Selective test questions parents ask, answered

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Dates

When do applications open and close?

For 2027 entry, they opened on Thursday 6 November 2025 and closed on Friday 20 February 2026. For 2028 entry the dates are not published. Opening in early November 2026 and closing in February 2027 is expected, following earlier years (the last two rounds opened on 7 November 2024 and 6 November 2025 and closed on 21 February 2025 and 20 February 2026). No late applications are accepted, so aim to submit well before the end of February.

When is the Selective test?

For 2027 entry it was on 1 and 2 May 2026, with each student sitting on one day. The OC test for 2027 entry was on 8 and 9 May 2026. For 2028 entry the Department has not published dates. Its general timeline puts the test in early May of Year 6, so early May 2027 is expected, not confirmed.

When is the make-up test?

For 2027 entry it was on 22 May 2026. The 2028-entry make-up date is not published.

When are the results released?

For 2027 entry, Selective outcomes are scheduled for 19 August 2026 and OC outcomes for 9 September 2026, per the Department's key dates. For 2028 entry, August for Selective and September for OC are expected.

What is the reserve decision date?

For 2027 entry it is Thursday 3 December 2026 at 3 pm, which is still to come, and it applies to both Selective and OC. If your child holds an accepted offer and is also on a reserve list for a higher choice, they are removed from every reserve list after this date. To stay on a reserve list you must decline the accepted offer before the date, and a declined offer cannot be got back, so read the Department's outcomes page before you decide. The 2028-entry date is not published.

Can the dates change?

Yes. The Department's page warns, "There may be changes to dates and activities". We show a last reviewed date on every page and keep a change log.

Eligibility

Which year is my child in when they sit the Selective test?

Year 6. Parents apply at the end of Year 5 or the start of Year 6, for Year 7 entry. For the OC, children sit the test in Year 4 for Year 5 entry.

Which birth dates are eligible?

For 2027 entry, students will usually have a birth date from 1 January 2014 to 31 July 2015 (inclusive) for Selective, which means they are aged between 11 years 5 months and 13 years at the start of Year 7. For the OC, the usual range is 1 January 2016 to 31 July 2017. For 2028 entry the ranges are not published. They are expected, but unconfirmed, to move forward one year (Selective 1 January 2015 to 31 July 2016).

Children outside the usual range can still apply: explain the reasons in the application, and the selection committee decides whether to accept it. It may decline, for example, students who are much older than the usual range or who want to repeat Year 7. Check eligibility.

Does my child need to attend a public school?

No. The test is open to students in public and non-government schools, home-study students, and interstate and overseas students. Families must be living in NSW by the start of the entry year. Conditions may apply to students who are not Australian or New Zealand citizens or Australian permanent residents. A child must meet all enrolment conditions, including visa conditions, before they can receive any offer. A child who expects to meet them before initial offers are made can still apply and sit the test. Applications from families who live outside NSW are considered only if there are vacancies after all suitable NSW applicants have been placed.

Can we sit the test from interstate or overseas?

From 2026, tests are held only in NSW. Interstate and overseas students must return to NSW to sit the test. If your child cannot return to NSW to sit it, they will not be considered for placement.

Does an OC place carry over to Selective?

No. The Department says you need to apply separately. See OC or Selective.

Do siblings get a place automatically?

No. Each sibling must qualify on merit.

The test

What is in the Selective test?

Reading (17 questions, 38 responses, 45 minutes, including comparing two extracts), Mathematical reasoning (35 questions, 40 minutes), Thinking skills (40 questions, 40 minutes) and one typed Writing task (30 minutes). Each section is 25%. The OC test has Reading (40 minutes), Mathematical reasoning (40 minutes) and Thinking skills (30 minutes), with no writing, each worth one third. See the test format.

How long is the test?

155 minutes of test time for Selective, and 110 minutes for the OC, plus breaks.

Is it on paper or on a computer?

On a computer, on Department computers at a local test centre. Work is saved automatically every 30 seconds.

How is the writing marked?

The Department says the writing task is marked on creativity of ideas, writing for purpose and audience, and language for effect. Its student video adds that text structure, grammar, punctuation, style and vocabulary also contribute, and writing that does not address the given topic is marked lower.

What does the test cover?

The Department says the questions draw on NSW curriculum concepts up to Year 6 and are reviewed so students need no extra knowledge. It describes the test as measuring problem solving and critical thinking ability rather than curriculum knowledge, and Thinking skills needs no previous knowledge.

What can my child bring?

The printed Test Admission Ticket, two 2B pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a clear water bottle and school uniform. For the Selective test also bring a substantial nut-free snack for the longer break and a hat, plus any approved adjustment items, medication and glasses if needed. See the test day checklist.

What if there is a technical fault?

All student work is saved automatically every 30 seconds. If a technical problem is minor, submit an illness or misadventure request by the due date. If a problem stops many students from starting or finishing the test, the test may be postponed and those students are re-scheduled to the make-up test; the Department sends more information. Some questions are common to every test version so results can be compared across days, and those questions do not affect a child's final scores.

What if my child is sick on test day?

