Applications for NSW selective high schools (Year 7 entry in 2028) and opportunity classes (Year 5 entry in 2028) open on Thursday 5 November 2026 and close on Monday 15 February 2027. The NSW Department of Education says closing dates are strictly observed and no late applications are accepted. The selective placement test then runs on Thursday 13 and Friday 14 May 2027, and the opportunity class (OC) test on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 May 2027. If your child is in Year 5 this year, this is the selective application window for them. If your child is in Year 3 this year, this is their OC window.
This guide sets out every date the Department has published for the 2028 entry round, who can apply, how the online application works step by step, and what is worth doing in the three months the window stays open. Every date below comes from the Department’s own application process page and placement test page, read on 31 October 2026. The Department notes that dates can change, so check those pages again before you submit.
What are the key dates for selective and OC applications for 2028 entry?
Here is the full published timeline for both pathways. Both share the same application window. The test days are different.
| Milestone | Selective high school (Year 7, 2028) | Opportunity class (Year 5, 2028) |
|---|---|---|
| Applications open | Thursday 5 November 2026 | Thursday 5 November 2026 |
| Applications close | Monday 15 February 2027 | Monday 15 February 2027 |
| Placement test | Thursday 13 and Friday 14 May 2027 (one day only per student) | Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 May 2027 (one day only per student) |
| Make-up test | Friday 11 June 2027 | Thursday 10 June 2027 |
| Last day to change school choices | Friday 25 June 2027 | See the Department’s OC page |
| Outcomes | August 2027 (exact date not yet published) | Check the Department’s OC page |
The 15 February 2027 closing date is also listed as the last day to request reasonable adjustments for the placement test, so if your child needs adjustments for disability or a medical condition, that request has the same deadline as the application itself.
Which year group applies in this round?
The naming trips a lot of families up because the entry year, the test year and the application year are all different.
- Selective high school: families apply between November and February while the child is moving from Year 5 into Year 6. The child sits the test in Year 6 (May 2027) and, if placed, starts Year 7 in 2028. So in practice, a child in Year 5 right now is the one this round is for.
- Opportunity class: families apply while the child is moving from Year 3 into Year 4. The child sits the OC test in Year 4 and, if placed, starts Year 5 in 2028. So a child in Year 3 right now is the one this round is for.
If you are not sure what the OC pathway involves, our guide to what the NSW Opportunity Class test is covers how the classes work and how the test differs from the selective test.
Who is eligible to apply?
The Department lists three conditions worth checking before you open the application.
- Residency. Students and their families must be living in NSW by the beginning of the school year of entry, which for this round means the start of the 2028 school year.
- Citizenship or visa. Students need to be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, an Australian permanent resident, or hold an eligible visa. The Department links to the list of eligible visas from its application page.
- Current school. Parents and carers can apply whether their child is at a NSW public school, a non-government school, in home study, or at an interstate or overseas school.
The Department also states that you must meet all enrolment conditions before you can receive any placement offer, so it is worth confirming eligibility now rather than after the test.
Can interstate or overseas families apply?
Yes, but there is a catch that matters for families planning a move to NSW. The Department says the selective and OC placement tests are only held in NSW. Students who are interstate or overseas must return to NSW to sit the test, and if a child cannot return to sit it, they will not be considered for placement.
So if you are relocating to Sydney or regional NSW for the 2028 school year, the practical question is not only “can we apply?” but “can our child be in NSW on 13 or 14 May 2027?” Build that trip into your plans before you submit.
How do you apply, step by step?
Applications are made online through the Department’s selective high school and opportunity class placement website at shsoc.education.nsw.gov.au. The Department’s steps are:
- Register using your own details as the parent or carer, not your child’s.
- Verify your email address from the message the site sends you.
- Log in and work through every section of the application. The Department asks you to answer all the application questions.
- Submit before the 15 February 2027 close.
- Upload any supporting documents after submission, through the application dashboard.
Students must both sit the placement test and apply through the online application website. One without the other does not count.
What does the placement test involve?
