What Is the Difference Between the RoSA and the HSC?

Two students finish Year 10. One leaves school to start an apprenticeship; the other stays and begins Year 11. Do they both receive a Record of School Achievement (RoSA)? No. The RoSA is a formal school-leaver credential for eligible students who leave school after completing Year 10 but before completing their Higher School Certificate (HSC). The student who stays at school and eventually meets NESA’s requirements receives the HSC instead.

So, what is the difference between the RoSA and the HSC? The RoSA records a student’s academic achievements up to the point they leave school. The HSC recognises that a student has satisfactorily completed the required senior secondary courses and met the other requirements set by the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA).

There is one important exception: students who complete Year 12 but do not meet the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy may still qualify for a RoSA.

01The difference between the RoSA and HSC at a glance

Both credentials are issued by NESA, but they serve different purposes.

The key distinction is that the RoSA is designed for eligible school leavers, while the HSC is awarded to students who satisfy NESA’s requirements for completing senior secondary education.

The RoSA is not automatically issued to every student at the end of Year 10. Students who continue their schooling towards the HSC do not receive a formal RoSA along the way.

However, Year 11 and Year 12 students can access an online eRecord through their Students Online account. This contains their cumulative course information and results, but it is an interim report rather than a formal RoSA credential.

NESA explains these differences in its official RoSA requirements and information.

02What does each credential actually show?

Understanding the difference becomes easier when you look at what each document records.

What appears on a RoSA?

The RoSA is a cumulative record. This means it builds up a student’s academic history until the date they leave school.

Depending on when the student leaves and which courses they have completed, it can include:

• Completed Stage 5 (Year 10) courses and grades.
• Completed Preliminary Stage 6 (Year 11) courses and grades.
• Results from completed HSC (Year 12) courses, where applicable.
• Courses the student participated in but did not complete.
• The date the student left school, where applicable.

For satisfactorily completed Stage 5 and Preliminary courses, achievement is reported using grades from A to E.

These grades are based on evidence of a student’s achievement in their school assessment work. Schools submit the grades to NESA, which monitors them for fairness and consistency across schools.

A RoSA therefore provides more than a snapshot of Year 10. A student who leaves during Year 12 may have a record containing several years of completed study.

It is also not simply a list of successful courses. Where applicable, incomplete courses are recorded too, giving employers and further education providers a more complete picture of the student’s schooling.

What appears on an HSC credential?

The HSC credential contains two main documents:

1. The HSC testamur, which confirms that the student has been awarded the Higher School Certificate.
2. The HSC Record of Achievement, which provides the student’s course results.

The Record of Achievement includes satisfactorily completed Preliminary and HSC courses, as well as Stage 5 results where applicable.

For most Board Developed HSC courses with an external examination, students receive three marks:

• An assessment mark, based on school-based assessment and moderated by NESA.
• An examination mark, based on performance in the HSC examination.
• An HSC mark, calculated as the average of the assessment mark and examination mark.

Students also receive a performance band for each relevant course.

For most two-unit courses, these bands range from Band 1 to Band 6, with Band 6 representing the highest level of achievement. Extension courses use E1 to E4 bands.

The important point is that the HSC reports achievement across individual subjects. It is not a single overall university admission rank.

You can read NESA’s explanation in Understanding your HSC results.

03Who is eligible for a RoSA?

The RoSA is intended for students who leave school after completing Year 10 but before completing their HSC.

To be eligible, students generally need to:

• Have completed the mandatory curriculum requirements for Years 7-10.
• Have attended a government school, an accredited non-government school, a school outside NSW recognised by NESA, or a TAFE NSW institute.
• Have satisfactorily completed courses that meet NESA’s curriculum and assessment requirements.
• Leave school after completing Year 10 but before completing the HSC.
• Meet the other applicable requirements under the Education Act 1990 (NSW).

Completing Year 10 is important, but it does not automatically guarantee a RoSA. Students must also satisfy the relevant curriculum and course requirements.

Does the school issue the RoSA automatically?

No. The school must nominate an eligible student through NESA’s Schools Online system.

Students cannot independently apply for their RoSA. Once the school has completed the nomination process, the formal credential becomes available through the student’s Students Online account.

