Co-educational school · Berwick
Nossal High School Entrance Exam 2027
Nossal High School is a co-educational selective entry school for Years 9 to 12 in Berwick. It takes 208 Year 9 students each year through the selective entry exam sat in Year 8, and uses EduTest for entry at Years 10 and 11.
1 free paper per subject · no card needed · 3,700+ timed papers sat · 600+ students signed up
How entry to Nossal works
- Nossal High School accepts 208 Year 9 students each year through its selective entry process. Entry depends on sitting and passing an entrance exam.[2]
- The exam is conducted by ACER for Year 9 and by EduTest for Years 10 and 11, on behalf of the Victorian Department of Education. Only students who have sat the relevant exam can be admitted.[2]
- The school has 832 students, drawn from over 90 schools across metropolitan Melbourne and Gippsland.[1]
Year 9 entry: the same process for every selective entry high school
- Year 9 entry to all four selective entry high schools is decided by one centralised selection process that includes an entrance exam. ACER runs the application and the exam for the Victorian Department of Education.[3]
- Students sit the exam in Year 8, the year before they would start. They must not have sat the Year 9 entry exam before.[3]
- 85% of places are offered by rank from exam performance. Up to 10% are offered on exam performance plus the equity conditions, and up to 5% at the discretion of each school’s principal.[3]
- No more than 4% of students from a single source school (the Year 8 school) are offered standard and principal discretion places.[3]
- Offers are made in rounds. Most places are filled in the first round.[3]
- Applications are free for families with a valid health care card or pensioner concession card, and for First Nations families.[3]
The Year 9 entrance exam format
Nossal uses the Victorian selective entry exam, sat in Year 8.
| Part | Time |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | 60 min |
| Break | 20 min |
| Reading and Verbal Reasoning | 55 min |
| Short break | 5 min |
| Writing | 40 min |
- The exam tasks take 2 hours and 35 minutes. With registration and breaks, ACER says the exam takes about four hours to administer.[4]
- Multiple-choice questions plus written tasks. The knowledge needed in any section does not go beyond the Year 8 curriculum.[4]
- ACER publishes a set of sample questions to download, and notes they are not necessarily as difficult as the exam.[4]
Key dates
Official dates for the next round are not all published yet. Estimates are marked.
How to practise for the Nossal entrance exam
Timed practice papers, marked instantly, with an explanation for every question. There are 120 VIC Selective Entry papers in all, including one free paper in every subject.
| In the exam | Practise with |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning | Mathematics papers and Numerical Reasoning papers |
| Reading and Verbal Reasoning | Reading Comprehension papers and Verbal Reasoning papers |
| Writing | Not covered: we do not mark writing |
Each subject has its own timed papers, so a student can work on one skill at a time. To build stamina for the 60- and 55-minute parts, sit two papers back to back: Mathematics then Numerical Reasoning, or Reading then Verbal Reasoning. Our papers stay within the Year 8 curriculum; harder papers add reasoning steps, not later-year topics.
More about Nossal
Other schools that use the same Year 9 test
Questions about the Nossal entrance exam
What exam do you sit to get into Nossal High School?
For Year 9, the Victorian selective entry high schools exam, run by ACER: Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (60 minutes), Reading and Verbal Reasoning (55 minutes) and Writing (40 minutes). For Years 10 and 11, Nossal uses a test conducted by EduTest.
When is the Nossal entrance exam in 2027?
The 2027 date has not been announced. The 2026 exam was held on Saturday 20 June 2026, so we expect June 2027. The schools say applications for Year 9 entry in 2028 open in March 2027.
How many students get into Nossal each year?
Nossal accepts 208 Year 9 students each year, according to the school.
What score do you need to get into Nossal?
Neither the school nor the Department of Education publishes a cut-off score. 85% of places are offered by rank from exam performance, up to 10% through the equity category and up to 5% at the principal’s discretion.
Can you join Nossal in Year 10 or 11?
Entry at Years 10 and 11 uses a test conducted by EduTest. See the school’s Year 10 and 11 enrolment page for vacancies and dates.
Sources
Official pages only, checked 30 September 2026. EduSpark is not connected with Nossal High School, ACER, EduTest or the Department of Education. Check the official pages before applying.
- [1]Nossal High School: Enrolment and admissions
- [2]Nossal High School: Year 9 enrolment
- [3]Victorian Government: Selective entry high schools (eligibility, selection policy, key dates)
- [4]ACER: Prepare for the Victorian selective entry high schools exam (format, timing, sample questions)
- [5]Melbourne High School: Enrol
- [6]Suzanne Cory High School: Enrolment information
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