SEAL or selective entry? How the two compare.

If your child is doing well at school, you'll probably hear about two options in Victoria's government system: a SEAL program and the selective entry high schools. They sound similar, and both involve an entry test, but they work quite differently. This guide sets them side by side.

What SEAL is

SEAL stands for Select Entry Accelerated Learning. It isn't a separate school. It's a program inside some government secondary schools, for a class of high-achieving students who move faster than the standard program.^[1][2]

• It starts in Year 7. Children apply while they're in Year 6.^[1][2]
• It's accelerated. At Belmont High School, for example, "students usually complete Years 7-10 in three years".^[1] Victoria University Secondary College describes its program as having "much less repetition", plus enrichment and extension.^[2]
• Schools are accredited. The Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools (TAASS) accredits schools that run SEAL.^[2]

How SEAL entry works

There's no single statewide SEAL test. Each school runs its own selection, so details differ. Two current examples show the usual pattern:

Those details come from each school's own information.^[1][2] Each school sets new dates every year. Belmont also notes that enrolment must follow the Department of Education's placement policy,^[1] so ask your chosen school whether living outside its zone affects your chances.

Which schools run a SEAL program?

Around 35 to 40 Victorian government secondary schools run SEAL. The official list of accredited schools is kept by the Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools (TAASS),^[2] and it changes as schools join or leave, so check it before you shortlist. Here are some of the schools that publish their SEAL program details, with the entrance test each one used for Year 7 2027 entry.

Those details come from each school's own SEAL information.^{[1][2][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]} Several schools only let a child sit the SEAL test once they've been offered a Year 7 place at that school, so the normal Year 7 placement process comes first. Tests for 2027 entry ran between late July and mid-August 2026, so the next round will most likely fall around the same time in 2027, while your child is in Year 6.

The SEAL test, and how to prepare

Most SEAL schools use one of two outside tests, or set their own.

• EduTest is used by schools such as Glen Eira College, St Albans and Victoria University Secondary College.^[2][6][8] It's a set of separate multiple-choice and writing tests, typically covering verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, reading comprehension, maths and writing.
• The ACER HAST (Higher Ability Selection Test) is used by schools such as Balwyn High School and Keilor Downs College.^[7][9] It covers reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, abstract reasoning and a written expression task.

Either way, the test rewards reasoning more than memorised school content. Here's a sensible plan for the year before:

1. Lock in Year 5 and 6 maths. Fractions, decimals, percentages and multi-step word problems come up constantly. Our Year 6 maths guide lists every topic.
2. Learn the reasoning question types. Number series, analogies, odd one out, codes and shape patterns each have a method. Try 10 free HAST-style practice questions or our free selective practice paper to see them.
3. Read widely, including non-fiction. Comprehension passages in these tests are often harder than class readers.
4. Write to a timer. Short, timed writing pieces from a picture or a one-line prompt, then read them back together.
5. Do one or two full timed practices in the last month, so the format and pacing aren't a surprise. Leaving questions unanswered is normal in these tests.

How selective entry works

Victoria has four selective entry high schools, often shortened to SEHS: Melbourne High School, The Mac.Robertson Girls' High School, Nossal High School and Suzanne Cory High School.^[3] They're whole schools for Years 9 to 12, with entry at Year 9 through one centralised selection process that includes an entrance exam.^[4] Students sit that exam in June of Year 8, and it's run by ACER.^[3] There are about 1,000 Year 9 places each year.^[3] Our full selective entry guide covers eligibility, the exam format and how offers are made.

Side by side

Can my child do both?

Often, yes. A student could join a SEAL program in Year 7, then sit the selective entry exam in Year 8. The selective exam is open to students who are in Year 8 when they sit it and haven't sat it before, along with citizenship and residency rules.^[3] Because SEAL programs accelerate, ask the SEAL school how that affects your child's year level before you plan on it.

Which suits your child?

• SEAL may suit a child who's ready for more challenge now, would rather stay closer to home, and benefits from a class of similar students from Year 7.
• Selective entry may suit a child who's strong across the board in Year 8 and would thrive in a whole school built around academic study.
• Neither is the only path. Plenty of students do very well in a standard program with good support at home.

Preparing for both

SEAL tests and the selective exam overlap a lot. Belmont's test covers maths, problem solving, comprehension and creative writing,^[1] and the selective exam covers maths, quantitative reasoning, reading, verbal reasoning and writing.^[5] The skills that help with one help with the other:

• Solid Year 5 and 6 maths, especially fractions, decimals and percentages. Our Year 6 maths guide lists every topic.
• Reasoning puzzles: number patterns, analogies, codes. Try our free selective test practice paper for a taste.
• Wide reading and regular, timed writing.

Check with the school. SEAL programs, dates, fees and selection steps vary from school to school and change each year. Always read the school's own information before you apply.

Common questions

What is a SEAL program?

SEAL stands for Select Entry Accelerated Learning. It's an accelerated class for high-achieving students inside some Victorian government secondary schools, starting in Year 7.

When is the SEAL test?

Each school sets its own date. For Year 7 2027 entry, tests ran between late July and mid-August 2026, while children were in Year 6.

What is on the SEAL exam?

Most schools use EduTest or the ACER HAST, or set their own test. Expect reasoning, reading comprehension, maths and a writing task.

Can my child do SEAL and then sit the selective entry exam?

Often, yes. The selective exam is sat in Year 8, so a SEAL student can still apply. Ask the SEAL school how acceleration affects your child's year level first.