Quick answer: EduTest results are norm-referenced: your child's performance is compared with other students in the same year level, not marked against a pass mark. EduTest sends results to the school, usually within seven working days of testing, and the school decides on scholarships or places and whether to share a report with families. If you do receive a report, it may describe results as percentiles or stanines. A percentile shows the percentage of students who scored at or below your child. A stanine places your child on a 1 to 9 scale, where 5 is average and 7 to 9 is well above average.
How EduTest results work
Results go to the school first
EduTest runs the test on the school's behalf, then marks and analyses the results and returns them to the school. For both paper and online testing, results are typically delivered within seven working days.
The school, not EduTest, then:
- decides who is offered a scholarship or place,
- decides whether families receive a results report, and in what form,
- sets its own timeline for letting families know.
If you haven't heard anything, contact the school's admissions team rather than EduTest.
There's no pass mark
EduTest scholarship and selective tests are built to rank applicants. Your child's score in each section is compared with a large sample of students in the same year level across Australia. A result that looks modest as a raw mark can still be strong once it's compared with everyone else, because the questions are deliberately difficult.
Results are reported by section
EduTest groups its sections into two types:
| Type | Sections | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Ability | Verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning | How well your child reasons with words and numbers, independent of what they've been taught |
| Achievement | Reading comprehension, mathematics, written expression | What your child has learned and can apply |
Schools use these section results in different ways. Some weight all sections equally, some put more weight on reasoning, and many combine results with school reports, an interview or a portfolio. EduTest doesn't publish a standard weighting, so the school's own selection criteria are what matter.
Percentiles explained
A percentile rank tells you the percentage of students in the comparison group who scored at or below your child.
| Percentile | What it means |
|---|---|
| 99th | Scored as well as or better than 99% of the comparison group |
| 90th | Better than about 90%, so in roughly the top 10% |
| 75th | Better than about three quarters of students |
| 50th | Right in the middle |
| 25th | Better than about a quarter of students |
Two things to keep in mind:
- A percentile is not a percentage correct. The 80th percentile doesn't mean 80% of questions were right. On a hard test, a student who gets 60% correct may be well above the 80th percentile.
- Check the comparison group. A scholarship applicant pool is usually stronger than the general population. If a report compares your child only with other applicants, a mid-range percentile can still be a very good result.
Stanines explained
A stanine ("standard nine") is a scale from 1 to 9 used by many educational tests to group results into broad bands. Each band covers a fixed slice of the comparison group:
| Stanine | Description | Share of students |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Very high | Top 4% |
| 8 | Well above average | Next 7% |
| 7 | Above average | Next 12% |
| 6 | High average | 17% |
| 5 | Average | Middle 20% |
| 4 | Low average | 17% |
| 3 | Below average | 12% |
| 2 | Well below average | 7% |
| 1 | Very low | Bottom 4% |
So stanines 7, 8 and 9 together cover the top 23% of the comparison group, and stanine 9 is the top 4%. Competitive scholarships often go to students in that 7 to 9 range, though every school sets its own bar.
Stanines are deliberately broad. Two students with stanine 7 may be a few percentile points apart, and a student near the top of stanine 6 is very close to one at the bottom of stanine 7. Treat them as bands, not exact positions.
Important: EduTest doesn't publish a single standard format for parent reports, and schools decide what to pass on. If your report uses stanines, percentiles or another scale, always read it using the key printed on that report.
How schools use the results
- Each school sets its own criteria. There's no national cut-off, and thresholds change from year to year depending on the applicants.
- Results are often one part of the decision. Many schools also look at school reports, NAPLAN results, interviews or portfolios. For example, Queensland Academies (QASMT, QACI and QAHS) use an EduTest entrance test alongside school reports and an engagement activity.
- Writing can matter more than it looks. The written expression task is only 15 minutes, but some schools look at it closely because it's the one section that shows how a student communicates.
What to do with the results
If your child was offered a scholarship or place: check the acceptance deadline carefully, as some schools allow only a short window.
If they weren't: ask the school whether section-level feedback is available. Knowing that numerical reasoning was strong but written expression was weak tells you exactly what to work on if your child applies again or sits another test.
If you're preparing for next time: a practice test with a skill breakdown shows which sections, and which skills within them, are pulling the overall result down.
EduTest-style practice with a skill breakdown
Our EduTest-format practice tests cover all five sections under timed conditions. Results show a breakdown by skill within each section, every multiple-choice question has a worked explanation, and written expression is marked by a human teacher.
Not sure your school uses EduTest? See EduTest vs ACER: which test does your school use?
Practice test results are an independent guide. They are not EduTest results and don't predict scholarship outcomes.
Frequently asked questions
Do parents get EduTest results directly?
EduTest sends results to the school. The school decides whether to give families a report and what it includes.
How long do EduTest results take?
EduTest typically delivers results to schools within seven working days of testing. Schools then set their own timeline for offers and notifications, which can take several weeks.
What is a good EduTest score?
There's no pass mark. Results compare your child with others in the same year level, so a "good" result depends on the school and the applicant pool. As a rough guide, results in the top quarter (around the 75th percentile, or stanine 7 and above) are competitive for many scholarships.
What does stanine 7 mean?
Above average. Stanine 7 covers the band of students roughly between the 77th and 89th percentiles.
Is a percentile the same as a percentage?
No. A percentage is how many questions were correct. A percentile is how your child's result compares with other students.
Can my child resit an EduTest scholarship test?
Each school sets its own rules for resits and repeat applications, so ask the school directly. Many families apply again in a later year, which is where section-level feedback from the first attempt is most useful.
Find out which sections to focus on. Try a free EduTest-style practice test with a skill-by-skill breakdown.
Practice Tests & Exams is an independent provider and is not affiliated with EduTest or any school. Information about EduTest's reporting is based on EduTest's published information as of October 2026. Percentile and stanine explanations describe how these scales generally work; always read your report using its own key.
Sources and further information
Check the school or assessment provider for current arrangements.
Not sure where to start?
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