NSW Selective High Schools: Year 7 Entry Guide

For NSW selective high schools, the main statewide entry point is Year 7. Families apply while the student is in Years 5–6, and the student sits the NSW Selective High School Placement Test in Year 6.

This pathway is different from Victoria’s selective-entry system. NSW has a much larger network of fully selective, partially selective and agricultural high schools, and the Year 7 placement process is managed by the NSW Department of Education.

For Year 7 entry in 2027, NSW listed 4,338 selective high-school places statewide. Entry in Years 8–11 is a separate process managed by individual schools and depends on vacancies.

How NSW Year 7 selective entry works

The standard Year 7 pathway begins before the test year. Applications open while students are in Year 5, close while they are in Year 6, and testing takes place in Year 6 for entry the following year.

For the 2027 intake, applications ran from November 2025 to February 2026, the main placement test was held on 1–2 May 2026, and outcomes were released in August 2026. Those dates are now past, so families preparing for a later intake should use the NSW Department of Education’s current key dates rather than copying the 2027 timetable.

What is in the NSW Selective High School Placement Test?

The current test is computer-based and has four sections. Each section contributes 25% of the placement-test weighting:

• Reading: 17 questions, including several multi-part questions, in 45 minutes.
• Mathematical reasoning: 35 questions in 40 minutes.
• Thinking skills: 40 questions in 40 minutes.
• Writing: one open-response task in 30 minutes.

The NSW Department of Education describes the test as measuring ability rather than requiring students to learn special subject content beyond what they already encounter at school. The writing section, however, still requires students to generate and organise ideas under time pressure.

Writing matters because it carries equal weighting

Writing is not a small add-on to the NSW selective test. It carries the same 25% weighting as Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills.

The Department says markers consider the creativity and effectiveness of ideas, purpose and audience, structure, grammar, punctuation, spelling, style and vocabulary. Each writing response is marked independently by two examiners, with a third marker used where scores differ.

Families who want to focus on this component can continue to NSW selective writing preparation.

What kinds of selective high schools are in NSW?

NSW does not have only one type of selective school. Families may encounter:

• fully selective high schools, where the school’s student intake is academically selective;
• partially selective high schools, where selective classes sit within a broader comprehensive school;
• agricultural high schools, some of which offer selective day or boarding places; and
• Aurora College, which provides selective classes online for eligible rural and remote students through authorised host schools.

The exact list of schools, school types and available places can change, so school choice should be based on the current official list rather than an older blog or tutoring-centre article.

Years 8–11 entry is not the same process

Students can also apply for selective high-school entry in Years 8–11, but this is not a second sitting of the standard Year 7 placement process.

Individual schools manage later-entry vacancies, assessments and placement decisions. Some schools may have no vacancies in a particular year; others may use their own test, school reports or additional selection evidence.

A sensible preparation sequence for families

A useful starting point is to understand the test before choosing resources. The NSW Department of Education provides computer-based practice tests, printable samples and a student resource hub.

Then separate preparation into two jobs. For the multiple-choice sections, review why mistakes occur rather than only recording scores. For writing, practise producing complete responses within 30 minutes and reviewing the quality of ideas, organisation and language.

Our broader guide on how to prepare for the NSW selective test explains how to turn that structure into a study plan.

Where WriteLeap fits

WriteLeap can support the writing component of NSW selective preparation through student-written responses, structured feedback, targeted skill practice and revision. It does not prepare Reading, Mathematical Reasoning or Thinking Skills and is not an official NSW Department of Education test provider.

Students preparing specifically for the writing section can use the Selective & Scholarship Writing program alongside separate preparation for the other test sections.

Frequently asked questions

What year do students sit the NSW selective high school test?

For the main Year 7 entry pathway, students sit the test in Year 6.

Is the NSW selective test computer-based?

Yes. The current Selective High School Placement Test is completed on computers provided at NSW test centres.

Does the NSW selective test include writing?

Yes. Writing is one 30-minute open-response task and carries 25% of the test weighting.

Can students apply later than Year 7?

Yes, students may apply for Years 8–11 entry, but applications are handled by individual selective schools and depend on vacancies.

Sources

• NSW Department of Education — Selective high school practice tests
• NSW Department of Education — Selective high school application process
• NSW Department of Education — Selective high schools and places

About WriteLeap

WriteLeap supports Australian students in Years 3–10 with writing practice, structured feedback, targeted skill exercises and revision. For selective-school preparation, it supports the writing component only.