NSW Selective & OC Results 2026: Dates + What to Do Next

NSW Selective High School placement results for Year 7 entry in 2027 are released on 19 August 2026, and Opportunity Class (OC 天才班) results for Year 5 entry are released on 9 September 2026. Both outcomes are delivered online through the same application portal you used to apply — nothing is posted to your home — so knowing the exact date, where to look, and what each outcome means can save you a stressful fortnight of refreshing your inbox.

This guide covers the confirmed 2026 release dates for both tests, exactly how and where to check your child's result, and what to do next for every possible outcome.

NSW Selective & OC Results 2026: The Key Dates

The two dates are about three weeks apart — Selective outcomes come first, and OC outcomes follow in early September. If your child sat both tests, you will receive the two results at these two separate times, not together. These dates are published by the NSW Department of Education; the department can adjust a date in exceptional circumstances, so it is always worth confirming against the official selective and OC outcomes page.

How to Check Your Child's Result

Results are released online only. There is no posted letter, no phone call, and no result given out by your child's current school. Here is exactly how it works:

• Log in to your application dashboard — the same account you created when you applied. Your child's outcome appears there on the release date.
• Watch for the notification — on the day, the department posts a message to your dashboard and sends an email alert to the address on the application.
• Check your spam and junk folders — the notification email is easy to miss, and many parents do.
• Recover your password now, not on the day — if you have forgotten your login, reset it in advance so you are not locked out when results drop.

The department does not publish a guaranteed hour of the day for results to appear, so if you do not see an update first thing in the morning, check again periodically rather than assuming something has gone wrong.

Understanding the Three Possible Outcomes

Whether it is Selective or OC, your child's outcome will be one of three things, all decided strictly by their placement score and where it ranks against other applicants.

1. An offer

Your child has been offered a place. You will be asked to accept or decline by a stated deadline through the same portal. If your child qualified for more than one of your nominated schools, the offer is for the highest preference they reached — which is why preference order matters (you can nominate up to 3 selective schools, and up to 4 schools for OC).

2. A place on the reserve list

Your child did not receive an offer in the first round but is on the reserve list, ranked in a band. Places can still come through as other families decline. We explain how the bands and movement work in the OC and Selective reserve list, explained.

3. No offer this round

Your child was not offered a place and is not on the reserve list. It is disappointing, but it is not the end of the pathway — there are still strong options, which we cover below and in our guide on what to do after the OC test results.

What to Do Next

• Respond by the deadline. An offer you do not accept in time can be withdrawn. Diarise the accept/decline date the moment you read the outcome.
• Consider an appeal only on valid grounds. Appeals are generally limited to illness or misadventure on test day that was documented at the time — not simply a lower-than-hoped score. See selective offer rounds and appeals for how the process and timing work.
• Stay reachable if you are on the reserve list. Movement can happen for weeks after the first round; keep your contact details current and respond quickly.
• Plan the next step if there is no offer. An OC result is not a verdict on the Selective test two years later, and a strong local or partially selective school serves many students superbly. Keep the study routine going.

The wait itself is often harder on parents than on children. Our guide on waiting for OC and Selective results has practical ways to get through the fortnight before the date.

Frequently Asked Questions

When are NSW Selective results released in 2026?

19 August 2026, for Year 7 entry in 2027. Outcomes appear in your online application dashboard, with an email alert on the day.

When are NSW OC (Opportunity Class) results released in 2026?

9 September 2026, for Year 5 entry in 2027 — about three weeks after the Selective results.

How are the results delivered?

Online, through the same NSW Department of Education application portal you used to apply. You receive a dashboard message and an email alert; nothing is posted to your home.

What if I forgot my login details?

Reset your password in advance through the application portal so you can log in immediately on the release date.

Can I appeal the result?

Appeals are available but limited — generally to cases of illness or misadventure on test day that were reported and documented at the time, not to a score that was simply lower than expected.

Do OC and Selective results come out on the same day?

No. In 2026 the Selective result comes first (19 August) and the OC result follows (9 September). Families who applied for both should expect two separate outcomes.

Turn the Result Into a Plan

Whatever the outcome, the best next move is a steady practice routine — whether that is preparing for the Selective test after an OC result, or keeping skills sharp for the reserve list. Start with a free AcePath sample quiz to see where your child sits across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, then build momentum with our OC and Selective practice test packs, which mirror the real Cambridge-style format. When you are ready to shortlist schools, browse the NSW selective schools directory and OC schools directory.