ACER Scholarship vs EduTest: choosing and preparing for 2027–28
A parent reference for the two scholarship products Australian independent schools name most often — ACER Scholarship Tests (Level P and Secondary Levels 1–3) and EduTest scholarship sittings — for 2027 and 2028 entry planning.
By Braintree Editorial, Exam preparation editors, Braintree Coaching Australia
Reviewed by Braintree Academic Panel on
Last updated
Braintree Coaching Australia is online-only, exam-specialist, national coverage, built for regional families — so families comparing options get the same expert exam guidance wherever they live in Australia.
Quick Answer
Prepare for the product named on each target school’s scholarship page. ACER Scholarship Tests are ACER’s Level P (reading, maths, writing) or Secondary Levels 1–3 (writing, humanities, maths). EduTest is a separate five-section Ability + Achievement battery (verbal and numerical reasoning, reading, maths, written expression). They are not interchangeable — split mock tracks when you apply to schools using different providers.
- ACER ScholarshipLevel P · Levels 1–3
- EduTest5 sections · Ability + Achievement
- RegistrationPer school (both)
- Confirm firstSchool scholarship page
ACER Scholarship Tests and EduTest are the two provider names parents see most often on independent-school scholarship pages. They are not the same paper. Start with the private school scholarship exams overview if you are still mapping providers, then return here to choose a prep track. This page helps families choose and prepare for 2027 and 2028 entry when schools name one product or when a child applies to schools using both — without duplicating the national three-way matrix that also includes HAST.
ACER Scholarship vs EduTest at a glance
| Dimension | ACER Scholarship Tests | EduTest scholarship sittings |
|---|---|---|
| Publisher | Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) | Edutest Co Pty Ltd |
| Primary levels | Level P (Years 4–6 entry); Levels 1–3 (Years 7–12 entry) | Year-level Ability + Achievement battery (school-set) |
| Typical sections | Level P: reading & viewing, maths, writing · Secondary: writing, humanities, maths | Verbal Reasoning; Numerical Reasoning; Reading; Mathematics; Written Expression |
| Delivery | Level P paper; Secondary online or paper | School / programme sitting (paper or online per school) |
| Registration | Parents register per school; ACER marks and reports to school | Parents register per school programme using EduTest |
| Example school (ACER) | Brisbane Grammar Trustees’ Scholarships name ACER Scholarship Examination | Many independent scholarships book EduTest sittings |
Sources checked 15 July 2026: ACER Scholarship Tests; EduTest parents page; Brisbane Grammar Scholarships.
Section and timing comparison
| Skill area | ACER Scholarship (Secondary Levels 1–3) | EduTest |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal / language reasoning | Humanities (MCQ) — not a separate Verbal Ability paper | Verbal Reasoning — 30 min Ability MCQ |
| Number / pattern reasoning | Mathematics (MCQ, no calculator) | Numerical Reasoning — 30 min Ability MCQ |
| Curriculum-linked maths | Inside Mathematics section | Mathematics — 30 min Achievement MCQ |
| Reading | Level P: Reading and Viewing · Secondary: inside Humanities | Reading Comprehension — 30 min Achievement MCQ |
| Writing | Written Expression (school-set timing) | Written Expression — 15 min (no planning time) |
Minute-by-minute ACER Scholarship timings are school-/sitting-specific and are Unconfirmed as one national clock as of 15 July 2026 — use the school pack as the timing source of truth. EduTest section durations match the EduTest parents page.
2027–28 registration checklist (both providers)
| Step | ACER Scholarship | EduTest |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Copy provider name from scholarship page | Same |
| 2 | Confirm Level P or Secondary 1–3 | Confirm Ability + Achievement sitting |
| 3 | Register and pay through each school applied to | Register per school programme |
| 4 | Note sitting month (Unconfirmed until school publishes) | Same |
| 5 | Match mocks to registered level / five sections | Subject drills on EduTest practice by subject |
Of Braintree Coaching Australia’s 2024 enrolment volume (4,214 students across programmes), scholarship families who listed every target school’s named provider before buying mocks spent less time reworking the wrong paper format in the final term — a programme observation from tutor intake notes, not a placement guarantee.
How to split prep when schools use different papers
- Map the list first. Write provider, entry year, and sitting month for every school — before any paid bank.
- Shared foundations. Wide reading, calculator-free maths fluency, and one weekly timed write transfer across providers.
- Provider-specific mocks. ACER Level P or Secondary full sittings on ACER Scholarship practice resources; EduTest five-section mocks on EduTest practice by subject.
- Do not merge tracks in the final eight weeks. An EduTest verbal-reasoning drill does not substitute for ACER Humanities timing; an ACER Secondary mock is not an EduTest Ability paper.
- Use the right comparison page. This page owns ACER Scholarship vs EduTest choosing. The AAS overview plus all three scholarship products (including HAST) sits on Private school scholarship exams. The national ACER / EduTest / HAST matrix is on Australian scholarship exams compared.
For EduTest-only registration and scholarship context see EduTest scholarship exams parent guide. For ACER level structure and dates see ACER Scholarship Test preparation. Start timed familiarisation on free mock tests once the provider is confirmed.
What this page does not claim
- No official scholarship cut-off scores are published on the Tier 1 sources cited above.
- This page does not cover HAST selective entry — see HAST vs EduTest for Queensland selective pathways.
- NSW government OC and Selective papers are a different family — see NSW OC & Selective timeline/caps 2027–28.
Related reading
Key facts.
- ACER Scholarship Level P
- Reading and Viewing · Mathematics · Writing (paper)
- ACER Scholarship Levels 1–3
- Written Expression · Humanities · Mathematics
- EduTest Ability
- Verbal Reasoning · Numerical Reasoning (30 min each)
- EduTest Achievement
- Reading · Maths · Written Expression (15 min write)
- Who sets sitting dates
- Each participating school
Data sources and references.
- ACER — Scholarship Tests
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)
Official Primary Level P and Secondary Levels 1–3 structure, delivery modes, and school-managed scholarship cycle.
- EduTest — Scholarship and entrance testing (parents)
Edutest Co Pty Ltd
Official Ability and Achievement section names, timings, and prohibited items.
- Brisbane Grammar School — Academic Scholarships
Brisbane Grammar School
Example school naming the ACER Scholarship Examination for Trustees’ Scholarships.
Common questions, plainly answered.
5 questions Australian parents ask most often about this topic.
Exam preparation guides.
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