When is the GATE Exam 2027?
Updated 11 October 2026 with the official dates from the WA Department of Education.
The 2027 GATE exam is on Saturday 6 March 2027 for Year 6 students in Perth metro, Bunbury and Albany.
Applications open Tuesday 13 October 2026 and close at 6pm Friday 5 February 2027.
The Department of Education confirmed the date when it released the key dates for the 2028 intake of its Gifted and Talented Secondary Selective Entrance programs. The test itself is the Academic Selective Entrance Test (ASET), which is what most families mean by "the GATE exam".
Every 2027 testing date
| Who | When |
|---|---|
| Year 6 students (Perth metro, Bunbury and Albany) | Saturday 6 March 2027 |
| Year 8, 9 and 10 students (Perth metro, Bunbury and Albany) | Sunday 7 March 2027 |
| Regional WA (not Bunbury or Albany) | Monday 8 to Tuesday 9 March 2027 |
| Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide | March 2027, to be confirmed |
| Adjusted testing conditions (Perth metro) | Tuesday 16 to Tuesday 30 March 2027 |
Testing details, including your child's test centre, are emailed before the test (the Department has not yet confirmed when).
Who sits the 2027 GATE exam?
- Year 6 students in 2027, applying for Year 7 entry in 2028
- Year 8, 9 and 10 students in 2027, applying for entry to Years 9, 10 and 11 in 2028
So a student in Year 5 now (in 2026) sits the test on 6 March 2027. Year 4 students this year are looking at the test in early 2028.
What the exam covers
Every applicant sits the ASET, which has four parts:
- Reading comprehension: 35 minutes, multiple-choice questions on a range of texts
- Communicating ideas in writing: 25 minutes, one written response to a prompt
- Quantitative reasoning: 35 minutes, multiple choice
- Abstract reasoning: 20 minutes, multiple choice, visual patterns
The Department's ASET Handbook and practice test are on its testing page, and it recommends going through the handbook with your child before the test. Arts applicants also audition or attend a workshop, and arts and languages applicants may be interviewed.
When applications open and close
Applications open on Tuesday 13 October 2026 and close at 6pm Friday 5 February 2027. They are made online through the Department of Education's website. Requests for adjusted testing conditions or an ASET exemption have the same deadline. Late applications are only considered in exceptional and unavoidable circumstances, so apply early. Our step-by-step application guide covers every part of the form.
When results and offers come out
- ASET Performance Reports: emailed in early June 2027
- Round 1 offers: late June 2027
- Round 2 offers: late July 2027
- Unsuccessful notifications: August 2027
That is about three months from test day to the performance report, which is longer than many parents expect. Knowing it in advance makes the wait easier.
Go to a parent information evening
The Department is running parent information evenings at schools across WA from 14 October to 23 November 2026, plus an online session for regional families on 26 November. They explain applications, testing and placement, and we recommend going to one before you finalise your preferences. See every date and school.
Where to prepare
From mid-October there are about 20 weeks until the test: enough time for steady, structured practice across all four parts. AsetPrep runs weekend GATE classes in Perth and online, and our practice platform has timed mock exams and writing feedback built around the WA ASET. You can create a free account to try it.
Source: WA Department of Education, Key dates and applicant guidelines (checked 11 October 2026). The Department says dates may change, so check its page before each deadline. AsetPrep is an independent preparation provider and is not affiliated with the Department of Education.
See also: All GATE 2027 key dates, Full 2027 GATE exam guide, Perth Modern cutoff score, Test-day checklist.