There are also a few situations worth understanding:

A Transcript of Study is different from a RoSA. It records courses satisfactorily completed or started by a student who is not eligible for the formal RoSA.

One particularly important case involves students who complete Year 12 but do not meet the HSC minimum standard of literacy and numeracy. If they leave school and satisfy the other RoSA requirements, they may receive a RoSA containing their available academic results.

This is not the same as having completed the HSC.

04Who is eligible for the HSC?

The HSC has more extensive requirements because students must demonstrate that they have satisfactorily completed the required senior secondary program.

Under NESA’s current rules, students must meet several conditions.

1. Complete Year 10 or an equivalent qualification

Students must have completed Year 10 or its recognised equivalent.

2. Attend a recognised educational institution

Students must have attended an eligible institution, such as:

• A NSW government school.
• An accredited non-government school.
• A school outside NSW recognised by NESA.
• A TAFE NSW institute.

3. Complete HSC: All My Own Work

Students generally need to complete the HSC: All My Own Work program, or an approved equivalent, before submitting work for their Preliminary or HSC courses.

Students undertaking only Stage 6 Life Skills courses are exempt from this requirement.

All My Own Work teaches students about academic integrity, appropriate referencing, plagiarism, and responsible scholarship.

4. Meet the HSC minimum standard

Students must demonstrate the minimum standard in three areas:

• Reading.
• Writing.
• Numeracy.

The standard is set at Level 3 of the Australian Core Skills Framework.

Students demonstrate this through NESA’s online minimum standard tests. They can attempt the tests from Year 10 and have up to five years after starting their first HSC course to meet the requirements.

Some students may qualify for an exemption under NESA’s rules.

5. Complete the required pattern of study

This is one of the most important differences between simply attending Year 11 and Year 12 and actually qualifying for the HSC.

Students must satisfactorily complete:

• At least 12 units of Preliminary courses.
• At least 10 units of HSC courses.

Both patterns of study must include:

• At least 2 units of a Board Developed course in English.
• At least 4 additional units of Board Developed courses.
• At least 3 courses worth 2 or more units each, which can be Board Developed or Board Endorsed courses.
• At least 4 subjects.

There are also course-specific eligibility requirements and exclusions that may affect a student’s subject combination.

Importantly, these requirements apply to both the Preliminary and HSC patterns of study.

6. Make a serious attempt at the required HSC examinations

Students must sit for and make a serious attempt at their required HSC examinations.

There are no external HSC examinations for Life Skills courses or Board Endorsed courses.

Students must also satisfactorily complete every course in their required pattern of study. Simply enrolling in enough units is not sufficient.

For courses with submitted school-based assessment marks, students must make a genuine attempt at assessment tasks contributing to more than 50% of the available marks.

Certain VET courses also have mandatory work placement requirements.

The full requirements are available in NESA’s Assessment Certification Examination (ACE) Rules.

05Two examples that make the difference clearer

Example 1: A student leaves after Year 10

Suppose Alex completes Year 10 at an accredited NSW school.

Alex has completed the mandatory curriculum requirements, attended school until the end of Year 10, and satisfactorily completed the relevant courses.

At the end of the year, Alex decides to leave school and begin an apprenticeship.

What credential should Alex receive?

Alex may receive a RoSA, provided all eligibility requirements are satisfied.

The RoSA records Alex’s completed Stage 5 courses and grades. The school nominates Alex for the credential, which becomes available through Students Online.

Alex does not receive an HSC because they have not completed the required Preliminary and HSC patterns of study.

The RoSA provides a formal record of the education Alex has completed, which can be useful when applying for employment or further training.

Example 2: A student receives an HSC but not an ATAR

Now consider Ben, who completes Year 11 and Year 12.

Ben meets NESA’s HSC requirements, including the required unit totals, course composition, assessment requirements, minimum standard, and examination requirements.

However, his HSC subject combination contains only 6 units of Board Developed courses, with the remaining 4 units coming from Board Endorsed courses.

Can Ben receive an HSC?

Yes, assuming he has met all the other NESA requirements.

