Senior Secondary Years 11 and 12

Entry Requirements

Course Details

To gain the SACE, students complete about two years of full-time study which most students spread over three years. There are two stages:

Stage 1, which most students do in Year 11, apart from the Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF), which you complete in Year 10.
Stage 2, which most students complete in Year 12.

Each successfully completed subject or course earns ‘credits’ towards the SACE, with a minimum of 200 credits required for students to gain the certificate. Students will receive a grade – from A to E – for each subject. For compulsory subjects, they will need to achieve a C grade or better. The compulsory subjects are:

Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) (10 credits at Stage 1)
Literacy – at least 20 credits (either English, English Literary Studies or English as an Additional Language) (Stage 1)
Numeracy – at least 10 credits (either Mathematical Methods or General Mathematics) (Stage 1)
Research Project – an in-depth major project (10 credits at Stage 2). At USC, the Research Project is usually undertaken in Year 11
Other Stage 2 subjects totalling at least 60 credits.

The remaining 90 credits can be gained through additional Stage 1 or Stage 2 subjects or Board-recognised courses of a student’s choice. Further details about the SACE can be obtained from the SACE Board website.

In order to qualify for entrance to University, students will need to satisfy the requirements of the SACE. University entrance will be determined by the calculation of an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).

It is anticipated that at USC, students will study at least the 10 credit Research Project plus five 20 credit subjects at Stage 2 thus providing flexibility for university prerequisites.

At USC full-time students must select 6 subjects per semester, at Stage 1, no matter how many SACE units may have been already accrued. For example, most students will have already completed the Exploring Identities and Futures (EIF) during Year 10. This provides the opportunity for students to explore other subject areas, opening a wider range of subjects for Year 12. To continue with some subjects in Year 12, it will be necessary for students to complete 20 credits of that subject at Stage 1. Other subjects will require successful completion of 10 credits at Stage 1, or have other prerequisites.

The assessment of Year 11 subjects is in line with SACE Board guidelines, with grades A – E, awarded on the basis of the Performance Standards as required by the SACE Board.

At USC you will receive a report, with copies given to your parents or guardians towards the end of each school term.

As well as these reports, there are several Parent/Teacher Interview sessions, at which students, with their parents and teachers can discuss their progress. At all times, the College encourages students and their parents to discuss concerns about individual progress, initially through contact with the subject teacher or mentor and then with the Deans of Student Experience.

How you’ll be assessed
Stage 1 SACE

The assessment of Year 11 subjects is in line with SACE Board guidelines, with grades A – E, awarded on the basis of the Performance Standards as required by the SACE Board.

At USC you will receive a report, with copies given to your parents or guardians towards the end of each school term.

As well as these reports, there are several Parent/Teacher/Student evenings, at which students, with their parents and teachers can discuss their progress.

Stage 2 SACE

The assessment of Year 12 subjects is consistent with SACE Board guidelines, with grades A+ – E-, awarded on the basis of the Performance Standards.

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