ACER scholarship test for Year 7 or 8 entry
What the Level 1 test asks, when your child sits it, and how to register with each school.
Practice test 1 is free. No card needed.
The short answer
For Year 7 or 8 entry in 2028, the shared ACER test day is 27 February 2027. Some schools set their own date instead, so check each school before you apply.
Checked by the SelectiveReady team on 24 October 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026 · How we check facts
Independent. Not affiliated with ACER or any school named here.
On this page
- What is the ACER scholarship test?
- What is in the Level 1 test?
- When is the ACER scholarship test?
- How do you register for the ACER scholarship test?
- Who can apply for an ACER scholarship?
- What if you live a long way from the school?
- What happens after the test?
- How hard is the ACER scholarship test?
- Is ACER or Edutest harder?
- What should your child bring?
- How can your child practise for the ACER test?
- Where can you go next?
What is the ACER scholarship test?
It's the scholarship test written and marked by ACER, the Australian Council for Educational Research. The tests are used across Australia to rank scholarship applicants, and ACER says they are designed to be challenging.
ACER doesn't award scholarships: each school decides who may apply and who gets an offer. So the school's scholarship page is where to start.
There are levels by entry year. Level 1 is for students entering Year 7 or 8; Levels 2 and 3 are for older students.
What is in the Level 1 test?
The Level 1 test has Written Expression, Humanities and Mathematics, online or on paper. It leans on thinking more than school knowledge: Humanities texts come from many subjects, but no specialist knowledge is assumed.
Mathematics aims at mathematical ability rather than school achievement, so expect unfamiliar problems. Each writing topic has its own time, so let your child practise switching style between them.
| Test | Questions and time | What it asks |
|---|---|---|
| Written Expression | Two topics, 25 minutes each | Extended writing in different styles |
| Humanities | 40–45 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes | fiction, non-fiction, poetry, cartoons, diagrams and maps |
| Mathematics | 32–36 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes | mathematical ability rather than school achievement |
When is the ACER scholarship test?
It depends on the school. Some join a cooperative sitting on a shared date set by ACER; others choose their own date.
A child in Year 5 now sits early in Year 6, for Year 7 in 2028. So plan preparation for the months before, including the summer holidays.
| Which sitting | Which schools | Test day | Applications close |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooperative | Schools in Queensland, NSW, the Northern Territory, WA and Victoria | 27 February 2027 | 7 February 2027 |
| ACEP | South Australian schools only | 6 February 2027 | 22 January 2027 |
| Alternative date | Each school chooses: any date in the school year; results go to that school only | Set by the school | Set by the school |
ACER notes that most Victorian schools use alternative dates. Check each school's date on its own page or on ACER's participating schools list, and note its closing date: late applications are not accepted.
- Applications opened
- Applications close
- Test day
How do you register for the ACER scholarship test?
You register with ACER, school by school, and pay each school's fee. Check each school's rules before you start, because they differ.
Check each school first
ACER asks parents to check each school offers a scholarship at your child's level.
Register and pay for each school
On fees: each school sets its own fee; one application per school.
Number your cooperative schools
For several cooperative schools, you give each a preference number, and your child sits at the first.
Ask early for special arrangements
Applications with evidence are due 4 weeks before the test.
On the cooperative date, your child can register for up to 6 schools and sits the test once. Alternative-date schools each run their own test.
Who can apply for an ACER scholarship?
ACER says each school decides who is eligible, so read the school's rules first. Non-Australian residents and passport holders should check with the school before applying.
If alternative-date schools on your list test on the same day, you must choose only one school. Decide early which matters most.
What if you live a long way from the school?
Your child may be able to sit closer to home. On the cooperative date, a child who lives far from their first-preference school can sit at another participating school instead.
| Further away | What ACER allows |
|---|---|
| The option | a Non-ACER Test Centre if you live more than 200 km from a participating school, with a supervisor and venue you organise |
| The cost | A surcharge of A$200 within Australia |
| The deadline | Requests at least 4 weeks before the test |
What happens after the test?
The results go to the schools, not to you. After a cooperative sitting: ACER sends results to the schools and emails parents.
Schools on alternative dates decide whether and how they report results to parents. ACER says schools contact parents directly to offer scholarships, so if you're waiting to hear, ask the school.
How hard is the ACER scholarship test?
Hard on purpose: ACER designs the tests to rank applicants and tell the strongest apart, so expect questions your child finds difficult. ACER says its maths material is drawn from many sources and may differ from school curriculum materials.
Tell your child that a hard question is a reason to move on, not to worry. ACER's own advice is to read widely and think critically, and to use practice materials to get familiar with the question types, not to drill.
Is ACER or Edutest harder?
Neither is simply harder, and the school chooses the test. ACER Level 1 has no separate reasoning tests and gives writing more time. Edutest has Verbal and Numerical Reasoning and a 15-minute Written Expression test.
See Edutest for that test.
What should your child bring?
Pens, pencils and an eraser, and no watch. So let your child practise keeping time with a wall clock.
| On the day | What ACER says |
|---|---|
| Bring | two blue or black pens, two HB or B pencils and an eraser |
| Not allowed | rulers, books or papers, calculators, watches or mobile phones |
| Arrive | At least 15 minutes early: latecomers are admitted only at the supervisor's discretion, and get no extra time |
How can your child practise for the ACER test?
Start with a full practice test to see which part needs the most work. Our ACER practice tests follow Level 1's sections and times, with 15 full tests of 130 minutes each.
ACER suggests you practise as if it were the real test, to learn the timing.
Practice test 1 is free: one full practice test with results, with a free account, including AI feedback on both writing topics of Practice test 1. Afterwards you'll see results by skill, so you know which part cost the most marks.
Where can you go next?
After the first practice test, work on the weakest part with its sample questions.
- Practise: the ACER practice test, then sample questions for Humanities, Mathematics and Written Expression.
- Plan: how to prepare for the ACER scholarship test and ACER scholarship test dates.
- Directory: schools that use the ACER scholarship test.
See where your child stands
Practice test 1 marks every answer and shows results by skill: what your child already does well and the three skills to work on next.
Practise for the real test
Practice test 1 is free. Then packs from A$109 for 12 months, or A$9 a week, per exam.