Can he receive an ATAR?

No, not with this subject combination.

The distinction comes from the different requirements used by NESA and the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

NESA’s HSC pattern requires at least 6 units of Board Developed courses, including 2 units of English, alongside the other pattern requirements.

UAC requires at least 10 units of Board Developed courses for ATAR eligibility, as well as 2 units of English, three Board Developed courses worth at least 2 units each, and four subject areas.

Ben can therefore satisfy the requirements for the HSC without satisfying the separate requirements for an ATAR.

This is an important distinction: receiving an HSC does not automatically mean receiving an ATAR.

If you want to understand this distinction in more detail, read our guide to Can You Receive an HSC Without an ATAR?.

06Who decides what? NESA, schools, UAC and universities

It is easy to confuse the different organisations involved in senior secondary education. They each have separate responsibilities.

What does this mean in practice?

NESA sets the statewide rules for receiving the HSC and RoSA.

Schools implement those requirements. For example, your school may have its own assessment timetable, subject selection procedures, or deadlines for submitting internal work.

These school policies are important, but they are not automatically statewide NESA rules. A school’s preferred subject combination or internal deadline should not be confused with the formal eligibility requirements for an HSC.

UAC has a different role. It calculates ATARs for eligible NSW HSC students and manages university application and offer processes for participating institutions.

Universities determine the requirements for their individual courses. These may include:

• A minimum selection rank.
• Specific HSC subject prerequisites.
• Additional assessment tasks.
• Portfolios, interviews or auditions.
• Adjustment factors or alternative entry pathways.

Meeting the HSC requirements does not guarantee entry to a particular university course.

Similarly, students holding a RoSA should check directly with their intended TAFE, training provider or educational institution to understand its entry requirements. The RoSA records academic achievement, but admission decisions belong to the relevant provider.

You can check UAC’s university admission criteria and undergraduate applications and offers for further information.

07What should you do if you are unsure which credential you will receive?

The best approach depends on whether you are planning to leave school or continue towards the HSC.

If you are considering leaving school

Before making a decision:

• Speak with your school about whether you have completed the mandatory Year 7-10 curriculum requirements.
• Ask which Stage 5 and Stage 6 courses have been satisfactorily completed.
• Confirm whether you meet the RoSA eligibility requirements.
• Ask the school to explain how and when it will nominate you for a RoSA.
• If you are not eligible, ask whether you can receive a Transcript of Study.
• Check the entry requirements of any apprenticeship, training course or further education provider you are considering.

Do not assume that leaving school automatically results in a RoSA. The school must check the relevant requirements and submit the nomination.

If you are working towards your HSC

Keep track of the requirements throughout Years 11 and 12.

In particular:

• Check that your Preliminary and HSC subject combinations meet NESA’s pattern of study requirements.
• Complete All My Own Work, where required.
• Monitor your reading, writing and numeracy minimum standard progress.
• Complete assessment tasks and any mandatory VET work placement.
• Check that your school has entered the correct courses and examination details.
• Respond promptly to any written warning about possible non-completion of a course.

An N determination means that NESA’s course completion requirements have not been satisfactorily met. It can affect your HSC eligibility, so do not ignore a warning.

If you receive an N warning, read our guide to What Is an HSC N Warning? Meaning and What to Do Next.

If illness or an unexpected event affects your ability to complete an assessment or examination, check NESA’s illness and misadventure procedures and speak with your school promptly.

If you are planning to apply for university

Keep the HSC and ATAR requirements separate.

Check that your subject combination satisfies UAC’s ATAR eligibility rules. Then check the prerequisites and selection criteria for the actual university courses you are considering.

If you are not eligible for an ATAR, that does not mean university study is automatically out of reach. Different institutions may offer alternative entry pathways, but their requirements vary.

Use UAC’s current course information and contact the relevant institution if you are unsure.

08An important exception: Can you receive an HSC after receiving a RoSA?

Yes, in certain circumstances.

Consider a student who completes all their HSC courses, satisfies the required study pattern, completes All My Own Work, and makes serious attempts at the required examinations.

However, the student has not yet demonstrated the minimum standard in one area of literacy or numeracy.

