When to Start Competition and Scholarship Preparation
Start light skill-building six to twelve months before a scholarship or selective test and move into focused, timed preparation in the final three to four months; for academic competitions, several months of regular practice suits award goals while a few weeks of targeted work suits solid participation. The right answer is set by working backwards from the confirmed test date, not by a fixed rule — and starting early with gentle, consistent practice almost always beats a late, intense cram.
Key facts at a glance
- Scholarship / selective tests: broad skill-building 6–12 months out; focused timed practice in the final 3–4 months.
- Competition maths (e.g. AMC): a few weeks for solid participation; several months of regular practice for awards.
- Work backwards from the date — confirm the official date, then plan the phases.
- Start light, ramp late — early intensity risks burnout; consistency beats cramming.
- Use a diagnostic first so practice targets real gaps, not everything.
Last verified: June 2026 against official sources (nap.edu.au, education.nsw.gov.au, ACER). Individual school dates, fees and cut-off scores change every year and vary by school — always confirm with the specific school or official body before you rely on a date.
Start from the date, not a rule
The first step is always to confirm the official test date, because everything else counts back from it. The 2026 NAPLAN window is 11–23 March; the NSW selective placement test is typically early May; scholarship sittings vary by school but cluster between February and June; and academic competitions each have their own fixed date in the calendar. Once you know the date, you can split the runway into a broad-skills phase and a focused-practice phase rather than guessing how early is “early enough”.
Scholarship and selective tests
These reward reasoning, reading and timed writing — skills that grow steadily rather than overnight — so they reward an early, gentle start. A sensible shape:
- 6–12 months out: light, regular skill-building. Wide reading, reasoning puzzles, mental maths and short writing pieces, kept enjoyable.
- 3–4 months out: shift to the test’s exact formats — full timed sections, unfamiliar question types like thinking skills, and writing under the clock.
- Final weeks: consolidate, do a few timed mocks, and review mistakes carefully. Avoid piling on new material.
The reason to start the broad phase early is that the hardest gains — comfort with unfamiliar reasoning and fluent timed writing — come slowly. The reason not to start intense exam drilling early is burnout: a child drilled hard for a year often peaks too soon. Light early, focused late is the pattern that works.
Academic competitions
Competitions are a little different, because the goal varies. For a student aiming simply to take part and enjoy the challenge, a few weeks to a couple of months of focused practice on past papers and core topics is plenty. For a student chasing awards, several months of regular problem-solving is more realistic, because award-level performance depends on having met a wide range of non-routine problems. Our guide on how many hours to prepare for the AMC puts numbers to this, and the 8-week AMC preparation plan gives a ready-made structure.
A simple planning table
| Goal | Start broad work | Start focused timed work |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship / selective place | 6–12 months out | 3–4 months out |
| Competition — solid participation | Optional / light | A few weeks out |
| Competition — awards | Several months out | 2–3 months out |
| NAPLAN | Not needed — steady class learning | Light familiarisation only |
What if you are starting late?
A short runway is not a lost cause — it just demands focus. Run a diagnostic first so you spend your limited time on real gaps rather than revising what is already solid, practise the exact test format under timing, and review every mistake properly. Targeted work in a few weeks can move the needle more than scattered effort over months. The trade-off is that there is no time to build skills that grow slowly, so a late start favours sharpening what a child already has over teaching something new.
Whenever you begin, start with a clear picture of where your child stands. A free diagnostic shows the gaps, and for sequencing the year around real exam dates, see how to use the competition calendar.
Frequently asked questions
When should my child start preparing for a scholarship test?
For most families, three to six months of focused preparation before the test is enough, with broader skill-building able to start earlier. Confirm the test date first, then count back: spend the first half broadening skills and the second half on timed practice.
How early should we begin for a selective school test?
Begin steady reasoning and reading practice six to twelve months out, and move into timed full-section practice in the final few months. The NSW selective test is usually in early May, so a plan from the previous year works well.
How many months ahead should competition maths preparation start?
It depends on the goal. For solid participation, a few weeks to a couple of months of focused practice helps; for awards, several months of regular practice is more realistic. Starting earlier with lighter, consistent practice beats last-minute cramming.
Is it possible to start too early?
Yes, in the sense that intense exam-style drilling too far out causes burnout. The fix is to start early with light, enjoyable skill-building and only ramp into timed exam practice in the final months.
What if we are only a few weeks out?
Focus on the highest-value actions: a diagnostic to find gaps, timed practice on the exact test format, and reviewing mistakes carefully. You can make real gains in a few weeks by being targeted rather than trying to cover everything.