Skip to content

A NSW Government website

Welcome to the NSW Curriculum website

NSW Government
NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

Conducting HSC minimum standard tests

Last updated:
Previous rule
Updated 22 Sep 2025

Changes to Rule 8.3.2

  • reflect malpractice as a subset of breaches of HSC minimum standard test rules
  • introduce a new minimum penalty for students determined to have breached test rules, engaged in malpractice, or written an offensive response in an HSC minimum standard test (see paragraph 10.b)
  • remove reference to penalties being extended to other HSC exam results, as this is in contradiction to NESA’s principle of students retaining assessment marks earned fairly.
View all changes

NESA is authorised under sections 20A(2) and 95(1)(f) of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) to grant the HSC to students who have complied with any requirements imposed by the Minister or Authority.

Categories

MalpracticeHSC credential

Sitting the tests

  1. During a minimum standard test, students and post-school leavers must not:
    1. leave the test window, nor
    2. view any other websites, nor
    3. access notes or unauthorised materials. 

Supervising the tests

  1. Students must be supervised under test conditions while attempting the minimum standard tests. Students are not permitted to attempt the tests from home.
  2. Principals must nominate a test coordinator to administer the tests.
  3. Test coordinators must:
    1. work with principals and other teaching staff to arrange appropriate supervision of students, and
    2. ensure all arrangements for the administration of the tests are made as per the Minimum Standard Test Administration Handbook.

Post-school leavers

  1. Post-school leavers must be supervised while attempting the minimum standard tests. NESA will make arrangements directly with the post-school leaver.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For Minimum Standard enquiries including HSC minimum standard illness/misadventure, email LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au or phone 1800 200 955.

Categories

HSC credentialMalpracticeSchools Online

Breaches of test rules and malpractice

  1. All work in a minimum standard test must be the student or post-school leaver’s own work.
  2. Students and post-school leavers must not engage in breaches of test rules or malpractice.
  3. Principals must notify NESA of any suspected breach of test rules and/or malpractice, as soon as possible after a student has completed a minimum standard test.
  4. When notifying NESA, Principals must:
    1. complete the HSC Minimum Standard Literacy and Numeracy Tests: Suspected Breach of Test Rules or Malpractice form, which can be found in Loading , and
    2. email the form to studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Possible penalties

  1. Where NESA determines a student or post-school leaver has breached test rules, engaged in malpractice, or written an offensive response:
    1. the result of the test attempt will not be used to demonstrate achievement of the HSC minimum standard, and
    2. the student or post-school leaver is prohibited from re-attempting the test in the same domain for a minimum of 30 calendar days.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For enquiries about malpractice or disability provisions, email studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

HSC credential

Students

  1. Students may re-attempt a minimum standard test at another time if they are prevented from a reasonable attempt at a test due to school-verified illness or misadventure.
  2. Principals must:
    1. verify illness or misadventure that prevents a student from reasonably attempting a minimum standard test, and
    2. organise for that student to re-attempt the test.
  3. NESA makes no provision for school-based assessment or estimated marks to be substituted for minimum standard test results.

Post-school leavers

  1. Post-school leavers may re-attempt a minimum standard test at another time if they are prevented from attending a test or making a reasonable attempt due to verified illness or misadventure.
  2. Post-school leavers must notify NESA at LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au if an incident occurs before or during a minimum standard test, and may request NESA to cancel the test and arrange another test time.1
  3. NESA may arrange for post-school leavers to re-attempt the test.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

For Minimum Standard enquiries including HSC minimum standard illness/misadventure, email LNsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au or phone 1800 200 955.

Footnotes

  1. The cancelled test will not count as a test attempt.

Categories

HSC credential

Requesting an inquiry into a minimum standard test result

  1. Principals may request an inquiry into a student’s minimum standard test result where the performance of that student is below expectations.
  2. Principal inquiry requests must:
    1. be supported by the principal’s reason for expecting a different result
    2. include a student’s name and NESA student number, and
    3. be emailed to msr@nesa.nsw.edu.au
  3. A principal is the only person who can request an inquiry.
  4. NESA’s decision about a principal inquiry is final.

Online resources

For further information

Principals requesting an inquiry into a minimum standard test result must email msr@nesa.nsw.edu.au in accordance with the rules.

HSC minimum standard

The foundational literacy (reading and writing) and numeracy skills, set at Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF) Level 3, which a student must demonstrate to be eligible for the HSC.

illness

A medical incident or condition which allegedly impacted the student’s performance in the exam. For example, an asthma attack or bleeding nose during the exam.

incident

An event that interrupts or disrupts the conduct of an exam or test.

malpractice

Any dishonest behaviour and/or attempt to gain an unfair advantage over other students, and/or knowingly assisting other students to engage in malpractice.

minimum standard test

A test in reading, writing or numeracy needed to meet the HSC minimum standard.

misadventure

An incident or event that is unexpected; and is beyond a student's control; and prevents attendance or diminishes exam performance.

post-school leaver

A person who has yet to demonstrate the HSC minimum standard, and is:

  • otherwise eligible for the award of the HSC
  • no longer enrolled or attending school
  • within the five-year accumulation period.