About the statistics
Each year NESA provides statistics on HSC students and their courses. Find statistics from 2021, or view more from different years.
Cohort insights
2009 was the year that most students who sat their HSC exams in 2021 started their 13 years of schooling.
Students studying a HSC course
76,399
Students on track to complete their HSC
68,710
How many students are studying for the HSC?
The HSC is the most popular high school credential in Australia with 76,399 students studying one or more HSC courses in 2021. Of these students, 68,710 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 major cities. The others are studying in inner regional areas of NSW, and outer regional, remote and very remote NSW. There is a small number of HSC students outside Australia.
The location is based on Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Remoteness Area classification.
Enrolment data is taken from 1 September 2021.
Learn more about the HSC course enrolments by region
Learn more about HSC course enrolments
Exam insights
There are now 110 written exams, which will be reviewed by the 96 exam committees 6 times before more than 700,000 exam papers are printed.
- 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.
Written exams
110
Exam committees
96
Sat the HSC exams overseas
200 students
Exam papers are reviewed
At least 6 times
Exam centres
750
What courses are students studying?
149 Board Developed HSC courses, covering a broad range of subjects, are available to meet students’ diverse needs.
These include:
- 105 examinable courses
- 12 Industry Curriculum Frameworks (with optional examinations)
- 32 Life Skills courses for students with disability.
In addition, there are more than 110 Board Endorsed courses available, including about 70 Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, through which students can also achieve an Australian Qualifications Framework credential, 11 Content Endorsed courses, and 6 university developed courses
It is compulsory to study an English course for the HSC. 69,446 students (91% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one of the following HSC English courses this year:
- English Standard
- English Advanced
- English Extension 1
- English Extension 2
- English EAL/D
- English Studies
- English Life Skills.
59,310 students (78% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one of the following HSC Maths courses:
- Mathematics Standard 1
- Mathematics Standard 2
- Mathematics Advanced
- Mathematics Extension 1
- Mathematics Extension 2
- Mathematics Life Skills
- Numeracy (Content Endorsed Course).
32,460 students (42% 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.
5,308 students (7% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one HSC Language course.
20,234 students (26% of the total cohort) are enrolled in at least one HSC Vocational Educational and Training (VET) course. Of these, 17,932 are enrolled in one or more of the VET Industry Curriculum Frameworks.
2,411 students are enrolled in at least one HSC Life Skills course.
Highest candidature subjects
There are 149 Board Developed HSC courses.
| Rank | Subject | Unique students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | 69,446 |
| 2 | Mathematics | 59,310 |
| 3 | Biology | 19,178 |
| 4 | Business Studies | 18,137 |
| 5 | Personal Development, Health & Physical Education | 17,894 |
| 6 | Studies of Religion | 14,770 |
| 7 | Modern History | 11,284 |
| 8 | Legal Studies | 10,974 |
| 9 | Chemistry | 10,038 |
| 10 | Community and Family Studies | 9,415 |
| 11 | Visual Arts | 9,028 |
| 12 | Physics | 8,063 |
| 13 | Hospitality | 7,274 |
| 14 | Ancient History | 6,686 |
| 15 | Industrial Technology | 5,992 |
Rank 1 Subject English Unique students 69,446 |
Rank 2 Subject Mathematics Unique students 59,310 |
Rank 3 Subject Biology Unique students 19,178 |
Rank 4 Subject Business Studies Unique students 18,137 |
Rank 5 Subject Personal Development, Health & Physical Education Unique students 17,894 |
Rank 6 Subject Studies of Religion Unique students 14,770 |
Rank 7 Subject Modern History Unique students 11,284 |
Rank 8 Subject Legal Studies Unique students 10,974 |
Rank 9 Subject Chemistry Unique students 10,038 |
Rank 10 Subject Community and Family Studies Unique students 9,415 |
Rank 11 Subject Visual Arts Unique students 9,028 |
Rank 12 Subject Physics Unique students 8,063 |
Rank 13 Subject Hospitality Unique students 7,274 |
Rank 14 Subject Ancient History Unique students 6,686 |
Rank 15 Subject Industrial Technology Unique students 5,992 |
| Rank | Language | Unique students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 1,246 |
| 2 | French | 987 |
| 3 | Chinese | 786 |
| 4 | Italian | 526 |
| 5 | Spanish | 430 |
Rank 1 Language Japanese Unique students 1,246 |
Rank 2 Language French Unique students 987 |
Rank 3 Language Chinese Unique students 786 |
Rank 4 Language Italian Unique students 526 |
Rank 5 Language Spanish Unique students 430 |
| Rank | Framework | Unique students |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hospitality | 7,274 |
| 2 | Construction | 3,663 |
| 3 | Business Services | 2,564 |
| 4 | Retail Services | 1,600 |
| 5 | Entertainment Industry | 1,206 |
Rank 1 Framework Hospitality Unique students 7,274 |
Rank 2 Framework Construction Unique students 3,663 |
Rank 3 Framework Business Services Unique students 2,564 |
Rank 4 Framework Retail Services Unique students 1,600 |
Rank 5 Framework Entertainment Industry Unique students 1,206 |
Fun facts
Joshua and Jack topped the list of the given names for the 2021 cohort. There are 898 sets of twins and 15 sets of triplets and quadruplets who will sit exams in the 2021 HSC.
| Rank | First name | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joshua | 645 |
| 2 | Jack | 596 |
| 3 | Emily | 585 |
| 4 | Thomas | 575 |
| 5 | William | 534 |
| 6 | Lachlan | 531 |
| 7 | Daniel | 519 |
| 8 | James | 516 |
| 9 | Olivia | 514 |
| 10 | Jessica | 504 |
Rank 1 First name Joshua Total 645 |
Rank 2 First name Jack Total 596 |
Rank 3 First name Emily Total 585 |
Rank 4 First name Thomas Total 575 |
Rank 5 First name William Total 534 |
Rank 6 First name Lachlan Total 531 |
Rank 7 First name Daniel Total 519 |
Rank 8 First name James Total 516 |
Rank 9 First name Olivia Total 514 |
Rank 10 First name Jessica Total 504 |
| Rank | Family name | Total |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nguyen | 609 |
| 2 | Smith | 458 |
| 3 | Jones | 271 |
| 4 | Brown | 269 |
| 5 | Lee | 257 |
| 6 | Tran | 244 |
| 7 | Williams | 239 |
| 8 | Taylor | 204 |
| 9 | Wilson | 192 |
| 10 | Chen | 182 |
Rank 1 Family name Nguyen Total 609 |
Rank 2 Family name Smith Total 458 |
Rank 3 Family name Jones Total 271 |
Rank 4 Family name Brown Total 269 |
Rank 5 Family name Lee Total 257 |
Rank 6 Family name Tran Total 244 |
Rank 7 Family name Williams Total 239 |
Rank 8 Family name Taylor Total 204 |
Rank 9 Family name Wilson Total 192 |
Rank 10 Family name Chen Total 182 |
| Sets of twins | Sets of triplets and quadruplets | Set of multiple births |
|---|---|---|
| 898 | 15 | 913 |
Sets of twins 898 Sets of triplets and quadruplets 15 Set of multiple births 913 |
Course and region numbers
More detailed data for courses (including VET and Life Skills) and enrolment by regions across NSW.
2021 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 2021
2021 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 2021 HSC cohort.