Brilliant Futures Brisbane is a dynamic two-year preparation enrichment initiative for highly capable students. It aims to prepare students for future academic challenges and ensure a smooth transition to Queensland Academies Creative Industries (QACI) for Year 10. Students
who are currently in Year 6 can apply for entry into the 2-year program commencing 2025. Brilliant Futures Brisbane is aimed for students when they are in Year 7 and Year 8 and provides impactful, collaborative learning extra-curricular experiences aligned with the
International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile attributes, including inquiry, critical thinking, and reflection.
Objectives
Our objectives are:
- Enrichment: To provide challenging experiences that develop global perspectives and align with IB learner attributes.
| - Collaboration: To foster a collaborative community that sparks curiosity and a passion for learning among highly capable students.
| - Partnerships: To engage in impactful teaching and learning opportunities with QACI and its industry and university partners.
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Benefits
- Enhanced Collaboration and Community Building: Students connect with like-minded peers in a nurturing environment, promoting social and academic growth through strong relationships and teamwork.
| - Enriching and Challenging Learning Experiences: Activities are designed to broaden global perspectives, foster critical thinking, and support a lifelong passion for learning, preparing students for future academic and personal development.
| - Seamless Transition and IB Alignment: The program prepares students for QACI through innovative teaching and learning strategies, with a broad and holistic curriculum, ensuring a smooth transition into the IB Diploma Programme and developing students into reflective, open-minded individuals.
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Program Expectations
Active engagement throughout the two-year Brilliant Futures Program is essential for success. Designed to fit with students' existing school and extracurricular activities, the program requires participation in at least one learning experience each term, but preferably both learning engagements each term.
Students should engage in both online* and in-person activities as outlined in the program calendar and are encouraged to attend various arts-based Industry Experience Workshops, which may involve a small additional fee.
As a member of the Brilliant Futures Brisbane program students are expected to:
- Submit semester report cards and NAPLAN reports as they become available.
- Student participation in at least one learning experience each term.
*While some workshops may be offered in an online format, members of the program will be required to attend on-campus workshops, and collaborate with their likeminded peers.
Program Outline
The program spans two (2) years, featuring two (2) learning engagements each term. Designed to accommodate students' school and extracurricular commitments, these engagements include both in-person and online activities tailored to their nature and location. Sessions may occur on weekdays after school, or on weekends—Saturday mornings, afternoons, or occasionally for the full day. Activities will be hosted both on the QACI campus and at various locations with our university and industry partners.
The first year, the Introductory Year introduces students to the IB approaches to learning, including research, self-management, critical and creative thinking, effective communication, and collaboration, preparing them for academic success and personal growth. Students will engage in academically rigorous and multidisciplinary experiences, such as Putting the A into STEAM, Developing Critical Thinking and Global Learning, Levelling-Up Maths Challenges and Creative Endeavours.
The second year, the Collaborative Year, emphasises collaborative learning, offering opportunities for students to explore teamwork and continued engagements with our industry and university partners. A highlight will be the Creative Collaborations Camp and culminating in the Creative Collaborations Project at Graduation in Year 8.
Additionally, throughout the year, students can participate in Industry Experience Workshops within the Creative suite of subject offerings at QACI, which may include Dance, Theatre, Film, Music, Design, and Visual Arts. Please note that these workshops may incur an additional cost.
6
| - Application process
- Entrance Test
- Notification to selected students
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7: Introductory year
| The focus of the year is to introduce and develop students as IB learners through a blend of online and in-person activities and engagement with our university and industry partners.
Two (2) engagements per term, plus optional industry experience workshops.
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8: Collaborative year
| This year emphasises collaborative learning experiences, providing opportunities for students to interact and learn with others and our continued engagement with our university and industry partners.
Two (2) engagements per term including Creative Collaboration Camp and Creative Collaboration Project, plus optional industry experience workshops.
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9: Pre-academy engagement
| For students offered placement at QACI for Year 10: - Admissions Interview (final part of the Year 10 process)
- Engagement Opportunities
- Student Orientation Day
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10
| Commence Year 10 at QACI Campus
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Applying for Brilliant Futures Brisbane
Students enrolled in Year 6 can apply until the close date below.
Key dates in 2024 to join the program from 2025:
Applications open
| Open now
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Applications close
| Friday 4 October 2024, 4pm
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Entrance Test—QACI Campus, Kelvin Grove
| Saturday 19 October 2024
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Notification of outcomes
| Late November 2024
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The Entrance Test
The Entrance Test is a series of tests approximately 3 hours of duration that will be facilitated by Edutest. The tests will cover both ability and achievement.
Ability tests are designed to measure a child's ability to think, reason and solve problems, without necessarily relying on prior knowledge. Ability generally predicts how quickly a child will be able to learn and the level of complexity they can comfortably deal with.
| Achievement tests are designed to measure actual achievement or performance in some key academic areas. Achievement scores are influenced by a child's ability, as well as the application and practise of knowledge that has been learned.
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Ability
| Verbal reasoning | 30min | Measures the ability to think and reason using words and language. This includes vocabulary, word relationships, classification and deduction. |
| Ability | Numerical reasoning | 30min
| Measures the ability to think and reason using numbers. This includes series, matrices, arithmetical reasoning and deduction. |
Achievement
| Reading comprehension | 30min | Measures the capacity to read and interpret meaning from written passages, as well as correct, complete and punctuate sentences. |
| Achievement | Mathematics | 30min | Measures year-level appropriate mathematical knowledge, including items tapping numbers, measurement, algebra, space and data. |
| Achievement | Written expression | 15min | This test assesses the ability to convey ideas clearly in written form. Punctuation, creativity, construction, grammar, spelling and relevance to the task are assessed. |
Edutest will mark the tests and analyse the student results on behalf of Queensland Academies. For more information, and to view Edutest Terms and Conditions, please visit the
Edutest website.
| Please note that we do not distribute individual test results or parent reports. The application process is to enable selection of the most suitable candidate from among a cohort of highly capable students for a place at the school. Entrance Test results are not reviewed in isolation but are considered alongside the other evidence provided in your application and the applications of other candidates, to form a holistic assessment of your student's academic ability and relative suitability for a place.
