HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test) Preparation for Australian Selective and Independent Schools

The HAST is a cognitive ability test developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) to identify academically gifted students for selective high school entry, scholarship programs, accelerated learning streams and gifted-and-talented placement. It evaluates reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking across four components — Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Written Expression. HAST is designed specifically for high-ability students, which is why scores are referenced against a high-ability cohort rather than the general population.

Over 100 selective and independent schools across Australia use HAST for entry into selective, scholarship or accelerated programs. NSW schools include Fort Street High School, Chatswood High School, Penrith Selective High School, Hornsby Girls High School, Sydney Technical High School, Epping Boys High School and Hurlstone Agricultural High School. Victorian schools include Balwyn High School, Box Hill High School, Dandenong High School and Mill Park Secondary School. Queensland schools include Brisbane State High School, Indooroopilly State High School and Benowa State High School. South Australian schools include Glenunga International High School, Adelaide Botanic High School and The Heights School. Western Australian schools include Churchlands Senior High School, Mount Lawley Senior High School and Carey Baptist College.

HAST has four components administered in sequence with short breaks. Reading Comprehension runs 30–40 minutes with 25–40 multiple-choice questions depending on level. Mathematical Reasoning runs 30–40 minutes with 25–35 multiple-choice questions; Secondary levels integrate science data interpretation. Abstract Reasoning runs 30 minutes with 30 multiple-choice questions. Written Expression runs 25–30 minutes for a single extended creative or discursive response. Total testing time is approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, or 3 to 3.5 hours including instructions and breaks.

HAST is a paper-based test. Students complete multiple-choice components with HB or B pencils and the Written Expression component with a blue or black pen. This differs from the NSW Selective High Schools Test and the Opportunity Class test, which are both computer-based. Families preparing for HAST should practise on paper materials and develop strong handwriting endurance for the 25–30 minute writing task.

HAST results are reported as raw scores, standardised scores, percentiles and stanines relative to a high-ability reference group rather than the general population. A given percentile therefore reflects performance against above-average peers. A competitive HAST score for top selective and scholarship programs typically sits at the 85th percentile or above within this reference cohort, though each school sets its own cut-off. ACER applies double-marking to Written Expression, with a third marker resolving differences of more than two raw-score points.

HAST registration is handled directly by each participating school, not by a central testing authority. Families contact each target school to confirm test date, registration window, fee and application form. Most schools open HAST registration between November and February for sittings held March to August the following year. Families targeting multiple schools should write to admissions offices in October or November the year before to confirm dates, as schools commonly have a single sitting per year with limited test spots.

HAST test fees vary by school and typically range between $80 and $150 per sitting. Some schools include the test fee in their application fee; others charge separately. Families may register for and sit HAST at multiple schools because each school administers its own sitting independently. Most families apply to two to four target schools with varied competitiveness levels. Test dates may overlap and each test requires a separate registration fee.

HAST is an ACER-built ability test used by individual schools nationally for entry into selective, scholarship and accelerated programs across Years 5 to 12, and it is paper-based with a 25–30 minute writing component. The NSW Selective High Schools Test is the Year 6 entry test run by the NSW Department of Education for the state's fully selective Year 7 placements; it is computer-based. The Opportunity Class (OC) test is the NSW Year 4 entry test for Year 5 OC placements; it is also computer-based. Many NSW families sit HAST and the NSW Selective test in the same year because the school sets overlap but are not identical.

Effective HAST preparation runs across 6 to 18 months and moves through three phases. Foundations (12 months out) — wide reading across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and visual texts, mental-math fluency, daily exposure to abstract patterns. Component practice (3–6 months out) — weekly timed sets in each of the four components with error analysis on incorrect answers. Full mocks (final 8 weeks) — monthly full-length ACER-format mock tests under exam timing, with Written Expression marked against HAST criteria. Use official ACER HAST Sample Booklets (2019, 2023) as the timing and content benchmark.

Common HAST mistakes include: misreading instructions at the top of each component, only practising the student's stronger sections rather than targeting weaker ones, leaving difficult items unanswered when there is no guessing penalty, attempting the test cold without timed paper-based practice, and under-preparing the Written Expression component because creative writing feels harder to drill. The most reliable lever is timed paper practice with structured error review.