In NSW, HSC trial exams usually count towards your school-based assessment mark, which makes up half of your HSC mark, but the trial mark itself is not sent to UAC. In Victoria, trial exams are practice and do not count. Year 11 results generally do not count towards the ATAR in any state, except Year 12 subjects you take early.
Trials and the ATAR, key facts
- NSW: trials usually count in school assessment, which makes up half of your HSC mark; the trial mark itself is not sent to UAC.
- Victoria: trial exams are practice and do not count.
- School assessment is moderated against exam results, so your rank in your school group is what carries through.
- Year 11 results generally do not count, except Year 12 subjects taken early.
NSW: how trials affect the HSC mark
- Your HSC mark in each course combines your moderated school assessment mark and your exam mark.
- Most schools include the trial exam as one of the school-based assessment tasks, often with a large weighting.
- Your school assessment mark is then moderated against how your school's students did in the HSC exam. Your rank in the school group is what carries through.
So trials matter mainly for your rank in your school, not as a mark in their own right. UAC uses your raw marks from the final HSC to calculate scaled marks. More on the numbers in raw vs scaled scores and the HSC ATAR calculator.
Victoria: trial exams and SACs
VCE trial exams are practice papers run by schools or commercial providers and do not count. What counts is your school-assessed coursework (SACs and SATs), moderated against the external exam, plus the exam itself. Together they produce your study score.
Other states
- Queensland: three internal assessments plus the external assessment make your final result in a General subject. Mock exams are practice.
- South Australia: school assessment and the external assessment combine into your subject result.
- Western Australia: school marks are moderated against exam results and combined.
Does Year 11 count towards the ATAR?
Usually no. ATARs are built from Year 12 level results: HSC courses, VCE Units 3 and 4, QCE Units 3 and 4, SACE Stage 2 and WACE Year 12 ATAR courses. The exception is a Year 12 subject taken early in Year 11. Those results can count, within each state's time limits. Rules by state are in how many subjects count and how the ATAR is calculated.
Using trial results in a calculator
Trial results are a fair guide early on, but final results often move. Enter your best realistic estimate, then update it after results. Our calculators start empty on each visit and offer a "Restore my last entries" button if you used them before on the same device.
What school assessment is worth in each state
| State | How the final subject result is built |
|---|---|
| NSW | Moderated school assessment and the HSC exam, 50/50 |
| Victoria | Moderated SACs and SATs plus external exams, weighted by each study design |
| Queensland | Three internal assessments plus one external assessment |
| South Australia | School assessment plus external assessment |
| Western Australia | Moderated school mark combined with the exam mark |
Why your rank matters more than your trial mark
Imagine your trial mark drops from 85 to 78 but you stay second in your school group. After moderation, your school assessment mark is set from the school's HSC exam results at your rank, so the drop in the raw trial mark matters much less than keeping your place. Losing several places matters more.
Common trial mistakes
- Treating a trial mark as your HSC mark. It feeds your rank; the final mark comes later.
- Panicking over a hard trial. If everyone found it hard, your rank may be unchanged.
- Ignoring the exam. The final exam counts directly and sets the scale your school marks are moderated to.
FAQ
Do HSC trials count towards the ATAR?
Indirectly. They usually count in your school assessment rank, which is moderated and forms half of your HSC mark. The trial mark itself is not used by UAC.
Do VCE trial exams matter?
Not for your study score. They are practice for the real exam.
Does the ATAR start in Year 11?
No. In most states only Year 12 level results count, plus any Year 12 subjects taken early.
Is there a Year 11 ATAR calculator?
Any ATAR calculator works for Year 11 students planning ahead. Enter the results you are aiming for in Year 12 in your state's calculator.
Should I enter my trial marks in an ATAR calculator?
Use them as a starting guess, then adjust for where you expect to finish. Final results often move a few marks from trials.