Test guide

ACER Scholarship Tests

For students sitting ACER scholarship tests through a school that uses them, including the Cooperative Scholarship Testing Program. What the tests contain, what is and is not published about timing, the key dates and how to prepare.

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What the tests contain

Students sit the level that matches the year they would enter:

  • Primary — entry to Years 4 to 6
  • Level 1 — entry to Years 7 and 8
  • Level 2 — entry to Years 9 and 10
  • Level 3 — entry to Years 11 and 12

Each level has a written expression task (a story or a persuasive piece) and multiple-choice tests. ACER lists the Primary tests as Reading and Viewing, Mathematics and Writing, on paper. The secondary tests cover Written Expression, Humanities and Mathematics, online or on paper.

Time per question

ACER does not publish the number of questions or the minutes for each test on its parent pages, so we cannot honestly give a time per question. The school or ACER registration information sets out the session times for your child — check it before test day.

Sources: ACER scholarship information for parents and ACER scholarship tests, checked 11 October 2026.

Key dates for 2028 entry

Cooperative test (Qld, NSW, NT, WA and Vic)
Saturday 27 February 2027. Applications opened Monday 21 September 2026 and close at midnight AEDT on Sunday 7 February 2027. Source: ACER
South Australia (ACEP)
Saturday 6 February 2027. Applications close at 11:30 pm ACDT on Friday 22 January 2027. Source: ACER

Each school decides whether it uses ACER testing and how families register. Confirm the details with the school.

How AI Scholar Coach helps you prepare

What a new family gets today:

  • An ACER scholarship goal you choose when you set up your child’s profile.
  • The free Skills Map — a diagnostic across reasoning skills that marks each one Strong understanding, Developing confidence or Building foundations, so you can see where to start.
  • Practice sessions by skill in maths and reasoning, with banked skills coming back for a review in three days.
  • Times tables and number facts.
  • A parent view of your child’s progress.

With a Season Pass or Monthly plan: unlimited sessions, the AI tutor, AI feedback on writing with parent consent, timed practice tests and quests. There is no separate Humanities course in the app.

Try a sample question

An original question in the style of a multiple-choice Mathematics test. It is not a real test item.

A rectangle has a perimeter of 30 cm. Its length is twice its width. What is its area?

  1. A. 45 cm²
  2. B. 50 cm²
  3. C. 56 cm²
  4. D. 60 cm²
Show the concept and worked answer

Concept: a perimeter goes round all four sides. If the length is two widths, the perimeter is six widths.

  1. Perimeter = width + length + width + length = 6 widths.
  2. 6 widths = 30 cm, so the width is 30 ÷ 6 = 5 cm and the length is 10 cm.
  3. Area = 10 × 5 = 50 cm².

Answer: B, 50 cm²

See where your child stands, skill by skill

The Skills Map is free. No card needed.

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