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Senior External Examination
The Senior External Examination allows individuals to obtain Queensland Year 12 level qualifications without attending high school as an internal student. Four or five subjects may be undertaken over one year full-time or over a number of years part-time. Senior External Examination subjects are based on the Year 11 and 12 syllabus but are studied over one year. Assessment is based on a final end of year examination for each subject studied. Senior External Examination subjects are offered at Centres for Continuing Secondary Education (CCSEs), secondary colleges and a private academy. Subjects are offered through both night and day classes depending on the individual centre. Students can also study subjects privately.
Why do the Senior External Examination?
You may choose to undertake the Senior External Examination as a pathway to tertiary studies. This is appropriate if:
- you have no formal Year 12 qualifications; or
- you have previously completed Year 12 but your results were not high enough for tertiary entrance; or
- you need to satisfy subject prerequisites for entry into a tertiary course.
Senior External subjects
Accounting; Ancient History; Biology; Chemistry; Chinese; English; Drama; Geography; Legal Studies; Mathematics A; Mathematics B; Modern History; Philosophy & Reason; Physics; Visual Arts. Please note that not all subjects are available at all centres.
Successfully completing the appropriate Senior External Examination subjects will satisfy subject prerequisites for all Queensland tertiary institutions.
How many subjects should I study?
Each tertiary institution has its own policy regarding the number of Senior External Examination subjects that should be taken depending on an applicant's age and qualifications. Always check with the Admissions Office of the institution that you wish to apply to before undertaking any study, particularly if you are under 21 years of age.
If you are under 21
- If you are under 21 and have never completed Year 12 you generally must complete five subjects.
Note that if you are under 19 and have never completed Year 12 you will need
to seek permission from the Queensland Studies Authority to enrol into more
than three subjects per year.
- If you have completed Year 12 and want to increase your QTAC Selection Rank you may only need to complete one, two, three or four
Senior External Examination subjects. Combined Mode uses your previous Year 12 score and combines this with your results in
the Senior External Examination subjects.
The greater the number of Senior External Examination subjects studied, the less the previous Year 12 is considered.
- If you have completed Year 12 and then complete five Senior External Examination subjects the higher of the two attempts will be used.
If you are 21 or over
- If you are 21 or over you only have to complete four subjects.
- If you are 21 or over QTAC can also calculate a selection rank based on the results from just one, two, or three subjects.
This is called partial completion of the Senior External Examination. This rank may be increased by combining it with results gained in the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT).
A STAT result is only used if it increases your selection rank. It is
therefore recommended that you sit the STAT if you want to use partial completion of
the Senior External Examination for tertiary entrance in Queensland.
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- If you have completed four subjects and sit for the STAT, most institutions will either use the aggregate score from the completed four subjects or a combination of your best three subjects and your STAT result, whichever method gives you the highest selection rank.
How will QTAC use my Senior External Examination results?
A QTAC selection rank or set of ranks is determined for each QTAC applicant on the basis of their qualifications. Selection ranks are derived from tables or lists of conversions called schedules and are allocated on a scale from 99 (highest) down to 1. Each of the Senior External Examination pathways has an associated schedule. You can find these schedules in institutions' admissions guides or in the QTAC Guide.
Where can I study the Senior External Examination?
To find out how to enrol or for further information you can contact the following centres:
Coorparoo Secondary College |
(07) 3394 8888 |
Eagleby Learning Centre |
(07) 3382 9222 |
Heatley Adult Secondary College |
(07) 4726 8309 |
Hubbard's School (a non-state school) |
(07) 3371 5999 |
Kingston College |
(07) 3826 1333 |
Where can I get further information?
Further information is available from the Queensland Studies Authority;
Testing and Analysis Branch: Senior External Examination
Queensland Studies Authority
154 Melbourne St
SOUTH BRISBANE 4101
Ph. (07) 3864 0211
Email: externalexams@qsa.qld.edu.au
Website: www.qsa.qld.edu.au/588.html
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