HAST vs EduTest: What's the Difference?

If your child is applying for a scholarship or a place at an independent school, the entrance test will usually be one of two: the HAST or EduTest. They're run by different organisations and they don't test the same things — so it's worth knowing which one is coming before you start preparing.

The one-line difference

EduTest has dedicated Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning sections. The HAST does not. That single difference matters more than any other, because it changes what you should practise. Conflating the two is the most common mistake parents make when preparing.

Is the HAST the same as "the ACER test"?

Partly — and this trips up a lot of parents. The HAST is an ACER test: it stands for the Higher Ability Selection Test, and ACER (the Australian Council for Educational Research) is the organisation behind it. So when a school says "the ACER test", they often mean the HAST.

But ACER runs more than one assessment used for scholarships and entry, so "the ACER test" isn't precise on its own. If a school's letter just says ACER, it's worth emailing them and asking which test it is, and which components your child will sit. That one email saves you preparing for the wrong sections.

EduTest, by contrast, is run by Edutest Pty Ltd — a different provider entirely. It is never "the ACER test".

Side by side

• Who runs it — HAST: ACER. EduTest: Edutest Pty Ltd.
• Sections — HAST: schools choose three or four components from Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Written Expression. EduTest: five sections — Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics and Written Expression.
• Verbal Reasoning — HAST: no. EduTest: yes, as its own section.
• Numerical Reasoning — HAST: no. EduTest: yes, as its own section.
• Abstract Reasoning — HAST: yes, one of the components schools can choose. EduTest: not a separate section.
• Multiple-choice options — EduTest: five options (A–E) across all multiple-choice sections. HAST: ACER doesn't publish this, so don't assume a fixed number.
• Writing — both include a written expression task.
• Levels — HAST is sat at levels: Primary (Years 5–6), Junior (Year 7), Middle (Year 9) and Senior (Year 11). EduTest is sat by the year of entry.

We've deliberately left question counts and timings out of that list. ACER doesn't publish exact counts for the HAST, and the specifics can vary by level and by school, so anything you read online quoting precise numbers should be treated with caution. Your school's own letter is the authority.

So which one is harder?

Honestly, that depends on your child more than on the test. The structures differ, so the same student can find one noticeably harder than the other:

• A child who reads widely and reasons well with words tends to find EduTest's Verbal Reasoning section an advantage — and gets no credit for that strength on a HAST paper that doesn't include one.
• A child who is strong at pattern-spotting has an edge on the HAST, where Abstract Reasoning can be one of the chosen components.
• A child who is fast and accurate under time pressure does better on EduTest's five sections, which cover more ground.

What both tests share is that they reward reasoning rather than recall. Neither is a test your child can cram content for the week before.

Which one will my child sit?

You usually don't choose — the school does. Some independent schools use the HAST, others use EduTest, and a few run their own paper entirely. Before you buy anything or start a preparation plan, check the school's admissions page or email the registrar and ask two questions:

• Which test is it — HAST, EduTest, or the school's own?
• If it's the HAST, which components will be sat?

If your child is applying to more than one school, it's entirely possible they'll sit both.

A note on Year 8 and other mid-year entry

Entry into Year 8 and above is often handled by the school itself rather than through a standard test, and those papers don't have a published format the way the HAST and EduTest do. If that's your situation, ask the school directly what the test covers — general reasoning practice is still useful, but you shouldn't assume it looks like either of the two tests above.

Preparing for either

PrepPath has practice for both. HAST-style practice covers Reading Comprehension, Mathematical Reasoning and Abstract Reasoning, with the written task supported by our essay marking. EduTest-style practice adds the two sections the HAST doesn't have — Verbal Reasoning and Numerical Reasoning — and includes a timed mock paper across the multiple-choice sections. Every question comes with a full explanation, so your child learns the method rather than memorising an answer.

For step-by-step plans, see How to Prepare for the HAST and How to Prepare for EduTest. To see the question styles first, try the HAST sample questions and EduTest sample questions, both with worked solutions.

PrepPath is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) or Edutest Pty Ltd. "HAST", "Higher Ability Selection Test" and "EduTest" are used here for description only. PrepPath's practice questions are original, HAST-style and EduTest-style material — not real papers. Formats, levels and components can change and vary by school; always check the official website and your school's admissions information for current details.