BSHS HAST exam format: components, timing and scoring

Brisbane State High School (BSHS) uses the Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) administered by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to assess applicants for selective entry, and it is the paper our students prepare for inside the BSHS selective entry preparation programme. There are two versions of the paper: HAST-P for Year 5 conditional entry (110 minutes, three sections) and the full HAST for Year 6 direct entry (140 minutes, four sections). Sections are sat in a single sitting with short breaks between components and no calculators are permitted.

Which sections does the BSHS HAST exam include?

The BSHS HAST exam includes four sections at Year 6 — abstract reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning and written expression — and three sections at Year 5, which omits abstract reasoning. The reasoning and reading sections are multiple-choice; written expression is a timed writing task marked against a four-criterion rubric.

Section	HAST-P (Year 5)	HAST (Year 6)	What it measures
Abstract reasoning	Not included	30 minutes · ~30 questions	Visual pattern recognition, matrix completion, sequence and transformation rules.
Reading comprehension	35 minutes · 30–35 questions	35 minutes · 30–35 questions	Literal, inferential and critical reading across fiction, informational and persuasive texts.
Mathematical reasoning	35 minutes · 30–35 questions	35 minutes · 30–35 questions	Problem solving, number patterns, fractions, measurement, geometry and algebraic thinking — no calculator.
Written expression	30 minutes · 1 task	30 minutes · 1 task	Creative narrative or persuasive writing marked on ideas, organisation, language and conventions.

The full HAST paper at Year 6 is 140 minutes of testing time; HAST-P at Year 5 is 110 minutes because abstract reasoning is removed. Both papers are sat in one continuous sitting with short transition breaks rather than long breaks between sections.

How long is the BSHS HAST exam?

The Year 6 HAST is 140 minutes of test time across four sections; the Year 5 HAST-P is 110 minutes across three sections. Allow an additional 30 to 45 minutes on the day for arrival, registration, instructions and dismissal — a typical Year 6 sitting runs from arrival to release in roughly three and a quarter hours.

How is the HAST scored?

HAST is scored on a standardised scale with a mean of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, so that results are comparable across test years and applicant cohorts. Each section produces a standardised score; the overall result is reported alongside the section breakdown. Written expression is marked by trained markers against a four-criterion rubric covering ideas and content, organisation, language use and conventions.

Standardised score	Approximate percentile	Interpretation for BSHS entry
130+	Top 2%	Exceptional — very strong chance of a selective offer.
120–129	Top 7%	Very strong — historically above the BSHS cut-off range.
110–119	Top 16%	Competitive — within the indicative BSHS cut-off band.
100–109	Around average	Below the typical BSHS cut-off — selective entry is unlikely without a stronger result.

BSHS does not publish a fixed cut-off score. Historical guidance from the school and tutoring market places the threshold in roughly the 115–125 range, but it moves year to year with the strength of the applicant pool and the number of available places.

Which year levels can take HAST for BSHS?

Brisbane State High School offers two HAST entry pathways: a Year 5 conditional offer based on HAST-P and a Year 6 direct offer based on the full HAST. Year 5 conditional entry gives families early certainty and reduces test pressure in Year 6; students who are unsuccessful in Year 5 may still apply in Year 6 by sitting the full HAST.

• Year 5 — HAST-P (110 minutes, three sections). Conditional offer made in Year 5; place is taken up at the start of Year 7 provided the student remains in good standing.
• Year 6 — HAST (140 minutes, four sections). Direct offer based on the full paper, which includes abstract reasoning in addition to the three Year 5 sections.

When is the BSHS HAST sat and what is the test-day timing?

The BSHS HAST is sat at a centrally booked ACER venue on a single nominated date each year — historically late July for the Year 5 pathway, with application windows opening early in the year and closing in mid-June. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before the published start time for registration and seating. For the chronological "night before · morning of · at the venue · during the test · after" checklist, see our BSHS HAST test-day guide.

What does this mean for preparation?

A child who is performing strongly in Year 4 or Year 5 maths and reading still needs targeted work on (a) the timed reasoning sections, which most state-curriculum classrooms do not teach explicitly, and (b) the written expression task, which is marked on a rubric under tight time pressure. The Year 6 abstract reasoning section is the single biggest delta versus HAST-P and rewards methodical practice with pattern, rotation and matrix puzzles. See our BSHS HAST preparation strategies for a structured plan that covers each section.