Is Nossal High School a Good School?
The short answer: Yes, for many students. Nossal High School is a co-educational government selective school in Berwick for Years 9–12, so there are no private-school tuition fees. Entry is through the Year 8 selective entry exam, and the school takes about 200 students a year.
Nossal is a co-educational government selective entry high school in Berwick, opened in 2010 to bring selective education to Melbourne’s south-east, and its VCE results are consistently strong (the school publishes them in its annual report). The better question for parents is not “is Nossal good?” but “is Nossal a good fit compared with Suzanne Cory, Melbourne High / Mac.Rob, or a strong local comprehensive?”
Deep comparison: Nossal vs Suzanne Cory, and our Suzanne Cory High School review. Full Melbourne pathway: complete Melbourne selective schools guide. Decision framing: is selective school worth it in 2026.
What Nossal actually is
- Type: Victorian government selective entry high school (Years 9–12).
- Location: Federation University’s Berwick campus (south-east Melbourne).
- Gender: Co-educational.
- Founded: 2010 (named after immunologist Sir Gustav Nossal).
- Entry: about 200 Year 9 places a year, through the same ACER exam as the other three Victorian selective schools (Years 10 and 11 use EduTest).
- Size: about 830 students, drawn from over 90 schools across Melbourne and Gippsland (per the school).
Results differ a little between the four selective schools from year to year. Those gaps are small next to the cost of a long daily commute.
Why families rate it highly
- A selective peer group and a culture oriented to academic stretch.
- South-east access: designed for Berwick, Casey, Cardinia and Gippsland corridors, so families are not forced into a long trip to the CBD.
- Co-ed option for families who do not want single-sex Melbourne High or Mac.Rob.
- Public selective: government school fees model (not private tuition), with voluntary contributions as elsewhere.
Honest caveats
- Prestige narratives that “only Melbourne High counts” are outdated for western and south-eastern families, but they still drive some preferences. Weigh sleep and study time too.
- Crossing town from Werribee / Point Cook to Berwick is usually a poor trade versus Suzanne Cory.
- Intensity and comparison culture can help or harm; know your child.
How you get in
Apply through ACER (applications for 2028 entry are expected to open around March 2027), sit the Victorian selective entry exam in Year 8 (expected June 2027; the date is not yet announced), list Nossal among your preferences, then track offers in the ACER portal. The exam has three parts: Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning (60 min), Reading & Verbal Reasoning (55 min) and Writing (40 min). If you are also weighing the single-sex schools, see Melbourne High vs Mac.Robertson.
When Nossal is usually the right call
- You live in Berwick, Narre Warren, Officer, Cranbourne, Pakenham, or nearby south-east suburbs.
- You want co-ed selective education without an inner-city commute.
- Your child wants academic stretch and can handle a competitive peer group.
Prep that matches the exam
Practise the ACER skill areas under timed conditions. EduSpark has 1 free paper per subject for VIC Mathematics, Numerical Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Reading Comprehension, and 5 sample questions with no signup. Writing needs separate practice (we don’t mark it). For a plan, read how to prepare for the selective entry exam.
Bottom line: Nossal is a good selective school. Choose it when it is the closest high-fit option — not because a ranking table told you to ignore geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nossal High School a good school?▾
Yes for many south-east Melbourne families: Nossal is a co-educational Victorian government selective entry high school in Berwick with consistently strong VCE results. The best question is whether the commute and culture fit your child.
How do you get into Nossal High School?▾
For Year 9, apply through ACER and sit the Victorian selective entry exam in Year 8 (the next is expected in June 2027), listing Nossal among your preferences. Nossal takes about 200 students a year. Years 10 and 11 entry uses EduTest.
Should I choose Nossal or Melbourne High?▾
Compare gender (Nossal is co-ed; Melbourne High is boys-only), commute time, and culture. Prestige alone is a poor reason for a 90-minute each-way trip. Visit open days and read the Melbourne High vs Mac.Rob and Nossal vs Suzanne Cory guides.
Is Nossal High School private?▾
No. Nossal is a Victorian government school. The school describes itself as "an academically selective coeducational Government High School", and it is one of only four selective entry high schools in the state.
Does Nossal High School charge fees?▾
There are no tuition fees, because it's a government school. Like other government schools, it asks for parent payment contributions, which School Council sets each year.
What is Nossal High School's median ATAR?▾
Nossal doesn't publish a median ATAR. Its latest annual report on the school's website (2024) gives a median VCE study score of 36. The reports are on the school's annual reports page.
How is Nossal High School ranked?▾
There's no official ranking of Victorian schools. Unofficial league tables rank schools by VCE results, and a selective school's results mostly reflect its selective intake. For a fairer picture, read the results Nossal publishes in its own annual reports.
How hard is it to get into Nossal High School?▾
It's competitive. There are about 200 Year 9 places. 85% of offers go by rank on exam performance, up to 10% through the equity category and up to 5% at the principal's discretion, and no cut-off score is published.
Related articles
Try 1 free timed VIC selective entry paper per subject
Exam-style timing, instant marking, and topic weakness tags. No credit card. Official ACER samples first — then structured practice. Practice helps; school places aren't guaranteed.
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