ACER scholarship test dates 2027
The test days and deadlines that matter, so you can plan the months before your child sits.
Practice test 1 is free. No card needed.
The short answer
For 2028 entry, ACER's cooperative test is on 27 February 2027, and applications close 7 February 2027. South Australian and alternative-date schools have their own dates, so check each school.
Checked by the SelectiveReady team on 24 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 · How we check facts
Independent. Not affiliated with ACER or any school named here.
On this page
When is the cooperative ACER test?
It's ACER's shared test day: a date set by ACER for all the schools that join. For 2028 entry it covers schools in Queensland, NSW, the Northern Territory, WA and Victoria.
A child in Year 5 now sits it early in Year 6, for Year 7 in 2028. Applications are taken until the closing date below, and ACER doesn't accept late ones.
Your child can apply to up to 6 cooperative schools and sits the test once. You number them in order of preference, and your child must sit at the first-preference school.
- Applications open
- Applications close
- Test day
When do South Australian schools test?
Earlier. ACEP is a separate cooperative program for South Australian schools only, with its own test day a few weeks before the main sitting.
If your list mixes South Australian schools with others, check which sitting each school uses. Your child may need to sit both.
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Applications close | 22 January 2027 |
| Test day | 6 February 2027 |
What about schools with their own date?
They choose it themselves. Alternative-date schools can test on any date in the school year; results go to that school only. ACER notes that most Victorian schools use alternative dates, so in Victoria, expect the date to come from the school.
Each alternative-date school runs its own test, so applying to several can mean several sittings. If they fall on the same day, you must choose only one school.
ACER's participating schools list shows each school's closing date, test date and program, and asks you to check each school's website for its requirements.
Which other deadlines matter?
Start with each school's closing date, which is firm. The others matter if your child needs special arrangements or will sit away from the school.
Each school's closing date
ACER says late applications are not accepted.
Special arrangements
Apply with evidence 4 weeks before the test.
Sitting away from the school
If you live far from any participating school, requests for a Non-ACER Test Centre are due at least 4 weeks before the test.
Test morning
Arrive at least 15 minutes before the start.
Fees vary by school too: each school sets its own fee; one application per school.
When do results come out?
Results go through the schools. After the cooperative test: ACER sends results to the schools and emails parents. Schools on alternative dates decide whether and how they report results to parents.
For scholarship offers, schools contact parents directly, so if you haven't heard, ask the school.
How should the date shape preparation?
The cooperative test is a few weeks into the school year, so most preparation happens in the year before. Plan reading through the summer holidays, and sit a full Practice test a term or so ahead, so there's time to work on what it shows.
Afterwards you'll see results by skill, so you know which part to practise. The how to prepare page has a plan, and the ACER practice test follows Level 1's sections and times.
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.