NSW Opportunity Class — Timeline

NSW OC Test Dates & Key Deadlines

The Opportunity Class (OC) placement test runs on a fixed annual timeline that mirrors the Selective timeline: applications open in Term 4, close in February, the test is sat around mid-year while your child is in Year 4, and results follow later in the year. The OC and Selective cycles share the same online application window, so the confirmed dates for one apply to the other. The most recently confirmed cycle (2026 entry) had applications from 7 November 2024 to 21 February 2025. Exact upcoming dates — including the OC test day itself — are confirmed by the NSW Department of Education each year, so always check the official page before relying on any date.

The OC placement timeline

Applications open (Term 4). Create or log in to the online application account and submit your child’s details through the shared placement-test portal. Only one application per student is permitted. In 2026 entry, applications opened 7 November 2024.
Applications close (February). Late applications are generally not accepted, and this is also the deadline for test-centre preferences and any disability provisions. The 2026 entry deadline was 21 February 2025.
Test day (mid-year, Year 4). Your child sits the computer-based OC test at their allocated centre. The exact date is confirmed by the Department of Education each year and falls on a different day from the Selective test — do not assume the two share a test date.
Results released (later in the year). Outcomes are published through the online application portal. Reserve-list movement can continue for some weeks afterward.

How to prepare around the dates

Because the OC test is sat in Year 4, start building the foundations early — in Year 3 or the start of Year 4 — while there is still plenty of runway. In the months before the mid-year test, move to full-length timed mock tests so your child is used to the computer-based format, the pacing across Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills, and sitting the whole paper in one go. Because exact dates for the next cycle are only confirmed when the Department publishes them, set a reminder to check the official placement-test page each October, when the application window opens.

Frequently asked questions

When is the OC test?

The OC placement test is sat around the middle of the year, on a separate day from the Selective test. The Department of Education confirms the exact test date each year, so check the official placement-test page rather than assuming last year’s date carries over.

What year do children sit the OC test?

Children sit the OC test in Year 4, for entry into an Opportunity Class in Year 5. It is a one-off placement test, which is why timed practice beforehand matters.

When do OC applications open and close?

Applications open in Term 4 and close in February. In the most recent confirmed cycle (2026 entry) the window ran from 7 November 2024 to 21 February 2025. Late applications are generally not accepted, so mark the closing date early.

Is the OC application the same as Selective?

The application uses the same online portal and the same Term 4 to February window as the Selective test, so the application dates line up. The tests themselves are separate: OC is sat in Year 4 for Year 5 entry, and Selective is sat in Year 6 for Year 7 entry, on different days.

Source: NSW Department of Education — Selective High School Placement Test. Last verified: July 2026.