As an academically selective school, James Ruse Agricultural High School has a rigorous admissions process. Applicants must be Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of NSW.
Numbers are limited by accommodation to 120 in each of Year 7 and 8 with an increase in Years 9, 10 and 11. Students are not admitted into Year 12. All information is available on the Department of Education website.
School Tours
James Ruse Agricultural High School runs campus tours during school hours for prospective families an in-person opportunity to see the school in day to day operation. Tours will still run even if it rains.
School Tours, led by our Years 8-10 Student Tour Ambassadors, run for approximately 1 hour then followed by an information session with the Principal, or Deputy Principal if she is unavailable.
School Tours have finished for 2024 and will recommence in 2025. Please return to this page late January 2025 when new school tour dates will be released.
If you require more information please do not hesitate to email the school:
jamesruse-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au
Application Process
Entry to school in Year 7
The High Performing Students Unit of the Department of Education conducts an entrance test in May of Year 6 for entry into Year 7 the following year. All Year 7 applications are completed online. Please follow the links below:
- Telephone: 1300 880 367
- Email: ssu@det.nsw.edu.au
- Information about entry to Year 7 in Selective High Schools is available on the Department website.
- Application for entry to Year 7 is to be made when the student is in Year 5. Please refer to the Department's Selective high schools and opportunity classes - Application process link for the latest information.
Entry to School in Years 8 to 11
2026 Years 8-11 Applications are not yet open.
Key dates for our 2025 enrolment intake for Years 8-11 are listed below:
Applications Open: Wednesday 18 June 2025
Applications Close: Friday 25 July 2025, 3pm AEST
Edutest entry test date: Saturday 16 August 2025
For general information about enrolling in a selective high school please see the Department website.
Your child must meet the residency requirements to enrol at a selective high school:
- Students and their families must be living in NSW by the beginning of the school year of entry.
- Conditions may apply to students who are not citizens or permanent residents of Australia or citizens of New Zealand. Review the conditions at Visa subclasses and enrolment conditions.
For information about the selection and enrolment process please click: James Ruse Agricultural High School Process for Enrolment Years 8-11.
As of May 2024, we expect no vacancies for Year 8 2025.
The link to the online form for applications to James Ruse Agricultural High School for 2025 is now closed.
Please do not mail, email or bring documents in person to school.
The online application will require the following as individual attachments:
- proof of citizenship or permanent residency
- completed JRAHS Additional Information 2026 form
- school academic reports for
- Semester 1 2024
- If Semester 1 2024 report is not available, email it as soon as possible to Jamesruse-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au with the subject ‘2025 Application’. Include your child’s name and the year applied for in 2025.
- Semester 2 2023 and Semester 1 2023
- most recent NAPLAN result.
- VALID Science 8 or VALID Science 10 if available
- Selective Schools or OC test result if available
- evidence of cocurricular activities for past 2 years only
- Eg Chess, Music, Debating, Sport
- evidence of external academic achievements for past 2 years only
- Eg ICAS, RACI, AMT competitions. Include detailed results as well as certificate
- other supporting documents
- Eg creative writing sample, academic history if overseas, letter of recommendation from a community member outside current school
Attachments may be PDF, DOC, DOCX, PNG, JPG, JPEG or GIF files.
In addition, students must participate in the Edutest examination as part of their application to JRAHS.
Test date: Saturday 10 August 2024
Start time: 9:00 am (Arrive at 8:45 am for registration)
Finish time: Approximately 12:30 pm
Test Venue:
J.C Hoskin Auditorium
James Ruse Agricultural High School
17-31 Felton Road, Carlingford
(closest cross street is Baker Street)
Test registration and payment via the Edutest website for 2025 applications are now closed.
The combined application processing fee and Edutest fee ($160) must be paid by credit card direct to Edutest. General information about Edutest testing is available at the Edutest parent and student page at this link.
For 2025 applications, students who apply for James Ruse Agricultural High School and any of the schools listed below will undertake the Edutest exam once.
- Baulkham Hills High School
- North Sydney Boys High School
- North Sydney Girls High School
- Sydney Girls High School
Each school will receive the Edutest results for their student applicants. Each school will conduct its own review of the application and contact parents directly.
On the test day, students must bring:
- a photo ID,
Acceptable ID includes current school photo/library card or passport. - two lead pencils,
- black or blue pen.
No calculators are permitted.
The test will include sections on:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Numerical Reasoning
- Reading Comprehension
- Mathematics and
- Written Expression.
Each section is 30 minutes long.
Online practice tests are available for purchase from the Edutest website. Overseas students please contact remote@edutest.com.au at least 3 weeks prior to test date to arrange a local testing location.
An internal school selection panel of educators convenes to evaluate applications. Interviews may be held to determine outcome.
Entry to School in Year 12
We do not accept enrolments in the Year 12 academic year.
Moving overseas
Moving overseas and need school reports authenticated for DFAT?
Email document.authentication@det.nsw.edu.au to arrange to bring original documents to 105 Phillip Street, Parramatta 2150.