In Australia there are three main bodies that write and administer Selective Entry and Scholarship tests. These are:
- Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER)
- EduTest
- Academic Assessment Services (formerly Robert Allwell & Associates)
Some schools may wish to write their own exam or follow the Independent Scholarship Testing Procedure. In either case students will be informed of the topics that they will be tested on.
It is essential that you register your child and pay the admittance fee before the application closing dates. Failure to do so may result in your child being unable to sit the examination. To register please contact the school you are applying to and they will inform you of what you need to do.
Traditionally Melbourne High and Mac.Rob High School examinations are conducted by EduTest and are held in the month of June. Applications are available on their website. It is important to note that only 5% of students enrolled in Year 8 at a particular school can gain admittance into both of these schools, hence the competitive nature of the exam.
Below is an outline of the components of the test, time limits and approximate number of questions.
EduTest
The EduTest based exams are used at schools such as Melbourne High, Mac.Rob, Nossal, etc. Includes testing in the following areas:
- Numerical Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics
- Creative or Analytical Expression (Essay)
ACER
Includes testing in the following areas:
- Mathematics
- Humanities (Comprehension)
- Two written Expression pieces (Essays)
HAST
Includes testing in the following areas:
- Mathematics
- Reading Comprehension
- Essay Writing
- Abstract Reasoning
ASET / GATE
Includes testing in the following areas:
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
- Communicating in Ideas
- Abstract Reasoning
Academic Assessment Services
Schools such as Melbourne Girls Grammar, Berwick Grammar and Lauriston Girls School currently use exams designed by Academic Assessment Services. Includes testing in the following areas:
- Mathematics Achievement and Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
- Abstract Reasoning & Problem Solving
- 2 × Written Expression Prompts
John Monash Science School
This is an EduTest exam with the following components:
- Mathematics
- Numerical Reasoning
- Scientific Reasoning
- Science Expression (essay)
- Science Writing (essay)
Elizabeth Blackburn School of Science
This is an Edutest exam with the following components:
- Mathematics
- Scientific Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
- Verbal Reasoning
- Writing (essay)