General Achievement Test (GAT)

The General Achievement Test (GAT) is a pen-and-paper test of general knowledge and skills taken by students in the course of completing their senior secondary studies.

The GAT plays an important role in the quality assurance of VCE assessments and also provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate they meet the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards expected at a senior secondary level.

No special study is needed. Past study of subjects like English, Mathematics, Science and History prepares students for the GAT by building their general knowledge and skills in writing, numeracy and reasoning.

Who sits the GAT

Both Sections A and B

• Students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence, including:
  • students not planning to undertake scored assessment
  • students who have met the literacy and numeracy standards in a previous year
• Students enrolled in their final year of studies for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program who want a notational Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) calculated.

Section A only

• Students enrolled in one or more VCE Vocational Major (VM) Unit 3–4 sequence but who are not enrolled in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences
• If a student has already met the standards in a previous year and they are enrolled in VCE VM but not in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences, they will not be expected to sit Section A. However, they may opt to do so if they wish.