Victorian Selective Entry Exam Dates and Registration for Year 9 in 2028

Applications for Year 9 entry in 2028 are expected to open in March 2027, and the exam will be held in June 2027. Exact dates have not been published yet. Melbourne High School has confirmed the March opening.

Until the official dates are out, last year's timeline is the best guide.

Last cycle's timeline (Year 9 entry in 2027)

The exam has been on a Saturday in mid to late June for three years running: 15 June 2024, 14 June 2025 and 20 June 2026. The application window has opened in February or March and closed in April or May.

Eligibility checklist

Before you apply, check that your child:

• ☐ Will be in Year 8 in 2027
• ☐ Has not sat the Year 9 entry exam before
• ☐ Is an Australian citizen, a New Zealand citizen living in Australia, or holds a visa or ImmiCard that exempts them from international student fees
• ☐ Has a Victorian Student Number, if they attend a Victorian school
• ☐ Is not a fee-paying international student

For an equity application, you will also need the Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN) for both the parent or carer and the child.

How to apply

1. Apply online through ACER's portal when applications open.
2. List up to three schools, in order of preference.
3. Pay the $175 fee (free with a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, and for First Nations families).
4. Request any special arrangements before applications close, with supporting documents.
5. You will receive a seven-digit SEHS candidate number. Keep it, as you need it to log in and contact ACER.

From Jon: Ask which school is best for your child, not which school is best. A school where they will thrive, academically and outside class, is worth more than a name at the top of a list.

Exam day

Bring:

• A printed admission ticket (electronic copies are not accepted). Tickets are sent about one week before the exam.
• Photo ID no more than 18 months old, such as a school student card or passport.
• Two blue or black pens.
• Water and snacks for the break.

Not allowed: phones, smart watches, calculators, dictionaries or translation devices, headphones, notebooks or extra paper.

Venues are allocated by home address and cannot be changed. Families are told the venue by email two weeks before the exam.

If your child is sick, they should not attend. Apply for a re-sit on the alternative date by uploading the illness form and evidence to the portal by the deadline (three days after the exam last year).

How offers work

• About 90% of places go in Round 1.
• If a student gets a lower-preference offer, they can still be offered a higher-preference school later. Accepting the lower offer doesn't remove that chance.
• Declined or unanswered offers go to the next highest-ranked eligible student.
• Late offers can continue until the end of Term 4.

Frequently asked questions

When do applications open for the 2027 selective entry exam? Applications for Year 9 entry in 2028 are expected to open in March 2027. We will update this page when ACER confirms the dates.

When is the Victorian selective entry exam in 2027? In June 2027. The last three exams were all on a Saturday in mid to late June.

Can I apply late? No. ACER did not accept late applications last cycle.

When are results released? Last cycle, results and Round 1 offers came out in early August, about six weeks after the exam.

Sources

• ACER: Apply
• ACER: Exam day
• ACER: Results and selection
• Selective entry high schools, Victorian Government
• Melbourne High School: Enrol

Facts checked against official sources on 31 October 2026. Update this page when ACER publishes 2028 entry dates.