Australia · Entry testHow many selective schools are in Victoria?
- Melbourne High School, South Yarra, for boys.
- The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School, Melbourne, for girls.
- Nossal High School, Berwick, co-educational.
- Suzanne Cory High School, Werribee, co-educational.
For places after Year 9, see the later entry page. Ask a school directly about its subjects and programs.
Who can apply
- Students in their second year of secondary school (Year 8) who haven’t sat the exam for Year 9 entry before.
- Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens living in Australia, or holders of a visa or ImmiCard that exempts them from international student fees at a Victorian government school. Meeting this by the time offers are made is enough.
- Students at government and non-government schools, and home-school students registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.
- The same rules apply to students living interstate or overseas. Fee-paying international students at Victorian schools can’t apply.
The Victorian selective entry exam
| Part | Minutes |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | 60 |
| Reading and Verbal Reasoning | 55 |
| Writing, two tasks | 40 |
A 20-minute break follows the first part and a 5-minute break the second.
Answers go in a paper answer booklet, and multiple-choice answers are shaded for machine scanning. Venues are across Melbourne, allocated by home address. The guide lists what to bring.
Victorian selective entry fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee | $175 |
| Remote sitting fee, extra | $215 |
| Kept if you withdraw before closing | $52 |
Those were ACER’s fees for Year 9 entry in 2027.
Fee waivers and refunds
- Applications are free for families with a valid health care card or pensioner concession card, and for First Nations families.
- Families facing financial barriers paying the fee can apply for a reduction.
- The $52 is also kept if a candidate can’t verify their eligibility.
- There’s no refund for a withdrawal after applications close.
- For a remote sitting you also pay the invigilating organisation directly.
How places are offered
- Standard merit: 85% of places, by rank in the exam.
- Equity consideration: up to 10%, by exam performance, for students whose parent or guardian has a Commonwealth Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
- Principal discretion: up to 5%. After the exam, principals may invite students with strong results to apply, and shortlisted students have an interview.
- No more than 4% of a single source school’s students get standard and principal discretion offers, or 10% for schools that run from prep to Year 9. The equity category isn’t capped.
Your school preferences decide which school an offer comes from; the applications page explains how to order them.
Sitting interstate, overseas or on another date
- For religious or cultural reasons, with a statement from a religious, cultural or community referee.
- If your child is eligible and living and studying interstate or overseas, with evidence from a workplace, the school principal or proof of address.
- If your child is enrolled in Victoria but, at exam time, is on an overseas exchange, representing Australia, or has a parent required to work interstate or overseas.
Requests go through the special arrangements form in ACER’s portal, with evidence, by the application closing date. Family holidays and special occasions aren’t accepted.
A child who is sick on exam day should stay home. You can apply for the alternative date through the illness and misadventure form.
Sources: Victorian Government · ACER and 2 more. Checked October 2026.
- Victorian Government: Selective entry high schools ↗
- ACER: Victorian Selective Entry High Schools, Apply ↗
- ACER: Victorian Selective Entry High Schools, Prepare ↗
- ACER: Victorian Selective Entry High Schools, Exam day ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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