OC test key dates for 2027 and 2028 entry

The calendar below this page is built from our list of dates and shows whether each one is confirmed or expected. This page explains them in words.

How the cycles are named

The Department names a cycle by the year the child enters. A "2027 entry" cycle means a child sat the test in May 2026, in Year 4, and joins an opportunity class in Year 5 in 2027. The cycle that is next for families is therefore "2028 entry", with the test expected in early May 2027.

2027 entry: confirmed dates

These are the dates the Department published for the 2027-entry cycle (NSW Department of Education, checked 7 October 2026).

• Applications opened on Thursday 6 November 2025 and closed on Friday 20 February 2026.
• The Selective High School test was held on 1 and 2 May 2026.
• The OC test was held on 8 and 9 May 2026. Each student sits it on one of those days.
• The make-up test was on 22 May 2026.
• Illness or misadventure requests had to be made within 5 business days of the test.
• The last day to change school choices was 5 June 2026.
• OC outcomes were scheduled for release on 9 September 2026, and Selective outcomes on 19 August 2026 (the Department's page lists both as expected dates).
• OC appeals closed on 16 September 2026 at 11:59 pm.

The year before, applications ran from 7 November 2024 to 21 February 2025. In both years applications opened on the first Thursday of November and closed on the third Friday of February. The Department's general timeline for the OC is: apply from November to February, test in early May, outcomes in September.

2028 entry: what to expect

The Department has not published the 2028-entry calendar. If it follows earlier years, then:

• applications are expected to open in early November 2026, around Thursday 5 November;
• applications are expected to close about 19 February 2027;
• the OC test is expected in early May 2027;
• OC outcomes are expected in September 2027.

The same rule (first Thursday of November, third Friday of February) gives 5 November 2026 and 19 February 2027. These are expectations based on only two earlier cycles, not promises. The Department itself warns that "there may be changes to dates and activities".

How to check

1. Open the Department's application process page and read the dates table.
2. Look for the cycle name, for example "2028 entry", so you are not reading an old year.
3. Write the closing date in your calendar, and set a reminder a couple of weeks before it.
4. If you are unsure, the Department's Selective Education Team can be contacted at set@det.nsw.edu.au or on 1300 880 367. If you have already applied, message the team through your application dashboard.

Why the closing date matters

The Department is direct about it: no late applications will be accepted. An application has to be submitted, not only saved. Parents or carers register using their own details, verify their email, and complete the sections of the form, including, if you choose, a photo of the child for the Test Admission Ticket (the Department encourages one). It is easier to do this over several quiet evenings than in the last week.

You can read more about how to apply, including the Selective side, on our how to apply page. For the test itself, see the format guide, and to see whether your child falls inside the birth-date range, see eligibility.

Department of Education wording on this page is quoted or adapted briefly under CC BY 4.0. © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), 2023. Licence: CC BY 4.0. ExamExplained has changed and summarised the text and is not endorsed by the Department.