If your child is shortlisted for Year 10 entry at a Queensland Academy, they are invited to an on-campus interview. They bring two things: a sample of academic work and a one-page statement of academic journey. The interview is built around those two documents, so preparing them well is most of the work.
This guide explains what the panel is looking for, how to choose the work sample, how to write the statement and how to practise.
Who gets an interview?
Only shortlisted applicants. The Academies first look at the entrance test, school reports and NAPLAN results, then invite the strongest candidates to interview. Year 7 applicants to QASMT take part in an engagement activity instead of an interview.
Being invited is a good sign, but it isn't an offer. The interview can change the outcome either way.
What the panel is looking for
The Academies describe their students as highly capable learners: students with strong natural ability, a record of strong results and real motivation to learn. The interview tests the third part. The panel wants to see:
- genuine curiosity about a subject, beyond what was set in class
- the ability to explain thinking clearly and answer follow-up questions
- fit with the campus, whether STEM at QASMT, creative industries at QACI or health sciences at QAHS
- readiness for the IB Diploma, which is independent, essay-heavy and demanding
A polished, memorised speech is less convincing than a student who can think out loud about their own work.
Choosing the work sample
The official requirement is a sample of academic work that:
- comes from an area your child is interested in
- shows academic excellence and innovation
- includes an extended piece of writing or journaling
Examples the Academies give range from a scientific research assignment, to a creative piece with written analysis, to a school assignment. A folder of awards and certificates is not what's wanted.
How to pick the best one:
- Choose depth over polish. A project your child worked on for weeks and can talk about for ten minutes beats a perfect but short worksheet.
- Match the campus. A science investigation suits QASMT or QAHS. A creative piece with a written reflection on the choices made suits QACI.
- Make sure your child did the thinking. The panel will ask why questions. If a parent or tutor shaped the work, it will show.
- Include the writing. If the best project is mostly visual or practical, add a written analysis or journal that explains the process.
Ask your child to reread the piece the week before and note three things they would change now. "What would you do differently?" is a very likely question.
Writing the statement of academic journey
The statement must be one A4 page, Arial 10 point, describing your child's academic journey, including highlights and challenges.
A clear structure:
- Where the interest started: one specific moment, book, teacher or problem.
- Two or three highlights: what your child did and what they learned, not a list of prizes.
- One real challenge: a subject, result or setback, and what your child changed because of it.
- Why this campus and the IB: a specific link to what the campus offers.
Write it in your child's voice. Panels read hundreds of these and can tell when an adult has written one. Short sentences and concrete details work best.
Weak: "I have always been passionate about science and achieved many awards."
Stronger: "In Year 7 I tested which school bin had the most bacteria. Half my samples grew nothing because I left the swabs too long. Redoing it taught me why method matters more than the result."
Practice questions
The Academies don't publish interview questions, but these cover what panels commonly ask in selective-school interviews. Practise them out loud.
About the work sample
- Talk me through this piece. What was the question you were trying to answer?
- What was the hardest part, and how did you deal with it?
- What would you change if you did it again?
About learning
- Tell me about a subject you find difficult. What do you do about it?
- What's something you learned recently that wasn't for school?
- Tell me about a time you got something wrong.
About the campus and the IB
- Why this Academy rather than your current school?
- What do you know about the IB Diploma?
- How would you manage a heavier workload?
Campus-specific
- QASMT: What area of science or technology would you research if you could?
- QACI: How does your creative work connect with your academic subjects?
- QAHS: What area of health interests you, and why?
How to practise
- Do three mock interviews with an adult who isn't a parent, such as a teacher, tutor or family friend.
- Aim for two-minute answers. Long enough to explain, short enough to allow follow-up.
- Practise thinking out loud. It's fine to say "Let me think about that" and pause.
- Use the STAR shape for stories: Situation, Task, Action, Result.
- Don't memorise scripts. Memorise the key facts about the work sample, then speak naturally.
On the day
- Bring the work sample and the printed statement.
- Arrive early and dress neatly. School uniform is fine.
- Your child should make eye contact, speak clearly and ask one question of their own at the end.
- Parents are usually not in the room. Prepare your child for that.
The Principal can re-interview an applicant if more information is needed, so a second meeting isn't a bad sign.
Related guides
- Queensland Academies entry guide
- QACI entry guide
- QAHS entry guide
- QASMT merit pool and discretionary process
- EduTest Year 9 to 10 practice tests
Source: Queensland Academies Creative Industries Campus, Year 10 enrolments (qaci.eq.edu.au), reviewed 28 August 2026. Interview requirements apply to Year 10 entry across the Queensland Academies; confirm details with your campus.