Selective School Entry for Year 11 in NSW
Year 11 is the final entry point in the NSW Department of Education's Years 8 to 11 process, and students apply during Year 10. Each school runs its own selection: HAST schools use ACER's Senior Secondary level, and Sydney Boys High School adds a science test. Places differ by school and year.
Selective Success Academy prepares Year 10 students for Year 11 entry, in live online small-group classes on Microsoft Teams. The table lists the 20 schools we cover that took Year 11 applicants last round, each with its own page and the date we read it.
- Your child applies in
- Year 10
- HAST level
- Senior Secondary, maths and science
- Sydney Boys High School
- Adds a general ability science test
- Schools in the table
- 20
- 2028 entry (exams in August 2027)
- Dates not yet published
Schools that take Year 11 entry
Two schools we cover are not in this table. 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. Fort Street High School, by contrast, uses the HAST for Year 11 entry only.
| 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, plus a general ability science test for Year 11 | 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 |
| Caringbah High School | HAST | For Year 11, the principal weighs the HAST, school reports and an interview | 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 form and the most recent school report. 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, including the last two NAPLAN reports. 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 | HAST | Applicants are invited to interview depending on their HAST results and the merit of the application | 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 |
Which test, and at what level
- The HAST at Senior Secondary. ACER's Senior Secondary level is for Year 10 students seeking Year 11 entry, and its Mathematical Reasoning test includes science, as at Middle Secondary (ACER's HAST student support page, read 1 October 2026). ACER's sample question booklets are not listed for the Senior level, so practice material is scarcer.
- Sydney Boys High School. Year 11 applicants it short-lists sit a general ability science test as well as the literacy and numeracy tasks (enrolment information, read 1 October 2026).
- The EduTest. Set at the student's current year, Year 10, at Baulkham Hills, Chatswood (selective stream), James Ruse Agricultural, North Sydney Boys and North Sydney Girls High Schools.
- Normanhurst Boys High School. Its own literacy and numeracy test, as for the younger years.
- No test. Merewether High School selects on the written application.
When to apply
Year 11 entry in 2028 means applying during Year 10, in 2027: the round for a child in Year 9 now. Nothing is published yet for that round, except that Sydney Boys High School's forms will be available from mid-June 2027 and Penrith Selective High School's applications open mid June 2027.
For a sense of timing, the 2027-entry round opened on 17 June 2026 and closed on 24 July 2026 at most schools, on the Department's window. The August 2026 tests were Normanhurst Boys High School on Sunday the 2nd, the coordinated HAST on Saturday the 8th, Sydney Boys High School on Monday the 10th and the shared EduTest on Saturday the 15th, with outcomes in September and October. Sources: the NSW Department of Education and the schools' own pages, read 1 October 2026.
How to prepare in Year 10
- Practise science reasoning. Both the HAST at Senior Secondary and Sydney Boys High School's Year 11 test bring science into the assessment.
- Think about subjects. Gosford High School lists the availability of subjects or courses among its selection criteria, and Caringbah High School weighs an interview for Year 11 applicants, so your child should be able to explain their plans for Years 11 and 12.
- Collect two years of evidence. Baulkham Hills High School and Penrith Selective High School asked Year 11 applicants for their last two NAPLAN reports last cycle, and Hornsby Girls High School asked for the most recent school report.
- Write like a senior student. A clear argument, weighed fairly, matters more than length in a 25 or 30 minute task.
Free practice test
Find the right free test for Year 11 entry. Our Senior Secondary HAST set is still being written, so the HAST practice test offers the Middle Secondary set as general practice. The EduTest practice test and the Normanhurst Boys and Sydney Boys practice test work as a warm-up.
Questions parents ask
Can my child sit a selective test for Year 11 entry?
Yes. The 20 schools in the table took Year 11 applicants last round, and your child applies in Year 10. Sydney Girls High School and Blacktown Girls High School do not offer Year 11 entry.
Which HAST level does a Year 11 applicant sit?
ACER's Senior Secondary level, the level for Year 10 students seeking Year 11 entry. Like Middle Secondary, its Mathematical Reasoning test includes science.
Can my child join a selective school in Year 12?
Not through this process. Sydney Boys High School, James Ruse Agricultural High School, Baulkham Hills High School and Penrith Selective High School each say they take no new students into Year 12.
How many places are there?
No one can say in advance: it varies by school and by year, with the students who leave and the school's own decisions. We never quote a number. Book a short call and we can talk through where your child could apply.
How we help
Our Year 10 classes prepare students for Year 11 entry, for the HAST at the Senior Secondary level, the EduTest, and the Normanhurst Boys High School and Sydney Boys High School exams. See the Year 10 class times, or book a short call with Ilia.
Previous: selective school Year 10 entry. Start from Year 8: selective school Year 8 entry. Our guide to selective school transfer covers the whole process.
Planning for Year 11 entry? Book a short call with Ilia, or let your child try a class first.