Submit an illness or misadventure request in your application dashboard by the due date in the Key dates, which is usually 5 business days after the test (for 2027 entry: Selective 8 May 2026, OC 15 May 2026 for the main test; 29 May 2026 for the make-up test). Late requests cannot be accepted. Upload proof, such as a medical certificate for the test day. If the request is approved, your child might be allowed to sit the make-up test or have their score adjusted. If both the main and make-up tests are missed, a student cannot be placed.

Preparing

Do we need coaching?

The Department says: "The department does not recommend or endorse coaching for the placement test. There is no credible research that shows coaching helps a child gain entry." See preparing without coaching. We run this site alongside a tutoring business, so weigh our advice with that in mind.

What does the Department recommend?

Regular school attendance and familiarity with the test structure.

Is there free official practice?

Yes: online practice tests, a Student Resource Hub, three PDF practice tests with answers, Social Stories and videos. See official practice tests. The official practice tests belong to Cambridge University Press & Assessment, and the Department says the CC BY 4.0 licence does not apply to them, so we link to them and do not copy them.

Are the PDF practice tests up to date?

No. The Department says they come from older paper-based versions and do not reflect the current test format. The online practice tests simulate the current format.

Does attendance matter?

Yes. The Department asks you to make sure your child attends school regularly in the lead-up to the test. If they miss too many days without a good reason, the Department tells the selection committee, and the committee may not place students who do not have good attendance. It also says not to take your child out of school to prepare for the test.

Where can we get more practice?

Our own free questions are in the Selective practice area. They are written by us from the published structure, not from real test questions.

Does ExamExplained collect recalls of the test?

No. We collect no test content. The Department treats sharing test content, including with educational business entities, as malpractice.

Applying

How do we apply?

The parent or carer registers on the Department's application site with their own details, verifies their email, logs in, completes 8 sections (one is a photo of the child for the Test Admission Ticket, which the Department's help page calls optional but encourages), and submits. Saving is not submitting. See how to apply.

How many schools can we choose?

One to three selective schools, in order of preference. For the OC it is one to four opportunity classes.

Is there an application fee?

No. The Department says there are no fees to apply and sit for the placement test, and no extra fees to enrol in a selective high school or opportunity class. Boarding at agricultural high schools has fees, and schools may ask for payments for textbooks, excursions and sport. For Years 8 to 11 entry a school may run its own test and will tell you whether there is a fee.

Can we change our school choices?

Yes. For 2027 entry, changes were allowed until 5 June 2026. The 2028-entry date is not published.

Where is the Test Admission Ticket?

It is in your application dashboard about two weeks before the test. The Department emails you to say it is available; log in, then download and print it. A digital copy on a phone or device is not accepted. If it has not appeared two weeks before the test, message the Selective Education Team through the dashboard.

Who can we contact?

Families who have applied should message the team through the application dashboard. Others can email set@det.nsw.edu.au or call 1300 880 367.

Should we apply at all?

That is a family decision. See should we apply.

Results and offers

What do we receive after the test?

A Student Performance Report with one of four bands per section: top 10%, next 15%, next 25%, lowest 50%. It does not give individual scores or ranks. See reading the performance report.

Does a top 10% band mean 90%?

No. The Department says it does not mean the child scored 90%.

Is there a pass mark?

No. The Department says there is no pass or fail mark and no set minimum entry score.

How do offers work?

An offer comes from only one school: the highest preference your child qualified for. They may also be on reserve lists for higher preferences. For Selective, a child with no accepted offer can stay on a reserve list to the end of Term 1 of the entry year. For the OC, it is to the end of Term 1 of Year 6. A child who has accepted an offer is removed from all reserve lists after the reserve decision date unless the parent declines that offer first. A declined offer cannot be got back, so read the Department's outcomes page before you decide. See how placement works.

What are reserve bands?

Estimates based on when students in a similar position were offered a place the year before. None is a guarantee. For Selective, band A is by the end of September and band E by the end of January. Band F means an offer is unlikely, and if one comes it would likely be after the school year starts. For the OC, band A is by the end of September, B by the end of October, C by the end of November and D by the end of December, and the last band means an offer is unlikely.

What are equity places?

The Equity Placement Model holds up to 20% of places per school: 10% low socio-educational advantage, 5% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, 2.5% rural or remote and 2.5% disability. Held places are still offered on test performance, within 10% of the minimum accepted from a general applicant or as the selection committee decides. Families are not told if an offer was an equity place, and no separate application is needed.

What are the gender parity rules?

From the 2027 intake there are equal boys and girls places at coeducational selective schools and OCs. Unfilled places for one gender go to the other.

Can we appeal?

Only in limited circumstances: through the application dashboard by the due date in the Key dates (typically 5 business days after outcomes), with documentary evidence. No late appeals are accepted. For 2027 entry the Selective deadline (26 August 2026) has passed, and the OC deadline (16 September 2026, 11:59 pm) has also passed. Disappointment at not getting an offer, young age, lack of test preparation, misunderstanding the process, travel convenience and requests to re-mark are not valid grounds. Appeal decisions are final.

What if we miss out?

See what if we miss out and Years 8 to 11 entry. Years 8 to 11 places exist only when vacancies arise, and some schools have none in some years.

Sources

• Selective high schools
• Application process
• Placement test
• Outcomes
• Selective reserve list bands
• OC reserve list bands
• Years 8 to 12 applications
• Fair access
• Placement procedures policy
• Application site
• Parent guide (PDF)

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.