Each school sets its own criteria
Academic, all-rounder, music, boarding, equity and other opportunities can have different eligibility rules and selection steps.
Sydney private school scholarships: how applications work.
Understand the application, assessment, evidence, interview and fee-assistance stages before choosing a school or preparation plan.
Start with the school, not a generic scholarship exam.
The school's current scholarship page is the source for the actual opportunity: which year levels are available, whether the applicant must be new to the school, what evidence is required and how fee support is assessed.
Assessment is only one part
Schools can consider assessment results alongside school reports, evidence, an audition, an interview or financial information.
Fee coverage must be checked
Whether support is full, partial or means-tested, the covered items, duration and continuation conditions can differ.
What scholarship selection usually involves.
The details vary by school, but families often move through these five stages. A result at one stage does not promise an offer.
- Read the current school information. Check the entry year, opportunity type, eligibility, application instructions and whether a separate enrolment application is required.
- Submit the right application. A scholarship form and an ordinary enrolment application may be separate processes, with different fees or deadlines.
- Complete the assessment. The school may name a provider, run its own assessment or combine assessment results with other information.
- Provide evidence and attend selection activities. Reports, NAPLAN, a portfolio, references, an audition or an interview may be relevant to the opportunity.
- Read the offer and conditions closely. Confirm covered costs, start and end dates, annual review or continuation conditions, and any next enrolment steps.
What “full scholarship” may not cover.
A full scholarship can mean full tuition fees, rather than every cost of attending school. Check the offer and school policy item by item.
- Boarding fees, application or enrolment fees
- Uniforms, devices, textbooks, excursions and camps
- Instrumental tuition and other activity costs
- How long support lasts and whether it is reviewed each year
Means testing and residency can change the answer.
Some scholarships and bursaries are means-tested, meaning families may need to provide financial information. Some schools also state citizenship or permanent-residency requirements for particular opportunities.
Where the school has not clearly published an eligibility rule, do not assume that a family is eligible or ineligible. Ask the admissions team before investing time in an application or assessment.
Full or partial scholarship
These terms often describe the proportion of tuition fees reduced, not every cost of attending the school.
Bursary
A bursary often relates to financial need, but schools use the term differently. Check the school's definition and offer conditions.
Means-tested support
Family financial information may affect eligibility, the amount of support, or both. The school's policy and written offer are decisive.
Assessment providers are not interchangeable.
A school may use ACER CSTP, AAS, EduTest or a school-written assessment. The provider named by the target school is the one to check; schools still determine their own requirements and selection decisions.
ACER CSTP
Some schools name the ACER Cooperative Scholarship Testing Program for selected scholarship categories.
AAS
Some schools use Academic Assessment Services. Check the school's current instructions before choosing practice or making timing assumptions.
EduTest
Some schools use EduTest for their own scholarship process. Confirm the specific school and year-level arrangements.
School-written
Some schools run their own assessment. An independently prepared child still needs to follow that school's published process.
Use current official information before acting.
School information is decisive.
Dates, eligibility, assessment arrangements, fee coverage and selection criteria can change. SteadyMarks is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the schools or assessment providers named in this guide. It does not provide official tests, application advice or admissions outcomes.
When the dates matter, use the annual calendar.
See current 2028 application windows, opening-soon programmes and direct links to the official school pages checked for this guide.
See 2028 application dates