Criteria for entry: Years 8 - 12 placement

• Academic merit
• Australian citizenship and residency status
• Residential address
• Enrolment policy
• Courses of study
• Family placement claim
• Boarder placement (agricultural high schools only)

Students must compete academically with all other candidates for entry to each selective high school.

In determining academic merit, the selection committee may consider the following information provided by parents:

• school reports
• outstanding performance in areas which the selection committees consider to be relevant
• additional relevant information as reported by parents
• information about the student's commitment to the study of science and agriculture (agricultural high school applicants only).

The selection committee may ask for further information or may use additional procedures to choose between applicants. These procedures may include the testing of students.

School assessment procedures

Prior to submitting your application it is essential that you consult each school about the assessment requirements.

You can find all school websites at:

http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/gotoschool/types/shs_ahs_details.php

The selection committee will consider students with sensory or physical disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and students from a language background other than English to determine whether or not the student’s ability to demonstrate academic merit has been disadvantaged by disability or cultural background.

Candidates are normally Australian citizens or holders of a visa granting permanent resident status in Australia. Information on Australian citizenship is available on the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website at: www.citizenship.gov.au. Official evidence of Australian citizenship may be obtained by the issue of a Certificate of Evidence of Australian Citizenship.

Citizens of New Zealand who are permanently settled in Australia are eligible for entry. Permanent residents of New Zealand are treated in the same manner as temporary residents of Australia.

Applicants who do not meet these residency requirements at the time of applying but expect to meet them in the near future, are allowed to apply. Such applicants will have to show evidence that they meet all residency requirements before being offered a place.

Applicants who are unable to meet the residency requirements but believe that there are extenuating circumstances applicable to their case may apply, provided that they are already living in Australia.

Applicants who qualify for entry on academic grounds but do not meet the residency requirements, including those who hold diplomatic visas, will be advised that their applications are on ‘hold’ pending clarification of their residency status. These applicants will then have the opportunity to appeal for special consideration through the appeals process.

All successful applicants will be required to show original documentation such as a Certificate of Evidence of Australian Citizenship, birth certificates or visas before enrolment can be finalised by the school.

Offers or enrolments may be terminated if placement is made on the basis of false or misleading information.

Parents must be living in NSW by the beginning of the 2010 school year. If parents normally live in NSW but are temporarily out of the state, they should expect to return in the near future. Applications from parents who continue to live outside NSW after the 2010 school year begins will be considered only if there are vacancies after all suitable applicants from NSW have been placed.

The NSW Department of Education and Training (DET) has a responsibility to assess and manage any risk of harm to its staff or students. This includes assessing and managing risk posed to students or staff at a school by a student with a history of violence. Where relevant, such situations will be dealt with in accordance with DET’s enrolment policies and procedures. Information for parents regarding enrolment is available at: http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/schoolfind/enrolment/parentsinfo.php

Students should be aware that courses of study at selective high schools may not be the same as courses taken at the previous school. Students' current courses will be taken into account when they are considered for placement.

Immediate family
You can make a family placement claim if a member of the immediate family (brother, sister or parent/guardian) currently attends or previously attended the school. Where two or more students have equal results, the students with family placement claims will be given priority. For most students this will have little effect on the outcome. For residential placement, extra consideration may be given to students who have brothers or sisters already attending the school.

Twins and other children
Because there is so much competition for entry to selective high schools you should not expect that if one of your children has been successful, the other children in your family will be placed. Selection committees may give consideration to twins where similar levels of academic merit are demonstrated; however the placement of one twin does not guarantee the placement of another.

Special criteria apply for entry to residential agricultural high schools. These criteria are outlined under Entry to residential agricultural high schools.