Before the test

What does the test measure?

There are two components to the test, a literacy component and a numeracy component. Questions in the literacy component of the test assess reading skills and the technical skills of writing (syntax, grammar, spelling, and word usage and text organisation). Questions in the numeracy component of the test measure skills in number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability.

For further information about the skills assessed by the test, please refer to the Described Proficiency Scale.

You can also refer to the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education Students Assessment Framework.

As an enrolled ITE student, when in my program should I sit the test?

From 2024, students who are required to sit the test will need to have a test attempt (but do not have to meet the test standard) in their first year of an accredited ITE course. For further information, please visit the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership Limited (AITSL) website with regards to this requirement. In addition, you should ask your higher education provider if they require you to sit the test by a particular point in your program before graduation. Please ensure adequate time to re-sit the test if required, keeping in mind that the test is only available in set test windows throughout the year. It is strongly recommended that you complete your test earlier in your accredited ITE course to ensure you complete your course graduation and any other requirements with no delay.

As an enrolled ITE student, I have already passed other literacy and numeracy tests throughout my program. Do I also need to sit the test?

Yes, if you are completing an accredited initial teacher education (ITE) course in Australia, then you are required to meet the test standard or the accepted alternative standard prior to graduation or registration as a teacher. Conditions vary by state, please contact your state’s teacher regulatory authority for more information. For more information about the alternative standard, visit https://www.aitsl.edu.au/deliver-ite-programs/standards-and-procedures or contact your teacher regulatory authority. The test is in addition to any existing university-based literacy and numeracy assessments.

When can I sit the test?

Four test windows are scheduled for 2024. Please refer to the information on the Register page and the Test dates page.

How do I register?

Read the information on the Register page. The email address registered on your account will be used for all communication from the test office, including information on how to access your Admission Ticket and results.

You can only register for your preferred test window during the relevant registration period. The test window dates and registration opening and closing dates are listed on the Test dates page. Registrations will not be accepted after the closing date for the relevant test window under any circumstances. 

How will I know if my registration is successful?

After completing your registration, you will be sent a confirmation email.

If you do not receive a confirmation email, this may be because you have entered your email address incorrectly, or because you have a Hotmail or Yahoo account and have not put teacheredtest@acer.org in your personal address book.

Where can I sit the test?

You can sit the test at test centres in capital cities and in some regional centres. You can review the list of available test centres on the Test centres page.

You may also sit the test online by remote proctoring. Remote proctoring involves sitting the test under live supervision using your own computer in a suitable location with stable internet connectivity. Remote proctoring is available 24 hours per day during each remote proctoring test window. Please see the Remote proctoring registration page and the additional information about Sitting the test by remote proctoring.

What are the booking conditions for test centres? If I can't attend my registered test session at a test centre, can I re-schedule?

Test centres are filled on a first-come, first-served basis for each test window. Once a test centre session booking is made via your online candidate account, a seat is reserved for you for the session you select (e.g. 10.30a.m. session in Melbourne). 

There is no requirement to complete both tests on the same day or at the same test centre. You can select from the sessions displayed on the registration site. If you wish to sit both test components in the test window, you will need to register and select a session time for each test component.

It is possible to change the location, date and time of a test centre session booking during the registration period by logging into your online account and selecting a new session. Please note, you will only be able to select from a list of available sessions in the drop down list. Test centres operate to a staggered schedule and not all test centres will operate on every day of the test window. Test centre spaces may be added and freed up due to cancellations so you can check back at the registration site during the registration period to check test centre session availability.

Once the registration period has closed, it is not possible to make changes to your test centre booking. This includes switching from one test centre session to another, or switching from a test centre to remote proctoring or visa-versa. Due to test centre booking conditions, session selections at the close of registrations are final. Registration deferrals to future test windows will not be accepted.

You are strongly advised to take into account your personal circumstances and availability prior to registering for a test window and selecting your test session(s) at a test centre. 

If you do not attend the session(s) you booked, this will not count towards your re-sit attempts.

What are the booking conditions for remote proctoring? If I can't attend my registered test session, can I re-schedule?

The remote proctoring test window ends 5 days prior to the conclusion of the relevant test window. Remote proctoring session needs to be scheduled/rescheduled and take place by the respective published deadlines for each remote proctoring test window. Test session can only be scheduled to take place (at least) 72 hours from the point of booking. Test sessions must take place during the test window you registered for. It is not possible to reschedule remote proctoring test session from one test window to a subsequent test window.

