1. Access the application website when the application period is open – see key dates.
2. Select ‘Register’.
3. Enter your (parent’s) name, your email address and a password (of at least 14 characters). (Do not use a student's email.)
4. Complete the ‘Captcha’ tool.
5. Select ‘Register’.
6. You will receive an email to verify your registration. Select the verification link in the email to complete the registration process. (No email? Check your junk or SPAM folder.)

You will now be able to log in to the application website using the email address and password you provided.

Ensure you keep your email and password on-hand as you will need these details throughout the application process.

To start your application, select Apply for the relevant placement – selective high schools or opportunity classes.

Do you need more help?

Privacy Notice

The Privacy Notice will appear when the application is started. You must:

• read the full ‘Privacy Notice’. Each applicant must understand and agree to the Privacy Notice before they can proceed with their application
• select both checkboxes at the bottom of the page to agree to the statements shown.
• select ‘Continue’.

The ‘Student details’ page collects details such as the child’s date of birth and address.

You’ll need to provide us with your child's:

• full name
• gender
• date of birth
  • reason for applying if outside the usual school Year or age range (if relevant)
• residential address (where the student lives most of the time)
• current school year, school type, school name and student email address
• nominated test day (you can nominate no preference, Friday, Saturday or Sunday, however allocation of students to test days will depend on the availability, capacity and location of the test centre, as well as demand for preferred dates.)

If you reside interstate or overseas, you will also be need to provide us with your child’s:

• ability to sit the placement test in New South Wales
• preferred test location (if intending to return to NSW for the test)

If you are unable to attend the placement test in New South Wales you can apply for your child to sit the test interstate or overseas – see Interstate and overseas students.

Making your school choices

In the application website, you must list your school choices in your order of preference.

1. Under 'First choice' select the school you want the most.
2. Under 'Second choice' select your next choice (optional).
3. Under 'Third choice' select your next choice (optional).
4. Under ‘Fourth choice’ select your next choice (optional and available only for opportunity class applications).
5. Select 'Save & continue'. You will need to enter at least one choice to proceed.
6. If you want to change your choices, you need to first clear your second and third choice. For opportunity classes, also clear your fourth choice. Click on ‘submit application’. Then enter your new choices in the desired order and save.

Screenshot image of the School choices page

The order of your school choices is important

This is because:

• You cannot decline a placement offer to get a later offer from one of your lower-choice schools.
• If you decline an offer from one of your lower-choice schools and you are on a reserve list for a higher-choice school(s), there is no guarantee that you will get a later offer from a reserve list.

So please choose the order of your schools carefully and select the school you want the most as your first-choice.

Choosing schools – example scenarios

Changing your school choices

You can change your school choices after you submit your application – see 'last day to change school choices' in the Key dates). Log back into the application dashboard to change your choices.

If you have experienced exceptional circumstances that might require a change after this date, please refer to the Selective high schools and opportunity classes placement procedures for more information and the evidence you need to submit for special consideration.

Need help deciding which schools to choose for your child?

What are reasonable adjustments?

Reasonable adjustments are practical arrangements made for students with disability so that they can access the test on the same basis as students without disability.

Providing students with reasonable adjustments complies with the Disability Standards for Education 2005External link.

What you need to tell us

Please tell us if your child:

• has a disability, e.g. blind or low vision, physical disability, autism, ADHD.
• has a medical condition, e.g. anaphylaxis, diabetes, epilepsy
• is already provided with adjustments at school (include details where applicable)
• displays behaviour likely to impact other students in a test setting
• has a recent injury that could affect test performance
• takes medication during the school day.

Why telling us this information is important

Telling us about your child's support needs helps us to:

• provide them with fair access to sit the test
• protect their health and wellbeing, and the health and wellbeing of other students, when sitting the test.

If your child has adjustments at school because of their disability or medical conditions, similar adjustments can be made for the test.

How to answer this section

1. Select 'Yes' if your child has a disability, medical or behavioural condition or injury. Otherwise Select ‘No’ and go to Step 4.
   
2. Select your child's disability, medical or behavioural condition(s) from the list (select all that apply). If it is not listed, select 'Other' and provide details in the space provided.
3. Select ‘Yes’ if your child needs adjustments for the test. Otherwise select ‘No’ and proceed to step 4. Describe the adjustments in detail. For example, if requesting a paper test in large print, include font size; if requesting assistive technology, include details and compatibility. Also let us know if your child's disability or condition may disturb other students at the test centre so that a separate test room can be organised.
4. Supporting documentary evidence will be required. Select at least one form of evidence from the list.
5. Select ‘Save & continue’.
6. Attach evidence of your child's disability (if available), the adjustments needed and indicate if adjustments are provided at school. Supporting evidence should be uploaded as soon as possible. Follow steps in the How do I upload documents and supporting evidence? Section of the Making updates & sending messages page for support.

You will be advised about any reasonable adjustments arranged for your child approximately 2 weeks before the test when you receive the test admission ticket.

What happens next?

After you have submitted your application, we will review the information you have provided. We will also consider any adjustments being provided at your child's school.

Approved reasonable adjustments will be listed on your child’s test admission ticket. This will be available in your dashboard approximately 2 weeks before the test.

1. Select your child’s residency status. Options are:
   1. Australian or New Zealand citizen – go to step 5
   2. Australian permanent resident – go to step 2
   3. Other – go to step 2.
2. Visit the visa information linkExternal link to help you select the correct class and sub-class.
3. Select the appropriate visa class.
4. Select the appropriate visa sub-class.
5. Select 'Save and continue'.

