Free · Timed · 25 minutes · Years 6–8

Free Scholarship Practice Test — 30 Questions, 25 Minutes, Instant Results

A free, timed sample in the style of the ACER and Edutest scholarship papers: 30 multiple-choice questions across mathematics and reading and language, drawn from our Year 6, 7 and 8 banks at the stretch and challenge tiers, 25 minutes on the clock, marked instantly with a section breakdown. Part of RHZ Tutoring's 3,261 free practice questions. No sign-up.

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⏱ 25-minute countdown, auto-marked📊 Section breakdown: maths reasoning · reading & language📚 3,261 free practice questions

Free practice quizzes › Scholarship practice test · Selective Entry practice test

The practice test: 30 questions in 25 minutes

Two sections. Press Start the timer, answer every question you can, and press Mark my test before the clock runs out, or it will be marked automatically. Set 60501 · New set of questions →

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Section 1: Maths reasoning (15 questions)

Question 1
Maths reasoning · Fractions, decimals & percentages

Sam converts 5/12 to a decimal and rounds it to 2 decimal places, getting 0.42. He then converts 0.42 back to a fraction in simplest form and gets 21/50. He claims 21/50 equals 5/12. Which statement best explains whether he is correct?

Question 2
Maths reasoning · Area, volume & angles

Three angles at a point are 150°, 120° and x. Find x.

Question 3
Maths reasoning · Percentages

A recipe needs 30% of a bag of flour. Tom uses 270 g of flour and this is exactly 30% of the bag. Later, he needs 45% of the same size bag for a different recipe. How many grams does he need?

Question 4
Maths reasoning · Percentages & rates

A phone plan charges a flat rate of $0.35 per minute for calls and $0.12 per SMS. In one month, Lachlan makes 45 minutes of calls and sends 80 SMS messages. What percentage of his total bill is made up by SMS charges? Round to the nearest whole percent.

Question 5
Maths reasoning · Algebraic thinking

Solve: 2x + 1 = 9.

Question 6
Maths reasoning · Indices

Which expression is equal to 4⁻³ ÷ 2⁻⁴?

Question 7
Maths reasoning · Equations

Three consecutive even integers have a sum of 78. A student writes the equation n + (n + 2) + (n + 4) = 78 and solves it to find n = 24, then states the three integers are 24, 26, and 28. Another student says: 'If you instead call the middle integer m, your equation becomes (m − 2) + m + (m + 2) = 78, which gives 3m = 78, so m = 26.' Which statement is correct?

Question 8
Maths reasoning · Ratios & rates

A fruit drink is made by mixing cordial and water. Brand X: 1 part cordial to 6 parts water. Brand Y: 2 parts cordial to 11 parts water. Which brand has a stronger cordial flavour, and what fraction of Brand X is cordial?

Question 9
Maths reasoning · Area & volume

A rectangular prism has a length of 10 cm, width of 5 cm, and height of 8 cm. Its length and width are each increased by 20%, but its height stays the same. By what percentage does the volume increase?

Question 10
Maths reasoning · Area, volume & angles

A square tile has a side length of 30 cm. A circular design is painted on the tile so that the circle fits exactly inside the square, touching all four sides. The area of the square that is NOT covered by the circle is closest to which value? (Use π ≈ 3.14)

Question 11
Maths reasoning · Algebra & linear equations

A school is planning a trip. A bus costs $240 to hire plus $3 per student. A minivan costs $90 to hire plus $8 per student. For what number of students is the bus the CHEAPER option?

Question 12
Maths reasoning · Statistics & probability

A class of 25 students each chose a favourite colour: red, blue, or green. The probability of a randomly chosen student picking red is 0.4 and the probability of picking green is 0.2. The teacher says: 'The number of students who chose blue is more than double the number who chose green.' Is the teacher correct?

Question 13
Maths reasoning · Integers

Calculate: −4 × 3.

Question 14
Maths reasoning · Area & volume

A composite solid is made by placing a solid cone on top of a solid cylinder. Both the cone and the cylinder have the same radius of 3 cm. The cylinder has a height of 8 cm and the total height of the composite solid is 12 cm (so the cone has a height of 4 cm). Using π ≈ 3.14, what is the total volume of the composite solid, correct to two decimal places?

Question 15
Maths reasoning · Algebraic expressions

Which of the following expressions has the same value as 4(3x − 2) − 2(x − 5) for every value of x?

