Admissions
Our school can help with enrolment queries throughout the year.
As an academically selective school, Penrith Selective High School has a rigorous admissions process.
Please note: Applications for entry in 8-11 2025 are now CLOSED
Please note: Applications for entry in 7 2025 are CLOSED.
For students seeking entry in Year 7 2026
The High Performing Students Unit of the Department of Education conducts an entrance test in mid-March of Year 6 for entry into Year 7 the following year. Families are advised to see the link below for specific details about the test and structure. All Year 7 applications must now be completed online.
Application for entry into Year 7 is to be made in November when the student is in Year 5 and a computer-based test will be administered in May when the student is in Year 6. For example, students wishing to enter Year 7 2026 must apply by November 2024.
Key dates for Year 7 entry in 2026 and 2027 can be found here:
Information about entry to Year 7 in Selective High Schools is available at the following link:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes/year-7
Telephone: 1300 880 367
Email: ssu@det.nsw.edu.au
For students seeking entry in Years 8 to 11 for 2025
Application for entry to Penrith Selective High School in Years 8 to 11 in 2025 will open on 21 June 2024 and close on 26 July 2024 at midday. The school will conduct the High Ability Selection Test (HAST) during August.
Those seeking entry must:
Download and complete the NSW Department of Education application form.
Pay the application fee: (Download a copy of the receipt).
Submit 2025 Application Form and required supporting documents via Google Form Link by 26 July 2024 at midday.
Complete the High Ability Selection Test (HAST) on 3rd August
Additional details about the NSW Department of Education’s 8-11 application process can be found via this link:
Entry Requirements
Students must be Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of NSW.
Students cannot automatically transfer between selective high schools. If a student is already enrolled at a selective high school and wants to go to another, the parents must fill out an application form for entry and lodge it directly with the selective high school they want their child to attend and follow the application procedures.
Each application must include the following:
A copy of the applicant’s Birth Certificate or passport. If not born in Australia, Australian Citizenship or Visa records are suitable.
A copy of your payment receipt.
Required supporting documents (submit copies ONLY: Note, these support documents are to be merged into the ONE PDF)
Student's 2023 half-yearly and yearly reports, and the 2024 half-yearly report (This may be submitted via email after the closing date if your current school has not released this before)
Last NAPLAN reports. For students applying for Year 11, please provide your last two NAPLAN reports.
Evidence of external academic achievements (eg: ICAS etc) for the past two years. (Maximum of 10 pages)
Evidence of participation in extracurricular activities. (Maximum of 10 pages)
Testing / Payment Process
You may apply for entry to a maximum of three selective high schools. To gain entry to the below selective schools in Years 8 - 11 your child will need to sit the Higher Ability Selection Test (HAST) developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) in Melbourne. Details about the test and practice materials are available via this link.
If your first preference is Penrith Selective High School, you will need to apply and pay for the test at Penrith Selective High School prior to the closing date. Your child will then sit the test at Penrith Selective High School.
If your first preference from the list below is not Penrith Selective High School you must apply, pay for and sit the test at the school you nominate on your application form as your first preference. If Penrith Selective High School is your second or third preference, you must still submit an application form and pay the application fee to us so we can register your preference. However, you cannot sit the test at Penrith Selective High School if we are not your first preference.
Each high school must receive their own application form and the order of preference must be listed the same on all applications. If the test date is the same, the student is to sit the test at their first preference school.
Penrith Selective High School shares results with:
Hornsby Girls High School
Hurlstone Agricultural High School
Northern Beaches Secondary College Manly Campus
St George Girls High School
Gosford High School
Caringbah High School
Fort Street High School (Year 11 Exam)
Girraween High School
Sydney Technical High School
Penrith Selective High School charge an application fee of $130 for the students to sit for the test or a $50 fee if you are applying to our school but sitting the test at another school (i.e. we are not your first preference). The administration fee pays for the setting and marking of the test, the supervision on the day and the processing of applications for students not sitting the test at Penrith Selective High School.
* For instructions on how to make a payment please see our payment guide.
* To make a payment, please find details here when applications are open.
Payment Reference Guide:
Payment Examples
To assist with understanding what fee is required when applying, the examples below will assist:
If Penrith Selective High School is preference 1, applicants pay $130 and sit the exam at Penrith.
Penrith Selective High School - $130
Girraween High School
Hornsby Girls High School
If any of these schools are preference 1 then they will pay that school and sit the exam there:
Girraween High School (refer to Girraween High School Website for test fee)
Penrith Selective High School - $50
Hornsby Girls High School
If Penrith is preference 2 and preference 1 is not one of the above schools e.g. Blacktown Boys High School, then applicants pay $130 when applying to Penrith and sit the exam here.
Blacktown Boys High School
Penrith Selective High School - $130
Girraween High School
Preparing your Submission
Applications are to be submitted via the Google Form provided or in person.
Please follow these steps when applying via the Google Form.
Download and complete the NSW Department of Education application form
Pay the application fee via Penrith Selective High School Website (Download a copy of the receipt)
Complete the Google Form
a) Fill in the required text boxes ensuring all the information on your application form replicates the information being filled out in the Enrolment Submission Google Form
b) Upload Required Documents in their separate fields. Please ensure these documents have been converted over to pdf format and have your child’s full name and year applying for as the title.
c) Upload your child's Birth Certificate or Passport, and if not born in Australia, their Citizenship or Visa. (PDF format only) Note: save the file as the applicant's full name and year they are applying for E.g., Jack Smith Year 9 Birth Certificate
d) To make an application payment, please click here when applications are open. (Download a copy of the receipt).
e) Upload your application fee payment receipt. ($130 if sitting the test at Penrith Selective High School or $50 if not sitting the test at Penrith Selective High School) Note: save the file as the applicant's full name and year they are applying for E.g., Jack Smith Year 9 Payment Receipt
f) Upload the 2025 Application form completely filled out. (PDF format only) Note: save the file as the applicant's full name and year they are applying for E.g. Jack Smith Year 9 Application Form
g) Upload supporting documents. These documents need to be converted into one pdf file and have your child’s full name and year applying for as the title.
h) Ensure you have filled in the enrolment form, attached required/supporting documents and paid the application fee.
Once you have submitted your enrolment form and supporting documents, you will receive an email from Penrith Selective High School with a submission receipt and information regarding the HAST examination.
Correspondence will be sent to the email provided in the google form. Submission receipt correspondence can take up to 5 days.
Late applications will not be accepted. Applications are not accepted via email or post.
All information is available at https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/selective-high-schools-and-opportunity-classes
The Selection Process
In determining academic merit, the selection committee will consider:
The results of the entry test
The application with its supporting documentation
Interviews which may be conducted as part of the selection process
Student numbers at our school are limited to 150 in Year 7 and generally 150 students in Years 8 and 9. Up to 24 additional students are admitted into Year 10. A small increase in students exists in Year 11, but admission of new students is not made in Year 12.
Generally, only a small number of places (average 3-6 spaces per cohort) become available at Penrith Selective High School in Years 8, 9 and 11 with a larger intake into Year 10.
For students seeking entry into Year 12
We do not accept enrolments into the Year 12 academic year.
Further information may be obtained by emailing:
penrith h.school@det.nsw.edu.au (Attention: Admissions)
Additional Documentation
Moving overseas
Moving overseas and need school reports authenticated for DFAT?
Email document.authentication@det.nsw.edu.au to arrange to bring original documents to 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta 2150.
Moving overseas
Moving overseas and need school reports authenticated for DFAT?
Email document.authentication@det.nsw.edu.au to arrange to bring original documents to 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta 2150.