The student leaves school without receiving the HSC. If they meet the other eligibility requirements, they may receive a RoSA.

Does that mean they can never receive an HSC?

No.

NESA allows eligible students to demonstrate the outstanding minimum standard after leaving school, provided they are still within the applicable five-year period after starting their first HSC course.

Students who have completed all other HSC requirements can apply to sit the outstanding minimum standard tests after leaving school. There is no cost to sit these tests.

If they subsequently meet the minimum standard within the permitted period, NESA can issue the HSC and reissue their results in the formal record.

This is why the RoSA should not be thought of as a permanent replacement for the HSC in every situation. A student may still become eligible for the HSC later.

See NESA’s HSC minimum standard testing information for the current requirements.

09Questions and solutions

Use these scenarios to check whether you can distinguish the two credentials and apply the eligibility rules.

Question 1

Jai completes Year 10 at an accredited NSW school. He has satisfied the mandatory curriculum requirements and satisfactorily completed his Stage 5 courses.

He decides to leave school at the end of Year 10 to begin an apprenticeship.

Which credential may Jai receive, and who is responsible for requesting it?

Solution 1

Jai may receive a RoSA, provided he meets all the eligibility requirements.

The RoSA is designed for eligible students who leave school after completing Year 10 but before completing the HSC.

It records his completed Stage 5 courses and A-E grades, providing evidence of his academic achievements up to the date he leaves school.

His school must nominate him through NESA’s Schools Online system. Jai cannot independently request the credential.

He does not receive an HSC because he has not completed the required Preliminary and HSC patterns of study.

Question 2

Mia completes Year 10 at School A and begins Year 11 at the same school.

At the beginning of Year 12, she transfers to School B to continue her studies.

Her parents ask whether she should receive a RoSA because she has already completed Year 10 and her Preliminary courses.

Should NESA issue Mia a RoSA at the time of the transfer? Explain why.

Solution 2

No. Mia should not receive a RoSA simply because she transfers schools.

Although she has completed Year 10 and her Preliminary courses, she is continuing her secondary education rather than leaving school.

The RoSA is a school-leaver credential. It is not automatically issued when a student changes schools or completes Year 10.

The schools should manage the transfer of her enrolment and academic records.

Mia can still access her cumulative results and course information through her Students Online eRecord. However, this is an interim report, not a formal RoSA credential.

The tempting assumption is that completing Year 10 is enough to trigger a RoSA. The missing condition is that the student must also leave school and satisfy the relevant eligibility requirements.

Question 3

Amir completes the following HSC study pattern:

• 12 Preliminary units.
• 10 HSC units.
• 2 units of Board Developed English.
• 4 additional units of Board Developed courses.
• 4 units of Board Endorsed courses.
• At least 4 subjects and 3 courses worth 2 or more units.

Assume that his Preliminary pattern also satisfies NESA’s requirements.

Amir satisfactorily completes all his courses, meets the HSC minimum standard, completes All My Own Work, and makes serious attempts at all required examinations.

Can Amir receive an HSC? Can he receive an ATAR?

Solution 3

Amir can receive the HSC, but he is not eligible for an ATAR with this course combination.

His subject pattern satisfies NESA’s minimum Board Developed course requirement:

• 2 units of English.
• 4 additional units of Board Developed courses.

This gives him 6 units of Board Developed courses, with the remaining 4 units coming from Board Endorsed courses.

Provided all other HSC requirements are met, this is sufficient for the HSC pattern.

However, UAC requires at least 10 units of Board Developed courses for ATAR eligibility. It also requires 2 units of English, three qualifying Board Developed courses worth at least 2 units each, and four subject areas.

Amir has only 6 units of Board Developed courses, so he does not meet the ATAR requirements.

The important distinction is that NESA and UAC are assessing different things. NESA determines whether Amir qualifies for the HSC credential, while UAC determines whether his results meet the separate requirements for an ATAR.

Not receiving an ATAR does not invalidate his HSC.

Question 4

Leila is enrolled in exactly 10 HSC units and has completed all her other HSC requirements.

One of her courses is a VET course that requires mandatory work placement. She does not complete the required placement hours, and her school issues an N determination for that course.