Section 2: Reading & language (15 questions)

Question 16
Reading & language · Phonics & spelling

A student is learning about words derived from the Latin root 'scrib'/'script' (meaning 'to write'). She writes these four sentences and underlines a word in each: 1. The doctor gave her a 'prescription' for the medicine. 2. The journalist wrote a 'manuscript' by hand. 3. The teacher asked them to 'transcribe' the passage. 4. The ancient carvings were an 'inscription' on the stone. She claims: 'Because the root means to write, the silent letters in these words all come from the same Latin root and must always be spelled -scr-.' A classmate challenges her, saying that 'manuscript' is different because its meaning comes from TWO Latin roots, and so the spelling rule she stated does not fully apply. Which option CORRECTLY evaluates both claims?

Question 17
Reading & language · Writing & grammar

A student wants to write a persuasive sentence that uses a concession to make the argument STRONGER. They write: 'Some people believe social media is harmful, but it can also connect communities and support mental health.' A classmate says the sentence is weak because admitting the other side makes the argument less convincing. Who is correct, and why?

Question 18
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

Read: "The bell rang. Chairs scraped. Feet pounded down the hall. Freedom." Why does the author use short sentences here?

Question 19
Reading & language · Writing & grammar

A student writes the following two sentences in a persuasive essay about school uniforms: Sentence A: 'Although uniforms can feel restrictive, they remove the pressure of choosing what to wear each day, which research suggests reduces morning anxiety in students.' Sentence B: 'Uniforms are restrictive but they remove pressure and research says anxiety is reduced.' A classmate says both sentences make the same argument, so they are equally effective. Which statement BEST explains why this claim is inaccurate?

Question 20
Reading & language · Phonics & spelling

A student knows that 'magic' becomes 'magician' and 'music' becomes 'musician'. She applies the same pattern to write 'electrician' for someone who works with electricity. Her friend says the base word for 'electrician' is NOT 'electric' — it is 'electricity', with the '-ity' removed before adding '-an'. Which statement correctly evaluates BOTH claims?

Question 21
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

Read this extract: 'The city hummed with possibility in the daytime. At night, though, the same streets held their breath.' What effect is created by the contrast between 'hummed with possibility' and 'held their breath'?

Question 22
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

Read this passage: "Maya stood at the edge of the stage, the spotlight burning into her eyes. She had waited three years for this moment. Her hands were ice. Her heart was thunder." A student says the short final sentences show that Maya is clumsy. Why is this interpretation weak?

Question 23
Reading & language · Persuasive & creative writing

Two students write about the same topic — whether Australia should ban single-use plastics — for a school debate. Student A writes: 'Single-use plastics contribute significantly to marine pollution and landfill waste, according to a 2022 CSIRO report.' Student B writes: 'Every straw you use stabs at the future of our oceans.' Which statement BEST explains how Student B's technique creates a STRONGER emotional impact than Student A's, and what trade-off this involves?

Question 24
Reading & language · Persuasive & creative writing

Two students write about the same issue — plastic pollution — for a school newspaper. Student A writes: 'Plastic waste is a growing environmental problem that scientists and governments must address urgently.' Student B writes: 'Our oceans are drowning in plastic while governments fiddle and scientists debate. Who will speak for the fish?' Which statement BEST explains how the second text reveals a stronger bias?

Question 25
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

A student writes: "The old lighthouse stood alone on the cliff, its light long dead, its windows like hollow eyes watching the empty sea." Which two techniques are working together in this sentence, and what combined effect do they create?

Question 26
Reading & language · Persuasive & creative writing

Two students write concluding paragraphs for persuasive essays about whether Australia should lower the voting age to 16. Read both conclusions carefully. Student A: 'For these reasons, the voting age should be lowered. Young people deserve a voice. It is time to make a change.' Student B: 'Every policy shaping the next fifty years — climate action, housing, education — will be lived by today's sixteen-year-olds far longer than by those who currently vote on their behalf. Denying them a vote is not protection; it is exclusion. Australia has always expanded democracy when it mattered. This is that moment.' Which statement BEST explains why Student B's conclusion is more persuasive, AND identifies a genuine risk in the approach?

Question 27
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

Read this passage: 'Lena had always loved the old oak tree in the backyard — the way it stood solid and unchanging through every storm, every season, every year her family had lived in that house. Now, standing at the removal truck, she pressed her hand to its rough bark one last time.' What is the author most likely using the oak tree to represent, and how is this achieved?

Question 28
Reading & language · Phonics & spelling

Which sentence contains a word where the suffix has been added INCORRECTLY, changing the meaning from what was intended?

Question 29
Reading & language · Text response & analysis

Read this extract from a short story: 'Every morning, Grandma set two cups on the table — one for herself and one that sat untouched, waiting, as it had for three years now. She hummed while she made the tea, the same song she had always hummed, and smiled at the window the way she used to smile at the door.' A student says the extract is simply about a woman's morning routine. Which statement BEST explains why this reading is insufficient, and what technique supports a deeper interpretation?

