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  • 2027 test, 2028 entry

When is the OC test, and when do applications open?

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Not yet announced: the Department hasn't published any dates for the 2027 OC test, for Year 5 entry in 2028. Going by past cycles, we expect applications to open in early November 2026 and the test in late April or May 2027.

Facts checked Last updated Sources

Practice: the Department publishes free OC practice tests. SelectiveReady's practice tests are for the selective test.

Has the 2027 OC test date been announced?

Not yet. The Department has not yet published any dates for entry in 2028 (the tests sat in 2027). Its key dates still cover entry in 2027 only (checked 6 October 2026). The OC and selective tests share one application round, so the same announcement will cover both.

Last time, the announcement came only a few weeks before applications opened: For entry in 2027, the Department announced on 17 October 2025 that applications would open on 6 November 2025. We check the Department's key dates and replace each “Expected” date below with the published one as soon as it appears. You can see how we check, and every change we have made, on our sources and corrections page.

When do we expect applications to open and the test to be held?

For Year 5 entry in 2028, the dates are Expected: 29 October to 13 November 2026 for applications opening and Expected: 30 April to 16 May 2027 for the test. These are our forecasts from past cycles, not Department dates, so none of them has a countdown.

OC dates for the 2027 test, Year 5 entry in 2028

  • Applications open (expected)

    Expected: 29 October to 13 November 2026

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • Applications close (expected)

    Expected: 12–26 February 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • Last day to update application details (expected)

    Expected: 5–19 March 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • OC test (expected)

    Expected: 30 April to 16 May 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • Make-up test (expected)

    Expected: 14–28 May 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • Last day to change school choices (expected)

    Expected: 28 May to 11 June 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • OC outcomes (expected)

    Expected: 3–10 September 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

  • Reserve decision date (expected)

    Expected: 1–3 December 2027

    ExpectedNo countdown until the Department publishes the date.

The application window is the firmest pattern. The Department says: Applications are open for about 4 months, from November each year to February the following year.

The OC test date is less certain than the selective one. Last cycle the OC test was on 8–9 May 2026, a week after the selective test on 1–2 May 2026. The year before, both tests were on the same weekend. So our OC window allows for either pattern, and it is wider than the window on the selective test dates page. Each student sits on one day only, and the Department tells you which day.

Which school year is my child in when we apply, sit the test and start?

For Year 5 entry in 2028, your child applies in Year 3 in 2026, sits the test in Year 4 in 2027 and starts in Year 5 in 2028. That follows the Department's usual pattern: For opportunity classes, parents usually apply at the end of Year 3 or the start of Year 4. The child sits the test in Year 4 and starts in Year 5.

Because the window runs across the summer holidays, a child changes school year while applications are open. Last cycle the Department put it this way: Students applying for an opportunity class were in Year 3 when applications opened and in Year 4 when they closed.

An opportunity class is a two-year program in Years 5 and 6. Parents cannot apply for Year 6 only. The Department also gives usual birth dates, but so far only for the cycle that has finished: For Year 5 entry in 2027, students usually have a birth date between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2017. We will add the range for entry in 2028 when it is published. Who can apply and how is on how to apply for an opportunity class.

What were the OC dates last time, for entry in 2027?

For Year 5 entry in 2027, the Department published a full set of key dates, from the announcement to the end of reserve offers. The table lists every one. They are the base for our forecasts above.

OC dates for the 2026 test, Year 5 entry in 2027 (all published by the Department)
WhatWhenStatus
Dates announcedsourceFriday 17 October 2025Published
Applications open and closesource6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026Published
Opportunity Class Placement Testsource8–9 May 2026Published
Last day for illness or misadventure requestssourceFriday 15 May 2026Published
Make-up testsourceFriday 22 May 2026Published
Last day for misadventure requests (make-up test)sourceFriday 29 May 2026Published
Last day to change school choicessourceFriday 5 June 2026Published
OC outcomes releasedsourceWednesday 9 September 2026Published
Last day for an outcomes appealsourceWednesday 16 September 2026, 11:59 pmPublished
Reserve decision datesourceThursday 3 December 2026, 3:00 pmPublished
Term 1 2028 ends Friday 7 April 2028sourceFriday 7 April 2028Published

That cycle is not quite over. Families on a reserve list have a decision date still ahead, Thursday 3 December 2026, 3:00 pm. For Year 5 entry in 2027, offers from OC reserve lists continue until the end of Term 1 2028 (Term 1 of Year 6), if vacancies arise. That is the date in the last row of the table. How the lists move is on how the OC reserve list works.

