2023 Victorian Senior Secondary Certificate Reform

Victoria is moving to a new integrated senior secondary certificate in 2023, which will be fully integrated by 2025. This will bring together the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) certificates. These reforms will ensure every student has the skills they need to find rewarding careers and reach their full potential.
VCAA (2022). Victorian Senior Secondary Certificate Reform

ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਦਾ ਵਿਕਟੋਰੀਅਨ ਸਰਟੀਫਿਕੇਟ

The Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) is the certificate that the majority of students in Victoria receive on satisfactory completion of their secondary education. The VCE provides diverse pathways to further study or training at university or TAFE and to employment.

The VCE course is made up of studies and units, some of which must be studied as a sequence.

A study is a subject, for example, English or Biology. It is made up of four units (Units 1, 2, 3 and 4), each of which is a semester in length.

For most students, VCE is completed over two years.

Students typically study Units 1 and 2 in their first year, and Units 3 and 4 in their second year.

You can study Unit 1 or Unit 2 of a subject as stand-alone units. However, you must enrol in Units 3 and 4 of a study as a sequence. This sequence needs to be completed in the same year if a study score is to be calculated.

Students usually study from 20 to 24 units (five or six studies) in Years 11 and 12.

You can take longer than two years to finish VCE if you need to. Some students start VCE in Year 10, and some study Units 3 and 4 in Year 11.

To achieve your VCE you must successfully complete 16 units including:

• • three units from the English group, two of which must be a Unit 3 and 4 sequence.
  • at least three additional Unit 3 and 4 sequences.

Your teacher can explain the differences between the English group studies, or you can find out more about them on the VCAA website.

You can complete the remaining units, including the three sequences at Unit 3 and 4 level, in any study that interests you. This could even be an additional English group study on top of the units you take to meet the minimum English requirement.

Your teacher determines if you have satisfactorily completed a unit based on the work you produce and submit and your adherence to VCAA and school rules.

How do I achieve marks in the VCE?

Units 1 and 2 are marked by your school; your teachers will set a range of assessments to see how you are progressing. The assessments have deadlines and you will need to plan and submit your work on time. Deadlines can only be extended in special circumstances.

• For Units 1 and 2 you will receive either S (Satisfactory), or N (Non-Satisfactory). Your school may give you a grade for each unit, but only the S counts towards your VCE.
• For Units 3 and 4 you will have grades calculated from A+ to E, UG (Ungraded), or NA (Not Assessed) for your assessment tasks, as well as an S or N.

There are three graded assessments for each VCE study at Unit 3 and 4 level. All VCE VET programs with scored assessment have two graded assessments.

Depending on the study, these may be School-based Assessments and/or external assessments.

School-based assessments