Primary Scholarship Program
FOR PARENT ENQUIRIES PHONE 03 8508 9049
How do I register to sit the PSP test?
Where do I get a Candidate Information Bulletin and Registration
Form?
What if my chosen school is testing on a different date
to the main date?
What if two schools have tests on different dates?
Can I sit for one test only?
How much does it cost to register?
Where do I send the pen and paper registration form?
Do I have to submit a pen and paper registration
form to a school if I've registered online with the same school?
When is the deadline for registering with a school?
Can I take the test at the nearest school in my neighbourhood?
What do I do if I will be overseas on the day of
the test?
Can I purchase past papers or sample questions?
How do I find out about the results?
How do I register to sit the PSP test?
There are two registration methods:
1) Via a pen and paper registration form - available from schools.
2) Online via the Internet - visit the schools' own websites to check whether or not they offer online registrations. (Scholarship information and registration is usually accessible from the school's home page or the enrolments/admissions section of a school's web site.)
Please note that some schools accept online registrations and pen and paper registrations, while others accept only online registrations or pen and paper registration forms.
Check an individual school's website or contact the scholarship administrator for further information about scholarships schools may offer. Some schools may require additional information or have extra registration forms to fill out. It is your responsibility to check whether you have met a school's requirements before making an application.
Where do I get a Candidate Information Bulletin and Registration Form?
The Candidate Information Bulletin is available by clicking on the link below.
Pen and paper registration forms are available from the school(s) with which you intend to register. If you want to register for more than one school, you must contact each school separately to obtain a registration form and the school's individual information regarding fees and deadline dates.
Online registration facilities are available via many participating schools' websites. Visit a school's website to find out more information about scholarships they may offer and to register.
Read your Candidate's Information Bulletin (10 May 2008 test date) or Candidate's Information Bulletin (for exams that are not held on 10 May 2008) carefully.
The bulletin sets out several things you need to do or bring on examination day.
What if my chosen school is testing on a different date to the main date?
This indicates that the school is using an alternate test date to the main date PSP ( Saturday 10 May 2008 ). Scores will not be shared amongst schools when they use different test dates so you must sit the PSP on the other date as well as on the main date.
When the PSP is conducted on the main date, candidates may register at other schools testing on the same date, sit the test once, and have their results passed onto each main date school they've registered with. If the test is conducted on another date, the candidate must sit the test on that date. The results will NOT be passed onto other schools testing on other alternate dates or on the main date.
What if two schools have tests on different dates? Can I sit for one test only?
You must sit two separate tests for PSP schools testing on different dates. The tests may be similar in format but will be completely different in content.
How much does it cost to register?
Each school sets their own registration fee. You must pay a separate fee for each school with which you register. Check with the school(s).
Where do I send the pen and paper registration form?
Send it back to the school with which you are registering. Include the appropriate fee and any other information the school may require of you.
Do I have to submit a pen and paper registration form to a school if I've registered online with the same school?
No, you need only register with the same school once. Online registrations and pen and paper registrations achieve the same aim; though please check with a school to see if they have any additional registration requirements.
When is the deadline for registering with a school?
Schools determine their deadline for registrations. You need to go to the school web site and find out that closing date. You must abide by the school's deadline.
The main date deadline* by which time pen and paper registrations should be lodged at participating PSP schools is Friday 11 April 2008 .
* A Late fee of $90 applies to ALL registrations received after 5.00 pm AET on Friday 11 April 2008 .
The main date deadline for online registrations is 5.00 pm AET Friday 18 April 2008 . At this date and time ACER will close the online registration facility. If you wish to register after this date, you must contact the school and request a pen and paper registration form. Schools are NOT bound to accept registrations after this date.
Schools testing on an alternate date (NOT 10 May 2008) will have different deadlines. Please contact the school concerned.
Can I take the test at the nearest school in my neighbourhood?
You MUST take the test at the school you have chosen as your first preference. If you live in a remote area then you can choose to take the test at an ACER centre, or, you can sit the PSP test at the nearest participating PSP school to you.
See the list of registered ACER centres and participating schools under Participating Schools 2008 and Test Centres.
More detailed information is in the Candidate's Information Bulletin. The bulletin is in Adobe Acrobat PDF format (255kb). To enable you to access this document, you may need to download free Acrobat®Reader®Software.
What do I do if I live too far away from the nearest test centre?
If a candidate lives over 200 kilometres from his/her nearest school or ACER centre (see Test Centres list), he/she may request a Special Test Centre. The candidate's parents or guardian should find an appropriate supervisor and test site for the candidate to take the test on the same day as candidates elsewhere in Australia. The supervisor should be a teacher or person who has experience in exam supervision. The person should not be the candidate's current teacher, related to the candidate, or coaching the candidate for the CSTP. The supervisor's contact details should be recorded on the registration form.
The registration form must be processed by the school and reach ACER at least two weeks before the late fee registration date applies (ie. received at ACER by Friday 28 March 2008 ). Special Test Centre requests are not automatically granted. Please contact the school you intend to register with in the first instance.
If this arrangement is suitable to the school, supervisor and ACER, the test papers will be sent to the nominated Special Test Centre. Any costs involved in setting up the centre are to be covered by the candidate's parents or guardian.
What do I do if I will be overseas on the day of the test?
Candidates living overseas are expected to attend an ACER overseas centre (see Test Centres list). Under particular circumstances a special examination centre may be approved. These requests are not automatically granted.
Requests in the first instance should be made to the school. The name, address, phone and fax number of a supervisor with suitable teaching qualifications must be provided on the registration form to the school and sent on to ACER at least two weeks before the registration closing date (ie. received at ACER by Friday 28 March 2008 ). The person should not be the candidate's current teacher, related to the candidate, or coaching the candidate for the CSTP.
If the arrangement is satisfactory to the school, supervisor and ACER, the test papers will be sent to the nominated Special Overseas Centre. An Overseas registration surcharge of $200* will be payable in addition to the normal registration fee. Any supervision costs will be the responsibility of the candidate.
*Individual schools may request a higher surcharge be imposed. Check with the school concerned before applying.
Can I purchase past papers or sample questions?
There are NO past papers or Sample Collections of Questions available for purchase.
How can I prepare for the test?
'Get ready... go!' will give you a very clear idea about the kinds of questions that will be asked. You should feel more confident about facing multiple-choice questions in particular once you have worked through the booklet.
The booklet is not designed to be part of an intensive drill before the test though. The tests you will take are designed to reveal your overall skills and abilities not your detailed knowledge of subjects. PSP questions might ask you to analyse, interpret, comprehend, or draw conclusions. They won't require you to memorise such things as the states of America, all the names of the characters in a book, or how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. You may be asked to look at a diagram or read a passage referring to these things but you won't have to learn them especially beforehand.
In responding to the Writing topics you might be asked to think about the topic, organise your ideas, and express yourself clearly and succinctly.
These skills are learned over your lifetime both in and out of school so short term training for the tests is unlikely to improve performance. Your best preparation is to read widely and think critically.
How do I find out about the results?
ACER will provide your results to the school(s) you've registered with. Schools have the option of choosing to receive Candidate Participation Certificates, which they may then pass onto you. In all instances, contact should be between candidates and participating schools - not ACER.