VCE Frequently Asked Questions
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VCE is a two-year / four semester course of
study, usually completed during Years 11
and 12 of schooling.
In Year 11, you study 6 subjects in each
semester (for a total of 12 units).
In Year 12, you study 5 subjects in each
semester (for a total of 10 units).
Therefore, over the 2 years (4 semesters) of
VCE you will have enrolled in a total of 22
units.
How do I qualify to graduate with
a VCE Certificate?
To receive your certificate, you must
satisfactorily complete at least 16 units over
the two years, provided:
At least 3 (three) are English units (i.e.
English or Literature or EAL) and
At least 6 (six) are Unit 3 / 4 combinations
(i.e. at Year 12 level).
How do I pass a unit?
To pass a unit you must satisfactorily
achieve all outcomes in that unit. These
outcomes are stipulated by the Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority
(VCAA) in the study designs for each
subject.
You will have achieved these outcomes
when you demonstrate the necessary key
skills and knowledge in your coursework
tasks. You will then receive an ‘S’ or ‘N’
result for that unit.
There is also an attendance requirement
(see below) in each unit before a teacher
can award an ‘S’ for the unit.
In addition to the ‘S’ or ‘N’ result for each
unit, you will also receive assessment task
grades (A+, B, C+ …etc) that will
represent the quality of the work you
completed during the semester.
An assessment task will be reported as
‘NA’ (Not Assessed) if students:
Do not complete work by the due
date
Do not attend a test or exam
Cannot have their work
authenticated
What is the VCE?
What is the attendance
requirement to obtain an ‘S’
result in a unit?
The attendance requirement is 90%.
Students must attend all timetabled classes.
If an absence has occurred, the student
must provide a medical certificate to the
school for approval of the absence. It is the
responsibility of the student to ensure they
find out the work that was covered in
missed classes.
A student may obtain an N result for a unit if
attendance is below 90% due to the teacher
being unable to authenticate the work.
What happens if I am absent
for School Assessed
Coursework?
A medical certificate is required for any
absence from a SAC task. Without a
medical certificate, a student can sit the
SAC task for an ‘S’ but may not obtain a
score.