Selective School Entry for Year 10 in NSW
Year 10 entry is the last chance to join a NSW selective high school before the senior years, and the application goes in during Year 9. HAST schools test at the same Middle Secondary level as Year 9 entry, EduTest schools at Year 9 level. The number of new students differs by school and year.
Selective Success Academy prepares Year 9 students for Year 10 entry, in live online small-group classes on Microsoft Teams. Here is how Year 10 entry works at each school we cover, from the school's own page, with the date we read it.
- Your child applies in
- Year 9
- HAST level
- Middle Secondary, the same as Year 9 entry
- EduTest
- Year 9 level
- Schools in the table
- 22
- 2028 entry (exams in August 2027)
- Dates not yet published
Schools that take Year 10 entry
All 22 schools below took Year 10 applicants in the round for 2027 entry. Two of them stop at Year 10: Sydney Girls High School says it will not accept students into Years 11 and 12 after 2027, and Blacktown Girls High School sets out selective entry for Years 8 to 10 only. At Fort Street High School, Year 10 is the last year of its no-test entry; Year 11 applicants sit the HAST.
| School | Test | What else it asks for | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Normanhurst Boys High School | Its own entry test in literacy and numeracy, at the school | Copies of the last two school reports, the last NAPLAN results and any awards. An interview may be required before a final offer | Enrolment page, 1 October 2026 |
| Sydney Boys High School | Its own literacy and numeracy tests, for applicants it short-lists | Its own expanded application form and the last two school reports. An interview for some | Enrolment information, 1 October 2026 |
| Baulkham Hills High School | EduTest | Its own Supplementary Application Form, handwritten by the student, and the last two NAPLAN reports | Enrolment page, 1 October 2026 |
| Chatswood High School (selective stream) | EduTest | Its own application form, for students it short-lists after the test | Selective stream page, 3 October 2026 |
| James Ruse Agricultural High School | EduTest | Its own application, by invitation after the test, then an interview for those it short-lists | Enrolment pathways, 1 October 2026 |
| North Sydney Boys High School | EduTest | The school publishes no extra requirement of its own | Enrolment page, 1 October 2026 |
| North Sydney Girls High School | EduTest | The Department's form with school reports, NAPLAN and activities | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Sydney Girls High School | EduTest | Its own Student Questionnaire and a portfolio. An interview for short-listed candidates | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Blacktown Girls High School | HAST, for its selective stream | The school publishes no extra requirement of its own | Selective enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Caringbah High School | HAST | An interview for applicants being considered for an offer | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Girraween High School | HAST | A portfolio of school achievements. An interview at the enrolment afternoon, after a place is accepted | Enrolment page, 1 October 2026 |
| Gosford High School | HAST | A covering letter. An interview for the applicants the committee invites | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Hornsby Girls High School | HAST | The application form only, with no supporting documents. An interview may follow if a vacancy arises | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Hurlstone Agricultural High School | HAST | Reports, NAPLAN and evidence of activities. An interview by invitation, which is not an offer | Quick guide (PDF), 3 October 2026 |
| Macquarie Fields High School | HAST | A portfolio of photocopies. A possible interview, which is not an offer | HAST information (PDF), 3 October 2026 |
| Manly Selective Campus | HAST | Reports, NAPLAN and external achievements with the Department's form | Application page, 3 October 2026 |
| Penrith Selective High School | HAST | The Department's form and one PDF of supporting documents. Interviews may be part of selection | Enrolment page, 1 October 2026 |
| St George Girls High School | HAST | A possible interview, with a handwritten Personal Reflection Statement first | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Sydney Technical High School | HAST, on ACER's list | The school publishes no extra requirement of its own | ACER's HAST schools, 3 October 2026 |
| Fort Street High School | No entrance test for Years 8 to 10 | A selection panel reviews applications. Short-listed candidates are interviewed when a place becomes available | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Merewether High School | No placement test | A covering letter, the last two years of reports, NAPLAN and recent awards | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
| Smith's Hill High School | An eligibility test, sat online at the school | An interview with the Principal, with parents, for students who meet the benchmarks | Enrolment page, 3 October 2026 |
Girraween High School says it creates an extra class in Year 10, which lets it take more new students than in Years 8, 9 and 11 (enrolment page, read 1 October 2026).
Which test, and at what level
- HAST: ACER's Middle Secondary level covers entry into both Year 9 and Year 10, so a Year 9 student sits the same level as a Year 8 student would. Its Mathematical Reasoning test includes science (ACER's HAST student support page, read 1 October 2026).
- EduTest: Mathematics is set at the student's current year, Year 9, and the four multiple-choice sections each run for 30 minutes (Edutest's selective entry page, read 1 October 2026).
- Normanhurst Boys High School and Sydney Boys High School: each school's own literacy and numeracy test, the same process as for Years 8, 9 and 11.
- No test: Fort Street High School and Merewether High School.
When to apply
Applications for Year 10 entry in 2028 go in during Year 9, in 2027, so this is the round for a child in Year 8 today. The schools have not yet published 2028-entry dates, apart from Sydney Boys High School (forms from mid-June 2027) and Penrith Selective High School (applications open mid June 2027).
Last cycle, for 2027 entry, the NSW Department of Education's window ran from 17 June to 24 July 2026. The tests followed in August 2026: Normanhurst Boys High School on the 2nd, the coordinated HAST sitting on the 8th, Sydney Boys High School's short-list tests on the 10th and the shared EduTest on the 15th. Outcomes came in September and October 2026. (Department and schools' pages, read 1 October 2026.)
How to prepare in Year 9
- Treat Year 9 maths as the test's maths. For the EduTest, that is the year your child is in. For the Normanhurst Boys and Sydney Boys papers, from our experience, it means confident algebra, including surds and factorising.
- Go deeper at the same HAST level. Year 9 students sit the Middle Secondary level a year later than Year 8 students, so harder data questions and Abstract Reasoning with several rules at once are worth the time.
- Lift the writing. A year older, your child's writing should show a clear position, varied sentences and an ending that weighs things up.
- Gather the paperwork early. Baulkham Hills High School asked Year 10 applicants for their last two NAPLAN reports last cycle, so keep every report and certificate.
Free practice test
Find the right free test for Year 10 entry. The HAST practice test is set at the Middle Secondary level, which is the Year 10 entry level, and the EduTest practice test and the Normanhurst Boys and Sydney Boys practice test are pitched at Year 8 and 9 entry, so they make a good warm-up.
Questions parents ask
Can my child sit a selective test for Year 10 entry?
Yes. All 22 schools in the table took Year 10 applicants for 2027 entry. Your child applies, and sits any test, in Year 9.
Is Year 10 too late to move to a selective school?
No. The Department's process covers Years 8 to 11, and Year 10 is still inside it. A student who missed out earlier can apply again in a later round.
Which HAST level does a Year 10 applicant sit?
The Middle Secondary level, the same as for Year 9 entry. ACER's level changes only at Year 11 entry, which uses Senior Secondary.
How many places are there?
That depends on the school and on how many students leave, so it changes every year, and we do not quote a figure. One school, Girraween High School, says it takes more new students in Year 10 because it adds a class. Book a short call to talk through the schools that suit your child.
How we help
Our Year 9 classes prepare students for Year 10 entry, for the HAST, the EduTest, and the Normanhurst Boys High School and Sydney Boys High School exams. The Year 9 class times are on the timetable, and you can book a short call with Ilia.
Previous: selective school Year 9 entry. Next: selective school Year 11 entry. Every year is covered in our guide to selective school transfer.
Thinking about Year 10 entry? Book a short call with Ilia, or let your child try a class first.