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QLD · Brisbane State High School selective entry preparation

Brisbane State High School Selective Entry Preparation (HAST)

Brisbane State High School selective entry preparation for Year 5 and Year 6 families. ACER HAST coverage across all four sections, full mock packs and teacher feedback for Queensland's most competitive state school.

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~5–10% acceptance rate · 2 entry pathways · ACER HAST

What happens after you request a trial

During Sydney business hours (Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm AEST/AEDT) the head tutor calls you back within 15 minutes. After hours, we call you back within 2 hours.

  • Who you'll speak with. The head tutor calls you directly to talk through where your child is up to.
  • What the call covers.Your child's year level, the exam you're preparing for, and how a free trial lesson would fit around your week.
  • If your child isn't ready.We'll tell you honestly. Not every child needs coaching, and we'd rather say so than enrol a child who isn't ready.
About the exam

The BSHS HAST test, in plain language.

Brisbane State High School is Queensland's first state secondary school and a Great Public Schools Association member. Selective entry uses the ACER HAST exam; the school produced more 99.95 ATAR scores than any other school in Australia in 2023.

HAST is an ability-focused assessment, not a curriculum recall test. It measures inference, reasoning, problem-solving and written expression. Year 5 candidates sit HAST-P (three sections); Year 6 candidates sit the full HAST (four sections, adding Abstract Reasoning). Calculators are not permitted in Mathematical Reasoning.

Test dates

Year 7 applications close in mid-June. HAST testing is held in late July on a single mandatory date — no alternative sittings are offered. Selection-interview invitations and outcomes typically issue within several weeks of testing.

Scoring & cutoffs

ACER scores HAST and reports results directly to BSHS. The school does not publish individual cut-off scores. Above-cut-off applicants progress to enrolment interviews with the Leadership Team; outcomes are offer, waitlist or unsuccessful.

  • Reading Comprehension

    35–40 min30–40

    Inference, vocabulary in context and author's purpose across fiction and non-fiction passages.

  • Mathematical Reasoning

    35–40 min30–40

    Problem-solving across arithmetic, fractions, ratios, geometry and multi-step word problems. Calculator prohibited.

  • Written Expression

    50 min2

    Two written responses (around 25 minutes each) — typically one narrative or descriptive piece and one persuasive or expository piece.

  • Abstract Reasoning (Year 6 only)

    40 min30–40

    Visual pattern recognition, matrices and series. Tests non-verbal reasoning under tight time pressure.

Live tuition

BSHS HAST tuition, taught for the exam.

Small-group online classes taught by exam specialists. Every program below is built specifically for the BSHS HAST exam — not generic tutoring repackaged for the test.

Most chosen

BSHS

Schedule
Hybrid
Group size
Small-group tutoring
From
$99

Ace the Brisbane State High School entrance exam! Our complete test preparation package gives Queensland students everything they need to succeed in the gifted and talented program, with advanced practice materials tailored for top performance.

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Mock test packs

BSHS HAST mock packs, currently on sale.

Self-paced practice papers, marked on the BrainTree LMS within 48 hours. Buy once, sit whenever — every pack ships with cohort percentiles and section-level feedback.

BSHS HAST results and parent testimonial

5

BSHS HAST placements since 2019

Audited annually. Methodology is public — see the journal for the breakdown by school.

“Two semesters of structured HAST prep — not last-minute cramming — made the difference. Our daughter walked into Vulture Street on test day calm.”

Mei C.

Parent · Year 6, accepted to BSHS

FAQ

BSHS HAST, plainly answered.

Five questions our faculty fields most often about the BSHS HAST exam.

HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test) is the academic ability assessment developed and administered by ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research) for BSHS selective entry. It measures higher-order thinking — inference, reasoning, problem-solving, and written expression — rather than year-level curriculum recall. Year 5 students sit the HAST-P (110 minutes, three sections: Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning, Written Expression). Year 6 students sit the full HAST (140 minutes, four sections, adding Abstract Reasoning).

Brisbane State High School uses the HAST exam administered by ACER. It does not use EduTest. This is the most common source of confusion for Queensland families because the Queensland Academies (QASMT, QACI, QAHS) use EduTest. Families targeting both BSHS and a Queensland Academy must prepare for two different test formats with different timings and section structures.

BSHS offers two entry pathways for Year 7 placement. The Year 5 Conditional Entry pathway lets students sit HAST-P in Year 5 and secure a conditional place subject to maintaining academic, behavioural and attendance standards through Year 6. The Year 6 Direct Entry pathway is a single, more competitive sitting of the full HAST (including Abstract Reasoning) with immediate confirmation of the place. Year 5 reduces final-year pressure; Year 6 is one shot but with broader coverage.

HAST-P (Year 5) runs about 110 minutes: Reading Comprehension (approximately 35–40 minutes), Mathematical Reasoning (approximately 35–40 minutes), and Written Expression (two writing tasks, around 25 minutes each). The full HAST (Year 6) runs about 140 minutes and adds Abstract Reasoning (around 40 minutes, roughly 30–40 questions). Calculators are not permitted in Mathematical Reasoning.

Families complete the Selective Entry Online Application Form, submit a Student Summary, three semesters of school reports, current and Year 5 NAPLAN results, and Photo Identification Forms. The processing fee is $420, paid via the Qkr! app, with proof of payment uploaded alongside the application. Applications for Year 7 entry close in mid-June, with HAST testing held in late July. No alternative test dates are offered; attendance on the scheduled day is mandatory.

Brisbane State High School is one of the most competitive state schools in Australia, typically accepting around 5–10% of applicants for selective entry. There is no published cut-off score; ACER reports HAST results to BSHS, and the school ranks applicants in merit order. Only applicants above the merit cut-off progress to enrolment interviews with the school's Leadership Team.

Brisbane State High School, founded in 1921 and located at 130 Vulture Street, South Brisbane, was Queensland's first state secondary school. It is a Great Public Schools Association (GPS) member and a partially selective school. In 2023, BSHS produced more 99.95 ATAR scores than any other school in Australia. It offers more than 35 senior General subjects, the Aspire enrichment program for Years 7–8, and curriculum pathways including ATAR, VET and the International Baccalaureate.

The Aspire Program is BSHS's higher-order-thinking enrichment program for Years 7 and 8. It is merit-based and open to motivated students across English, Humanities, Mathematics, Science and Engineering, regardless of enrolment category. Aspire focuses on critical thinking, problem-solving and depth of inquiry to prepare students for the rigour of senior subjects and tertiary study.

Year 5 students typically need around six months of structured preparation before HAST-P. Year 6 students sitting the full HAST usually benefit from three to four months of intensive preparation on top of strong general academic foundations. The most effective programs include 10–15 full-length timed mock exams, daily mental-math practice, wide reading across fiction and non-fiction, and regular dual-task Written Expression drills.

ACER scores the HAST and provides results directly to Brisbane State High School. BSHS does not publish individual cut-off scores. Students above the merit cut-off are invited to face-to-face enrolment interviews with the Leadership Team to confirm placement, expectations and conditions. Outcomes — offer, waitlist or unsuccessful — are typically communicated within several weeks of testing, well ahead of the following school year.

Start BSHS HAST preparation this week.

Book a free trial lesson in the BSHS HAST stream. Sit a diagnostic in the same week. No card, no obligation. Or grab a mock pack and start practising tonight.

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