About the WACE
- The WACE is the senior secondary certificate awarded in Western Australia by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).
- Students usually work towards it in Years 11 and 12.
- Courses are offered as ATAR, General, Foundation and Preliminary courses, alongside VET and endorsed programs.
- Each course has four units: Units 1 and 2 in Year 11 and Units 3 and 4 in Year 12. Year 12 units are taken as a pair.
- Students in a Year 12 ATAR course must sit the ATAR course examination, which samples content from Units 3 and 4.
- To achieve the WACE, students need at least 14 C grades across Year 11 and 12 units (at least six in Year 12 units), the minimum literacy and numeracy standard, and a pathway such as four Year 12 ATAR courses, five Year 12 General courses, or a Certificate II or higher.
- ATAR course results are used to calculate the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank for university entry.
- Course codes combine a prefix for course type and year (AE for Year 11 ATAR units, AT for Year 12 ATAR units) with a three-letter course code.
English
Mathematics
Science
Humanities and social sciences
Health and physical education
Technologies
The Arts
Other states and territories
Questions teachers ask
- What is the WACE?
- The WACE is the senior secondary certificate awarded in Western Australia by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).
- How is the WACE structured?
- Students usually work towards it in Years 11 and 12. Courses are offered as ATAR, General, Foundation and Preliminary courses, alongside VET and endorsed programs.
- Can Heapso plan for WACE courses?
- Yes. Choose a course and unit, and Heapso plans a unit, lessons or revision worksheets around it in Australian English. Check the official SCSA syllabus or study design for exact requirements.