Australian Selective School Statistics 2026: State-by-State Data

Australia has a competitive network of selective high schools and gifted-education programs across every state. Competition for places has grown steadily — NSW selective high school applications have risen by approximately 20% over the past four years while places have remained broadly stable, a trend echoed in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia. This page draws together publicly available government data on applicant numbers, places offered and acceptance rates for the major selective programs so families can understand the national landscape before choosing a selective school preparation path. Statistics marked with "~" are estimates based on available public data; all figures are sourced from official state and territory education departments.

How many students apply for selective schools in Australia each year?

Australia has more than 70 selective or partially selective schools across all states and territories. The largest program by volume is NSW, which runs both the Selective High School Placement Test (Year 7 entry) and the Opportunity Class Placement Test (Year 5 entry). The table below summarises national program scale.

Program	State	Annual applicants (approx.)	Places per year (approx.)	Acceptance rate
Selective High School Placement Test	NSW	~51,000	~4,200	~8%
Opportunity Class Placement Test	NSW	~17,500	~2,000	~11%
Selective Entry High Schools (SEHS)	VIC	~13,500	~1,600	~11–12%
Queensland Academies	QLD	~3,500	~600	~17%
Brisbane State High — Selective	QLD	~2,000	~280	~14%
IGNITE Program	SA	~1,500	~300	~20%
ASET / GATE Programs	WA	~5,000	~900	~18%

Source: State education department annual reports. Data current to 2024; 2026 projections noted where available.

What are the NSW selective high school acceptance rates?

NSW operates 17 fully selective high schools and 26 partially selective high schools, placing it at the centre of Australia's selective education system. The Selective High School Placement Test is held annually for students seeking Year 7 entry. Application numbers have grown from approximately 42,500 in 2021 to more than 51,000 in 2024 — a 20% increase — while the number of places has risen only marginally, making entry increasingly competitive. Our NSW selective school preparation programme is designed around this demand pattern.

Year	Applicants	Places offered	Acceptance rate
2026 (projected)	~52,000	~4,200	~8.1%
2024	51,234	4,178	8.2%
2023	48,892	4,162	8.5%
2022	45,123	4,118	9.1%
2021	42,567	4,095	9.6%

Source: NSW Department of Education, High Performing Students.[^1]

NSW fully selective high schools (17): James Ruse Agricultural High School, Sydney Boys High School, Sydney Girls High School, North Sydney Boys High School, North Sydney Girls High School, Hornsby Girls High School, Baulkham Hills High School, Normanhurst Boys High School, Girraween High School, Penrith High School, Parramatta High School, Blacktown Girls High School, Westfields Sports High School, Caringbah High School, Fort Street High School, Gosford High School and Manly Selective Campus.

What are the NSW Opportunity Class acceptance rates?

The NSW Opportunity Class (OC) Placement Test is held in Year 4 for gifted students seeking placement in Years 5–6 OC classes at one of 76 primary schools across NSW. OC classes are separate from selective high schools but share a similar competitive dynamic — applications have grown from 15,000 in 2022 to more than 17,000 in 2024. Preparation pathways are covered in our Opportunity Class preparation hub.

Year	Applicants	Places available	Acceptance rate
2026 (projected)	~18,000	~2,000	~11%
2024	17,456	1,980	11.3%
2023	16,234	1,956	12.0%
2022	15,123	1,920	12.7%

Source: NSW Department of Education, Opportunity Classes.[^2]

The OC test comprises three sections: Reading (30 minutes), Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes) and Thinking Skills (30 minutes). NSW transitioned OC testing to a fully computer-based format in 2022, a change that affected optimal preparation strategies.

How many selective schools does NSW have?

NSW has the largest and most diverse network of selective schools in Australia:

Type	Count	Description
Fully selective high schools	17	All Year 7 places filled exclusively through the placement test
Partially selective high schools	26	A selective stream alongside a comprehensive intake
Opportunity Class schools	76	Primary schools offering Years 5–6 OC gifted classes

The distinction between fully and partially selective schools matters for preparation: fully selective schools require a higher score threshold because every student in the school was selected, creating a more uniformly high-achieving peer cohort.

What are Victoria's selective entry high school statistics?

Victoria has four Selective Entry High Schools (SEHS): Melbourne High School (boys), Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, Nossal High School (co-educational) and Suzanne Cory High School (co-educational). Entry is through an annual written examination that includes Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics and Written Expression. Applications have grown from approximately 11,500 in 2022 to 13,500 in 2024.

Year	Applicants	Places offered	Acceptance rate
2026 (projected)	~14,000	~1,600	~11.4%
2024	13,567	1,580	11.6%
2023	12,890	1,560	12.1%
2022	11,456	1,540	13.4%

Source: Victorian Department of Education, Selective Entry High Schools.[^3]

The SEHS test is distinct from ACER-administered programs such as HAST. Victorian students should confirm the current test format directly with the Victorian DoE before commencing preparation.

How competitive are Queensland Academies?

