Victorian selective school practice test: where to find one
Independent. Not affiliated with the Victorian Department of Education or ACER.
ACER, which runs Victoria's selective entry exam for Year 9 entry, offers free sample questions, not necessarily as hard as the exam1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published to download. Real past papers aren't released: families get no access to the tests or individual scores2ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published.
What official practice is there for the Victorian selective entry exam?
ACER's sample questions are the official practice material. ACER runs the exam 3Vic Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and publishes the samples on its Prepare page, so your child can learn the style and format.
| Who publishes it | What it is | Format | Year | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACER, the exam's maker | free sample questions, not necessarily as hard as the exam1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | A download from ACER's website | Not published1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Not published | ACER's Prepare page |
| ACER | The exam format, with the time for each sitting | A web page 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | Current page | ACER's Prepare page |
| ACER, on the morning | practice examples of how to use the answer booklets4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published | In the exam room | Each exam | ACER's exam-day page |
| ACER | Real past exam papers | Not released 2ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | None | None |
Looking for a PDF? ACER's samples are a download from its Prepare page. We link to them and never host or copy them.
What do ACER's samples show, and what don't they?
They show the style and format of the questions. ACER says they are free sample questions, not necessarily as hard as the exam1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published, so a sample score tells you little about exam difficulty.
| Use the samples to | Don't use them to |
|---|---|
| See how questions are laid out and worded | Judge how hard the real exam will be 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Practise shading answers neatly 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | Work out a score, since marking is not published1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Not published |
| Talk through each answer together | Predict a result or an offer |
| Settle nerves about the unknown | Practise writing, since there is no writing sample 1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Not published |
ACER also doesn't publish question counts. 1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Not published So the samples can't tell your child how many questions to expect.
What does ACER say each part of the exam assesses?
ACER's Prepare page says what each part checks. Read it with your child before the samples, so each kind of question makes sense.
| Part | What ACER says it tests |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | year-level maths knowledge and reasoning, and using maths in real-world contexts1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Quantitative Reasoning | thinking and reasoning with numbers, patterns and shapes1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published, in abstract and real-world settings |
| Reading | finding information in texts, and linking, interpreting, reflecting on and judging their ideas1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Verbal Reasoning | thinking and reasoning with words, concepts and logic1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Writing | conveying ideas in precise language, with the ideas organised coherently1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published, across 21ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published tasks |
The tasks take 2 hours and 35 minutes1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published in all. With registration and breaks, the whole session runs about four hours.
When a question stalls, ACER suggests your child make an informed guess and come back to it at the end if there is time1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published. Practise that habit on the samples, so moving on feels normal on the day.
Why aren't there any past papers?
ACER keeps the exam secure, so families get no access to the tests or individual scores2ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published. No real paper from a past year is released.
ACER also treats trying to find out about any exam materials before sitting the exam4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published as misconduct. So be wary of anything sold as the real exam.
How should my child use the samples?
Use them once or twice, calmly, to learn the style. These steps are our suggestion, not ACER's.
Read the format together first
Look at the sittings and times, so the samples sit in context. 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published
Try one set without help
Use a blue or black pen, as on exam day, no calculator, and a quiet table. Shade answers as you would in the booklet.
Mark it together
Go through every answer, right or wrong, and ask your child to explain the thinking.
Name the trap
For each miss, name what went wrong, such as rushing or misreading one word.
Pick one habit to practise
Choose one habit for the next few weeks, not a long list.
How do I set up a fair practice morning at home?
Copy the real order and times once, so the day itself feels familiar. Use the sittings and breaks ACER publishes.
| Part | Time | House rule |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | 601ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published minutes | No calculator 4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Break | 201ACER · 14 October 2026 · Published minutes | Snack and stretch |
| Reading and Verbal Reasoning | 551ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published minutes | Shade answers neatly |
| Short break | 51ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published minutes | Stay seated |
| Writing | 401ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published minutes | Two tasks with two blue or black pens4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published |
Your own practice questions won't match the real counts, which aren't published. Treat the morning as a rehearsal of timing and calm, not a score.
What can a practice result tell you?
A practice result shows which kinds of question cost your child time or marks. It can't predict an offer, because places go on rank against every applicant. 3Vic Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
| A practice result can show | It can't show |
|---|---|
| Where your child slowed down | A pass mark or target score |
| Which traps came up more than once | Your child's rank among applicants |
| Whether nerves changed the pace | Whether an offer will come |
ACER says half the questions correct is not unusual1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published, and many children don't finish. A low practice score is normal and fixable.
What should be on our preparation checklist?
ACER's own checklist asks you to know the format and the answer booklet, download the sample questions, and have valid ID ready1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published. Here it is with a few steps of ours added.
Read ACER's Prepare page together 1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published
Download ACER's sample questions and try them once
Get photo ID ready: photo ID no more than 18 months old, with a clear photograph4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published
Print the admission ticket: a printed admission ticket (electronic versions aren't accepted)4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published
Pack two blue or black pens4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published
Plan the trip and a loose pick-up time
Agree that not finishing is normal 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published
For the last week, ACER's tips are a good night's sleep, no unnecessary pressure, and staying relaxed yourself1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published. Your child is more than one exam result.
How is this different from NSW practice tests?
ACER publishes official sample questions for Victoria. Our VIC practice pack explains the published specification, our designed counts, and how screen practice differs from the paper exam.
| Victoria | NSW Selective | |
|---|---|---|
| Official practice | ACER's sample questions 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | Online practice simulates the real test5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Past papers | Not released 2ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | 35NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published older sample tests as PDFs 5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| What the exam body says | no need to practise or revise1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published | Coaching is not necessary5NSW Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
Families in NSW can try a free NSW Selective practice test.
Questions parents ask about Victorian selective practice tests
Is there a Victorian selective school practice test PDF?
ACER's sample questions are a download from its Prepare page. 1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published We link to them and never host them.
Are ACER's sample questions free?
Yes. ACER offers free sample questions, not necessarily as hard as the exam1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published.
Does my child need to practise?
ACER says there is no need to practise or revise1ACER · 12 October 2026 · Published. Trying the samples once helps your child know the style.
Which year are the samples from?
ACER doesn't say which year's exam they come from. 1ACER · 13 October 2026 · Not published
Can someone tell us what was in last year's exam?
They shouldn't. ACER treats discussing exam content with tutoring companies, coaching colleges or other candidates4ACER · 13 October 2026 · Published as misconduct.