13 May 2026 · 7 min read
Glenunga International High School is South Australia's most academically prestigious government high school. The selection process is competitive and specific — here is what it actually assesses and how to prepare effectively.
Glenunga International High School is a selective government school in Adelaide's eastern suburbs that offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) in Years 11 and 12 alongside SACE. Entry into Year 10 at Glenunga is highly competitive — the school draws applications from across metropolitan Adelaide and beyond. Being admitted to Glenunga typically means studying alongside a peer cohort of high academic ability, which has both significant benefits (academic culture, motivated peers, university preparation) and genuine demands (the workload and assessment standards are substantially higher than most other state schools).
Entry into Year 10 at Glenunga requires sitting the HAST (Humanities and Social Sciences, Aptitude, Science and Technology) exam. The HAST is an aptitude test, not a curriculum test — it assesses reasoning ability across four sections: Abstract Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Written Expression. The HAST score is a significant component of the selection decision. Importantly, the HAST is the same test used for entry into Adelaide High School and Botanic High School — students sit the test once and nominate their preferred school preferences. A strong HAST result opens all three selective school options simultaneously.
In addition to the HAST score, Glenunga considers an applicant's academic record from Years 7 to 9. Specifically, schools look at English and Mathematics results, because these are the two subjects most directly predictive of performance in the academically demanding Glenunga environment. Consistent A grades in core subjects across middle school strengthen an application. This means that preparation for Glenunga entry ideally starts earlier than Year 9 — building a strong academic record through middle school, not just preparing intensively for the HAST exam in the months before it is sitting.
South Australia has three government selective high schools that use the HAST exam for entry: Glenunga International High School, Adelaide High School, and Botanic High School. Each school has its own character and academic focus. Adelaide High School, located in the CBD, has a strong academic tradition and a broad curriculum. Botanic High School, located near the Adelaide Botanic Garden, is a newer selective school with growing academic prestige. Students rank their school preferences when applying, and HAST scores alongside academic records determine which school an applicant is offered. Listing Glenunga as a first preference does not disadvantage an application to other schools — selection is merit-based.
The Written Expression component of the HAST requires a timed persuasive or narrative response. This section is the most directly trainable part of the exam — many students who have strong reasoning ability lose marks here because they have never practised timed structured writing under exam conditions. Preparation should include writing practice responses to a variety of prompts, receiving feedback against specific criteria (structure, argument quality, vocabulary, and engagement), and drilling a reliable planning routine that can be completed in three to five minutes before writing begins.
The HAST exam is typically held in Term 3 of Year 9, with applications opening in Term 2. For Glenunga specifically — where competition is most intense — we recommend beginning structured preparation at the start of Year 9 at the latest, with Year 8 second semester being the ideal start point. Abstract reasoning skill, in particular, develops gradually over weeks and months of repeated practice. Students who attempt last-minute preparation in the final four to six weeks before the exam consistently underperform students who have been practising regularly over a longer period. The academic record component also means the years before Year 9 contribute to the outcome.
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