A list of available session times will be displayed on the ProctorU online booking system. Once you register for the test window with ACER and submit the test fee, you must access ProctorU through clicking on the ‘Log in to ProctorU’ button via your ACER candidate account and schedule your test session(s). If you have registered for both the literacy and numeracy tests, you will need to schedule each session separately. There is no requirement to complete both tests on the same day. If you do plan to sit one test straight after the other, please allow at least two hours in between the two test sessions as the pre-test procedures can take at least 30 minutes to complete. However, they may take longer if you experience technical issues. For example, if you plan to sit the numeracy test followed by the literacy test and have scheduled your numeracy test session at 10:00a.m., you are advised to schedule your literacy session to start after 2:00p.m.

You are strongly advised to book your test session(s) to occur early in the test window to ensure that there is enough time to reschedule your session(s), should you experience any genuine misadventure of significant technical problems during your initial test session(s).

When you select your appointment time, please double-check the time format and time zone to avoid confusion. Please note the time format on the site is 12-hour and the default time displayed is 12 A.M. For example, if you would like to book a session at 3 P.M., you would need to set the time to 3 and P.M.   

If you cancel your test session(s) within 24 hours of the scheduled test time or do not show up for your test session(s), you will be marked as absent for the test component(s) and will not be permitted to schedule a new session. You will forfeit your registration fee but it will not be counted as a test attempt. Please note that there is no opportunity to defer your registration to a future test sitting.

How do I cancel my test registration and obtain a refund?

If you are no longer able to sit the test in the test window you have registered for, you will need to cancel your test booking before the close of registrations for the test window. You will then need to register and pay for a test sitting once registrations open for a future test window.

Registration fees for the test will be refunded up to the close of registrations for the applicable test window however, an administration charge of $12 will be deducted for each test component cancelled. Requests for a refund of the test fee will not be accepted after this date, except as provided for at law.

Requests must be submitted online through your account and a confirmation email will be sent to your registered email address if your request has been successfully submitted. Please note that access to any preparation materials included with your registration will be withdrawn upon completion of the refund. The fee will be refunded to the credit card used for payment. If you need to cancel registration for one/both test components, you must tick the relevant option in your account when you submit your refund request.

Please see the Refund policy page for more information.

How much does it cost to sit the test?

The test fee for a single component is currently $98 (GST inclusive). The test fee for both components is $196.00.

Can I add the cost of the test to my HECS-HELP of FEE-HELP loan?

No, the fee for sitting the test must be paid in full when you register for the test. This will secure your test sitting for the test window you register for.

For students enrolled in an ITE course, if you are unable to pay the test fee you may wish to talk to your higher education provider about your situation. Individual higher education providers may offer a range of support to students. The Australian Government also offers a range of study assistance programs to students who are undertaking tertiary education. To find out about eligibility for these programs, contact Study Assist on 1800 020 108 or visit the website at www.studyassist.gov.au.

Are there any practice papers or study materials available?

Practice material are included in your registration for the test and contain answers for all questions.

The practice material are available as PDF.  An interactive version will also be accessible in your online candidate account as soon as your registration for the test is completed and received successfully. Please visit the Practice material page.

Please note: no hard copy material will be posted to you.

How do I apply for reasonable adjustments?

If you live with a disability, mental health, or health-related need or if you are neurodiverse, you can apply for reasonable adjustments to support you to sit the test. You have to apply online via your ACER candidate account, as soon as possible during the registration period and before the stated deadline for the relevant test window.

All reasonable efforts will be made to provide the appropriate adjustments for your needs. Supporting documentation is required for all applications for reasonable adjustments. Please see the Reasonable Adjustments page for more information.

What should I do if I feel anxious about sitting the test?

If you are experiencing anxiety about the requirement to sit the test as an enrolled student, you are advised to contact your higher education provider for support prior to submitting your test registration. In addition to your program coordinator, higher education providers offer counselling services which may be of help.

As a prospective/unenrolled student, you do not have to sit the test if you do not wish to. You can wait until you are enrolled in a teaching degree and then access extra support from your university before sitting the test.

Community organisations such as Lifeline (phone 13 11 14, www.lifeline.org.au) or Beyond Blue (phone 1300 22 4636, www.beyondblue.org.au) can also be contacted.

Why are calculators not allowed for Section 2 of the Numeracy Test?

Of the 65 questions on the test, there are 13 questions (20%) in section 2 where a calculator is not permitted. While it is true that calculators are ubiquitous in everyday life, and their appropriate use is a key aspect of numeracy, there are some situations when a calculator is either not available or not required. These situations may arise, for example, when shopping or in the classroom when simple calculations or estimations are all that is required. Often such calculations can be done mentally but pen and paper are available in the test. Estimation and simple everyday calculations are considered important aspects of numeracy and are therefore a component of the numeracy construct of the test. The types of questions asked in section two are typically familiar, routine and common applications and operations with appropriate numbers. Calculations with many steps, complex operations, or using uncommon decimals, fractions and percentages are not considered appropriate for section 2. Examples of section 2 questions can be found in the practice materials here.