HAST results explained: when Brisbane State High offers arrive and what scores mean

Quick answer: ACER marks the HAST and sends results to the school, usually within about 10 working days of receiving the completed tests. The school receives raw scores, standardised scores, percentiles and stanines for each student, compared against Australian reference data, plus a merit-order list. Families don't usually see these scores. For Brisbane State High's Year 6 pathway, the school ranks applicants in order of merit and has notified outcomes in mid to late July after an April test. Unsuccessful applicants don't receive feedback, and the decision can't be reviewed.

How HAST is marked

• Every question is worth the same. Hard questions don't earn extra marks, so don't get stuck on one.
• There's no penalty for a wrong answer. Marks aren't deducted for incorrect responses, so students should answer every multiple-choice question, even if they have to guess at the end.
• Writing is marked by trained markers against three areas: thought and content, structure and organisation, and expression, style and mechanics.
• Results are norm-referenced. Scores are compared with Australian reference data for students at the same level, not marked against a pass mark.

What the school receives

ACER provides schools with a results package that includes:

The school then applies its own selection process. At Brisbane State High, test results are the primary criterion for Year 6 applicants, with places offered in order of merit to students above the cut-off.

What percentiles and stanines mean

Percentile: the percentage of the reference group who scored at or below your child. The 90th percentile means your child did as well as or better than about 90% of the group. It's not the percentage of questions correct.

Stanine: a band from 1 to 9 where 5 is average.

For a selective school as competitive as Brisbane State High, successful applicants will generally sit at the very top of the range. But the school ranks its own applicant pool, so the cut-off depends on who applies in a given year, not on a fixed stanine or percentile. For a fuller explanation of these scales, see EduTest results, percentiles and stanines explained. The scales work the same way.

When do Brisbane State High offers arrive?

Year 6 pathway (HAST)

The Year 6 test is held in Term 2, and outcomes follow in Term 3. Recent timelines:

So from test day to outcome, expect a wait of around two and a half to three months. ACER returns marked results to the school within a couple of weeks; the rest of that time is the school's selection process.

Year 5 pathway (HAST-P)

The Year 5 test for Year 7 2028 was on Wednesday 29 July 2026. This pathway includes an enrolment interview and leads to a conditional offer. The school hasn't published a fixed outcome date, so watch for the school's communication after the test and interview. A conditional offer depends on keeping up academic results, attendance, effort and behaviour through Years 5 and 6, and completing transition activities.

If your child is not offered a place

• There's no feedback or review. Brisbane State High states that unsuccessful applicants don't receive feedback and that there's no internal review of the decision.
• Year 5 applicants get another chance. The school has indicated that Year 5 applicants can sit the Year 6 test the following year.
• Other entry points exist. Entry to Years 8 to 11 is considered separately, based on availability. Sporting and cultural selective entry are separate pathways, and local catchment students have their own enrolment process.
• Consider other schools' tests. Many families applying to Brisbane State High also apply to QASMT, which uses a different test run by EduTest. See QASMT vs Brisbane State High.

Because the school doesn't share section results, a practice test with a skill breakdown is the most practical way to find out what to work on before trying again.

If your child receives an offer

• Read the conditions. Particularly for a Year 5 conditional offer, note what's expected through to the start of Year 7.
• Keep reports strong. Ongoing academic results, attendance and behaviour are part of the conditions.
• Watch for transition activities and enrolment steps from the school.

Frequently asked questions

How long do HAST results take?

ACER aims to return results to the school within about 10 working days of receiving the completed tests. For Brisbane State High's Year 6 pathway, families have been notified in mid to late July after an April test.

Do parents get HAST scores?

Not usually. ACER reports to the school, and Brisbane State High doesn't provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants. Ask the school directly if you'd like to know what's available.

Is there negative marking in HAST?

No. Marks aren't deducted for incorrect answers, and every question is worth the same, so students should answer every question.

What HAST score do you need for Brisbane State High?

There's no published cut-off. Applicants are ranked in order of merit, and the cut-off depends on that year's applicants and the number of places.

What is a stanine on a HAST report?

A band from 1 to 9, where 5 is average and 9 is the top 4% of the reference group. Schools receive stanines alongside percentiles and standardised scores.

Can I appeal a Brisbane State High selective entry decision?

Brisbane State High states there's no internal review of the decision. Year 5 applicants can try again in the Year 6 test, and Years 8 to 11 entry is considered separately.

Find out what to work on

Our BSHS practice tests follow the HAST-P (Year 5) and HAST (Year 6) formats, with abstract reasoning in the Year 6 sets. Results are broken down by skill, every multiple-choice question has a worked explanation, and writing is marked by a human teacher, so you get the section-by-section detail the real test doesn't give families.

• Free BSHS Year 5 practice test
• Free BSHS Year 6 practice test
• All BSHS practice tests

Practice results are an independent guide, not HAST results, and they don't predict selection.

See where your child stands before test day. Try a free BSHS practice test with a full skill breakdown.

Practice Tests & Exams is an independent provider and is not affiliated with Brisbane State High School or ACER. Details are from Brisbane State High School and ACER as published in October 2026; always check the school's current enrolment information.