St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar has an enviable academic reputation with students consistently achieving excellent VCE results.
Maximising academic outcomes emerges through the provision of a culture which emphasises personal excellence. Students naturally benefit from tailored and high levels of attention in the classroom thanks to our smaller class sizes as well as our digital learning platforms and our mySummit learning diversity program that’s designed to academically stretch or supported students at a subject level.
Please review Key Information before applying
Apply for a ScholarshipKey Information:
Applying
- 2025 Academic Scholarships are available only for students:
- Currently in Year 3 entering the School in Year 5, 2027, and
- Currently in Year 5 entering the School in Year 7, 2027.
- Applications for Academic Scholarships close at 4.00 pm on Friday 25 April 2025. Applications received after this time will not be considered.
- The Online Academic testing will occur on Saturday 10 May 2025 in the candidate’s home. Please see Technical Requirements in Frequently Asked Questions and Answers.
- Only Academic Scholarship Applications applied for through the School’s Scholarship Application Form will be considered.
- Only short-listed candidates will be asked to interview for a Scholarship.
- Academic Scholarships consist of 50% remission from annual Tuition Fees.
Additional Scholarship Criteria and Requirements
To be considered ALL candidates must provide (upload) the following information in their application:
- Most recent school report (upload to Student’s most recent school report (e.g. semester 2)
- Second most recent school report (upload to Student’s second most recent school report (e.g. semester 1)
- Latest NAPLAN results (upload to Student’s NAPLAN)
- Candidates’ digital portfolio (upload to Portfolio documents to support scholarship(s) – Single PDF Document containing copies of achievements, certificates, references and links to videos of performances and concerts.
Interview
Candidates who reach a pre-determined level of academic performance in the initial examination will be shortlisted and invited for an interview with the Principal or relevant Head of School prior to being offered a scholarship in writing.
Academic Testing
The online testing will consist of four components:
- Abstract Reasoning and Problem Solving – this test assesses the ability to reason with and analyse information using verbal, mathematical, figural, and spatial concepts.
- Mathematics Achievement and Reasoning – for primary and junior secondary students these tests assess curriculum-related mathematics tasks and mathematical reasoning tasks. Middle and senior secondary students are assessed on mathematics reasoning tasks. These are different to curriculum-based mathematics and focus on problem-solving skills.
- Reading Comprehension – this test assesses the ability to remember, locate, analyse, evaluate, derive, and combine text propositions with fiction and non-fiction texts of increasing complexity.
- Written Expression – this test assesses students’ facility with written language. A stimulus is provided for students to produce a piece of writing in a particular genre (e.g. narrative or argument) depending on the requirements of the school.
A full schedule of testing will be provided to families prior to the exam.
Each task is around 40-45 minutes in length, except for Written Expression, which is 25 minutes. These tasks measure how a child performs in relation to the cohort sitting the exam.
Students and parents need to be aware that these tests may be demanding and that not all students will complete each test within the time allowed. It is important students do not spend too much time on questions they find too difficult.
Special preparation or coaching is not likely to improve your child’s results and past papers are not available. The best preparation is to arrive relaxed and refreshed for the testing day. A good night’s sleep is very important.
During the test session your child should:
- Carefully follow directions.
- Read questions carefully and not rush.
- Sometimes it is wise to read a question a second time.
- Use a process of elimination to choose the best answer.
- If a question is too difficult, it is better to leave the answer space blank and come back later if there is time.
- Always match the answer number correctly from the test booklet to the answer sheet.
- Remember that nobody is expected to answer all questions.
Please note that there no assistance can be provided to the student during the examination.
The assessment will be completed by Academic Assessment Service, who will contact you to arrange set-up and equipment testing in the week before the assessment.
ALL candidates (external and internal) applying for the Academic Scholarship must sit the examination advertised date. Unfortunately, no alternative arrangements can be made.
For further information regarding enrolments or the Scholarship Program, please contact the Admissions Office on (03) 9703 8111 or enrol@smbg.vic.edu.au.
