The exam for Year 9 entry in 2027 will be held on Saturday 20 June 2026.
Exam day checklist
Please take these items to the exam:
- Proof of identity (required)
- Admission ticket (required)
- Two blue or black pens (required)
- Bottle of water
- Snacks for the break
Applications for special arrangements close on Friday 24 April 2026.
Proof of identity
Candidates must bring photographic identification that:
- is no more than 18 months old
- includes a clear photograph.
Examples of appropriate identification
- student card issued by your child’s current school
- student travel card
- class photograph (with your child and their name clearly shown)
- passport (passport photo must be no more than 18 months old)
- library card (with photograph)
- Keypass card
- a photograph that has been signed and stamped by your child’s current school
- a certified copy of a photograph that details your child’s name and date of birth.
Admission ticket
You must bring your admission ticket with you to the venue on exam day.
If you do not bring it you will not be allowed to sit your exam.
Admission tickets will be sent:
- to the designated parents/carers on the successfully completed application form
- approximately 1 week before the exam
- through the application portal and to the provided email addresses.
Admission ticket's must be printed and brought to the exam with you. Electronic versions cannot be accepted.
Venues
The exam will be held across multiple venues across Melbourne. All candidates will be allocated a venue to sit the exam.
Parents and carers will be notified by email two weeks before the exam which venue their child will need to attend. This information will also be available in the application portal.
Venue allocation will be distributed based on your child's home address. It will not be negotiable and will not impact the results or your child's selection.
Schedule
The exam takes approximately 4 hours to administer, including registration, exam time and breaks. The exam tasks will take 2 hours and 35 minutes to complete.
The exam comprises of a series of tests including multiple choice questions and written tasks:
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (60 mins)
- Break (20 mins)
- Reading and Verbal Reasoning (55 mins)
- Short break (5 mins)
- Writing (40 mins)
Prior to commencing the exam, the administrator will go through practice examples of how to use the answer booklets. Instructions will be given before the start of each test component to ensure candidates understand what they are required to do.
Students are permitted to ask questions and seek clarification if unsure of a task, this may add to the administration process ahead of each exam component. Please be aware that this can make the exam run over time. In the interest of fairness to all candidates, it is important to offer a clear and transparent exam process. Therefore please be patient while waiting for your child’s exam to finish.
4 hours to administer the test
Unable to attend due to illness or misadventure
If your child is unwell on Saturday 20 June 2026 they should not attend the examination.
You can apply for your child to sit the examination on a designated alternative date by:
- completing the Illness/Misadventure Form
- photographing or scanning the required supporting evidence
- uploading the form and supporting evidence to the application portal by Tuesday 23 June 2026. Requests made after this date will not be considered.
Common questions
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If your child is affected by illness or misadventure (e.g. injury or personal trauma) during or at the examination on Saturday 20 June 2026, and their performance may have been affected, parents/carers may apply for their child to re-sit the examination.
If the application is approved, your child will be eligible to re-sit the examination on a designated alternative date.
To access the illness / misadventure application form within the application portal, log in to your account and select the ‘Illness/Misadventure’ tab from the left-hand menu. Follow instructions for downloading the application form and uploading your completed application and supporting evidence.
Exam Rules and Misconduct
The Selective Entry High School admissions exam is a high-stakes exam and as such, the rules must be strictly adhered to. Candidates are required to agree to these rules as part of the application process.
Candidates are not permitted to bring the following items into the exam venue:
- mobile phones
- smart watches
- calculators
- translation devices or dictionaries
- headphones
- recording devices of any kind
- notebooks or additional paper
Any unpermitted items brought into the exam will be confiscated.
Parents, carers and candidates are reminded that copying and sharing of exam content is considered misconduct and is strictly forbidden. Misconduct includes but is not limited to:
- Attempting to access knowledge (written or verbal) of any exam materials ahead of sitting the exam
- Viewing any online or pre-prepared materials during the exam (including breaks)
- Copying, or attempting to copy, other candidates' responses to exam materials
- Candidates sharing their responses to exam materials with other candidates
- Discussing exam content with tutoring companies, coaching colleges, or other candidates
- Photographing or filming inside or outside the exam venues
- Sharing any details of the exam to social media
- Disruptive or aggressive behaviour by candidates or families to exam staff, or other candidates or families in or around exam venues on the exam day
- Families or candidates not leaving the exam venue when instructed to do so
Misconduct may result in a candidate:
- being unable to sit the exam, or being removed from the exam
- having their application cancelled and results being withheld or cancelled
If misconduct by the candidate or their family is established, the candidate will not receive an offer to any Selective Entry High School.
More detail is provided in the legal notice parents/carers are required to agree to for themselves and on behalf of the candidate when completing the application process.
