How do I make a Gifted and Talented application in WA?
Independent. Not affiliated with the WA Department of Education or ACER.
Apply online between 13 October 20261WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and 5 February 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published (6 pm Perth time1WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published) for the 2028 intake. You list up to 32WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published program preferences, and your child sits the ASET in Year 6.
What happens at the application stage?
Applying is the first of five steps, and the one where your choices matter most. You apply online only2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published to the WA Department of Education, not to a school, and the Department runs every step after it.
You are here: apply in Year 5
One online application, with up to 32WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published program preferences.
Your child sits the ASET in Year 6
Most children sit it on 6 March 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
A performance report by email
Expected in June 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Expected.
Reserve lists, then enrolment
Reserve lists close 1 December 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
The official step is the Department's online application page.
When do applications open and close?
Applications for the 2028 intake open 13 October 20261WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published and close 5 February 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, at 6 pm Perth time1WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. The deadline is Perth time, so check it against your own clock if you live in another state.
14 October 2026–23 November 20261WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Parent information evenings
Talks on applying, testing and placement.
13 October 20261WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Applications open
Online only. 2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
5 February 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Applications close, 6 pm Perth time1WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Requests for adjusted conditions close the same day. 1WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
9 February 20271WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published
Interstate and overseas families choose a test place
15 February 20271WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published
Outcomes of ASET support requests by email
6 March 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
The ASET for Year 6
Perth metro, Bunbury and Albany.
The Department says these dates may be subject to change1WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Every other date, by place and year, is on the ASET dates page.
Who can apply for Year 7 in 2028?
Your child can apply if they will be in Year 6 at the time of testing in 20273WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Eligibility goes by school year, and there is one application per child per intake3WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
| Your child | Can they apply? |
|---|---|
| In Year 6 when tested in 2027 | Yes, for Year 7 in 2028. 3WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Accelerated earlier in school | Yes. Eligibility goes by the school year at the time of testing, not the date of birth3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
| Born outside the usual range for the year | Yes, with evidence that your child is in the right year group2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
| Living interstate and moving to WA | Yes, for families moving to WA for the intake year3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
| Has already sat the ASET for this intake | No. A child sits it once for each intake3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
| On a temporary visa | Check first. Local enrolment entitlement is automatic for Australian citizens and permanent residents, and held by only some temporary visas3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. |
If your family is on a temporary visa, the Department asks you to contact its Gifted and Talented team before you apply. 3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published
What does the online form ask for?
The form has three parts: your child, you, and your program preferences. Then you review and submit.
Your child's details
Name, date of birth and school. If the school will change, list the school your child is most likely to attend in March 20272WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Children sit at the same place and time as other students from the same school and year2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Parent or carer details
Everything comes by email, so give at least one email address and check it regularly2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Add the Department's address to your safe senders.
Review and submit
Check names, email addresses and preferences. The confirmation email is your proof of application, with a record of your preferences2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
How do I choose up to three preferences?
List the programs your child most wants, in that order, and include every type they might want. Your preferences decide which assessments your child is invited to2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and your child is considered only for the programs you list as preferences3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
| Program type | What your child does after you apply |
|---|---|
| Academic | Sits the ASET only4WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published |
| Arts | Takes part in the ASET plus workshops, auditions and interviews5WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published |
| Languages | Is selected on the ASET result combined with an interview6WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published |
Order by what your child wants
List preferences in order of what you most want2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, not by guessed chances. A higher preference never blocks a lower one: a child gets at most one offer in each round, for the highest preference your child qualifies for3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Testing matters more than order
The Department says order is less important than making sure your child is in the testing they need2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
You can change the order later
Changes are possible before each release of offers, if your child has done the testing needed2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Arts can't be added after testing
Arts need workshops and auditions, so list an arts program now if your child might want one. 2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
What if my child needs adjustments on test day?
Ask separately from the online form, with evidence, by 5 February 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Support your child gets at school is not applied automatically3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published to the ASET.
Adjustments are designed to give access, not advantage3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. ASET support outcomes are emailed 15 February 20271WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, and arts workshop outcomes 10 February 20271WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
What happens after you submit?
Keep the confirmation email: it is your proof of application, with a record of your preferences2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. You can't edit the application yourself. Changes go by asking the Gifted and Talented team by email or phone2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Testing details come by email. The day they are sent is not published1WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Not published, so watch your inbox and junk folder once applications close.
Test dates cannot be changed to suit individual circumstances3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Catch-up testing is kept for timely evidence of illness or injury, or representing the state or nation in a sporting event, competition or show3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
A holiday booked before you applied may also be considered. 4WA Education · 14 October 2026 · Published If your child falls ill before the test, contact gtsu@education.wa.edu.au or 9264 43071WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published first; if they are sick on the day, email within 484WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published hours.
What if we miss the deadline?
Late applications are considered only for exceptional and unavoidable circumstances2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. The Department lists reasons it won't accept, including not knowing about the program or deadlines, not reading the information, and voluntary travel2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
You ask by email, before testing starts: late requests are not considered once testing has started2WA Education · 14 October 2026 · Published. The Department replies within 22WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published working days. A refusal is final, with no appeal2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published, so set the reminder now.
How do these rules work for real families?
A child who skipped a year
Your child was accelerated and is in Year 6 in 2027, a year younger than most classmates.
They can apply for Year 7 in 2028. Eligibility goes by the school year at the time of testing, not the date of birth3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Music and academic both appeal
Your child plays violin and loves maths, and you can't decide between a music program and an academic one.
List both, in the order your child prefers. Your child is then invited to the music audition as well as the ASET. 2WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published
Moving from Sydney during 2027
Your family will move to Perth for the 2028 school year, and your child is in Year 5 in a Sydney school now.
Apply by 5 February 20271WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, then choose a test place by 9 February 20271WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Sitting at an ACER office costs A$2503WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published.
You hear about the program after applications close
Applications closed weeks ago, and you hadn't known the program existed.
Not knowing about the program isn't accepted as a reason for a late application. 2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published The next chance is the Year 9 intake in 20303WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
What can't be known yet?
Nobody can tell you now whether your child will be offered a place. Cut-off scores are known only when each round is released7WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and minimum scores for 2028 entry are published only at the end of the 2027 placement process7WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Keep the application quiet at home, so your child doesn't carry its weight. The handbook says the ASET is not curriculum-based8WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, so there is nothing extra to learn.
Questions parents ask about applying
Does applying cost anything?
No. The programs are fully Government funded3WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published. Sitting the ASET at an ACER office interstate costs A$2503WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published per student.
Can we change our preferences after applying?
Yes, by asking the Department. Changes are possible before each release of offers, if your child has done the testing needed2WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. Some deadlines are still to be confirmed, such as academic preferences for the first round. 1WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Not published
Does living near a host school help?
No. There is no advantage for living in the school's catchment3WA Education · 12 October 2026 · Published, and offers are based on performance in the assessments, your preferences and the number of vacancies3WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published.
Who can I ask about our application?
The Department's Gifted and Talented team answers at gtsu@education.wa.edu.au or 9264 43071WA Education · 13 October 2026 · Published. We are not part of the Department and can't see any application.