Australia’s selective entry public high schools provide economical but highly academic schooling options for gifted students. Entry into these schools is highly competitive, and the number of available places, course structure, examination requirements and the entry year vary in different states.
It is always best to be well-prepared for this exam, and this article is to help you ensure you have all the information you need for your application and exam preparation.
📝 What is the Selective Entry Exam?
In New South Wales, selective high schools and opportunity classes are one of the ways that the department supports high potential and gifted students. Students sit a placement test and qualify for a place based on their results.
Selective high schools are for students in Years 7 to 12. Applications are open for approximately 4 months, from November each year to February the following year. Parents apply when their child is at the end of Year 5 or the beginning of Year 6 for placement in a selective high school in Year 7.
🏫 What are Selective High Schools in NSW?
Selective high schools are public schools for high-potential and gifted students. There are 4 types of selective high schools:
- Fully selective high schools
- Partially selective high schools
- Agricultural selective high schools: These are schools that emphasise the study of agriculture. Some of these schools also provide boarding, where students live at the school.
- Aurora College: These are online selective classes for gifted students. They are provided in local public high schools in rural and remote areas.
There are 4,248 places available in selective high schools across NSW for entry to Year 7, and 100 Aurora College places available in NSW for entry to Year 7. In 2025, 17559 students applied for selective entry, meaning students have a 24.8% chance of getting an offer.
Based on the latest publicly available HSC results and success rates, here are the top selective high schools in NSW for 2025. Rankings are determined by the percentage of exam entries scoring in the highest bands (success rate), a key metric for academic achievement in the HSC.
🏆 Top 10 Selective High Schools in NSW (2025)
| Rank | School Name | 2024 Success Rate (%)* |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Sydney Boys High School | 64.9 |
| 2 | James Ruse Agricultural High School | 62.88 |
| 4 | Normanhurst Boys High School | 54.95 |
| 6 | Baulkham Hills High School | 54.14 |
| 7 | Hornsby Girls High School | 51.99 |
| 8 | North Sydney Girls High School | 50.06 |
| 9 | Sydney Boys High School | 49.39 |
| 14 | Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly | 44.59 |
| 16 | Sydney Girls High School | 43.11 |
| 27 | Fort Street High School | 38.17 |
*success rate: high scores expressed as a percentage of entries, rounded to 2 decimal places. Data from this source.
Manoj Arachige
✅ Eligibility
To be eligible to apply for the NSW Selective Entry High School entry exam:
- Students and their families must be living in NSW by the beginning of the school year of entry.
- Conditions may apply to students who are not citizens or permanent residents of Australia or citizens of New Zealand. Review the conditions at Visa subclasses and enrolment conditions.
- Students attending NSW public schools, non-government schools, home study, interstate schools and overseas schools are eligible to apply.
Contact the selective entry high schools directly if you have specific questions about their subjects and programs.
Application Process
- Register; Parents and/or carers enter their own details to register (not their child’s).
2. Verify email: Go to your verification email. No email? Check your junk folder or wait a little while – the email does not always arrive immediately.
3. Log in: Go to the application website and log in. Forgotten your password? Select forgot password to reset it. Make sure it has the required number and types of characters. (Log in)
4. Complete: Answer all the application questions. You can save your application and come back to update it and complete the questions. You will need to upload a photo of your child with the application. Note that saving your application does not submit it.
5. Submit: Select ‘submit’ to finish your application. Check you have received the confirmation email and application dashboard message. You can log in to your application dashboard and make changes after you have submitted the application.
To find out more, check out the NSW Government website.
🧪 Test Structure (2025 Onwards)
The exam is computer-based and consists of four sections, each equally weighted at 25% of the total score:
| Section | Questions | Duration | Format | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 16 (2 with multiple parts) | 40 minutes | Multiple-choice | 25% |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 35 | 40 minutes | Multiple-choice | 25% |
| Thinking Skills | 40 | 40 minutes | Multiple-choice | 25% |
| Writing | 1 | 30 minutes | Open response | 25% |
- Reading: Assesses comprehension across various genres (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, articles, reports).
- Mathematical Reasoning: Tests problem-solving using concepts from the NSW Year 6 curriculum. Calculators are not allowed.
- Thinking Skills: Evaluates critical thinking and problem-solving through logic-based questions.
- Writing: Students write a response to a given prompt, marked on creativity, structure, grammar, and relevance to the topic.
The test is meant to challenge candidates, both on academic knowledge, as well as problem-solving skills. Cambridge Assessment will write the tests, and Janison will administer it.
For more details about the 2026 Selective Test see our guide here for more information.
Manoj Arachige
📨 Selection and Offer
Places at the selective entry high schools are offered as follows:
- Standard merit – 80% of places will be offered based on rank from exam performance.
- Equity consideration – up to 20% of places at each school are held for students from low socio-educational advantage backgrounds, aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students, students from rural and remote locations, or students with disability.
Parents are offered a place based on test performance and the order of their school choices. Parents can get a placement offer from only one school, and results for the Selective high school are expected to be released on 31 July 2025.
🕗 Later offers from reserve lists
Students may be placed on a reserve list(s) for a higher-choice school(s) when outcomes are first released. If their position on the list is reached, they may get a later offer.
Students on reserve lists are not guaranteed an offer of a place. There is no reserve list for Aurora College. Learn more here.
🖋 How to Prepare for the Test?
Selective schools are competitive, and for good reason. While students do have to work hard to perform well in the exam, it is still very important to remember that students are in their formative years and should not be put under unnecessary stress. Here are some ways you can support your child:
- Practice Tests: Doing practice tests under timed conditions helps to build familiarity, speed and endurance.
- Sufficient Rest: Prioritise healthy sleep and nutrition, especially near the exam itself.
- Seek help when needed: If your child is struggling with preparing for the test, get help early — a few sessions with a tutor can make a big difference.
- Provide Emotional Support: Create an open and supportive environment, and reinforce your child's worth is not defined by a single test outcome.
Conclusion
The selective entry exam can be very stressful for young, talented minds, so it is important to ensure they have got the right support from the offset! Marking down the important dates, and ensuring that students are well-rested and well-prepared for the exam is the most parents can do.
If you’re looking for tutoring that fits into your busy schedule and delivers real results, KIS Academics is here to help. Our team of expert tutors is ready to support your child’s academic journey every step of the way.
👉 Book a free study skills consultation with a KIS Academics tutor today and set yourself up for success.
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