Start with the school and scholarship you are considering, then confirm the assessment arrangements. A familiar provider name does not mean every school shares the same eligibility rules, application deadline or scholarship conditions.
Source checked: 12 October 2026. ACER's parent guidance explains its scholarship application and preparation arrangements. Read it alongside the participating school's current information.
Match the school, intake and test level
Write down the intended entry year and year level before registering. Check that the scholarship is offered for that entry point and that your child meets the school's eligibility requirements.
ACER describes cooperative and alternative-date arrangements. Schools set their own application fees, and an application can require additional school documentation. Do not assume that sitting one test automatically applies your child to every school of interest.
Build a practical application record
For each school, record the closing date, test date, documents requested, payment confirmation and any follow-up action. Note where the information came from and when you checked it.
If two arrangements appear to conflict, resolve that with the school or provider before payment. Keep confirmation messages so that a submitted application is distinguishable from a saved but incomplete form.
Use the right preparation material
ACER directs families to official practice materials through its parent account and says past papers are not available for purchase. Check the appropriate level and format before buying. Independent learning resources should not be represented as official ACER material.
Familiarity with instructions and practice in explaining reasoning are useful learning goals. Do not treat a commercial practice score as an official scholarship ranking or assume that a preparation purchase guarantees an offer.
Prepare writing through the task
Use an unfamiliar prompt, identify what it asks and develop a response in the required form. Avoid memorising a complete piece and forcing it onto a different question.
Our prompt-reading guide and writing-feedback checklist offer independent exercises. They are not the scholarship provider's marking rubric.
Read the offer conditions separately
If an offer arrives, read its actual terms rather than relying on a general article: what costs it covers, how long it applies and what conditions are attached. Ask the school to clarify anything unclear before accepting.
Applications and outcomes are handled by the school and provider. This checklist helps organise the process; it does not submit an application or establish eligibility.