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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: STAT Exam

70 questions

STAT Multiple Choice has 70 multiple-choice questions in one sitting

ACER STAT - Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test

2 hours

STAT Multiple Choice gives about two hours of working time

ACER STAT - Complete guide to STAT for online sittings

Two equal sections

About 35 Verbal & Critical Reasoning and 35 Quantitative Reasoning questions

ACER STAT - Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test

100 to 200

STAT scores are scaled from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150

ACER STAT - Results

No pass mark

Universities set their own minimum STAT score for each course

ACER STAT - Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test

Aptitude test

STAT assesses critical thinking and reasoning, not curriculum knowledge

ACER STAT - Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test

Age 18+

Mainly mature-age entry; candidates are usually at least 18 by the study year

ACER STAT - Registration

100

Free original practice questions here across both MC sections

OpenExamPrep

STAT Multiple Choice is an ACER aptitude test for alternative university entry in Australia and New Zealand, used mainly by mature-age applicants without a recent ATAR. It has 70 multiple-choice questions in about two hours, split roughly evenly into Verbal & Critical Reasoning (around 35 questions on passages from humanities, social science and science) and Quantitative Reasoning (around 35 questions on numbers, data and diagrams). It tests critical thinking and reasoning, not curriculum knowledge, so no prior subject study is required. Scores are scaled from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150, and universities set their own minimum STAT score for each course. This 100-question bank gives original practice across both multiple-choice sections; the separate STAT Written English essay is not covered here.

Sample STAT Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your STAT exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Passage: 'Many people assume that working from home lowers productivity. Yet a two-year study of call-centre staff found that home workers handled 13% more calls than office-based colleagues, largely because they took fewer breaks and lost no commuting time.' Which statement is best supported by the passage?
A.Home workers in the study were less productive than office workers
B.The study found home workers handled more calls than office workers
C.Commuting time has no effect on productivity
D.All workers are more productive at home
Explanation: The passage directly states home workers handled 13% more calls than office-based colleagues. The correct option restates this evidence without overreaching. STAT verbal questions reward answers tied to the text's exact claims.
2Passage: 'The novelist refused to explain her endings. "A story that needs the author to defend it," she said, "has already failed on the page."' What does the novelist's remark most strongly imply?
A.She thinks her stories are failures
B.A good story should stand on its own without explanation
C.Authors should never speak in public
D.Readers always misunderstand her work
Explanation: Her remark contrasts a story that 'needs the author to defend it' with one that succeeds 'on the page', implying a good story should work without authorial explanation. This is an inference from her stated standard.
3Argument: 'The new bridge must be safe, because it was designed by the same firm that built the harbour bridge, and the harbour bridge has never failed.' This argument depends most heavily on the assumption that:
A.The harbour bridge is very old
B.A firm's past success guarantees the safety of its later work
C.Bridges are usually unsafe
D.The new bridge is longer than the harbour bridge
Explanation: The argument moves from the firm's record on one bridge to a conclusion about a different bridge, which only works if past success guarantees safety of later work. Identifying this hidden assumption is core critical reasoning.
4Passage: 'Coral reefs cover less than one per cent of the ocean floor, yet they support roughly a quarter of all marine species. This concentration of life makes them, in the words of one biologist, the rainforests of the sea.' Why does the biologist call reefs 'the rainforests of the sea'?
A.Reefs are found near rainforests
B.Reefs hold a large share of marine life in a small area
C.Reefs and rainforests are the same colour
D.Reefs cover most of the ocean floor
Explanation: The comparison follows the point that reefs support a quarter of marine species in under one per cent of the ocean floor, echoing how rainforests pack great biodiversity into a small area. The metaphor highlights concentrated diversity.
5A reviewer writes: 'The film is technically flawless and utterly forgettable - a beautiful machine with no heart.' The reviewer's overall attitude to the film is best described as:
A.Enthusiastic admiration
B.Mixed but ultimately disappointed
C.Complete confusion
D.Indifferent and uninterested
Explanation: The reviewer praises the craft ('technically flawless') but criticises the emotional emptiness ('no heart', 'forgettable'), a mixed view that lands on disappointment. Recognising tone from contrasting praise and criticism is a STAT verbal skill.
6Passage: 'Critics of the proposed curfew argue it will simply move late-night activity to areas just outside the city centre, rather than reducing it.' This criticism suggests the curfew may fail to:
A.Save the council money
B.Reduce overall late-night activity
C.Improve street lighting
D.Increase police numbers
Explanation: Critics claim activity will move rather than fall, so the curfew may not reduce overall late-night activity. The criticism targets the curfew's stated goal of reduction, not displacement.
7Passage: 'In the 1850s, lighthouse keepers were chosen as much for their patience as their skill. A lamp could be lit by anyone, but only a steady temperament could endure months of isolation without letting the light fail.' The main point of the passage is that:
A.Lighthouses were poorly built in the 1850s
B.Temperament mattered more than technical skill for keepers
C.Lamps were difficult to light
D.Most keepers gave up the job quickly
Explanation: The passage contrasts a task 'anyone' could do (lighting the lamp) with what truly mattered: a steady temperament to endure isolation. The main point is that character outweighed technical skill for this role.
8Argument: 'Sales of e-books fell last year. Clearly, people are returning to printed books.' Which finding, if true, would most weaken this conclusion?
A.Printed book sales also fell last year
B.E-book prices rose slightly last year
C.Some readers own both formats
D.A new e-book reader was released
Explanation: If printed sales also fell, then declining e-book sales cannot show a shift back to print; both formats are down. A finding that undercuts the 'returning to print' inference most weakens the argument.
9Passage: 'The committee did not reject the plan outright; it merely requested that funding be reviewed before any work begins.' What can be concluded about the plan?
A.The plan has been cancelled
B.The plan may still proceed after a funding review
C.The committee fully approved the plan
D.Work has already begun on the plan
Explanation: The committee did not reject the plan and asked for a funding review before work starts, so the plan may still proceed once funding is reviewed. The wording rules out outright cancellation or full approval.
10A writer states: 'Whether or not the policy succeeds, the debate has at least forced the public to think about how cities should grow.' The writer's tone toward the debate is best described as:
A.Hostile
B.Cautiously positive
C.Despairing
D.Sarcastic
Explanation: The phrase 'at least forced the public to think' frames the debate as having a worthwhile effect regardless of the policy's outcome, a cautiously positive tone. The writer concedes uncertainty about success but values the discussion.

