Rules and Procedures Guide 2025

About the Rules and Procedures guide 2025

This guide helps you understand the rules and requirements that must be followed as an HSC student. 

Your school will give you a Confirmation of Entry form that you must sign. By signing the Confirmation of Entry you are certifying you have read this guide.

The Education Act 1990 (NSW) governs the award of the HSC. Under this Act, NESA gives certificates to students who comply with the Act and NESA requirements.

The main rules and requirements for the HSC are in this guide. 

Students can obtain more detailed explanations by referring to the Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) website.

Abbreviations

In this guide the following abbreviations are used:

• AQF (Australian Qualifications Framework)
• ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank)
• HSC (Higher School Certificate)
• NESA (New South Wales Education Standards Authority)
• PDF (Portable Document Format)
• RoA (Record of Achievement) only provided with an HSC
• RoSA (Record of School Achievement)
• RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning)
• RTO (Registered Training Organisation)
• TAFE NSW (Technical and Further Education New South Wales)
• UAC (Universities Admissions Centre)
• VET (Vocational Education and Training).

Students undertaking HSC courses in 2024 can download the

File

Students completing their HSC in 2025 can download the 2025 Rules and Procedures Guide.