How to use this hub: what each test is and where to check
A one-page map of the WA, SA, Queensland, ACT, scholarship and ICAS tests, with the official place to confirm dates for each. Dates change, so always check the source.
Last checked against the official sources.
These tests are run by different bodies with different rules. Find your state or test below, open the official page, and treat our "Last checked 7 October 2026" line as a prompt to confirm, not a replacement.
What each test is
- Western Australia: the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) for the Department of Education's Gifted and Talented programs. See WA Gifted and Talented and ASET and the WA Department.
- South Australia: the IGNITE assessment for the accelerated IGNITE programs at three public schools, with the test set and marked by ACER. See SA IGNITE and Glenunga IGNITE.
- Queensland: the entrance test for Queensland Academies, run by an independent testing organisation (currently Edutest). See Queensland Academies and qa.eq.edu.au.
- ACT: see ACT selective entry and the ACT Government page.
- Scholarships: tests from ACER and Edutest, outside providers that independent schools hire and that sell their own practice products. We endorse neither. See ACER and Edutest scholarships and ACER.
- Competitions: ICAS is an academic competition, usually entered through the school, with testing centres and authorised partners for families whose school does not offer it. It is not an entry test. See ICAS and icasassessments.com.
Where to check dates
Each page lists the official link. The key dates calendar gathers the dates we have confirmed in one place, with an expected label on anything not yet published.
What the authorities say about coaching
They differ, and each page quotes the position briefly. In short: WA says it does not endorse private coaching, ACER says short-term training is unlikely to help, and some authorities say nothing either way.
Write down the registration date for your child's year level as soon as it opens. Some processes, such as SA IGNITE, do not accept late applications.
ExamExplained is run alongside a tutoring business. Checked against the official pages on 7 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Why do you link out instead of copying the dates?
Sources
- www.education.wa.edu.au/gifted-and-talented (opens in a new tab)
- www.acer.org/au/scholarships/parents (opens in a new tab)
- gihs.sa.edu.au/specialist-programs/ignite/ (opens in a new tab)
- qa.eq.edu.au/ (opens in a new tab)
- www.act.gov.au/education-and-training/life-at-school-and-college/gifted-and-talented-students (opens in a new tab)
- www.icasassessments.com/ (opens in a new tab)