Queensland has three specialist academies for senior secondary students (Years 10–12): the Queensland Academy for Science, Mathematics and Technology (QASMT), the Queensland Academy for Creative Industries (QACI) and the Queensland Academy for Health Sciences (QAHS). Applications are assessed on academic records, interviews and written submissions rather than a single standardised test. Brisbane State High School also runs a selective academic stream for Year 8 entry.

Program	Year	Applicants	Places	Acceptance rate
Queensland Academies (combined)	2024	~3,500	~600	~17%
Queensland Academies	2023	3,234	580	17.9%
Queensland Academies	2022	2,890	560	19.4%
Brisbane State High — Selective	2024	~2,000	~280	~14%

Source: Queensland Department of Education, Queensland Academies.[^4] The BSHS selective exam preparation hub covers preparation strategies specific to the Brisbane State High School selective program.

What are selective school statistics in South Australia and Western Australia?

South Australia and Western Australia operate gifted-education programs for academically able students, using different selection instruments from the NSW and Victorian systems.

South Australia — IGNITE Program

South Australia's IGNITE program offers accelerated and enriched learning at four government high schools: Glenunga International High School, Adelaide High School, Marryatville High School and Brighton Secondary School. Entry is assessed by an EduTest-style aptitude assessment.

Metric	Data
Schools offering IGNITE	4
Approximate annual applicants	~1,500
Places available	~300 per year
Acceptance rate	~20%

Source: South Australian Department for Education.[^6] Our IGNITE program preparation hub covers the test format and study strategies.

Western Australia — GATE and ASET Programs

Western Australia's Gifted and Talented (GATE) program operates across 18 secondary schools and uses the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET) for Year 7 entry. ASET was developed and is administered by the WA Department of Education. Notable GATE schools include Perth Modern School, Shenton College and Rossmoyne Senior High School.

Metric	Data
GATE secondary schools	18
Annual ASET applicants	~5,000
Places available	~900 per year
Acceptance rate	~18%

Source: WA Department of Education, Gifted and Talented.[^7] Preparation resources are covered in the ASET and GATE exam preparation hub.

EduTest is also used as a selection tool by independent schools in SA, WA and VIC for scholarship and academic-program entry — the EduTest selective school and scholarship exam hub covers that pathway.

Is competition for selective schools increasing over time?

Three trends are consistent across Australian states over the 2020–2026 period.

Applications are growing faster than places. Across NSW, Victoria and Queensland, application numbers have risen 15–25% over the past five years while places have increased by fewer than 5%. The result is a sustained decline in acceptance rates — NSW dropped from approximately 9.6% in 2021 to 8.2% in 2024.

State / program	Acceptance rate 2021–22	Acceptance rate 2024	Change
NSW Selective High Schools	9.6%	8.2%	−1.4 pp
NSW Opportunity Classes	12.7%	11.3%	−1.4 pp
Victoria SEHS	13.4%	11.6%	−1.8 pp
Queensland Academies	19.4%	~17%	~−2.4 pp

Testing has moved to computer-based formats. NSW fully transitioned both the OC and Selective High School tests to computer-based assessment in 2022. Computer-delivered tests present questions differently from paper-based formats and require familiarity with on-screen navigation and digital tools. Victoria and Queensland are progressively adopting similar formats for components of their selection processes.

Applicants are geographically concentrated. In NSW, approximately 70% of selective school applicants come from Greater Sydney, with particularly high concentrations in Northern Sydney, the Inner West and the Parramatta region. This means some students face higher local competition than the statewide acceptance rate implies, and that preparation strategies should account for the cohort a student is likely competing against.

Where does this data come from?

The figures on this page are drawn from official government sources:

• NSW Department of Education — High Performing Students team, annual placement reports and school allocation data.[^1] [^2]
• Victorian Department of Education — Selective Entry High Schools annual intake reports.[^3]
• Queensland Department of Education — Queensland Academies admission statistics.[^4]
• Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) — National school performance data.[^5]
• South Australian Department for Education — IGNITE gifted-education program data.[^6]
• WA Department of Education — Gifted and Talented program and ASET data.[^7]

Statistics marked with "~" are estimates based on available public data and may vary from official figures. Where exact numbers are not publicly available, conservative estimates are used based on historical trends and official press releases. This page is reviewed quarterly.

[^1]: NSW Department of Education, Selective High Schools. https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/students/high-school-options/selective-high-schools [^2]: NSW Department of Education, Opportunity Classes. https://education.nsw.gov.au/schooling/students/primary-school-options/opportunity-classes [^3]: Victorian Department of Education, Selective Entry High Schools. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/students/secondary/select/Pages/selectiveentry.aspx [^4]: Queensland Department of Education, Queensland Academies. https://education.qld.gov.au/parents-and-carers/school-information/enrol/specialist-schools/queensland-academies [^5]: ACARA, National Report on Schooling in Australia. https://www.acara.edu.au/reporting/national-report-on-schooling-in-australia [^6]: South Australian Department for Education, IGNITE Program. https://www.education.sa.gov.au/students/student-programs-and-special-circumstances/gifted-education/ignite-program [^7]: WA Department of Education, Gifted and Talented. https://www.education.wa.edu.au/gifted-and-talented-program