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VCE is not necessary for university entrance. You can read more about pathways to higher education on our Pathways to TAFE and University page.
If however you do want to do VCE you can enrol in a regular school, or consider the following options.
VCE via Virtual School Victoria (VSV)
Formerly known as Distance Education Centre Victoria/DECV. Home educated teenagers who have been registered for home education with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) for at least 12 months are eligible to undertake year 10 and/or VCE via VSV without meeting any of the usual criteria. To enrol under this category students must:
- Be under 17
- Have been registered with the VRQA as a home educated student for at least 12 months
- Deregister with the VRQA (i.e. officially cease home education)
- Enrol with VSV full time for the VCE, where you are also required to undergo a VSV supervised Year 10 assessment as part of the enrolment process.
Please direct all questions about VSV to
Contact details:
Virtual School Victoria
Tel: 03 8480 0000
Toll Free: 1800 133 511
Fax: 03 9416 8493
Email: feedback@vsv.vic.edu.au
VCE via the Access Yea Community Education Program (AYCE)
The AYCE program follows the standard Victorian school curriculum (years 7-12). It is pen to all but only requires on-campus attendance once a week with the work completed at home. It is a popular transition program for home educators and also for students looking for a halfway point between regular school and home education. The main campus is at Yea High School but there are others. Many home ed students use this program as a transition to formal study.
Please direct all questions about AYCE to
Yea High School
Racecourse Road, Yea, VIC. 3717
Tel: 03 5797 2207
Fax: 03 5797 2931
Email: yea.hs@edumail.vic.gov.au
VCE via Centre for Adult Education (CAE)
CAE offers over 80 VCE subjects that can be done either full time or part time. Students have to be 17 or over. Students can learn in an adult environment, day or evening. CAE offers VCE units 1, 2, 3 and 4 or single subjects.
Please direct all questions about CAE to
Tel: 03 9652 0611
Toll free 1800 601 111 (outside Melbourne)
CAE’s VCE website
TAFE Gippsland VCE
Students have to be over 18 for the 10 month option listed on their website, but they do also have year 11 and 12 online. Course are closed for 2022.
Please direct all questions to
TAFE Gippsland VCE information
Tel: 1300 133 717
Templestowe College
Templestowe College welcome former home-ed students for year 11 and 12. In 2014 the school gained a considerable amount of media attention for allowing students to vary the times they attended school to suit their learning preferences and lifestyle. This was only one of the many innovations at Templestowe College that include each student having their own individualised learning plan, no year level structure from 2015, students select their whole course load from over 120 electives, no bells, phones are encouraged to be used responsibly in class, students and staff are treated as equals, many students are also employees of the school, students help select new staff and there is also student representation on the school’s leadership team and curriculum committee.
Please direct all questions about Templestowe College to
Templestowe College
7 Cypress Avenue
Lower Templestowe 3107
Tel. +61 (03) 9850 6333
Fax +61 (03) 9852 0728
VCE via TAFE, Neighbourhood houses, Adult Community Centres
Many TAFEs and other Adult Community Centres and even neighbourhood houses offer VCE. Age requirements vary but when enrolment numbers are down, institutions are sometimes more flexible. In some instances, these institutions run the course themselves, others are facilitators of Distance Ed in which case students attend a couple of times a week and complete work at home. Experiences with neighbourhood houses vary a lot depending on the particular staff and student group you get in with. You will have to contact your local neighbourhood houses or adult community centre, or the TAFE you are considering.
CHISHOLM
Chisholm offer alternative options to secondary school. (Year 10, VCAL and VCE) More information can be found here. Also have a look at their website for more information about other courses they provide that can be done instead of VCE.
FEDERATION UNIVERSITY
Has a Foundation Access Studies Program (FAST) which accept students who have not done Y12. This 1 semester course will guarantee entry into a wide range of Federation University Australia Higher Education programs at degree level.
OTEN (NSW)
OTEN is the NSW version of distance ed and offers HSC. They do accept students from interstate as long as they have a year 10 certificate and are at least 15 years old. As Victorian schools don’t have a year 10 certificate, if you’ve left school at that level ask if your year 10 school is sufficient. See their website for eligibility criteria. TAFE NSW website
VCAL
VCAL online is available through Box Hill Institute at foundation, intermediate and senior levels. For more information, please visit Box Hill VCAL information
VCAL is also offered by Hester Hombrook as a youth re-engagement program.