Selective School Test Dates 2028: Registration, Exam, and Results Timeline

The Selective High School Placement Test for 2028 entry will be sat in 2027 — most likely over two days in early May — by students who are then in Year 6. Applications are expected to open around October–November 2026 and close around February 2027. Because a missed registration deadline means waiting a full year to reapply, getting the timeline right early is the single easiest way to avoid a costly mistake.

This guide sets out the expected NSW Selective High School placement timeline for 2028 entry, based on the Department of Education's consistent annual pattern, and shows you how to plan your child's preparation around it. The exact 2028 dates are confirmed by the Department each year — always verify them directly (see the final section).

Selective Test 2028: The Timeline at a Glance

The NSW Department of Education runs selective high school placement on a stable annual calendar. In the most recent cycle (2027 entry), applications opened on 6 November 2025, closed on 20 February 2026, and the test was held on 1–2 May 2026. The windows below are the expected dates for 2028 entry, based on that pattern. Treat them as planning guides, not confirmed dates.

• Applications open: around October–November 2026
• Applications close: around February 2027 (no late applications)
• Test details confirmed: around April 2027
• Selective Placement Test days: expected early May 2027 (your child sits one allocated day)
• Make-up test: around three weeks after the main test days
• School-choice changes close: around early June 2027
• Results and offers released: expected late August 2027
• Accept/decline window: roughly two weeks after the offer
• Reserve-list offers: from September 2027, sometimes into 2028
• Year 7 begins: Term 1, 2028

Step by Step: The 2028 Selective Placement Process

1. Applications open — expected October–November 2026

Parents apply online through the NSW Education application portal. In recent cycles the portal has opened in the first half of November. You will need:

• Your child's full name and date of birth
• Proof of Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency
• Current school details
• A valid email address for all official notifications

During the application you nominate your school choices. For selective high schools you may list up to three schools in order of preference — one fewer than the OC application allows. The order never changes your child's chance at any single school; it only decides which offer you receive if your child qualifies for more than one. Use our NSW selective schools directory to shortlist schools by distance from home before you lock in preferences.

2. Applications close — expected February 2027

The window is open for roughly three months. Late applications are not accepted except in rare, documented circumstances. Set a reminder at least two weeks before the deadline and submit early — portal congestion in the final days is common.

3. Test details confirmed — expected April 2027

A few weeks before the exam, families receive official confirmation of the test arrangements: which of the test days your child has been allocated, the venue, start time, and any approved disability provisions. Read it carefully and keep it safe — it contains everything your child needs for test day.

4. Selective Placement Test — expected early May 2027

The test runs over two designated days across NSW — in the 2027-entry cycle it was 1–2 May — and each student sits it on one allocated day while in Year 6. It is a computer-based assessment in the current Cambridge-style format with four sections: Reading (45 minutes), Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes), Thinking Skills (40 minutes), and Writing (30 minutes) — about 155 minutes of testing, or roughly three and a half hours including breaks. If your child is unwell on the day, notify the Department immediately; a make-up test is held around three weeks later for documented illness or misadventure cases.

5. School-choice changes close — expected early June 2027

Unlike in older cycles, you can still change your three school choices after the test, up to a deadline in early June. This matters: once the test is done, you can adjust your preferences based on how your child felt it went, without affecting their score in any way. After the deadline, choices are locked for the placement round.

6. Results and offers — expected late August 2027

Placement outcomes are typically released in late August — about a month earlier than OC outcomes. You will be told your child's overall placement score, whether a place has been offered, and — if successful — which of your nominated schools has made the offer. Every family receives a result, whether that is an offer, a reserve-list position, or an unsuccessful outcome.

7. Accept or decline — within about two weeks

Families have approximately two weeks to accept or decline an offer through the portal. If you are unsure, accept before the deadline — you can withdraw later, but you cannot recover an offer you have let lapse.

