Hundreds of students taking their HSC exams overseas

This year, 250 students are taking their Higher School Certificate (HSC) while living overseas. The HSC began this week, with nearly 75,000 students set to sit the exams in New South Wales. Among the students taking their HSC abroad is Amy Barker, a Sydney Secondary College student who has moved to Japan to play professional football.

Barker is one of the 250 students who have relocated recently to pursue elite sport, study performing arts, or for family reasons. The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) aims to replicate exam conditions for overseas students as closely as possible to those in Australia. Students taking their HSC overseas must sign a statutory declaration pledging they will not interact with peers or access the internet during exam preparation.

Exams are timed to align with students in Sydney, avoiding late-night or early morning sessions for overseas students. For example, Evie Newton, a student in Scotland, will begin her exams four hours after her friends back home. Balancing the HSC with a degree in Modern Ballet, Newton is grateful for the distance education she has experienced, which has helped her manage her time effectively.

Barker, meanwhile, juggles a demanding training schedule with her final exam preparations, spending several hours at the library or a coffee shop studying before returning home to train again. Her mother will fly to Japan to provide support during the exam period. Despite the challenges, Barker remains optimistic about her future, hoping to continue playing football in different countries and eventually attending university.

The HSC results for this year's cohort are due to be released on December 16, and NESA CEO Paul Martin emphasized the authority's commitment to ensuring fair, secure, and consistent exams for all students.