The 2026 HSC exams will officially come to an end this afternoon when nearly 9,000 students complete their Physics exam.
Finishing the HSC is the culmination of 13 years of schooling and a major achievement for the 75,000 students who are on track to achieve the HSC this year.
Over the past 18 test days HSC students have sat more than 400,000 exam sessions across 123 written exams, held across 800 exam centres and overseen by 8,000 staff.
2026 was the first year that the new Health and Movement Science syllabus was examined and is the last to examine the outgoing English and Mathematics syllabuses, as new knowledge-rich syllabuses come online.
Thousands of dedicated teachers, principals, and support staff have been working behind the scenes during the HSC, ensuring exams run smoothly and deliver a fair outcome for students.
Marking is well underway, with over 5,500 markers assessing responses for more than 1.2 million papers. Students will receive their HSC results and ATAR on Wednesday 16 December.
Enrolment data about this year's HSC cohort can be found on the NESA website.
Deputy Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
"The hard work is complete, and our HSC students can now celebrate everything they've achieved.
"I want all Year 12 students to know that they are not defined by their results and there are many pathways to success, and multiple ways to achieve your dreams.
"Reaching the end of a 13-year schooling journey is a major accomplishment, and today all Year 12 students should feel proud as they prepare to move on to the next phase of their lives."
NSW Education Standards Authority Chief Executive Officer Paul Martin said:
"Delivering the HSC exams is a complex logistical operation - and one that we simply could not carry off without the work of the schools, sectors, exam staff, warehouse and security teams, and markers.
"For students, the end of exams marks the end of more than a decade of schooling.
"Enjoy this time, content in the knowledge you have done the hard work, challenged yourself and demonstrated all that you know in each course and discipline."