8. Reserve-list offers — from September 2027

If offered places are declined, the Department makes offers to students on the reserve list, strictly in rank order, as vacancies appear. This can continue well into Term 1 of 2028 and occasionally beyond. If your child is reserve-listed, stay responsive to email and keep your contact details current.

Planning Preparation Around the 2028 Dates

Once you know the test is expected in early May 2027, you can work backwards from there.

About 12 months out (from mid-2026)

Start gently. Build strong reading habits across fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, keep mathematical reasoning playful, and introduce thinking-skills puzzles. Start a regular writing habit — a journal or short weekly pieces — because Writing is the one section the OC test does not have and it rewards long, unhurried practice. The goal at this stage is familiarity and interest, not intensive drilling.

About 6 months out (late 2026)

Move to structured practice — three or four short sessions a week of 30 to 45 minutes. Begin using exam-style questions so the Cambridge-style format feels routine, and practise planning and writing a complete piece in 30 minutes. This lines up neatly with the application window, so preparation and paperwork happen together.

About 3 months out (from February 2027)

Introduce full-length, timed practice tests under exam conditions, roughly every two weeks, to build endurance across all four sections and sharpen time management. Review every mistake — understanding why an answer was wrong is where the real gains come from.

The final month (April 2027)

Shift the focus to confidence and consistency. Keep practising familiar material, avoid brand-new topics, and protect your child's sleep and routine. In the final week, do light revision only and walk through what test day will look like — including the computer-based format and the break schedule.

Common Timing Mistakes to Avoid

• Waiting for official dates before starting. Begin preparing on the expected calendar; the exact dates rarely shift by more than a week or two.
• Leaving registration to the last day. Portal congestion is real near the deadline — apply early.
• Missing citizenship or residency documents. Gather them weeks ahead.
• Booking travel over the likely test window. Your child's allocated test day is fixed, and the make-up sitting is for documented illness or misadventure only.
• Forgetting the school-choice change deadline. Early June is your last chance to reorder or swap your three choices.
• Ignoring the reserve list. A first-round "no" is not always final — stay responsive.

Where to Confirm the Official 2028 Dates

This article uses expected windows based on the Department's consistent pattern. Always confirm the exact 2028 dates through official sources before making date-sensitive decisions:

• The NSW Department of Education selective high school placement pages at education.nsw.gov.au
• Your child's current primary school, which is notified of key dates
• Official email communications sent after you register

A third-party website — including this one — should never be your only source for a registration deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the selective school test for 2028 entry?

It has not been officially announced yet, but based on the Department's consistent pattern it is expected in early May 2027, sat by students in Year 6 over one of two allocated test days. Applications are expected to open around October–November 2026 and close around February 2027.

What year is my child in when they sit the selective test for 2028 entry?

Year 6. Successful students begin Year 7 at their selective high school at the start of the 2028 school year.

How many schools can I choose on the selective application?

Up to three selective high schools, listed in order of preference — and you can change them until early June 2027, after the test. The order does not affect your child's chance at any individual school — it only determines which offer you receive if your child qualifies for more than one.

What does the selective test cover?

Four sections in the Cambridge-style, computer-based format: Reading (45 min), Mathematical Reasoning (40 min), Thinking Skills (40 min), and Writing (30 min). Unlike the OC test, the selective test includes a writing task.

When do selective test results come out?

Placement outcomes for 2028 entry are expected in late August 2027, with reserve-list offers continuing from September as declined places are reallocated.

What happens if we miss the registration deadline?

Late applications are not accepted except in rare, documented cases. You would generally have to wait for the Years 8–12 vacancy process or reapply in a later cycle.

Start Preparing for the 2028 Selective Test Today

The earlier you start, the calmer the months before the test become. Begin with a free AcePath sample quiz to see where your child currently sits across Reading, Mathematics, and Thinking Skills, then build a routine with our Selective practice test packs, which mirror the real Cambridge-style format so your child knows exactly what to expect on test day.