GATE Program WA Explained: How Students Get Into Gifted and Talented

WA's Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs, usually called GATE, place high-ability students into accelerated programs at public high schools from Year 7. Entry depends on one test, the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET). For Year 7 in 2028, applications close at 6 pm on Friday 5 February 2027.

What is the GATE program?

GATE programs run in three streams:

• Academic: 16 schools plus an online program for regional students. Perth Modern School is the only school where every student is selected.
• Arts: dance, drama, media arts, music, music theatre and visual arts, at six schools including John Curtin College of the Arts.
• Languages: Mount Lawley SHS (Italian, Chinese Mandarin) and Rossmoyne SHS (Chinese Mandarin, French, German, Japanese).

Students in a program are taught together and move through the curriculum faster and in more depth.

What is the GATE test?

The "GATE test" is the ASET. All applicants sit it, whatever stream they apply for. It has four parts: Reading Comprehension, Communicating Ideas in Writing, Quantitative Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning. Full breakdown: ASET Test WA: Complete Guide.

How do preferences and offers work?

1. You list program preferences in your application, in order.
2. Round 1 offers arrive in late June. Each student gets at most one offer per round, for the highest preference they qualify for.
3. Round 2 offers arrive in late July, as places are declined.
4. Reserve phase runs after Round 2. No offers are made after 1 December.

Two rules parents often miss:

• Declining a lower offer does not hurt you. A student who declines a lower preference stays on reserve for the higher ones they qualify for.
• An offer is not an enrolment. You get an Authority to Commence Enrolment email, then apply to the school. The place is confirmed only when the school accepts the enrolment.

From Jon: Start with your child, not the school. Would they thrive in a purely academic school, or do they need strong extracurricular activities, and do those need particular facilities? Knowing that helps a lot when you order your preferences.

What are reserve lists?

A reserve list is a waiting list for a program. For academic programs, your child must reach that school's minimum TSS to go on it. For Year 7 in 2027, reserve minimums ran from 200.0 at several schools to 247.0 at Perth Modern. Arts and languages applicants must have reached the interview stage.

See every school's figure in WA GATE Schools and ASET Cut-Off Scores.

Who can apply?

• Students entering Year 7 apply in Year 6. There are also smaller intakes for Years 9, 10 and 11.
• Placement is based purely on assessment. Living near a school gives no advantage.
• Students can sit the ASET only once per intake.
• Languages programs are for genuine second-language learners. Students with a family background in the language are not eligible for that program.
• Students with a disability, chronic illness or impairment can apply for adjusted testing conditions by 5 February 2027.

Frequently asked questions

What does GATE stand for? Gifted and Talented Education. The Department's official name is Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs.

Is the GATE test hard? It is designed to separate high-ability students, so most children find parts of it difficult. Abstract Reasoning, with 35 questions in 20 minutes, is usually the hardest.

When is the GATE test for 2028 entry? Saturday 6 March 2027 for Year 6 students in Perth metro, Bunbury and Albany. Regional WA testing is 8-9 March 2027. See ASET Key Dates.

Does my child need to be in a gifted program at primary school? No. Any eligible Year 6 student can apply and sit the ASET.

Can regional students get a place? Yes. Regional students sit the ASET locally, and there is an online academic program for regional students with no cap on places.

Sources

• Gifted and Talented, WA Department of Education
• Applicant guidelines for entry in 2028 (PDF)
• Key dates and applicant guidelines
• Academic and languages program cut-off scores

Facts checked against official sources on 31 October 2026.