Selective School Entry for Year 8 in NSW
Year 8 entry to a NSW selective high school is applied for in Year 7, the year before. There is no statewide test: each school runs its own process, and most use the HAST, at ACER's Junior Secondary level, or the EduTest. Places vary by school and year level.
Selective Success Academy prepares Year 7 students for Year 8 entry, in live online small-group classes on Microsoft Teams. Below is every school we cover that takes Year 8 entrants, with each school's own page and the date we read it.
- Your child applies in
- Year 7
- HAST level
- Junior Secondary, maths only
- EduTest
- Set at your child's current year
- Schools in the table
- 22
- 2028 entry (exams in August 2027)
- Dates not yet published
Schools that take Year 8 entry
Last cycle, for 2027 entry, each school below took Year 8 applicants. Schools can change their process from one round to the next, so check the school's page when the next round opens.
| 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 | 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 |
Which test, and at what level
- The HAST. ACER sets the Junior Secondary level for entry into Year 8, and at that level the Mathematical Reasoning test is maths only, with no science (ACER's HAST student support page, read 1 October 2026). Abstract Reasoning is part of the HAST but not of the Year 7 selective test, so it is often new. Our HAST guide covers each section.
- The EduTest. Edutest says students are tested at their current year level, so a Year 7 applicant meets Mathematics set at Year 7 (Edutest FAQ, read 1 October 2026). Our EduTest guide covers all five sections.
- The Normanhurst Boys High School and Sydney Boys High School exams. Each school sets its own literacy and numeracy test, and Sydney Boys tests only the applicants it short-lists. See the two exams compared.
- No test at all. Fort Street High School sets no entrance test for Years 8 to 10, and Merewether High School has no placement test.
When to apply
For Year 8 entry in 2028, your child applies during Year 7, in 2027. In other words, a child in Year 6 today applies in the next round.
No 2028-entry dates are published yet. Sydney Boys High School says its forms will be available from mid-June 2027, and Penrith Selective High School says its applications open mid June 2027. As a guide to the rhythm, last cycle ran like this:
- the NSW Department of Education's application window: Wednesday 17 June to Friday 24 July 2026;
- the Normanhurst Boys High School test: Sunday 2 August 2026;
- the coordinated HAST sitting: Saturday 8 August 2026;
- the Sydney Boys High School tests, for short-listed applicants: Monday 10 August 2026;
- the shared EduTest sitting: Saturday 15 August 2026;
- outcomes: September and October 2026.
Sources: NSW Department of Education and each school's page in the table, read 1 October 2026.
How to prepare in Year 7
- Read widely, and talk about it. HAST reading can include fiction, poetry, drama and non-fiction with charts and maps (ACER), and the EduTest's Reading Comprehension also asks students to correct and punctuate sentences (Edutest).
- Do maths without a calculator. ACER says none is needed for the HAST, and Edutest does not permit one.
- Meet pattern questions early. A few Abstract Reasoning sets a week builds the habit of finding one rule, checking it, then looking for the next.
- Write to a clock. The HAST writing task is 25 minutes, and the EduTest's is 30 minutes plus 5 minutes of planning.
- Keep Year 7 maths solid. Edutest says its Mathematics covers year-level number, measurement, algebra, space and data.
Free practice test
Find the right free test for Year 8 entry, or go straight to the EduTest practice test or the Normanhurst Boys and Sydney Boys practice test. For the HAST, our Junior Secondary set is still being written, so the HAST practice test offers the Middle Secondary set as general practice.
Questions parents ask
Can my child sit a selective test for Year 8 entry?
Yes. Every school in the table took Year 8 applicants last cycle. Your child applies, and sits any test, while in Year 7.
Which HAST level does a Year 8 applicant sit?
ACER's Junior Secondary level. At that level the Mathematical Reasoning test is maths only, with no science, unlike the Middle and Senior levels.
Is this the same as the Year 7 selective test?
No. Year 7 entry is one statewide test run by the NSW Department of Education and sat in Year 6. For Year 8 entry each school runs its own process, and most use the HAST or the EduTest.
How many places are there?
It varies by school and year level, and nobody can promise a number in advance. The NSW Department of Education says places depend on how many students leave, and each school is different. We will not guess at a figure; book a short call and we can talk through the schools that suit your child.
How we help
We run classes for Year 7 students preparing for Year 8 entry, for the EduTest, the HAST, and the Normanhurst Boys High School and Sydney Boys High School exams. Class times are on the timetable. To talk through your child's options, book a short call with Ilia.
Next: selective school Year 9 entry. For the whole process, read our guide to selective school transfer.
Preparing for Year 8 entry? Book a short call with Ilia, or let your child try a class first.