We do not provide diagnostic information about a child’s strengths or areas for growth; please refer to your current school if you are seeking information and advice about your child’s academic progress.
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Entrance Test Policy
- Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments (AARA)
- Registering for an Entrance Test
- Entrance Test dates, days, sessions and times
- Non-attendance
- Request for a Deferred Entrance test
- Medical conditions, medications and health support needs
- Illness or misadventure
- Items permitted in the testing room
- Behaviour expectations on Entrance Test day
Notice of Outcome
Outcomes will be issued to applicants via email.
Please note that we do not distribute individual test results. Test results are not reviewed in isolation but are considered alongside the other evidence provided in the application to form a holistic assessment of your student's academic ability.
The Principal is responsible for all decisions on applications. Assessment of applications involves a number of quality assured processes to ensure every application is considered fully on its own merits as well as in relation to the strength of all other applications put forward. The Principal's decision on selection is final.
Given the detailed analysis that is undertaken in reviewing each application and the number of applications we receive, we are unable to give individual feedback to each unsuccessful candidate.
Fees
- Application fee: $250
- *Remote online testing incurs an additional fee. See the Edutest website for more details. Applicants seeking a remote test must apply and contact Edutest's remote testing service at least 5 business days prior to the applications close date published on this page. (Please refer to Program Expectations: this is not an online program).
- Program fee: $300* each year (online course/standard workshop)
- Camp levy (Year 8): approximately $150-$175*
* Extra and optional workshops, including the Industry Experience workshops
may entail an additional fee.
Admissions Policies
Our Admissions policies are designed to ensure that students engage with the Queensland Academies' enrichment and/or enrolment program, learning environment and campus culture that best aligns with their interests and needs.
- Applicants must research and select their chosen Academy before applying for enrolment.
- A student can only apply for enrolment into one Queensland Academy for a given year of entry.
- When a student applies to a Queensland Academy, they are making a commitment to that school.
- A student cannot have applications for Brilliant Futures Brisbane (QACI) and Brilliant Futures Gold Coast (QAHS) under consideration at the same time, or be a member of both programs.
- A student who has an application for enrolment into Year 7 at QASMT under consideration can apply for membership of Brilliant Futures Brisbane Program (QACI) (Entrance test results may be transferred), however,
- a student who has accepted enrolment into Year 7 at QASMT cannot apply for Brilliant Futures Brisbane (QACI).
- On acceptance of enrolment into Year 7 at QASMT, a student cannot maintain an application for, or maintain membership of, Brilliant Futures Brisbane Program (QACI). Brilliant Futures Brisbane membership or application is automatically cancelled.
- On acceptance of membership into Brilliant Futures Brisbane (QACI), a student cannot apply for, or maintain, an application for enrolment into Year 7 at QASMT.
- There is no automatic change of Academy preference once an application has been submitted or after membership has been accepted, and no automatic transfer from Brilliant Futures Brisbane into another Academy engagement or enrolment program. (e.g. a Brilliant Futures Brisbane (QACI) application or membership cannot be automatically changed to a QASMT or QAHS enrolment application or enrolment, or into a Brilliant Futures Gold Coast (QAHS) application or membership).
- Selection decisions:
- all decisions are final
- there is no internal review of the Principal's decision
- no feedback will be given (applicants will only receive an outcome of either offer or non-offer)
- Entrance test data is confidential. Queensland Academies does not provide individual student Entrance Test results or Parent reports.
Student application process
The application process gathers information regarding the student's contact details, relevant medical history, and educational history.
All information relevant to the student selection process that may impact on the assessment of an application must be fully disclosed (where requested in the application, or in a separate statement submitted to the Queensland Academies Admissions Office) at the time of application. Should such information become available after application submission, this must be provided to Queensland Academies as soon as possible and prior to acceptance of offer.
Note: the Principal reserves the right to cease processing an application, or cease program membership or enrolment, where entitlement to membership or enrolment has been obtained through false or misleading statements.
Ready to apply?
The following documents need to be prepared prior to commencement of the selection process:
- Photograph of the student
- Proof of Australian citizenship or nationality (i.e. birth certificate, passport, and if required, an Australian visa that states that the student's residency is inclusive of the final exam period at the conclusion of the International Diploma Programme or is able to be extended to be inclusive of that date. Note: If the visa status changes to non-resident, some students may be required to pay international student fees)
- 2 most recent semesters school reports (equivalent to 12 months of school reports)
- All available NAPLAN results
- Payment of non-refundable application fees
- Parent acknowledgement that these guidelines have been read, understood and accepted
All students' applications will be acknowledged on receipt and any incomplete information/documentation will be requested before progressing the application through the selective entry process.
Complete and correct applications will be registered on the Queensland Academies Admissions database.
EnquiriesFor enquiries about the program: contact QACI by calling (07) 3552 9333, selecting admissions (2) or sending an email to admissions@qaci.eq.edu.au.
For further enquiries about the application process: contact Queensland Academies - Admissions on (07) 3377 9366 or email admissions@qa.eq.edu.au.