Victoria’s top students shine at Premier’s VCE Awards

The Premier celebrated the VCE top achievers for their academic success. Picture: (Unsplash)

Victoria’s top-performing students from the Year 12 class of 2023 have been celebrated for their academic success.

Premier Jacinta Allan presented the Premier’s VCE Awards on Wednesday 17 July, which recognise the outstanding achievements of students completing the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) in 2023.

Oxley Christian College former student Thomas Steuart was awarded for his outstanding achievement in psychology.

This year’s awards were the first to feature the Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Student Award – following the Federal Government’s introduction of the dedicated vocational program within the certificate in 2023.

Premier Jacinta Allan congratulated the VCE recipients for their incredible achievements.

“Today’s recipients demonstrated commitment and hard work throughout their final year at school – congratulations to each and every one of them,” she said.

“These award winners are testament to how Victorian students can thrive with support from their teachers, school communities, families and friends.”

Winners included an aspiring young pilot from Gippsland who is now doing an Aircraft Maintenance Engineering apprenticeship at QANTAS and a talented pianist who has since commenced tertiary studies at the Victorian College of the Arts, pursuing her career dream of becoming a music teacher and professional performer.

The students received their Premier’s VCE Awards at a ceremony at the Melbourne Convention Centre in front of their families and special guests.

A total of 310 students received 332 awards across 93 subjects, including 300 Study Awards, 23 Top All-Round VCE High Achiever Awards, six Outstanding VCE Vocational Major Students and three Top International Student Awards.

“It’s exciting to see such a diverse, talented group of young Victorians, particularly the outstanding achievers in the VCE Vocational Major, who are being recognised at this prestigious event for the very first time,” Education Minister Ben Carroll said.

The Top All-Round VCE High Achiever awards recognise those students who achieved study scores of 46 or higher out of 50 in at least five VCE subjects, while Study Awards recognise the best performers in individual VCE subjects.

The Federal Government has invested $130.8 million in the Student Excellence Program to give schools the resources, guidance, and professional learning opportunities needed to support high-ability students and ensure they have the tools they need to follow their passions and talents.

Every school now has a high-ability practice leader to coordinate its participation in these programs and support its students in reaching their full potential.

A full list of recipients of the Premier’s VCE Awards is available at, vic.gov.au/premiers-vce-awards.