The Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement (QCIA) recognises and reports the achievements of students whose learning is part of an individual learning program. It is an official record that students have completed at least 12 years of education and provides students with a summary of their skills and knowledge to present to employers and training providers.
What is an individual learning program?
An individual learning program:
- is a school-developed program of study using curriculum organisers, learning goals and learning focuses in the QCAA’s Guideline for individual learning (GIL) (PDF, 838.0 KB)
- is developed for students who have disabilities that affect learning that are not primarily due to socioeconomic, cultural and/or linguistic factors
- is recorded by schools through the QCAA Portal
- does not contribute credit to the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE)
- cannot duplicate learning from any QCE-contributing studies (General, Applied or Short Course syllabuses, or VET courses).
To be eligible for the QCIA, a student must:
- be nominated by their school principal
- complete at least 12 years of education
- have at least one result for QCIA-contributing studies recorded in their learning account
- complete studies in an individual learning program
- not previously have been issued with a QCIA, QCE, Senior Certificate or equivalent interstate or overseas qualification.
QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook
See Section 3 of the QCE and QCIA policy and procedures handbook for detailed information on all aspects of the QCIA, with sections on eligibility, certificate inclusions, curriculum plans, quality assurance, statements of achievement, statements of participation and important dates.
QCIA students exiting in 2024 and 2025
What's on the certificate?
Statements of Achievement and Statements of Participation recorded on the QCIA are based on evidence collected about students’ achievement and participation.
Schools report achievement under one or more of the curriculum organisers from the GIL:
- Communication and technologies
- Community, citizenship and the environment
- Leisure and recreation
- Personal and living dimensions
- Vocational and transition activities.
FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions.
Does a student with a disability have to work towards the QCIA?
No. Student achievements can be reported in other ways. Schools will discuss the most suitable
certification options with students and their parents/carers in Year 10 during Senior Education and Training (SET) planning.
Can the QCIA contribute to the QCE?
No. The individual learning program for the QCIA does not have credit value nor can it contribute to the QCE.
Can a student finishing Year 12 receive a QCIA and a QCE?
No. A student finishing Year 12 cannot receive a QCIA and a QCE. However, QCIA students may undertake some QCE-contributing studies while at school and continue working towards a QCE after school.
Can a QCIA student undertake QCE-contributing studies?
Yes. A QCIA student may undertake QCE-contributing studies while at school. However, this learning cannot be duplicated on the student’s QCIA. Instead, it will be reported on the Senior Statement which the student will receive at the end of Year 12 along with their QCIA.
Can a student finishing Year 12 receive a QCIA and a Senior Statement?
Yes. A QCIA student who undertakes QCE-contributing studies while at school will receive a statement with their QCIA when they finish Year 12. The Senior Statement shows all studies that contribute to the QCE and the results the student has achieved. If no QCE-contributing studies are undertaken, no Senior Statement is issued.
Can a student on a QCIA pathway complete more than three QCE-contributing studies and still remain eligible for the QCIA?
No. A student may record up to a maximum of three completed QCE-contributing studies, from the Core learning category in the learning account, regardless of the level of achievement.
Should a student undertaking modified teaching, learning and/or assessment of QCAA syllabuses have enrolments recorded in the Student management application?
No. Learning accounts in the Student management application are used to record results for assessments completed according to syllabus specifications and conditions to accrue credits towards the QCE.
Can learning completed in QCE-contributing studies courses be duplicated on the QCIA?
No. Statements of achievement and participation reflect only the individual learning students have completed for which the school has collected evidence. Completed and partially completed QCE learning is recorded in the student learning account and will be listed on the Senior Statement.
What can the QCIA be used for?
Students can show their QCIA to:
- employers as a summary of the student’s knowledge and skills
- training providers to help them decide the best training options to provide.
More information
For any queries email QCIA@qcaa.qld.edu.au.
- Last updated:
- 30 January 2024