Question 30
Reading & language · Vocabulary & grammar

Read this sentence: 'The scientist, whose findings challenged decades of research, was quietly discredited by the institution.' Which grammatical feature most shapes how the reader responds to the scientist?

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What this scholarship practice test contains

Thirty multiple-choice questions in two timed sections. Section 1, Maths reasoning, has fifteen questions drawn from our Year 6, Year 7 and Year 8 maths banks: number and algebra, ratio and rates, measurement, geometry, statistics and probability, with the stretch and challenge tiers preferred so most items sit above the year level a Year 6 student is used to. Section 2, Reading & language, has fifteen questions from the same three years of our English banks: comprehension of short literary and informative passages, inference, vocabulary in context, spelling, grammar and punctuation. Every set is seeded, so the link you are on shows the same questions each time and a new seed gives a fresh set. The clock is 25 minutes for the lot, which is deliberately tight: roughly fifty seconds a question, which is close to the pace of the real scholarship papers.

The answer key is not in the page. When you press Mark my test, or when the timer reaches zero, the browser asks our server for the key for this exact set, marks every question, shows the correct answer and an explanation with the year level of each item, and breaks the score down by section and by topic. Unanswered questions count as wrong, as they do in the real exam, so it is worth answering everything before the time runs out.

About the Victorian Selective Entry exam

Victoria has four selective-entry high schools: Melbourne High School (boys), Mac.Robertson Girls' High School (girls), Nossal High School in Berwick (co-educational) and Suzanne Cory High School in Werribee (co-educational). Entry is by a single competitive examination sat in Year 8 for Year 9 entry, usually in June, with a smaller number of places sometimes offered for later year levels. Students nominate their preferred schools on one application, and places are offered on the basis of exam results, with a proportion of places set aside under equity provisions. Suzanne Cory, in Werribee, draws heavily from Melbourne's west and is the school most families we work with are aiming for.

For students in Year 8 in 2027, school communications give the exam date as 20 June 2027, with applications typically opening early in the year and closing well before the exam. Dates, fees, eligibility rules and the exact test format are set by the Department of Education and can change from year to year, so confirm every detail on the VSEHS website before you plan around it. What has been consistent is the shape of the test: reading comprehension, mathematics, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and two short writing tasks (one creative, one persuasive or analytical), all under strict time limits and pitched above the Year 8 curriculum. The reasoning sections are the ones school programs rarely teach, and the writing tasks are marked for ideas, structure and control of language in a very short time, which is why students who are strong in class can still struggle on the day.

The multiple-choice sections of the real exam reward three things: secure knowledge a year or so ahead of the classroom, the habit of reading a question exactly, and pace. This practice test checks the first and the third. It does not check writing, and it does not include the pattern-based verbal and numerical reasoning puzzles, both of which need their own practice.

ACER and Edutest scholarship tests

Independent and Catholic schools in Melbourne offer academic scholarships through external testing agencies rather than their own papers. The two you will meet most often are ACER and Edutest, and they feel quite different. ACER's Cooperative Scholarship Testing Program (CSTP) is run at set levels: Level 1 for Year 7 entry (sat in Year 6), Level 2 for Year 9 entry and Level 3 for Year 11 entry. The papers are long and demanding: two written expression tasks, a humanities paper of reading comprehension and interpretation that includes poems, cartoons, tables and extracts, and a mathematics paper that leans on reasoning rather than recall. ACER tests are usually held on a single day in February or March, and one sitting can be used for several participating schools.

Edutest papers are shorter and broken into five sections, typically of about thirty minutes each: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematics and written expression. Most sections are multiple choice and the pace is brisk. Schools using Edutest often run the test on their own campus at their own date, so a family may sit two or three across a season. Because the sections are short, a student who loses a minute panicking on a hard question pays for it immediately, which is why timed practice matters so much for Edutest in particular.

This practice test is closer to the multiple-choice mathematics and reading sections of both formats than to the reasoning puzzles or the writing. If your child is preparing for a Year 7 scholarship, treat the Year 7 and Year 8 items here as the stretch they are; a Year 6 student who handles them comfortably is well placed.

