Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

What Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority does

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) is a Victorian State Government statutory authority, established on 1 March 2001 under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006, succeeding the Board of Studies. It is the sole body responsible for developing curriculum, conducting assessments, and issuing senior secondary certifications across all government, Catholic, and independent schools in Victoria, Australia. The organisation operates from its head office at Level 7, 200 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, and is primarily accountable to the Minister for Education. Its headcount stands at 647 employees.

VCAA's product portfolio spans the Victorian Curriculum F-10 (Version 2.0 launched June 2024, full implementation from 2026), the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and its vocational variant (VCE VM), the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC), VET programs, NAPLAN test administration for Victoria, and the General Achievement Test (GAT). Underlying technology includes the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) for student enrolments and assessment records, the Insight Assessment Platform (which absorbs the Digital Assessment Library from January 2026) for F-10 classroom assessment, and the Victorian Student Register (VSR) which assigns unique Victorian Student Numbers to all students under 25. Recognised ancillary programs include the VCE Season of Excellence and grant schemes such as the Lynne Kosky Memorial Applied Learning Grants and Margaret Schofield Memorial Scholarships.

The authority is funded through Victorian Government appropriations, with most services delivered free of charge to schools and students. Modest fee revenue is generated from replacement certificates, statements of marks, and equivalent qualification assessments for past students, processed via National Australia Bank and Westpac. The organisation reaches essentially the entire Victorian school-age population (Foundation to Year 12) through mandated adoption, distributing services via digital platforms and a network of hotlines (VASS support, NAPLAN help, VSN, special provision), bulletins, and professional learning programs. It also operates a small international liaison function (VCAA International).

Name

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Legal name

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority

Website

https://vcaa.vic.edu.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority is the sole Victorian statutory body that develops curriculum, conducts assessments, and certifies senior secondary qualifications (VCE, VCE VM, VPC) for all government, Catholic, and independent schools across Victoria, Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Assessment and Certification Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

National/State Curriculum & Standards Authorities (EDADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

National/State Examination Boards & Testing Agencies (EDADAFAA), Curriculum, Standards & Assessment Policy Research (EDADADAH), Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Curriculum development
• Educational assessment
• Senior secondary certification
• Standardized testing
• Curriculum standards

Headquarters

HQ city

East Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority is a statutory authority established under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006. As a Victorian government agency, it receives operational funding from the Victorian Government to fulfill its statutory functions.
2. Fees for Services: The organization charges fees for certain services including replacement certificates, statement of marks, and equivalent qualifications for past students. Payment processing is handled through National Australia Bank and Westpac Banking Corporation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) develops and maintains the Victorian Curriculum F-10 (Foundation to Year 10), accredits and administers the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC), and conducts external examinations and NAPLAN testing for all Victorian schools. It operates the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) and Insight Assessment Platform to manage student enrolments, assessment records, and certification, and issues senior secondary certificates recognized by universities and employers.

Product overview

The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) offers a portfolio of curriculum, assessment, and certification products for the Victorian education system. At its core are the VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education), VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM), and Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) as senior secondary qualifications, complemented by the Victorian Curriculum F-10 for Foundation to Year 10 students. Assessment products include the Victorian Assessment Software System (VASS) for managing student enrolments and results, the Insight Assessment Platform (now incorporating the Digital Assessment Library) for classroom assessments in F-10 schools, NAPLAN testing, and the General Achievement Test (GAT). Supporting infrastructure includes the Victorian Student Number system for student identification and the Victorian Student Register for data management. Early years support is provided through the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework. Professional development and student recognition programs round out the offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) The primary senior secondary certificate for Victoria, Australia, designed for Year 11-12 students. It is an accredited qualification recognized by universities and employers, assessed through a combination of school-based assessment and external examinations administered by the authority.
• VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) A vocational pathway within the VCE designed for senior secondary students interested in vocational education and training, work, and skills development rather than direct university entrance.
• Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) A senior secondary certificate for students who may not be ready for VCE or VCE VM, providing flexible pathways with a focus on applied learning.
• Victorian Curriculum F-10 The Foundation to Year 10 curriculum for all Victorian schools, incorporating the Australian Curriculum while reflecting Victorian priorities. Available in Version 1.0 (published 2015) and Version 2.0 (launched June 2024).
• Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework A framework for children from birth to eight years, developed in partnership with the Department of Education, supporting early childhood learning and development across Victoria.
• VET (Vocational Education and Training) Vocational education and training programs available within VCE and VPC, providing students with practical skills and qualifications for careers, further training, apprenticeships, and traineeships.
• NAPLAN (National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy) National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy administered in Victorian schools for Years 3, 5, 7, and 9 students, with the authority serving as the Victorian test administration authority.
• Insight Assessment Platform An online platform providing classroom assessments and tools for teachers and students in Victorian F-10 schools, supporting teaching and learning by identifying student learning opportunities and informing teaching practice. From January 2026, incorporates the Digital Assessment Library.
• Victorian Student Number (VSN) A unique nine-digit identifier assigned to all Victorian students under 25 years of age, enabling tracking of student progress through the Victorian education system.
• General Achievement Test (GAT) A compulsory test for VCE students used to check school-based assessment and may be used in calculating derived examination scores.
• VCE Season of Excellence An annual showcase of outstanding VCE student work across various studies, including Top Arts, Top Designs, Top Screen, and music performances, recognizing exemplary student achievement.
• VCE Examinations External written, oral, and performance examinations for VCE students, managed and administered by the authority, with results feeding into ATAR calculations through VTAC.

