Every school across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & WA that uses the ACER Higher Ability Selection Test for selective, gifted and accelerated entry — with the test levels each one offers, and exactly how to prepare.
The Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) is an ACER-developed assessment used by 90+ schools across five Australian states — NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia — plus a small number of international schools. Participating schools use HAST to select students for selective entry, gifted & talented, and accelerated-learning programs, from Primary (Years 5–6) right through to Year 11 entry. Because HAST is school-administered (not a centralised state exam), each school sets its own test dates, fees and eligibility — so you register directly with the school, not with ACER. The full, state-by-state list is below.
The Higher Ability Selection Test is built by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to finely differentiate students performing at the very top end of achievement. Unlike NAPLAN or school assessments — which test what a child has been taught — HAST is designed to measure innate ability and reasoning: the higher-order, cross-curricular thinking skills that signal a student will thrive in a more challenging program.
Schools use it for a few different purposes. Selective government and many independent schools use HAST to decide who is admitted. Some non-selective government schools use it to offer places to students outside their catchment zone. And many schools use it to identify candidates for gifted & talented streams, accelerated learning pathways, or in-class enrichment.
ACER structures HAST by the year group a student is entering, so difficulty matches cognitive development:
For students entering Year 5 or 6.
Entering Year 7 or 8.
Entering Year 9 or 10.
Entering Year 11.
Tap a state to see every participating school and the HAST levels it offers. Always contact the individual school directly to confirm current test dates, fees and registration — eligibility is set school-by-school.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Abbotsleigh | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Beverly Hills Girls High School | Junior secondary |
| Blacktown Girls High School | Junior & middle secondary |
| Canterbury Boys' High School | Junior & middle secondary |
| Caringbah High School | Junior secondary |
| Castle Hill High School | Junior secondary |
| Chatswood High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Cheltenham Girls' High School | Junior secondary |
| Cronulla High School | Junior secondary |
| Epping Boys High School | Junior secondary |
| Fort Street High School | Senior secondary |
| Girraween High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Gorokan High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Gosford High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Granville Boys High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Homebush Boys High School | Junior secondary |
| Hornsby Girls' High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Hurlstone Agricultural High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Macquarie Fields High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Narara Valley High School | Junior secondary |
| Northern Beaches Secondary College | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Northmead High School | Junior secondary |
| Pennant Hills High School | Junior secondary |
| Penrith Selective High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Ryde Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| St George Girls High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Sefton High School | Junior secondary |
| Sydney Catholic Schools – Newman Selective Gifted Education Program | Junior secondary |
| Sydney Grammar School, Edgecliff Preparatory | Primary |
| Sydney Technical High School | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Toronto High School | Junior secondary |
| Wadalba Community School | Junior secondary |
| Willoughby Girls High School | Junior secondary |
| Woolooware High School | Junior secondary |
34 participating schools in New South Wales.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Alkira Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Al Siraat College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Aquinas College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Balwyn High School | Junior secondary |
| Berwick Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Box Hill High School | Junior secondary |
| Braybrook College | Junior, middle & senior secondary |
| Brentwood Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Cheltenham Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Dandenong High School | Junior secondary |
| Edgars Creek Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Emerald Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Emmaus College | Junior secondary |
| Hoppers Crossing Secondary College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Keilor Downs College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Lara Secondary College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Matthew Flinders Girls Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Mill Park Secondary School | Junior secondary |
| Parade College | Primary, junior & middle secondary |
| Point Cook Senior Secondary College | Senior secondary |
| Reservoir High School | Junior secondary |
| Richmond High School | Junior secondary |
| Scoresby Secondary College | Junior & middle secondary |
| St Finbar's Primary School | Primary |
| St Helena Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Taylors Lakes Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Trafalgar High School | Junior secondary |
| Traralgon College | Junior secondary |
| Warragul Regional College | Junior secondary |
| Wheelers Hill Secondary College | Junior secondary |
30 participating schools in Victoria.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Albany Creek State High School | Junior secondary |
| Benowa State High School | Primary & junior secondary |
| Brisbane South State Secondary College | Junior secondary |
| Brisbane State High School | Primary & junior secondary |
| Indooroopilly State High School | Junior secondary |
| Kelvin Grove State College | Junior secondary |
| Murrumba State Secondary College | Junior & middle secondary |
| Narangba Valley State High School | Primary, junior & middle secondary |
| Palm Beach Currumbin State High School | Junior secondary |
| Robina State High School | Junior secondary |
| The Southport School | Junior secondary |
11 participating schools in Queensland.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Aberfoyle Park High School | Ignite Program |
| Adelaide Botanic High School | Junior secondary |
| Glenunga International High School | Ignite Program |
| Norwood International High School | Junior secondary |
| Pedare Christian College | Primary, junior & middle secondary |
| The Heights School | Ignite Program |
| Underdale High School | Junior & middle secondary |
| Unley High School | Junior secondary |
| Woodville High School | Junior & middle secondary |
9 participating schools in South Australia.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Carey Baptist College | Junior secondary |
| Churchlands Senior High School | Junior secondary |
| Harrisdale Senior High School | Junior secondary |
| Mandurah Baptist College | Middle secondary |
| Mount Lawley Senior High School | Junior secondary |
| Ocean Reef Senior High School | Junior secondary |
| Piara Waters Senior High School | Junior secondary |
| South Coast Baptist College | Junior & middle secondary |
8 participating schools in Western Australia.
| School | HAST levels |
|---|---|
| Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Singapore) | Middle secondary |
International participating school.
HAST is administered by the school, not by ACER directly. That means each school controls its own registration window, test date and any fee. If you're applying to more than one school with different test dates, your child sits a different test at each. If two schools test on the same date, you'll need to choose one. Always confirm details on the school's own website.
