What are approved higher education studies?

THINK you can handle a higher education subject in VCE? This is how they contribute to your ATAR.

Higher Education studies are designed for independent high achieving VCE students. Your school will recommend you for participation in the program

TAKING a higher education subject in VCE is a big deal.

For one, it offers a greater academic challenge and, secondly, it can contribute towards your VCE while also giving you credit toward an undergraduate qualification at the institution through which you’re completing it.

Higher Education studies are designed for independent, high achieving VCE students and, generally, schools recommend students to participate.

The Higher Education Studies Program is offered by higher education institutions (universities) and the VCAA. Programs are taught either by university staff or by secondary school teachers who are recognised by the institutions as qualified to teach at that level and in that discipline.

Higher education studies are delivered by universities for high-performing VCE students.

What are approved higher education studies?

The VCAA provides an opportunity for very able students to undertake an approved higher education study as part of the VCE.

Such studies are recognised as higher education studies contributing to completion of the VCE.

How are my approved higher education results included in the ATAR?

If you are undertaking such a study, it may count as an increment (fifth or sixth study) in the ATAR.

I don’t get a study score for my higher education results. How is the increment calculated?

Upon satisfactory completion, an increment may be calculated for the higher education study based on performance in the HE units.

What is the HE contribution to the ATAR?

If the average mark over all the higher education (HE) units awarded is:

• At least 90, the HE increment will be 5.0

• At least 80 but less than 90, the HE increment will be 4.5

• At least 70 but less than 80, the HE increment will be 4.0

• At least 60 but less than 70, the HE increment will be 3.5

• At least 50 but less than 60, the HE increment will be 3.0.

If the average mark over all the HE units awarded is less than 50, then no higher education increment is available.

HE studies are delivered on campus at the university, through schools, or through distance education and tutorials, depending on the institution.

I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll do VCE or the IB yet. If I do the IB, can I also do a higher education study and will it contribute to my notional ATAR?

Higher education extension studies are explicitly designed for credit towards the VCE. As a result, a higher education increment is not available for IB students.

Are there any restrictions on the use of approved higher education studies?

If your ATAR incorporates a higher education increment from any of the study areas outlined in the study groupings fact sheet available from the publishing section of the VTAC website, then at most two VTAC scaled study scores and/or VET increments from that study area may be used.

Who determines if my higher education study is “approved”?

All VCAA designated rules for higher education studies must be satisfied prior to the higher education study increment being available. Check the VCAA’s VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook or VCAA Bulletins for the latest information.

Information from Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre. vtac.edu.au