Online Scholarship Testing With AAS
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
The School has engaged Academic Assessment Services (AAS) to provide the School’s Academic Online Testing which can be completed in a student’s home, if adequate security measures can be assured and guaranteed by the parent / or guardian of the student.
In order to provide secure online testing, specific steps must be taken to guarantee the integrity of the results. As part of the process, the parent/s of the student will need to sign and submit an agreement online to:
- confirm both validity of the test data and the confidentiality of the test materials and processes; and
- consent to the collection of personal information on behalf of the student.
This is designed to ensure that:
- The test taker’s identity is confirmed
- No assistance will be / was provided throughout the examination session
- No copies of test questions in any form will be made, stored or conveyed to third parties.
The examination will be provided through a locked-down browser that does not allow access to other websites, applications or aids such as spell checkers etc.
- Students must use a computer with a camera that will allow the transmission of their photograph and the recording
of the testing examination session/s.
By agreeing to the above, parents agree to such recording as a condition of undertaking the examination. Without this agreement, testing cannot proceed. Please refer to the summary of the AAS Privacy Policy on our website for further information regarding the collection of personal information.
AAS staff guarantee that recordings taken during the testing will be deleted as soon as they have been used to cross
check the identity of the student undertaking the examination. No images of any child will be used for any purpose other than ensuring the validity of the online examination.
To participate in these scholarships from home you will need access to the following equipment.
Supported Devices
- Laptop / Notebook
- Desktop
Note: Chromebooks, iPads or other tablet devices are not supported.
Supported Operating Systems
Windows O/S:
- Version 10
- Version 11
Mac O/S:
- macOS 10.15 Mojave
- macOs 10.15 Catalina
- macOs 11 Big Sur
- macOS 12 Monterey
- macOS 13 Ventura
- macOS 12 Sonoma
Supported Web Browsers
Windows:
- Google Chrome – (recommended)
- Microsoft Edge
- Firefox
Mac O/S:
- Google Chrome – (recommended)
- Microsoft Edge
Minimum Hardware Requirements
- A minimum screen resolution of 1024 px width x 768 px height
- Internet connection with minimum bandwidth 512 kbp
- Web Camera
If you do not have access to these requirements and want to participate in these scholarships, please contact the school and we will see how we may be able to best assist you.
Technical support will be available for families having difficulties on the day. This information will be provided to all students sitting the assessments.
This varies each year and depends on the calibre of candidates.
The Academic Scholarship can provide up to 50% remission of annual tuition fees for the term of the Scholarship.
Existing students of the School can apply for all Scholarships.
The Application Fee covers the services of the school’s external testing organisation, who provides you with a report on your child’s performance in the examination in addition to the administrative costs to the school.
The academic examination assesses acquired knowledge and intellectual ability. There is no short-term process that can provide a recipe for success.
Allowing your child to rest well prior to the examination, providing encouragement and not overburdening your child with unrealistic responsibilities and expectations; having your child ready and on time to sit the exams – will all assist.
Students will have access to up to 4 practice online papers prior to the assessment day.
Please note previous examinations are not available, but the online application process does link to explanations regarding the nature of the examination.
Comfortable casual clothes.
Academic Scholarship short-listed candidates will be contacted and invited to attend an interview with the school’s Principal or relevant Head of School.
Decisions regarding offers will be made by the Principal and confirmed by Letter of Offer.
Once the selection process has concluded an email will be sent to all those whose child’s applications has been unsuccessful.
All candidates will receive a certificate showing their individual results from the testing day by 31 March 2025.
PLEASE NOTE: THE SCHOOL’S DECISION IS FINAL
The school receives a large number of Scholarship applications. The processing of these applications, interviews, etc, takes a considerable amount of time. The timing of the academic exam provides us with the time necessary to provide thorough consideration of each application and forward plan for new students entering the School.
Both campuses of the school are serviced by many transport options.
The School offers a morning and afternoon bus service connecting the Berwick and Officer Campuses.
