Selective entry and scholarship exam preparation for Years 5 to 9, in Officer and online. We prepare students for the Victorian selective entry high school exam, including Nossal High School just down the road in Berwick, and for independent school scholarship tests.
These exams don’t test what your child learns at school. They test reasoning under tight time limits, on question types most students have never seen. Good entrance exam tutoring teaches the format, the shortcuts and the timing, so your child can show what they really know.
The Victorian selective entry exam
Victoria has four selective entry high schools: Nossal High School in Berwick, Suzanne Cory High School in Werribee, The Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School and Melbourne High School. Entry is mainly at Year 9, and students sit the exam in Year 8. The exam for 2027 entry was held on Saturday 20 June 2026, and applications and offers are managed by ACER for the Department of Education.
The exam has three timed parts:
- Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning, 60 minutes
- Reading and Verbal Reasoning, 55 minutes
- Writing, 40 minutes
No calculators are allowed, and the knowledge needed doesn’t go beyond the Year 8 curriculum. What makes it hard is the reasoning and the pace, not new content. Dates for the next intake are published on the Victorian Government website.
More detail: What the Nossal High School entrance exam actually tests
Scholarship exam preparation
Many independent schools offer academic scholarships based on a test, usually sat in the year before entry. These tests are often set by outside providers such as ACER or Edutest and cover similar ground: mathematical reasoning, verbal reasoning, reading comprehension and writing, all against the clock.
We prepare students for scholarship exams for local schools including Beaconhills, St Francis Xavier and the Berwick grammar schools. Because the skills overlap so much with the selective entry exam, preparation for one also builds towards the other.
How our entrance exam tutoring works
1. Find the starting point
A first session shows how your child handles reasoning questions with and without a time limit, so we know which question types and habits to work on first.
2. Learn the question types
Lessons work through the reasoning question types these exams use, number patterns, logic, data and word problems, with the shortcuts that make them fast instead of slow.
3. Timed mock papers
Students sit full practice papers under exam conditions. We go through every question they missed, and the ones they guessed right, because those are the ones that catch students out on the day.
4. Exam-day strategy
Pacing, when to skip and come back, and how to check work without losing time. Practice sheets go on our online portal so parents can see what has been done.
Our lessons concentrate on mathematical and quantitative reasoning and general reasoning, where structured practice makes the biggest difference.
When to start preparing
For the selective entry exam, starting around the beginning of Year 8, or late in Year 7, gives time to learn every question type and then build speed with mock papers. For scholarship tests, aim to begin about two to three terms before the test date.
Starting later still helps, but your child will be learning the format and building speed at the same time, so the weeks are busier. Strong school maths is the foundation for both exams. See our Year 7 maths and Year 8 maths tutoring if the basics need work first.
Why families choose PhD Tutor
Close to Nossal
We’re in Officer, a short drive from Nossal High School in Berwick, and teach families from Pakenham, Beaconsfield, Berwick and Clyde North.
Groups of three, at most
Every student gets real attention on the questions they find hard. One-on-one lessons are available too.
Parents can see progress
Our online portal shows practice sheets, answers and progress by topic.
Open all year
We teach through the school holidays, which is when many families fit in extra mock papers.
Questions parents ask about exam preparation
When is the selective entry exam?
Students sit it in Year 8 for entry in Year 9. The exam for 2027 entry was on Saturday 20 June 2026. Check the Victorian Government website for the dates for your child’s intake.
What is in the selective entry exam?
Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning (60 minutes), Reading and Verbal Reasoning (55 minutes) and Writing (40 minutes). The content doesn’t go beyond the Year 8 curriculum.
Can students use a calculator?
No. Calculators aren’t allowed, so quick and accurate mental maths is a big part of our preparation.
Which year levels do you prepare?
Years 5 to 9, depending on whether your child is preparing for a scholarship test or the selective entry exam.
Do you teach entrance exam preparation online?
Yes. Lessons are available in person in Officer or online across Victoria, with the same practice papers and feedback.
How do we get started?
Message us for a free trial lesson, or start with the free 15-question online maths check (Years 2 to 12, including separate checks for Maths Methods, Specialist Maths and General Maths) to see where your child’s maths is at.
Book a free exam preparation trial
Message us on WhatsApp, call 0422 534 516 or email help@phdtutor.com.au. The first trial lesson is free. Looking for something else? Find a tutor by year or subject.
