Where it fits › New South Wales
Where does VET fit? · New South Wales
VET counts towards your HSC, and can open its own door to university.
In New South Wales, VET courses count as units towards the HSC. Some can also count in the ATAR if you sit the HSC exam. A completed Certificate IV or Diploma can be used to apply to university in its own right.
Year 11–12
HSC courses + your VET qualification
↓
1 · HSC
VET counts towards finishing school
The HSC is built from units. Most courses are 2 units, and VET courses count towards the total like any other course.
12
Preliminary units, usually in Year 11
10
HSC units, usually in Year 12, including English
+
the HSC minimum standard in literacy and numeracy
Can count in ATAR
Board Developed VET
Industry framework courses written by NESA, such as Business Services or Hospitality. The 240-hour course has an optional HSC exam.
HSC only
Board Endorsed VET
Courses based on other national qualifications. They count as units towards the HSC but not towards the ATAR.
How units add up:
2 + 3 · University
Two ways VET can help you into university
They work independently. A student can use one, the other, or both.
Route 1
The ATAR, with an exam
UAC calculates the ATAR from your best 2 units of English plus your best 8 other units.
English
2 units
2 units
2 units
VET + exam
- Only Board Developed VET courses with the HSC exam can count.
- Skip the exam and the course still counts for the HSC, but not the ATAR.
- From the 2025 HSC, the old two-unit limit on these courses was removed.
Route 2
A selection rank of its own
Universities applied to through UAC turn a completed Certificate IV or Diploma into a selection rank. In New South Wales, graded results make a big difference.
UNSW
Ungraded Diploma: courses up to about 80. Distinction average: about 90
Newcastle
Guaranteed entry to many degrees with a Certificate IV or Diploma
UTS
Every course considers a completed Diploma
Macquarie
Uses the higher of your VET rank and your ATAR
Ranks set by grades: a Distinction average can open courses that an ungraded Diploma cannot.
Before you count on it
Check the course type
Only Board Developed VET with its exam reaches the ATAR.
Rules differ by university
Each sets its own ranks, and some guarantees name partner providers.
Prerequisites still apply
A qualification does not replace HSC courses a degree requires.
Check the year you apply
Admission rules change between years. Always confirm with the university.
Shafston School of Business · VET in Schools 2027. Sources: NESA, UAC, UNSW, University of Newcastle, UTS and Macquarie admissions information, checked October 2026.