Both tests are computer-based, sat on computers provided by the Department at an allocated local test centre (most are local public high schools, allocated by your child’s primary school location).
| Section | Selective test (Year 6) | OC test (Year 4) |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 40 minutes | 40 minutes |
| Thinking Skills | 40 minutes | 30 minutes |
| Writing | 30 minutes | Not tested |
The selective test also includes a 20-minute snack break. On the day, students bring a printed Test Admission Ticket, two 2B pencils, an eraser, a sharpener and a clear water bottle, with stationery in a clear plastic bag because pencil cases are not allowed. Calculators, rulers, phones and smart watches are not permitted. The Department publishes official practice tests for both the selective and OC tests, and those are the best place to start.
What should you do between now and 15 February?
The window is 102 days long and runs straight through the summer holidays, which is exactly why applications get left late. A sensible order:
- November: check eligibility, gather your documents, register on the application site and submit early. Nothing is gained by waiting until February.
- November to December: look at the Department’s official practice tests together so your child knows what the screen and the sections look like. Treat it as familiarisation, not a score.
- Summer holidays: keep reading going. Long-form reading over the break supports both the Reading section and the Writing task, and it is the habit most likely to slip in January.
- Early February: log back in, check every section is complete and that any supporting documents and adjustment requests are uploaded before 15 February.
If you are weighing up when structured preparation should start, our guide on how early to start selective school test preparation walks through realistic timelines by test.
What does a sensible preparation plan look like? (Illustrative example)
This is an illustrative example, not a real family. Priya is in Year 5 in 2026. Her parents submit the selective application in the second week of November and request no adjustments. Over December she tries one official practice test with no time pressure, which shows that her maths is strong but she rushes long reading passages. From January, her weekly routine becomes one sustained reading session, one short written response, and one set of thinking skills questions. By March she starts timed sections, and in April she sits two full practice runs under test conditions. On 13 May she sits the test on her allocated day. Her parents then diarise 25 June, the last day to change school choices, and wait for the August outcome.
The point of the example is the shape, not the specifics: apply early, diagnose before drilling, and keep reading and writing at the centre because they are the skills that are hardest to rush. Our guide to reading and writing support explains how we build those skills with primary students.
How can tutoring help without turning Year 5 into cram school?
Good preparation for a reasoning test is mostly good teaching: wide reading, clear writing, and problem-solving explained rather than memorised. At NextStepAcademy our tutors work one-on-one, so sessions start from what your child actually finds hard. For some that is timed reading, for others it is explaining their thinking in writing, or staying calm on an unfamiliar question type.
We offer dedicated selective school tutoring and OC test tutoring, in home across Sydney or through online tutoring for families anywhere in NSW and for interstate families preparing to move. For younger children who mainly need stronger foundations, our primary school tutoring is often the better starting point. We will not promise a placement, because no honest tutor can. What we can do is make sure your child walks in prepared and confident.
What if your child is in Year 6 now and waiting on a 2027 place?
This round is not for them. For current Year 6 students who applied for Year 7 entry in 2027, the Department lists reserve decisions for Thursday 3 December 2026 at 3.00pm. If your child is on a reserve list, that is the next date to watch.
Frequently asked questions
When do selective school applications open for 2028 entry?
Thursday 5 November 2026, through the NSW Department of Education’s online placement website. They close on Monday 15 February 2027.
When do OC applications open for 2028?
The same day, Thursday 5 November 2026, closing Monday 15 February 2027. The OC test is on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 May 2027, with a make-up test on Thursday 10 June 2027.
Can I apply after 15 February 2027?
No. The Department states that closing dates are strictly observed and no late applications will be accepted.
Does my child have to sit the test in NSW?
Yes. The placement tests are only held in NSW. Interstate and overseas students must return to NSW to sit the test, or they will not be considered for placement.
When is the 2027 selective placement test?
Thursday 13 and Friday 14 May 2027 (students attend one day), with a make-up test on Friday 11 June 2027.
Ready to plan your child’s preparation?
Whether your child is in Year 3 heading for the OC test or in Year 5 heading for the selective test, the earlier you start, the calmer it feels. Every new family starts with our First Lesson Guarantee: if you don’t love the first lesson, you don’t pay. Book your first lesson today and we will match your child with a tutor who knows these tests.