Brisbane State High School Selective Entry Preparation (HAST)

HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test) is the academic ability assessment developed and administered by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) for BSHS selective entry. It measures higher-order thinking — inference, reasoning, problem-solving, and written expression — rather than year-level curriculum recall. Year 5 students sit the HAST-P (110 minutes, three sections: Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning, Written Expression). Year 6 students sit the full HAST (140 minutes, four sections, adding Abstract Reasoning).

Brisbane State High School uses the HAST exam administered by ACER. It does not use EduTest. This is the most common source of confusion for Queensland families because the Queensland Academies (QASMT, QACI, QAHS) use EduTest. Families targeting both BSHS and a Queensland Academy must prepare for two different test formats with different timings and section structures.

BSHS offers two entry pathways for Year 7 placement. The Year 5 Conditional Entry pathway lets students sit HAST-P in Year 5 and secure a conditional place subject to maintaining academic, behavioural and attendance standards through Year 6. The Year 6 Direct Entry pathway is a single, more competitive sitting of the full HAST (including Abstract Reasoning) with immediate confirmation of the place. Year 5 reduces final-year pressure; Year 6 is one shot but with broader coverage.

HAST-P (Year 5) runs about 110 minutes: Reading Comprehension (approximately 35–40 minutes), Mathematical Reasoning (approximately 35–40 minutes), and Written Expression (two writing tasks, around 25 minutes each). The full HAST (Year 6) runs about 140 minutes and adds Abstract Reasoning (around 40 minutes, roughly 30–40 questions). Calculators are not permitted in Mathematical Reasoning.

Families complete the Selective Entry Online Application Form, submit a Student Summary, three semesters of school reports, current and Year 5 NAPLAN results, and Photo Identification Forms. The processing fee is $420, paid via the Qkr! app, with proof of payment uploaded alongside the application. Applications for Year 7 entry close in mid-June, with HAST testing held in late July. No alternative test dates are offered; attendance on the scheduled day is mandatory.

Brisbane State High School is one of the most competitive state schools in Australia, typically accepting around 5–10% of applicants for selective entry. There is no published cut-off score; ACER reports HAST results to BSHS, and the school ranks applicants in merit order. Only applicants above the merit cut-off progress to enrolment interviews with the school's Leadership Team.

Brisbane State High School, founded in 1921 and located at 130 Vulture Street, South Brisbane, was Queensland's first state secondary school. It is a Great Public Schools Association (GPS) member and a partially selective school. In 2023, BSHS produced more 99.95 ATAR scores than any other school in Australia. It offers more than 35 senior General subjects, the Aspire enrichment program for Years 7–8, and curriculum pathways including ATAR, VET and the International Baccalaureate.

The Aspire Program is BSHS's higher-order-thinking enrichment program for Years 7 and 8. It is merit-based and open to motivated students across English, Humanities, Mathematics, Science and Engineering, regardless of enrolment category. Aspire focuses on critical thinking, problem-solving and depth of inquiry to prepare students for the rigour of senior subjects and tertiary study.

Year 5 students typically need around six months of structured preparation before HAST-P. Year 6 students sitting the full HAST usually benefit from three to four months of intensive preparation on top of strong general academic foundations. The most effective programs include 10–15 full-length timed mock exams, daily mental-math practice, wide reading across fiction and non-fiction, and regular dual-task Written Expression drills.

ACER scores the HAST and provides results directly to Brisbane State High School. BSHS does not publish individual cut-off scores. Students above the merit cut-off are invited to face-to-face enrolment interviews with the Leadership Team to confirm placement, expectations and conditions. Outcomes — offer, waitlist or unsuccessful — are typically communicated within several weeks of testing, well ahead of the following school year.