SUN in Your State

Queensland Certificate of Education

You may complete University subjects (units) which can contribute credits towards your Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE). One-semester units will count for two QCE credits, and two-semester units count for four QCE credits.

These subjects are separate subjects to General and Applied subjects in the Advanced Courses category. They extend beyond what would normally be considered the Senior Phase of Learning. A university subject must be taken in conjunction with a General or Applied subject for credit towards your QCE. You need to achieve a Pass grade in their SUN unit to be eligible for QCE credits.

Please visit the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority for more information on QCE advanced courses of study.

Your ATAR score

Unfortunately, there are currently no arrangements in place for successfully completed SUN units to contribute towards the calculation of an ATAR in Queensland. You should refer to your school curriculum contact for all ATAR contribution queries.

Victorian Certificate of Education Units

You can complete the following pathways as part of your senior studies, and be eligible to receive credit toward their Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and ATAR via an increment on successful completion:

Other SUN units that you wish to study will not contribute to your VCE or ATAR.  You should refer to your school curriculum contact for all ATAR contribution queries.

Non-VCE Endorsed SUN Units

If you're in Year 10, 11 or 12 you are also eligible to study non-VCE accredited SUN units. This means you are able to undertake studies outside of the VCE (i.e. you will study the SUN unit on top of your school-based curriculum).

If you study studying non-endorsed units, you will still be eligible for direct entry into an undergraduate degree at CQU and to receive a credit transfer for each SUN unit you have passed in your chosen undergraduate degree (provided these SUN units are part of the degree at time of admission) and you have met other direct entry requirements.

You can view the SUN brochure for a comprehensive list of units available.

West Australian Certificate of Education units

You may complete University subjects (units) which can contribute credits towards your Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE). This option is only available for SUN units endorsed by the School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA).

Your school is responsible for reporting these to SCSA. You are able to count a maximum of four unit equivalents for WACE purposes (two in Year 11 and two in Year 12).

To view a current list of the endorsed SUN units in Western Australia, please view the provider-developed endorsed programs on the School Curriculum and Standards Authority webpage (click on Central Queensland University in the list to view the available endorsed programs)

SCSA do not permit the study of SUN units as a substitute for the mandated Year 10 curriculum. SUN units completed in Year 10 and reported to the School Curriculum and Standards Authority are ‘banked’ and allocated to either Year 11 or Year 12 in a manner that best advantages the calculation of your WACE at the end of Year 12.

There are currently no arrangements in place for successfully completed SUN units to contribute towards the calculation of an ATAR in Western Australia. You should refer to your school curriculum contact for all ATAR contribution queries.

Unacceptable combinations of study

To ensure you are taking a broad range of subjects, there are a few ‘unacceptable combinations of study’ (i.e. that cannot be studied at the same time).

Unacceptable combinations:

• ‘ATAR Business Management and Enterprise’ and ‘SUN’s Introduction to Business’
• ‘ATAR Politics and Law’ and ‘SUN’s Introduction to Law’
• ‘ATAR Politics and Law’ and ‘SUN’s Introduction to Law’
• ‘ATAR Aviation’ and ‘SUN’s Basic Aeronautical Knowledge’.

You can study either the school subject or the SUN unit in these combinations but cannot study both.  If you did choose to study both you will only earn WACE credit for one study.

Non-WACE endorsed SUN units

If you're in Year 10, 11 or 12 you are also eligible to study non-WACE accredited SUN units. This means you are able to undertake studies outside of the WACE (i.e. you will study the SUN unit on top of your school-based curriculum).

If you study studying non-endorsed units you will still be eligible for direct entry into an undergraduate degree at CQU and to receive a credit transfer for each SUN unit you have passed in your chosen undergraduate degree (provided these SUN units are part of the degree at time of admission) and you have met other direct entry requirements.

You can view the SUN brochure for a comprehensive list of units available.

There are currently no arrangements in place to provide credit for SUN study toward the Higher School Certificate (HSC NSW), Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE), or Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) or contribute to the calculation of an ATAR. You should refer to your school curriculum contact for all ATAR contribution queries.

South Australian Certificate of Education units

You may complete University subjects (units) which can contribute credits towards your South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE). Your school must seek approval from the SACE Board prior to enrolling in the SUN course. Your school is responsible for supporting you to apply to the SACE Board for approval and recognition of university studies.  The SACE Board is responsible for determining if a unit will receive SACE credit. A transcript must be provided to the SACE Board at end of term to receive credits.

Non-SACE endorsed SUN units

If you're in Year 10, 11 or 12 you are also eligible to study non-SACE accredited SUN units. This means you are able to undertake studies outside of the SACE (i.e. you will study the SUN unit on top of your school-based curriculum).

If you study studying non-endorsed units you will still be eligible for direct entry into an undergraduate degree at CQU and to receive a credit transfer for each SUN unit you have passed in your chosen undergraduate degree (provided these SUN units are part of the degree at time of admission) and you have met other direct entry requirements.

Credit towards your ATAR

Any units you successfully completed may also contribute to the calculation of an ATAR in the flexible option section. This is entirely at the discretion of SATAC. Approval should be sought in the year before enrolments to make sure the subject will be used to count towards your ATAR.  Please visit the SATAC website for more information on recognised studies.

SACE Recognised Units

Please find below a list of SACE recognised units, last updated April 2025. 

For additional questions or support, please contact the SACE Board of South Australia.