NSW Selective, OC and NAPLAN exam dates 2027
Applications for 2028 entry to selective high schools and opportunity classes open on 5 November 2026 and close on 15 February 2027. The Selective test is on 13–14 May 2027 and the OC test on 11–12 May 2027; each child sits on one of those days. Outcomes are expected in August 2027 for Selective and September 2027 for OC.
Dates the Department has not published yet are marked expected, and stay out of the calendar files and reminder emails until they are confirmed.
Selective high schools
Year 7 entry 2027
| Date | What happens | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 3 December 2026 Confirmed |
Reserve decision date
3 pm
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
Year 7 entry 2028
| Date | What happens | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 5 November 2026 Confirmed |
Applications open
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 15 February 2027 Confirmed |
Adjustment requests close
Last day to request reasonable adjustments
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 15 February 2027 Confirmed |
Applications close
No late applications
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 13–14 May 2027 Confirmed |
Placement test
Each child sits one day
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 11 June 2027 Confirmed |
Make-up test
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 25 June 2027 Confirmed |
Last day to change school choices
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| August 2027 Expected |
Outcomes released
Not yet published; the previous round was 19 August 2026
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Once confirmed |
Trial sittings before the real test
| Dates | What happens | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 8–17 January 2027Bookable |
January 2027 ACST
A full computer-based mock of the Selective test, run by Test Academy, not the Department. See the sittings |
Online and Parramatta |
| 12–18 April 2027Bookable |
April 2027 ACST
A full computer-based mock of the Selective test, run by Test Academy, not the Department. See the sittings |
Online and Parramatta |
Opportunity classes
Year 5 entry 2028
| Date | What happens | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 5 November 2026 Confirmed |
Applications open
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 15 February 2027 Confirmed |
Applications close
No late applications
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 11–12 May 2027 Confirmed |
Placement test
Each child sits one day
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 10 June 2027 Confirmed |
Make-up test
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| 25 June 2027 Confirmed |
Last day to change school choices
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
| September 2027 Expected |
Outcomes released
Not yet published; the previous round was 9 September 2026
Checked against the NSW Department of Education page on 29 October 2026 |
Once confirmed |
NAPLAN
NAPLAN 2027
| Date | What happens | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 10–22 March 2027 Confirmed |
NAPLAN test window
Checked against the ACARA NAPLAN page on 29 October 2026 |
Google Calendar Apple or Outlook |
Keep the confirmed dates in your own calendar
Subscribe once and your calendar updates itself when a date is confirmed or changed. Expected dates are left out until the Department confirms them.
An email before each deadline
On the day applications open, 14 days and 3 days before they close, a week before the test, two days before the reserve decision date, and on outcomes day. Confirmed dates only.
We keep your email, the exams you pick and, if you give it, your child's school year. Nothing is sent until you click the link in the confirmation email. Every reminder has an unsubscribe link, and we delete your details 30 days after you unsubscribe.
Use the months before test day
Both tests are sat on a computer, against the clock, in a format most children have not met at school. One timed paper early shows which section costs the most marks. Start with our free Selective practice papers, sat on the same computer-based layout as the real test.
Questions families ask about the dates
Are late applications accepted for the Selective and OC tests?
No. Applications for 2028 entry open on 5 November 2026 and close on 15 February 2027, and the Department of Education says it does not accept late applications. You can still change your school choices after you apply, until 25 June 2027.
What does "expected" mean on this calendar?
It means the Department has not published the exact date yet. We show the month from the previous round and label it expected. Expected dates stay out of the calendar feeds and the reminder emails; when the Department publishes the date we check it, mark it confirmed, and the feeds pick it up on their next refresh.
What happens if my child is sick on test day?
The Department runs a make-up test for students who cannot sit on their scheduled day: 11 June 2027 for the Selective test and 10 June 2027 for the OC test. Contact the Department as soon as you know your child cannot attend, and follow the instructions on its application process page.
When do Selective and OC results come out?
Outcomes for 2028 entry are expected in August 2027 for Selective and September 2027 for OC. The Department has not published the exact days yet; this page marks them confirmed when it does, and reminder subscribers get an email on the day.
Does my child need coaching for the Selective or OC test?
The Department of Education's practice tests page says: "It is important to know that coaching or tutoring for the placement test is not necessary. The test will not need your child to know any new or special knowledge. So, extra paid coaching outside of school will not give your child an advantage." We disagree, and here is why. The test rewards skills and exam technique that even very able children rarely meet in a primary classroom: Thinking Skills question types, reading against a tight clock, and a writing task marked against set criteria. The Department itself funds practice tests and a test simulator so children can get familiar with the format, and a child who has worked through those formats with feedback sits a different test from one who meets them for the first time on the day. Primary schools also differ widely in class sizes and in how much problem solving they teach, and good preparation closes that gap rather than creating an unfair advantage. How much a child needs depends on where they start, which is why we suggest one timed paper early and a plan built from the result.
Source of the quote: NSW Department of Education, Selective high school practice tests (the same words are on its opportunity class practice tests page).
Can I put these dates in my phone's calendar?
Yes. Each confirmed date has an Add to Google Calendar link and an .ics file for Apple Calendar and Outlook. To get every confirmed date, and any later change, subscribe to the feed for your exam. Expected dates stay out of the feeds until they are confirmed.