Named customers17 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Victorian Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VBA operates under delegated authority from the Secretary to the Department of Education. The Department determines implementation timelines for Victorian government schools and provides funding. The VBA maintains the Victorian Student Register on behalf of the Secretary and provides student data to support departmental functions.
• Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe VRQA registers the VBA as an awarding body under Chapter 4 of the Education and Training Reform Act. The VCE, VCE VM, and VPC are accredited qualifications under VRQA oversight. VRQA also registers home schooling students who receive Victorian Student Numbers.
• Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)coreTechnology or IntegrationVTAC receives VCE and VPC student results from the VBA to calculate Australian Tertiary Admission Rankings (ATARs) and process applications for tertiary selection. VTAC operates CourseLink, a database enabling students to access career and course options.
• Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACARA develops the Australian Curriculum from which the Victorian Curriculum F-10 is derived. The VBA also provides NAPLAN results data to ACARA for national reporting. The VBA is subject to ACARA's trademark for NAPLAN.
• Victorian Catholic Education Authority (VCEA) and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic school data including student personal information and Insight test results may be disclosed to VCEA and relevant dioceses for analysis, research, and planning purposes. These bodies determine implementation timelines for Catholic schools.
• National Australia Bank and Westpac Banking CorporationminorOthersThe VBA uses these banks for processing payments for services including replacement result certificates and statement of marks. Personal and financial details may be disclosed to these banks during e-commerce transactions.
• National Gallery of VictoriamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Top Arts component of the VCE Season of Excellence, hosting the exhibition of exemplary VCE student artwork.
• Melbourne Museum (Museums Victoria)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Top Designs component of the VCE Season of Excellence, hosting the exhibition of exemplary VCE student design work.
• Victorian SchoolscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSchools (government, Catholic, and independent) are the primary channel through which VBA delivers curriculum and assessment services to students. Schools administer VBA assessments, input student data into VASS, and implement curriculum frameworks.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC): Tasmania's senior secondary assessment and certification authority. Operates the TCE at smaller scale but with the same statutory function as VCAA's senior secondary certification role.
• SACE Board of South Australia: Administers the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) and curriculum policy for SA schools. Comparable in role and scope, though operating at smaller state scale.
• NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA): The New South Wales equivalent statutory authority responsible for curriculum, assessment, and certification (HSC) in NSW. NESA is the most direct peer given its near-identical mandate, scale, and operating model in Australia's largest state education system.
• Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA): Statutory authority responsible for kindergarten to Year 12 curriculum and assessment in Queensland, including the QCE senior secondary certificate. Highly comparable in mandate, structure, and digital assessment platform delivery.
• School Curriculum and Standards Authority (Western Australia): WA's curriculum, assessment and standards authority responsible for the WACE certificate. Functionally equivalent to VCAA, with comparable products and statutory mandate.
• ACT Board of Senior Secondary Studies: Statutory body responsible for the ACT Senior Secondary Certificate and Year 11-12 curriculum in the ACT. Direct functional peer despite smaller jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA): National body that develops the Australian Curriculum from which the Victorian Curriculum F-10 is derived, and manages NAPLAN. Acts as a federal-level counterparty and coordinator rather than a direct competitor.
• Cambridge Assessment International Education: Global curriculum and assessment provider offering international qualifications (e.g., IGCSE, A-Levels) that compete for international student mindshare with the VCE. Relevant as a broader incumbent in the international education certification space.

Others

• Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA): Registers VCAA as an awarding body and accredits the VCE, VCE VM, and VPC. An adjacent Victorian state regulator with overlapping but non-competing oversight.
• Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC): Receives VCE and VPC results from VCAA to calculate ATARs and process tertiary applications. A critical downstream integration partner in the student outcome value chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vcaa
• Instagraminstagram.com/vcaa_vic

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority