 96 exam committees 6 times before more than 700,000 exam papers are printed.
For the 2019 HSC, there was:
- 26 km of security wrapping
- 51 km of security strapping
- 7,000 boxes
- 17,000 consignments tracked
- 35,000 papers quality checked
- 40,000 return envelopes
- 1,975,000 items to pack
- 50 tonnes of steel cabinets
- 8,200,000 exam pages scanned.
Totalling 350 hours
With 300 committee members developing the HSC exams
Before more than 700,000 exam papers are printed
Staffed by over 7,500 supervisors and presiding officers
Marking insights
4,000 HSC markers, (72% of all markers) will mark online. 83 courses will be marked partly or wholly online. 3,200 online markers, (80% of all online markers) will work remotely.
will work across NSW in 9 marking centres and from home.
with 83 courses to be marked all or in part online.
will work remotely after attending a briefing and practice marking sessions at a marking centre.
What courses are students studying?
Over 150 Board developed HSC courses, covering a broad range of subjects, are available to meet students’ diverse needs.
These include:
- 106 examinable courses
- 13 Industry Curriculum Frameworks (with examinations)
- 32 Life Skills courses for students with disability.
In addition, there are over 120 Board Endorsed courses available, including vocational courses, for which students can also achieve an Australian Qualifications Framework credential, and courses designed by schools to meet local needs.
It is compulsory to study an English course for the HSC. 68490 students (91% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one of the following HSC English courses:
- English Standard
- English Advanced
- English Extension 1
- English Extension 2
- English EAL/D
- English Studies
- English Life Skills.
57,799 students (77% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one of the following HSC Maths courses:
- Mathematics
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2
- Mathematics Standard 2
- Mathematics Standard 1
- Mathematics Life Skills.
32,331 students (43% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one of the following HSC Science courses:
- Biology / Living World Science Life Skills
- Chemistry / Chemical World Science Life Skills
- Physics / Physical World Science Life Skills
- Earth and Environmental Science / Earth and Space Science Life Skills
- Investigating Science / Investigating Science Life Skills
- Science Extension.
5,801 students are enrolled in at least one HSC Language course.
20,088 students (27% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one HSC Vocational Educational and Training (VET) course. Of these, 18,034 are enrolled in one or more of the VET Industry curriculum frameworks.
2,125 students are enrolled in at least one HSC Life Skills course.
Highest candidature subjects
There are 150 Board developed HSC courses.
| Rank | Subject | Unique students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 68,490 |
| 2 | Mathematics | 57,799 |
| 3 | Biology | 19,057 |
| 4 | Business Studies | 18,013 |
| 5 | Personal Development, Health & Physical Education | 16,772 |
| 6 | Studies of Religion | 14,814 |
| 7 | Modern History | 11,644 |
| 8 | Legal Studies | 10,821 |
| 9 | Chemistry | 10,458 |
| 10 | Visual Arts | 9,038 |
| 11 | Community and Family Studies | 8,892 |
| 12 | Physics | 8,544 |
| 13 | Ancient History | 7,490 |
| 14 | Hospitality | 7,049 |
| 15 | Industrial Technology | 5,948 |
Rank 1 Subject English Unique students 68,490 |
Rank 2 Subject Mathematics Unique students 57,799 |
Rank 3 Subject Biology Unique students 19,057 |
Rank 4 Subject Business Studies Unique students 18,013 |
Rank 5 Subject Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Unique students 16,772 |
Rank 6 Subject Studies of Religion Unique students 14,814 |
Rank 7 Subject Modern History Unique students 11,644 |
Rank 8 Subject Legal Studies Unique students 10,821 |
Rank 9 Subject Chemistry Unique students 10,458 |
Rank 10 Subject Visual Arts Unique students 9,038 |
Rank 11 Subject Community and Family Studies Unique students 8,892 |
Rank 12 Subject Physics Unique students 8,544 |
Rank 13 Subject Ancient History Unique students 7,490 |
Rank 14 Subject Hospitality Unique students 7,049 |
Rank 15 Subject Industrial Technology Unique students 5,948 |
| Rank | Language | Unique Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 1,348 |
| 2 | French | 1,152 |
| 3 | Chinese | 914 |
| 4 | Italian | 551 |
| 5 | Spanish | 433 |
Rank 1 Language Japanese Unique Students 1,348 |
Rank 2 Language French Unique Students 1,152 |
Rank 3 Language Chinese Unique Students 914 |
Rank 4 Language Italian Unique Students 551 |
Rank 5 Language Spanish Unique Students 433 |
| Rank | Framework | Unique Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | 7,049 |
| 2 | Construction | 3,447 |
| 3 | Business Services | 2,251 |
| 4 | Retail Services | 1,729 |
| 5 | Primary Industries | 1,163 |
Rank 1 Framework Hospitality Unique Students 7,049 |
Rank 2 Framework Construction Unique Students 3,447 |
Rank 3 Framework Business Services Unique Students 2,251 |
Rank 4 Framework Retail Services Unique Students 1,729 |
Rank 5 Framework Primary Industries Unique Students 1,163 |
Fun facts
This year, Joshua and Emily will top the list of the given names for the 2019 cohort. There are 985 sets of twins and 16 sets of triplets who will sat exams in the 2019 HSC.
| Rank | First name | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua | 756 |
| 2 | Emily | 626 |
| 3 | Thomas | 618 |
| 4 | Jessica | 612 |
| 5 | Jack | 608 |
| 6 | James | 572 |
| 7 | Lachlan | 570 |
| 8 | Daniel | 541 |
| 9 | Matthew | 510 |
| 10 | Nicholas | 503 |
Rank 1 First name Joshua Total 756 |
Rank 2 First name Emily Total 626 |
Rank 3 First name Thomas Total 618 |
Rank 4 First name Jessica Total 612 |
Rank 5 First name Jack Total 608 |
Rank 6 First name James Total 572 |
Rank 7 First name Lachlan Total 570 |
Rank 8 First name Daniel Total 541 |
Rank 9 First name Matthew Total 510 |
Rank 10 First name Nicholas Total 503 |
| Rank | Family name | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nguyen | 602 |
| 2 | Smith | 482 |
| 3 | Lee | 272 |
| 4 | Jones | 248 |
| 5 | Tran | 247 |
| 6 | Taylor | 224 |
| 7 | Williams | 223 |
| 8 | Chen | 216 |
| 9 | Brown | 216 |
| 10 | Li | 204 |
Rank 1 Family name Nguyen Total 602 |
Rank 2 Family name Smith Total 482 |
Rank 3 Family name Lee Total 272 |
Rank 4 Family name Jones Total 248 |
Rank 5 Family name Tran Total 247 |
Rank 6 Family name Taylor Total 224 |
Rank 7 Family name Williams Total 223 |
Rank 8 Family name Chen Total 216 |
Rank 9 Family name Brown Total 216 |
Rank 10 Family name Li Total 204 |
| Sets of twins | Sets of triplets | Set of multiple births |
|---|---|---|
| 985 | 16 | 1,001 |
Sets of twins 985 Sets of triplets 16 Set of multiple births 1,001 |
Course and region numbers
More detailed data for courses (including VET and Life Skills) and enrolment by regions across NSW.
2019 course enrolments
NESA reports on student enrolment information for HSC courses each year. Learn the number of students enrolled in Board Developed HSC courses in 2019.
2019 region enrolments
Students are studying their HSC courses in schools throughout NSW, and even at some schools overseas. View the number of students at schools in each region for the 2019 HSC cohort.