Screenshot image of the Student residency page

1. Select 'Yes' or 'No' to the Court orders question.
   If you select ‘No’ proceed to step 5.
2. Enter the name of the person(s) covered by the court order
3. Enter the relationship between the person(s) covered by the court order and your child and then select 'Save'.
4. Select ‘Attach supporting documents’ and follow the steps to add a file. Ensure the Document name is relevant to the file you have attached. Select ‘Save’ once the file has been attached. Follow steps in the How do I upload documents and supporting evidence? Section of the Making updates & sending messages page for support
5. If you do not currently have any supporting documents, select the ‘I will provide supporting documents later’ checkbox. Upload documents as soon as possible after submitting your application (see Making updates and sending message (go to step 9).
6. Select 'Save and continue'.

Screenshot image of the Court orders page

• Add your name and contact details.
  While we prefer to contact parents and carers through the application dashboard, occasionally we may need to contact you another way. For example, we might need to contact you by phone if there was a test centre incident.
• You can choose to add details of another parent or carer.
  You must add them if they will be making enquiries or decisions about the application. Only the registered parent or carer can access the application dashboard but all listed parents and carers can make phone and email enquiries about the application.

Screenshot image of the Parent/carers page

Parents/carers must upload a photograph of their child for inclusion on the Test Admission Ticket.

Including the student's photo on the Test Admission Ticket allows for quick confirmation of the student’s identity for entry to the test centre and throughout the test, enhancing security.

1. Select ‘1. Choose photo’. You can attach a PNG or JPG image of your child.
2. Select ‘2. Validate photo’. This will either be successful, or you will be provided with a reason why the validation was unsuccessful. For example, 'Provide a valid image to proceed' if it is unsuccessful.
3. Select ‘Save & continue’.

Screenshot of the Student photo page

For public school students: we will share the student’s photograph with their school/principal to confirm their identity using the uploaded photograph.

For non-government school students: parents and carers will need to print a copy of the photograph used in the application and have it signed by their principal.

Student photos are retained in our IT systems until the placement process has finished. This is normally 2 years, and after this date all student photos are deleted from our IT systems. If you're not happy with the current photo you can upload a different one until applications close.

Example photos

Suitable photo

Unsuitable photos

1. Select the drop-down arrow to expand the page you would like to review.
   You can also select 'Expand all' (see screenshot below) to review all pages at the same time.
2. Select 'Go to section to update' to edit any information in the relevant section where information is not correct or complete.
3. Select 'Submit application'.
4. A declaration will appear. Select ‘Submit application’ to proceed.
5. Check that the status is showing ‘Submitted’ at the top of the screen.

Confirmation

After submitting your application you will receive an email confirming your application has been submitted.

If the email is not in your inbox, please check your junk or spam folder before contacting us.

Students in non-government schools

Along with your confirmation email, you will also receive a form that needs to be downloaded and printed to give to your child's primary school principal.

This is so we can collect any information needed to provide support to your child on the test day, such as adjustments for disability.

We may also need to contact your child's current school for this information.

Screenshot of the Review & submit page

Screenshot image of the declaration section

You can make changes to your saved application before you submit it. You can also update your submitted application, including:

• update the information you have entered. For example, your contact details or school selections by the due dates.
• upload documents and supporting evidence. For example, court orders, disability information.
• withdraw your application before outcomes are released – if you no longer want your child to be considered for placement.

You can also log into your application dashboard to send us messages.

Deadlines for updating your application

Be aware that there are specific dates when you can no longer update your application yourself. You may have to ask the Selective Education Unit to make a change.

If your application details change, it is your responsibility to update your application by the due dates.

For example, there are strict due dates to:

• submit an application
• add supporting documents to your reasonable adjustments application
  
• change your child's current school
• change your child's personal details
• change your school choices
• change the student photo attached to the application.

Check the full list of Key dates for your placement year and program.

How do I update my application?

You can change your answers to the application questions.

1. Log in to the application website (this will now take you to your 'application dashboard' page).
2. Select the 3 dots under the 'Action' column and then 'Update application'.
   (Or select 'Withdraw application' if you want to cancel your application for placement in all schools.)
   
3. Make your changes and then resubmit by selecting 'Submit application'.

Screenshot image of the application dashboard

How do I ask questions about my application?

Most questions have been answered within the web section you are on now – Selective high schools and opportunity classes. Be sure to read through the information provided here.

If your question is not covered, the quickest way to contact the Selective Education Unit is by sending a message through the application website.

We also use the messaging area in the application site to send you important information about your child's application. We will notify you of a new message by sending an email alert to the email address you used to register your account.

Sending and getting messages

You can send a message to the Selective Education Unit through the application website and attach any supporting documents that we have asked for.

1. Log in to the application site. This will now take you to your 'application dashboard' page.
2. In the messages section you can see a list of any messages we have sent you.
   Click on the message subject to open it.
   
3. To send us a message, select '+New message'. Write your message and add any attachments, if needed, and then select 'Send'.

Screenshot image of the messages area in the application dashboard

Screenshot image of the new message screen

How do I upload documents and supporting evidence?

You can send us a message in the application site and attach any supporting documents that we have asked for.

1. Follow the instructions above to start a new message.
2. Select 'Add attachment'.
3. Select 'Attachment category' and choose the file location (you can choose more than one).
4. Select 'Send'.

Screenshot image of the 'Add attachment' area on the messaging screen