The Premier’s Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) Student Awards (previously the QCE Achievement Awards) celebrate students who achieve outstanding results in their senior schooling.
The awards exemplify the high standards, credibility and flexibility of Queensland’s senior schooling qualification and honour students who demonstrate excellence across different learning options.
Award categories
There are 8 award categories:
Commendation awards
- Certificate of Academic Commendation
- Subject Achievement Commendation
Major awards
- Distinguished Academic Achievers
- Outstanding Academic Achiever
- Highest Achievement by an Aboriginal Student or Torres Strait Islander Student
- Highest Achievement in the Humanities
- Highest Achievement in the Liberal Arts
- Highest Achievement in STEM
How the awards work
The awards reflect the diverse ways students complete their senior studies. They recognise that students:
- choose different learning options
- complete different amounts of study
- finish their studies at different times.
Senior schooling is not the same for every student. These awards acknowledge that diversity.
Selection process
For most categories, schools and students cannot predict who will receive an award. Students cannot design their study program to increase their chances of winning an award.
To receive an award, students must achieve at an exceptionally high level. This is measured statewide, not just within their school.
The awards use different criteria from school awards. They are calculated using:
- achievements recorded in students’ learning accounts
- additional result information not available to schools.
For this reason, not all the students who receive an achievement award will be the dux of their school and not all will have achieved an ATAR of 99.95.
Find out about the Premier's QCE Student Awards categories and criteria.
Award winners — 2026 graduates
The Premier's QCE Student Awards ceremony for the 2026 cohort will be held on Saturday 13 February 2027.
The ceremony is limited to winners of the following award categories:
- Distinguished Academic Achievers
- Outstanding Academic Achiever
- Highest Achievement by an Aboriginal Student or Torres Strait Islander Student
- Highest Achievement in the Humanities
- Highest Achievement in the Liberal Arts
- Highest Achievement in STEM
Students who are recipients of a Certificate of Academic Commendation or Subject Achievement Commendation will receive their certificate in the Student Portal as part of the December certification process.
Previous winners
- Last updated:
- 30 October 2026