What can I still do between the test and the results?

You can still change your school choices for a few weeks after the test, and you can ask for a make-up test if illness or misadventure affected your child. Last cycle the key dates gave Friday 5 June 2026 as the last day to change choices.

Illness or misadventure requests had their own short deadline last cycle, Friday 15 May 2026, about a week after the OC test. How the test day, the make-up test and the three test sections work is on how the OC test works.

When do OC results come out?

OC results come out in September of the test year. Last cycle the key dates gave Wednesday 9 September 2026, and for entry in 2028 the forecast is Expected: 3–10 September 2027.

The Department's own pages don't agree on the timing. One of them says late September, which is later than the date in the key dates. We show each wording so you know which one to trust.

How the Department's pages word OC results timing (2027 entry)
Department pageWhat it says
Key dates tableWednesday 9 September 2026
Application process stage diagramSeptember
OC placement timeline PDFTerm 3 2026
Page for studentsLate September

The Department's page for students says parents get a message in late September, although the key dates gave 9 September 2026. Go by the key dates. They name a day, and outcomes came out on that day. What the result letter means is on what the OC results mean.

How far can I trust a forecast date?

Plan around a window, not a single day, until the Department publishes its key dates. Even the Department's own early dates have moved. It once printed a table of future test dates that covered both tests, then removed it.

That is why every 2028-entry date on this page says “Expected”. If you are still deciding between the two tests, the OC and selective comparison sets out the school years and timing side by side, and the OC guide covers the whole process.

Sources

Each fact on this page, the page we checked it against and the source's own words. An “Expected” date is our estimate from past years, not the Department's.

  1. Application process

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 12 August 2026

    • No dates yet for entry in 2028PublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Entry in 2027 - SHS–Yr 7 entry in 2027 - OC–Yr 5 entry in 2027”
    • Last day to update application details (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: In the 2027-entry cycle the last day to update details was 13 March 2026, about 3 weeks after applications closed (from the Department's key dates as archived; past rows are dropped from the live page). Expected about Friday 12 March 2027; window 5 – 19 March 2027 is our plus or minus one week (confidence about 0.6).

    • Make-up test (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: The make-up test was on Friday 22 May 2026, two weeks after the OC test. Expected about Friday 21 May 2027 (our confidence about 0.7); the window 14 – 28 May 2027 is our plus or minus one week.

    • Last day to change school choices (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: The last day to change choices was 5 June 2026, about 5 weeks after the first test day. Expected about Friday 4 June 2027 if the pattern holds (our confidence about 0.7); the window 28 May – 11 June 2027 is our plus or minus one week.

    • Reserve decision date (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: The reserve decision date was 1 December 2025 and 3 December 2026 (3:00 pm). Expected window 1 – 3 December 2027 (our confidence about 0.65).

    • Opportunity Class Placement TestPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “8-9 May 2026 | Opportunity Class Placement Test (students are allocated to attend one test day only)”
    • Selective High School Placement TestPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “1-2 May 2026 | Selective High School Placement Test (students are allocated to attend one test day only)”
    • Last day for illness or misadventure requestsPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “15 May 2026 | Last day for parents to submit an illness or misadventure request”
    • Make-up testPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “22 May 2026 | Selective High School Placement Make-up Test”
    • Last day for misadventure requests (make-up test)PublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “29 May 2026 | Last day for parents to submit an illness or misadventure request - for the make-up test only”
    • Last day to change school choicesPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “5 June 2026 | Last day to change school choices”
    • OC outcomes releasedPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “9 September 2026 | Placement outcomes expected to be released”
    • Last day for an outcomes appealPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “16 September 2026 (11:59 pm) | Last day for parents to submit an outcomes appeal”
    • Reserve decision datePublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “3 December 2026 (3:00 pm) | Reserve decision date”
    • Results timing: stage diagram wordingPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Year 4 Outcome September”
  2. Applications to open for 2027 selective school entry

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 17 October 2025

    • Dates announced (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: Last cycle the Department announced the dates in a news item on Friday 17 October 2025, 20 days before applications opened; notice has shrunk from months (2023, 2024) to weeks (2025). Expected window 17 October – 6 November 2026 (our confidence about 0.6). 17 October 2026 is a Saturday.

