Thinking about preparing for your final VCE Biology exam towards the end of the year?
We’ve got just what you need — we’ve compiled all the past exams for VCE Biology in this one article, so you can easily access them all in one place.
What are you waiting for? Let’s get started!
How do you space out your exams?
How do You Mark Your Exams?
Why are Notes Important?
Why Should You do Timed Exams?
VCE Biology Past Exams
How do you space out your exams?
It is common practice to start doing past papers during your third term.
It is important to start early and ensure that these practice questions become second nature by the time you’re sitting in the exam hall. So don’t wait until the last minute!
What if I’m not ready?
It is common to feel overwhelmed by the number of past exams out there. The sheer length and difficulty of them can also be intimidating.
A good way to begin utilising past exam resources is to only attempt questions that are relevant to an area of study you have just covered.
For example, if you spend three weeks at school covering DNA Replication, first solidify your notes for that section and then see if you can pick out the relevant questions from the past exams and just attempt these.
This is a good way to ease into them, and build confidence — which is what it’s all about!
Check out our library of videos for VCE Biology for revision! You can also check out our article on the VCE Biology study design.
And what if it’s too late?
When there are so many resources at hand and exam time is quickly approaching, you may feel anxious that you haven’t done enough.
Studying the night before your exam? Check out our exam prep routine for VCE Biology or use our 7 day study plan!
However, it is important to remember that it always comes down to quality over quantity when we’re talking about exam papers. Whether you have a month left or just a week, doing a past exam will never be considered a waste of time.
Here’s our ultimate and comprehensive guide to acing your end of year exams for VCE Biology!
That being said, don’t try to do them all at once, attempt a few exams and analyse them, paying close attention to your mistakes, so you can use the time that you do have focusing on where you need to improve.
How Do You Mark Your Exams?
Speaking of mistakes, it’s never enough to just attempt an exam and let it sit at the back of your shelf never to be seen again.
VCAA Examiners Reports which have been published alongside the Past Exam Papers, are extremely helpful resources. Not only do they tell you whether your answer is right or wrong, they often provide high-scoring responses which allow you to see what the examiners are really looking for.
Once you’ve finished your exam it is recommended that you spend an ample amount of time working through the examiners report for the relevant exam, and taking note of where you went wrong, as well as what you could improve and the patterns you can identify in the answers.
Using this you can create your own answer that you can apply to a multitude of questions, one that satisfies the key points the examiners are looking for as well as being able to demonstrate your own understanding of the question.
Why are Notes Important?
In addition to exam papers it is important that you have a thorough understanding of the content you study throughout the year. Because having a solid foundation will mean that you can answer any question the exam throws at you!
We’ve made note-taking easier for you with our comprehensive VCE Biology Unit 4 summary!
A few tips that make note-taking effective in Biology:
- Using a diagram to summarise a concept rather than words — remember a picture is worth a thousand words!
- Use subheadings to space out content to make it less overwhelming to read.
- Take notes alongside the study design — this way you won’t feel like you have any gaps in your learning.
You can also check out our video library on VCE Together for Biology content!
Why Should You Do Timed Exams?
It is no secret that you only get 2 hours and 30 minutes to write your Biology exam along with your 15 minutes reading time.
At the end of the day you have to put your pen down when the clock strikes. So how do we prepare for this?
Well the answer is — timing is key! At the beginning when you are only getting used to the style of exam questions it is okay to not worry too much about timing.
However, as you near the exam it is important that you replicate the exam conditions as accurately as possible when doing your practice papers. This could mean setting up a stopwatch and giving yourself the exact same timings as listed on the paper.
By doing this, you will naturally get a feel for the pace at which you should be completing your exam. As your confidence improves so does your timing!
Tip: Look at the allocated marks and spend approximately 1.25 mins per mark. As the exam is usually out of 120 marks, with an allocation of 150 minutes in total.
VCE Biology Past Exams
VCE Past Exams are virtually your best friend for acing Biology, not only do they allow you to calm your nerves come exam day, they also help you with your time management skills and mastering your own exam strategy.
If you take a look at our compilation of VCE Biology: Past Paper Master List below you will notice that there is often a clear pattern of questions.
VCAA seems to hint time and time again that Question 10 will be an extended response, with a body of text that you will need to comprehend and answer a series of questions for. By attempting this question type repeatedly, you will have no surprises when you turn the page on exam day!
It is also important to note that a new VCE Biology Study Design is being implemented in 2022, so do expect some new question types to pop up on the exam, and ensure you double check that you’re only doing questions relevant to your study design.
Not sure how to prepare for exams over the holidays? Here is a complete guide to balancing rest and VCE study over the break!
Current Study Design (2022 – 2026)
| Year | VCE Examination Paper | Examination Report |
|---|---|---|
| Sample | VCE Biology Exam Paper 1 | N/A |
| 2023 | VCE Biology Exam Paper | VCE Biology Exam Paper Report |
| 2022 | VCE Biology Exam Paper | VCE Biology Exam Paper Report |
Previous Study Design
Note: Exams before 2012 were split into Exam 1 and Exam 2, these may not be as helpful to replicate the exam conditions due to different timings, but can still be good practice!
On the hunt for other past VCE exams?
If you’ve still got the energy to tackle other VCE exams for other subjects, check out the lists we’ve created below:
- VCE Chemistry
- VCE Psychology
- VCE Business Management
- VCE Maths Methods
- VCE Legal Studies
- VCE Physics
- VCE Physical Education
About to take the GAT? Read our comprehensive guide!
Are you looking for some extra help with preparing for your VCE Biology exam?
We have an incredible team of VCE tutors and mentors!
We can help you master the VCE Biology study design and ace your upcoming VCE assessments with personalised lessons conducted one-on-one in your home or online!
VCE Biology can be daunting with the sheer amount of content and definitions to remember! Get some local tutoring support for Box Hill!
We’ve supported over 8,000 students over the last 11 years, and on average our students score mark improvements of over 20%!
To find out more and get started with an inspirational VCE tutor and mentor, get in touch today or give us a ring on 1300 267 888!
Abhisha Vaheesan completed her VCE in 2021 and is currently an undergraduate student studying Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging (Honours) at Monash University. As much as she is invested in Biology and putting together the building blocks of life, she is equally immersed in debating the conflicts of modern literature. Aside from this, she loves listening to music, is an avid writer and K-drama fanatic.