A preparation timeline

  1. Twelve to nine months out (for Selective Entry 2027: Term 3 and 4 of Year 7). Diagnose first. Sit this test and the free Skills Check, and find out whether the gaps are knowledge (Year 8 maths not yet met), technique (never seen a reasoning question) or speed. Close the maths gaps with the Year 7 and Year 8 topic quizzes and start reading widely: non-fiction, opinion pieces and short fiction, not just novels.
  2. Nine to six months out (Term 1 of Year 8). Learn the question types. Work through each section of the exam separately with short timed sets, and begin a weekly timed writing task with feedback. Confirm the application window on the VSEHS website and lodge the application early.
  3. Six to three months out (Term 1 to 2). Full-length practice papers under exam conditions every fortnight, marked and reviewed by section. The review is where the marks come from: every error goes into a list and gets re-attempted a week later.
  4. The last eight weeks. Taper. One full paper a week, timed sets on the weakest section between them, and writing practice to a fixed plan. In the final week, sleep, a light set each day and nothing new.

For a Year 6 scholarship, compress the same sequence into the second half of Year 5 and the first term of Year 6, because ACER and most Edutest sittings fall between February and May of Year 6.

How to read your result

We do not report percentiles, because a thirty-question free sample cannot be normed against the real candidate pool and any percentile we invented would mislead you. What we can say is this. Selective-entry and scholarship tests are competitive, and the students who win places are typically answering above-level questions quickly and accurately. A score of 80% or more here, inside the time limit, suggests your child is ready for full-length timed practice papers and should move to those. A score between 50% and 80% usually means the content is mostly there and the work is in the hardest third of the questions and the clock; look at which section is weaker and drill it with timed sets. A score of 50% or less means the Year 6 and Year 7 foundations need attention before exam-style practice will pay off, which is common and fixable: start with the Year 6 and Year 7 topic quizzes, secure the weakest topics and come back to this test in a term.

Watch the time as well as the score. A high score with the clock expired is a pace problem; a low score with minutes to spare is a content problem. They need different fixes, and the results panel shows both.

What to do next

1. Free Skills Check

Fifteen minutes, every Year 7 topic at every tier including stretch and challenge, with a same-day topic-by-topic report and a tutor call to walk through it. It is the diagnostic we use to start every selective and scholarship program.

Start the free Skills Check →

2. Selective Entry 2027 program

Two sessions a week, maths and English with reasoning drills, a full timed practice test every fortnight, at our Truganina centre or online. First session free.

Selective Entry 2027 → Selective entry and scholarship tutoring →

3. Printable practice packs

Full-length selective and scholarship practice papers with worked answers, so a student can practise on paper under the clock the way the real test is sat.

Browse selective and scholarship packs →

Questions? Call 03 9509 3293 or book a free consultation. RHZ Tutoring, 17/47 Apex Drive, Truganina VIC 3029.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2027 Victorian Selective Entry exam?

School communications give the date as 20 June 2027 for Year 8 students seeking Year 9 entry in 2028. Dates and application windows can move, so confirm on the Victorian Selective Entry High Schools (VSEHS) website before planning around it.

Which schools does the Selective Entry exam cover?

Melbourne High School (boys, South Yarra), Mac.Robertson Girls' High School (girls, Melbourne), Nossal High School (co-educational, Berwick) and Suzanne Cory High School (co-educational, Werribee). Students sit one exam and list the schools in order of preference.

Is this practice test the same as the real exam?

No. It is a 30-question, 25-minute multiple-choice sample drawn from our Year 6, 7 and 8 maths and English banks at the stretch and challenge tiers. The real ACER and Edutest scholarship tests include writing tasks and, for Edutest, separate verbal and numerical reasoning sections. Use this page to check readiness and pace, not to predict a result.

What score should my child be getting?

There is no official pass mark and we do not publish percentiles for a free sample. As a rule of thumb, 80% or more here suggests a student is ready for full-length timed practice; 50% or less suggests starting with the Year 6 and Year 7 topic quizzes to secure the foundations first.

Does the timer matter?

Yes. Both selective-entry and scholarship tests are speed tests as much as knowledge tests, and most students lose more marks to the clock than to the content. If the score is good but the time ran out, practise timed sets; if there was time to spare but the score was low, work on the content.

What is the difference between ACER and Edutest scholarship tests?

Both are used by independent schools for Year 7 entry (sat in Year 6) and some for Year 9 or Year 11 entry. ACER's Cooperative Scholarship Testing Program has longer papers in written expression, humanities (reading and interpretation) and mathematics. Edutest papers are shorter and include five sections: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, mathematics and written expression. Check which test each school uses.

Is this free, and is anything collected?

It is free and there is no sign-up. Marking happens on our server and only an anonymous score event is recorded. The free Skills Check, which produces a full report, asks for a parent email so we can send it.

Build the foundations first

If the result points to a content gap, these free topic quizzes cover the ground the test draws on:

All 3,261 free practice questions, Prep to Year 12 →