VCAA Biology Performance

Overall average 71.6%83,508 questions answered2026 data

Score by Unit & Topic

Full study design

How do cells maintain life?

69.7%
What is the role of nucleic acids and proteins in maintaining life?
70.5%
How are biochemical pathways regulated?
68.2%

How does life change and respond to challenges?

72.8%
How do organisms respond to pathogens?
72.1%
How are species related over time?
73%
How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change?
73.5%

Score by Past Paper

2026 data

2025
72.9%
2025
71.6%
2024
70.6%
2023
71.2%
2022
71.6%
2021
69%
2020
75.7%

Score by Question Type

2026 data

Extended Response
49.8%
Multiple Choice
72.6%
Short Answer
70.1%

Cognitive Verb Performance

2026 data

Analyse
73.5%
Annotate
53.3%
Assess
67.4%
Calculate
64.7%
Compare
59.8%
Construct
80.5%
Contrast
64.7%
Deduce
64.3%
Define
68.5%
Describe
68.2%
Design
70.3%
Determine
51.7%
Discuss
71.2%
Distinguish
92.9%
Draw
66.7%
Estimate
84.8%
Evaluate
64.3%
Explain
67.8%
Identify
71.2%
Infer
81.6%
Justify
69%
Label
68.1%
Make
79.5%
Name
70.7%
Outline
71.5%
Predict
31.2%
Present
53%
Propose
90.8%
Provide
69%
Recommend
68.1%
Select
86.7%
Sketch
56%
State
74.1%
Write
62.5%

Study Guides

VCE Biology Hardest Topics: Where Students Lose the Most MarksAverage scores in VCE Biology by past paper, topic, question type and command verb, plus the high-weight low-score revision list.VCE Biology Most Tested Topics: What the VCAA Exams CoverMarks by topic and dot point across 7 VCAA Biology external papers, 2020 to 2025, plus the question type and cognitive verb mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hardest VCAA Biology topics?
Based on student performance on AusGrader in 2026, the hardest VCAA Biology topics are How are biochemical pathways regulated? (68.2%), What is the role of nucleic acids and proteins in maintaining life? (70.5%), How do organisms respond to pathogens? (72.1%). Focus your revision on these areas for the biggest score improvement.
What are the easiest VCAA Biology topics?
Based on student performance on AusGrader in 2026, the highest-scoring VCAA Biology topics are How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change? (73.5%), How are species related over time? (73%), How do organisms respond to pathogens? (72.1%).
What are the most common command words in VCAA Biology exams?
The most frequently tested command words in VCAA Biology are Explain, Describe, Identify, State, Outline. Practising responses to these verbs is a high-impact study strategy.

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