About the STAT Exam

The STAT (originally the Special Tertiary Admissions Test, now branded the Skills for Tertiary Admissions Test) is an aptitude test developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and used for alternative entry to Australian and some New Zealand universities, chiefly by mature-age applicants and others without a recent Year 12 result. The STAT Multiple Choice test contains 70 multiple-choice questions completed in about two hours, split roughly evenly between Verbal & Critical Reasoning, which uses written passages from humanities, social science, science and everyday sources, and Quantitative Reasoning, which uses numerical and graphical material. The test assesses core competencies in critical thinking and reasoning rather than curriculum knowledge, so no specific subject study is assumed. Results are reported on a scaled range from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150, and a separate STAT Written English essay test is offered for courses that require it.

Assessment

STAT Multiple Choice: 70 multiple-choice questions in one sitting, made up of approximately 35 Verbal & Critical Reasoning questions and approximately 35 Quantitative Reasoning questions. (A separate STAT Written English essay test exists and is not covered here.)

Time Limit

Two hours (about 120 minutes) of working time for the 70 multiple-choice questions, plus a short reading period at the start.

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark. Scores are scaled from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150; each university or tertiary admissions centre sets its own minimum STAT score for entry to a given course.

Exam Fee

STAT Multiple Choice is a paid test. ACER and the tertiary admissions centres set the fee (commonly around AUD 170, varying by state, delivery mode and registration period). Check the current fee on the ACER STAT registration page. (Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER))

STAT Exam Content Outline

50%

Verbal & Critical Reasoning

Around 35 of the 70 questions. You read passages from humanities, social science, science and everyday sources and answer questions on main idea, inference, argument structure, assumptions, evidence, tone and author purpose. Practice here builds the skills of locating evidence, distinguishing fact from opinion and evaluating reasoning, with no prior subject knowledge required.

50%

Quantitative Reasoning

Around 35 of the 70 questions. You interpret tables, graphs, charts and diagrams and reason with numbers. Practice here covers reading data, arithmetic, fractions, percentages, ratio and proportion, rates, averages, basic algebra and geometry, estimation and multi-step problem solving. All data needed is supplied in the question.

How to Pass the STAT Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: No fixed pass mark. Scores are scaled from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150; each university or tertiary admissions centre sets its own minimum STAT score for entry to a given course.
  • Assessment: STAT Multiple Choice: 70 multiple-choice questions in one sitting, made up of approximately 35 Verbal & Critical Reasoning questions and approximately 35 Quantitative Reasoning questions. (A separate STAT Written English essay test exists and is not covered here.)
  • Time limit: Two hours (about 120 minutes) of working time for the 70 multiple-choice questions, plus a short reading period at the start.
  • Exam fee: STAT Multiple Choice is a paid test. ACER and the tertiary admissions centres set the fee (commonly around AUD 170, varying by state, delivery mode and registration period). Check the current fee on the ACER STAT registration page.

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

STAT Study Tips from Top Performers

1Practise reading a passage once for the gist, then returning to find the exact words that support an answer; STAT verbal questions reward evidence, not first impressions.
2For critical reasoning, learn to name the parts of an argument - conclusion, premises and assumptions - so you can spot what a question is really asking about.
3For quantitative items, read the table or graph headings, units and scales before doing any arithmetic; many wrong answers come from misreading the data, not from calculation.
4Drill percentages, ratios, rates and averages until they are automatic, since these appear repeatedly and the test gives roughly a minute and a half per question.
5Use estimation to eliminate options that are far too large or small before computing an exact value; this saves time across 70 timed questions.
6Work through ACER's official STAT sample questions to get used to the question styles and on-screen format, because the STAT cannot be crammed as subject content.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the STAT Multiple Choice test?

STAT Multiple Choice has 70 multiple-choice questions completed in about two hours, split roughly evenly between Verbal & Critical Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning. A separate STAT Written English essay test exists for courses that require it.

What does the STAT actually test?

The STAT assesses core competencies in critical thinking and reasoning rather than curriculum knowledge. You interpret passages and data supplied in the test, so no specific subject study is assumed; the verbal and quantitative material is provided in each question.

Is there a pass mark for the STAT?

No. STAT scores are scaled from 100 to 200 with a mean of 150. Each university or tertiary admissions centre sets its own minimum STAT score for entry to a particular course, so the required score depends on where and what you apply for.

Who sits the STAT?

It is mainly used by mature-age applicants and others without a recent Year 12 or ATAR result who seek alternative entry to Australian and some New Zealand universities. Candidates are usually at least 18 by the start of the study year.

Does this practice cover the STAT Written English essay?

No. This bank covers only the STAT Multiple Choice test (Verbal & Critical Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning). The STAT Written English essay is a separate ACER test and is not included here.

Are these official ACER STAT questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the published STAT Multiple Choice skills and question styles. ACER provides official sample questions and preparation guides separately on the STAT website.