    • Dates announcedPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “17 October 2025 Applications for 2027 entry to NSW selective schools and opportunity classes will open on 6 November 2025”
  3. Selective school and opportunity classes applications open

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 10 November 2025

    • Applications open (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: Applications opened on Thursday 6 November 2025 and Thursday 7 November 2024, the first Thursday of November in both years of the joint window. Expected about Thursday 5 November 2026; window 29 October – 13 November 2026 (our confidence about 0.4 for the day, 0.8 for the window).

    • Applications close (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: Applications closed on Friday 20 February 2026 and Friday 21 February 2025, the third Friday of February in both years. Expected about Friday 19 February 2027; window 12 – 26 February 2027 (our confidence about 0.55).

    • School year when applyingPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Students seeking placement in an opportunity class will be in Year 3 when applications open and in Year 4 when applications close.”
    • Applications open and closePublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “The application period is from 6 November 2025 to 20 February 2026.”
  4. Placement test

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 18 August 2026

    • OC test (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: In 2025 the OC test was on the same weekend as the selective test; in 2026 it was one week later (8–9 May, after selective on 1–2 May). With selective expected 30 April – 9 May 2027, OC is expected 30 April – 16 May 2027 (our confidence about 0.5; only one year of the new pattern).

  5. Outcomes

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 5 August 2026

    • OC outcomes (expected)ExpectedChecked

      Our estimate: OC outcomes came out on 5 September 2025 and 9 September 2026. Expected window 3 – 10 September 2027 (our confidence about 0.55).

  6. What are selective high schools and opportunity classes?

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 18 March 2026

    • Applications run November to FebruaryPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Applications are open for approximately 4 months, from November each year to February the following year.”
  7. Opportunity classes (list of schools)

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 23 July 2026

    • When families apply for OCPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “at the end of Year 3 or the beginning of Year 4 at the time of applying - in Year 4 when sitting the test.”
    • OC is a two-year programPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “It is a 2-year program (Year 5 to 6). Parents cannot apply for Year 6 placement only.”
    • Usual birth dates for Year 5 entry in 2027PublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “For Year 5 opportunity class entry in 2027, students would usually have their birth date between 1 January 2016 and 31 July 2017.”
  8. Future and past NSW term and vacation dates

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 17 August 2026

    • Term 1 2028 ends Friday 7 April 2028PublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “2028 NSW term dates and school holidays - Term 1 (Eastern) – Monday 31 January to Friday 7 April”
  9. Opportunity class reserve list bands

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 11 August 2026

    • OC offers continue to the end of Term 1 2028PublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Offers will continue to be made from the reserve list up until the end of Term 1 2028, should vacancies arise.”
  10. Opportunity class placement timeline (PDF)

    NSW Department of Education

    • Last day to change choices: timeline PDF wordingPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Last day to change school choices: mid-May”
    • Results timing: timeline PDF wordingPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “Placement outcome released: Term 3 2026”
  11. Get ready for the Opportunity Class Placement Test

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 3 December 2025

    • Results timing: student page wordingPublishedChecked
      The source's words
      “We will message your parents in late September to tell them if you have a place in an opportunity class.”
  12. Placement test (archived copy, Wayback Machine capture of 12 August 2025)

    NSW Department of Education · page last updated 5 June 2025

    • Withdrawn: old test dates for entry in 2028WithdrawnChecked
      The source's words
      “2027 | 2028 | Friday 30 April to Sunday 2 May 2027”
    • The old table missed the 2026 datesWithdrawnChecked
      The source's words
      “2026 | 2027 | Friday 1 May to Sunday 3 May 2026 | Monday 18 May 2026”

Quotes from NSW Department of Education pages are © State of New South Wales (Department of Education), used under CC BY 4.0.

Not affiliated with the NSW Department of Education. SelectiveReady (ABN 53 930 169 401) is an independent practice product. Every fact here is checked against the Department's own pages, and changes are logged.

How we check our facts