Leila argues that she has still completed 10 units because she was enrolled in all 10.

Is she correct? Explain the effect on her HSC eligibility.

Solution 4

No. Being enrolled in 10 units does not mean Leila has satisfactorily completed 10 units.

NESA requires students to satisfactorily complete the courses that make up their HSC pattern of study.

Where a VET course requires mandatory work placement, completing those hours is part of the course requirements. If Leila does not complete them, the course cannot be treated as satisfactorily completed.

If the 2-unit course is not completed and she has no alternative satisfactorily completed course to replace it, she has only 8 satisfactorily completed HSC units.

She therefore does not meet the minimum 10-unit HSC requirement on the facts given.

The important distinction is between course enrolment and course completion. NESA assesses whether students have actually met the requirements of their courses, not simply whether their names appear on an enrolment list.

Leila should speak with her school about the N determination and any available appeal or opportunity to complete the outstanding requirements.

If she leaves school and meets the separate RoSA eligibility requirements, her RoSA may record her completed courses and participation in the incomplete course.

Question 5

Eva completes Year 10 and then satisfactorily completes all her Preliminary and HSC courses.

She meets the required unit patterns, completes All My Own Work, and makes serious attempts at all required HSC examinations.

She also demonstrates the HSC minimum standard in reading and numeracy.

However, she does not meet the writing minimum standard before leaving school at the end of Year 12.

Eva receives a RoSA because she satisfies the other eligibility requirements.

Four years after starting her first HSC course, she sits the outstanding writing minimum standard test and meets the required standard.

Is Eva permanently limited to holding a RoSA, or can she now receive an HSC? Explain how the timing affects the outcome.

Solution 5

Eva can still become eligible for the HSC because she has demonstrated the outstanding minimum standard within the permitted five-year period.

At the time she leaves school, Eva has completed the required courses and examinations, but she has not met the writing requirement.

She is therefore not yet eligible for the HSC credential. However, because she meets the other RoSA eligibility requirements, she can receive a RoSA documenting her academic achievements.

The important detail is that NESA allows students who have completed all other HSC requirements to demonstrate the minimum standard after leaving school.

Eva passes the writing test four years after starting her first HSC course. This falls within the five-year period.

As a result, she can be issued the HSC, with her results reissued in the formal record.

The tempting conclusion is that receiving a RoSA means the HSC pathway has permanently closed. That is incorrect because the HSC minimum standard can be demonstrated after leaving school, provided the student meets the remaining requirements and stays within the permitted timeframe.

This scenario demonstrates why it is important to distinguish between not yet meeting an HSC requirement and being permanently ineligible for the credential.

10What to remember about the RoSA and HSC

The distinction comes down to the purpose and eligibility requirements of each credential.

• The RoSA is a cumulative record of academic achievement for eligible students who leave school after Year 10 but before completing the HSC.
• The HSC is awarded to students who satisfy NESA’s senior secondary course, assessment, examination and eligibility requirements.
• Students who remain at school to complete their HSC do not receive a RoSA as an intermediate certificate.
• A student who completes Year 12 but does not meet the HSC minimum standard may still receive a RoSA if eligible.
• The HSC and ATAR are separate. Receiving an HSC does not automatically make a student eligible for an ATAR.
• NESA awards the HSC and RoSA, while UAC manages ATAR calculations and university admissions processes.

If you are planning your senior secondary pathway, the next useful step is to check your course pattern and understand the separate requirements for the credential or post-school destination you are aiming for.

Official information and current rules

The rules in this guide have been checked against official NSW Government, NESA and UAC information available on 9 November 2026.

Use the guide that matches the year you will complete your HSC. Students completing the 2026 HSC should consult the 2026 NESA Rules and Procedures guide. Students completing the 2027 HSC should consult the 2027 NESA Student Guide.

For further information, use these official resources:

• NESA: Record of School Achievement (RoSA)
• NESA: Assessment Certification Examination Rules
• NESA: Results and certificates
• NESA: Understanding HSC results
• UAC: ATAR eligibility
• UAC: University admission criteria
• UAC: Undergraduate applications and offers