How to Get a Scholarship at an Australian Private School
A practical guide to academic scholarship tests at Australian independent schools — who runs them, what they cover, and how ACER, Edutest, and AAS differ — plus free sample questions. No signup, no credit card.
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About the exam
Academic scholarships at Australian independent schools are almost always awarded on the basis of a standardised test run by an external provider, not the school itself. The three most common providers are ACER (Australian Council for Educational Research), Edutest (Edutest Pty Ltd), and AAS (Academic Assessment Services, now part of Janison).
Each school chooses its own provider, test date, and scholarship conditions, and results are not shared between providers — so the first step is always to check directly with the school you're applying to.
Quick facts
| Common providers | ACER, Edutest, and AAS (Academic Assessment Services) |
| Typical sections | Written Expression, Reading/Humanities, Mathematics, and (for ACER/AAS) Reasoning |
| When | Varies by school — most scholarship tests run February to May |
| Who decides the provider | Each independent school chooses its own test provider and date |
Sample questions at this year level and subject
These are Year 5 Mathematics questions from Skillo's general practice bank, used here to illustrate question style across scholarship tests generally — not written specifically for ACER, Edutest, or AAS.
SAMPLE QUESTION 1 — Medium
What type of angle is formed between the hour hand and the minute hand on this clock?
Select an answer to reveal the worked solution.
SAMPLE QUESTION 2 — Medium
The four classes want to collect 150 bottles in total. How many more bottles must they still collect?
Select an answer to reveal the worked solution.
SAMPLE QUESTION 3 — Medium
Which letter marks the point 0.5 on the number line?
Select an answer to reveal the worked solution.
SAMPLE QUESTION 4 — Medium
Anika is collecting cans for a school fundraiser. She needs to collect 350 cans altogether. So far she has collected 178 cans. Which value of n makes this equation true? 178 + n = 350
Select an answer to reveal the worked solution.
SAMPLE QUESTION 5 — Medium
A diving centre records the depths (in metres) reached by five student divers during a lesson: 4.2, 5.8, 3.6, 6.4, and 5.0. What is the range of these depths?
Select an answer to reveal the worked solution.
How to prepare
Start by checking which provider your target school uses — this determines the section format (Edutest is a fixed five-section test with no Abstract Reasoning; ACER and AAS both typically include a Reasoning section) and whether results can be shared across other schools using the same sitting.
From there, use the exam-specific hub for that provider (ACER or Edutest) for detailed facts and sample questions, since section weighting and timing differ between them.
Common questions
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Which test will my child sit for a scholarship?
It depends entirely on the school — each independent school selects its own scholarship test provider (commonly ACER, Edutest, or AAS) and sets its own date. Check directly with the school you're applying to.
Can my child sit multiple scholarship tests?
Yes. Because each school runs its own sitting with its own provider, students can apply to multiple schools and sit different tests on different dates without restriction.
Do all scholarship tests include the same sections?
No. ACER and AAS both typically include a reasoning section, while Edutest has a fixed five-section format (Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Reading, Mathematics, Written Expression) with no Abstract Reasoning. Written Expression and Mathematics appear across all three.
Is this page an official scholarship test?
No. This is a free, independent guide from Skillo. We are not affiliated with ACER, Edutest Pty Ltd, or Academic Assessment Services, and this page does not replicate any official scholarship test.
More free practice
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About this practice
Skillo's scholarship-style practice is authored independently. Skillo is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), Edutest Pty Ltd, or Academic Assessment Services (AAS). Each independent school chooses its own assessment provider — check directly with your target school to confirm which test applies.