About the Exam
Students can apply to transfer into select NSW selective high schools at Year 8-11 through a competitive Edutest entrance exam. Students who apply for James Ruse Agricultural High School and any of the participating schools — Baulkham Hills, North Sydney Boys, North Sydney Girls, Sydney Girls and Chatswood — sit the Edutest exam once. The exam assesses verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematics, and written expression (30 minutes each). Applications require academic reports, NAPLAN results, and evidence of co-curricular achievements. The application fee is $180 per school, and you may apply to a maximum of three schools. Applications go to each school directly (17 June - 24 July for 2027 entry); Edutest handles test registration and payment only.
Exam Components
Schools
How to Prepare for NSW Selective Year 8-11
You sit the Edutest exam once and can be considered for multiple schools (James Ruse, Baulkham Hills, North Sydney Boys/Girls, Sydney Girls).
The $160 fee covers both application and exam — submit academic reports, NAPLAN results, and co-curricular evidence alongside your application.
Year 8-11 transfer is highly competitive with very few places — aim for top percentile performance across all five sections.
Prepare evidence of co-curricular achievement — the application is holistic, not just exam-based.
The August exam timing means you can use Term 1-2 for focused preparation while maintaining your current school grades.
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Exam-Matched Questions
Questions designed to match the Edutest exam format and difficulty.
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School Guides
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Exam Guides
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From our latest exam cohort
Students walk into the exam feeling ready
“Questions on BigBrain were similar to the exam, and I felt ready on exam day.”
S.B. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“I don't think I would have been able to perform this well without BigBrain and the tutoring.”
K.T. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain was really useful and helped me a lot. I'd definitely recommend it to everyone.”
M.B. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Thank you so much. I genuinely could not have done as well as I did without your input.”
S.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain is harder than the real test, so it preps you really well.”
R.M. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“I feel really confident about getting an interview because of your help.”
R.N. · Year 10 · 2026 · Edutest
“A really good platform, cheap and useful.”
R.X. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Questions on BigBrain were similar to the exam, and I felt ready on exam day.”
S.B. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“I don't think I would have been able to perform this well without BigBrain and the tutoring.”
K.T. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain was really useful and helped me a lot. I'd definitely recommend it to everyone.”
M.B. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Thank you so much. I genuinely could not have done as well as I did without your input.”
S.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain is harder than the real test, so it preps you really well.”
R.M. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“I feel really confident about getting an interview because of your help.”
R.N. · Year 10 · 2026 · Edutest
“A really good platform, cheap and useful.”
R.X. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“The discussion points were almost exactly the same as those on BigBrain.”
M.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like BigBrain. The questions asked were the same.”
P.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like Big Brain, the format and everything. I'm thankful I did Big Brain.”
B.C. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain has been a big help!!”
R.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · ACER
“They were really similar to the BigBrain questions and the Edutest practice tests.”
S.A. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“My child enjoyed the sessions, and parts of the program aligned really well with the exam content.”
P.L. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“The discussion points were almost exactly the same as those on BigBrain.”
M.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like BigBrain. The questions asked were the same.”
P.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“Exactly like Big Brain, the format and everything. I'm thankful I did Big Brain.”
B.C. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“BigBrain has been a big help!!”
R.K. · Year 9 · 2026 · ACER
“They were really similar to the BigBrain questions and the Edutest practice tests.”
S.A. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest
“My child enjoyed the sessions, and parts of the program aligned really well with the exam content.”
P.L. · Year 9 · 2026 · Edutest