Every participating school assesses the same core reasoning skills. Understanding each section is the first step to targeted preparation.
Moves beyond literal meaning to identify metaphor, theme, author intent and nuanced argument across novels, poems, editorials and scientific reports.
Interpreting data, making inferences and predictions, and applying logical problem-solving. Science content (astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology) is added at middle and senior levels.
A non-verbal section measuring fluid intelligence — spotting the underlying logic governing sequences of shapes, diagrams and symbols.
A cohesive, sophisticated piece under time pressure — persuasive or creative — judged on structure, vocabulary and original thought.
Find a participating school from the list above, then contact that school directly to register — there's no central HAST sign-up. The school sets the closing date, so check early. Families living interstate or overseas should ask the school whether remote or supervised testing is an option.
HAST Primary is used for upper primary students (typically Years 4–5, for entry into Years 5–6). HAST Secondary covers Junior (entry to Year 7/8), Middle (entry to Year 9/10) and Senior (entry to Year 11). The level your child sits depends on the year they're applying to enter.
With supporting medical evidence, schools can arrange accommodations for students with disabilities or injuries — for example, adjusted materials or a scribe. Raise this with your registering school well ahead of the test date so they can coordinate the necessary arrangements.
Results are reported to your school, which then contacts parents. An Individual Student Report shows how your child performed relative to other students of a similar age who sat the same test, expressed as a percentile rank for each sub-test and overall. Because the HAST cohort is already a high-ability group, a percentile here reflects standing against strong peers — not the general population. Selection criteria also vary by school and may weight particular sections.
BSHS is the most prominent and competitive HAST school in Australia. Because it's the school that puts HAST on most Queensland families' radar, it deserves a closer look — its pathways and test format differ from the rest.
Located in South Brisbane within walking distance of the CBD, BSHS runs an Academic Selective Entry program that is heavily oversubscribed every year — far more students sit the test than there are places. Successful applicants join the school's Aspire enrichment program, a dedicated stream offering extension coursework, inquiry-based learning and an academic peer group. Selection is based primarily on HAST performance; there is no published cut-off and no formal waitlist.
Year 5 students can secure a conditional place up to two years early. After scoring above the cut-off they take part in transition activities, attend an interview with the Leadership Team, and must maintain academic excellence through Year 6 for the offer to be confirmed.
The main and most competitive route into Year 7. Students sit the HAST, are ranked by score, and receive a direct offer if above the cut-off. School reports and NAPLAN results are considered as supplementary measures — there's no interview component.
Year 5 and Year 6 applicants sit the Primary (HAST-P) version — a paper-based test of about 1 hour 40 minutes across three sections (note this differs from the four-section secondary HAST):
| Section | Time | Format |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 35 minutes | Multiple choice |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 35 minutes | Multiple choice |
| Written Expression | 30 minutes | Extended writing |
| Entry | HAST test month |
|---|---|
| Year 7 — 2027 entry | July (sat the year before entry) |
BSHS sets its own test date each year and applications close before it, so always confirm the exact day directly with the school's enrolment office.
Because HAST measures reasoning and aptitude rather than memorised content, the most effective preparation is consistent and sustainable. For most families, 4–6 months of structured practice works best. Build backwards from your school's test date across three phases.
Understand the test, find your child's strengths and weak spots, and establish sustainable daily habits.
Develop time-management strategies for each section and give targeted attention to the weakest component.
Simulate full conditions, steady the nerves, and lock in test-day routines — no new content.
HAST rewards familiarity with its question styles and confident time management under pressure. Our platform is built to deliver exactly that — structured, realistic, ACER-format practice for every entry level.
21 full-set, exam-style papers per level with 900+ questions, mirroring the real HAST question type, style and difficulty across Reading, Maths Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning.
Writing tasks marked manually by qualified, selective-trained tutors, with structured feedback against the HAST rubric — and a chance to resubmit on premium plans.
Timed, time-scored testing builds speed and composure, so students walk into the real exam knowing the interface and the clock.
Instant, section-wise score reports after every test pinpoint weak areas, so revision time goes exactly where it counts.
Every paper can be retaken as often as needed within the access period, with full review mode and detailed worked solutions.
Fully responsive on phone, tablet and desktop — plus a free Handy Grammar e-book and free sample tests to try before you buy.
All packs follow the official ACER format. Pick your child's entry year — each plan includes 180 days of access (writing-only packs run 60 days).
More than 90 schools across NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia use HAST, plus a small number of international schools. The full state-by-state list — with the levels each school offers — is in the directory above.
The test format and the skills it measures are consistent because ACER develops it centrally. What differs is administration: each school sets its own test date, registration window, fees and selection criteria. That's why you register with the school directly rather than with ACER.
Students can begin as early as Year 4. HAST Primary suits upper-primary students (entry to Years 5–6), while HAST Secondary covers Junior (entry Year 7/8), Middle (entry Year 9/10) and Senior (entry Year 11). The level depends on the year your child is applying to enter.
Yes. Our HAST practice tests follow the official ACER format used across all participating schools listed above, so they're suitable regardless of which school your child is applying to.
Full HAST preparation packs include 180 days of access from purchase. Standalone marked-writing packs run for 60 days. Within that period you can attempt every paper an unlimited number of times.
Yes — the platform is fully responsive and works on smartphones, tablets and desktop computers, so students can practise anywhere.
Yes. Selectivetrial offers a 7-day money-back guarantee on all paid plans if you're not satisfied.
Whatever HAST level your child is sitting, Selectivetrial gives them realistic, ACER-format practice and expert-marked writing — the trusted choice of top performers across Australia.
