• Victorian Certificate of Education
• Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning
• Apprenticeships and Traineeships

• About the VCAL
• What I need to know
• What do I study?
• What counts towards my VCAL?
• How is the VCAL assessed?
• What must I do to be awarded a VCAL certificate?
• How are my results reported to me?
• Where can the VCAL take me?
• Student Success Stories
• VCAL pathways in languages other than English
• Glossary

Where can the VCAL take me?

What if I haven't decided exactly what I want to do?

If you are undecided then VCAL is a great option in Year 11. The VCAL is designed to be flexible so that education, training, part-time work, School Based Apprenticeships or Traineeships and some of your personal interests are recognised within the certificate. You can choose to complete a VCAL at Year 11 or Year 12, then do further education or training at the next VCAL certificate level or continue your training or an apprenticeship at work.

What are my options once I have completed the VCAL?

The VCAL will give you practical work-related experience and a qualification that will be recognised by TAFE institutes and employers. Together these will help you move from school into work, an apprenticeship or traineeship and/or further training at TAFE.

Alternatively, if you start studying for your VCAL in Year 11 and successfully complete it, you may consider going on to complete a higher level of VCAL in Year 12. Or you might transfer to the VCE.

Can I get into higher education if I successfully complete the VCAL?

If you are considering going to university straight from school, VCAL is probably not the best option for you. Students planning to go straight into higher education usually do the VCE which allows them to gain an Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) from the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). If you are studying the VCAL at Senior level and decide that you might be interested in going on to university, check with your teacher or careers counsellor because some universities will consider students with a VCAL Senior certificate for admission. However, entry straight from school is not the only route into university. Some people study a VET course at TAFE, perhaps leading to a Diploma or Advanced Diploma, and then decide that they would benefit from a university course. VCAL would be a good start along this pathway.

Will the VCAL get me ready to enter a trade?

Once you have completed your VCAL, you will have knowledge and skills that are a useful preparation for a trade or industry certificate. The knowledge and skills you have learnt in VCAL may also count towards a traineeship or apprenticeship. Many students include a School Based Apprenticeship or Traineeship as part of their VCAL.