Victoria Police Officer vs AFP Police Recruit: which career suits you?
Victoria Police polices one state, with general duties first and specialist roles later. The AFP polices Commonwealth crime nationally (and ACT community policing), recruits Australian citizens only, requires a security clearance and takes about six to nine months to hire, followed by a 26-week Federal Police Development Program. Victoria accepts permanent residents and its entrance exam is a published four-part test; the AFP's online tests come before its Entry Physical Competency Assessment. Pick the AFP if you want federal investigations, protective or international work; Victoria if you want frontline community policing in Victoria.
Victoria Police Officer vs AFP Police Recruit at a glance
| Victoria Police Officer | AFP Police Recruit | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Victoria Police Officer (Recruit to Constable) | Australian Federal Police (AFP) Recruit: National Policing and ACT Policing |
| Questions | Victoria Police Entrance Exam (ACER), four components: Literacy 30 questions, Abstract reasoning 45 questions, Numeracy 30 questions (onscreen calculator) and Report writing (one typed report of about 300 to 350 words) | Online battery of four timed parts for National and ACT Policing: Personality questionnaire, Deductive Reasoning, Inductive Reasoning and Numerical Calculation. The AFP does not publish the number of questions |
| Time | 2 hours in total: Literacy 30 min, Abstract reasoning 20 min, Numeracy 35 min, Report writing 35 min | About 86 minutes in total: Personality 25 min, Deductive Reasoning 23 min, Inductive Reasoning 23 min, Numerical Calculation 15 min (Protective Service Officers sit three parts, about 63 min) |
| Passing score | Scaled scores: 105 or more in Literacy, Numeracy and Abstract reasoning and 107 or more in Report writing ('Standard met' on every component). You may re-sit failed components once; if you fail the re-sit an exclusion period applies | No published pass mark. You receive your outcome within 2 to 4 weeks. If you do not pass, the AFP tells you how long to wait before trying again; its application page says you can reapply after 12 months, with a maximum of three attempts |
| Format | Computer-based. Numeracy has an onscreen calculator. In Report writing there is no spell check, grammar check, dictionary, cut and paste or formatting; a word count is shown. ACER warns that only ACER and Victoria Police material is official, and there are no past papers | Unsupervised online tests: use a quiet room and a reliable internet connection. Pen and paper are allowed for Deductive Reasoning and Numerical Calculation, and a calculator for Numerical Calculation. Five practice questions are available inside the platform before each live test |
| Cost | $284 (incl. GST) paid to ACER for the exam; re-sits $135 for one component, $191 for two, $284 for three or more. You also pay for travel, your medical, hearing and vision reports and a first aid certificate. ACER's Practise Now book is $48 and its online practice tests $77 for the set | No fee to apply or test. You pay for any extra medical reports, your first aid and CPR certificates and any traffic history records you need to obtain |
| Languages | English | English |
| Where | Online application through the Victoria Police careers portal; entrance exam run by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER), online with remote proctoring or in person at Camberwell; fitness test at the Victoria Police Academy, Glen Waverley; online psychological evaluation; medical by your own GP and specialists | Online tests taken at home through the AFP's assessment provider (SHL-style tests) within 14 days of invitation; Entry Physical Competency Assessment (EPCA) booked online; assessment centre held online; health, psychological and security assessments by AFP and contracted providers |
| Level | Police | Police |
What each exam covers
Victoria Police Officer
- The Job and Eligibility
- Literacy (Reading Comprehension)
- Numeracy
- Abstract Reasoning
- Report Writing
- Fitness Test, Psychological Screening and Medical
- Background Checks and the Panel Interview
- Application Strategy, Academy and First Years
AFP Police Recruit
- The Job and Eligibility
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Numerical Calculation and the Personality Questionnaire
- EPCA Fitness, Health and Security Assessment
- Assessment Centre, Interview and AFP Values
- Application Strategy and Timeline
- AFP College and the First Year
Which should you take?
Victoria Police polices one state, with general duties first and specialist roles later. The AFP polices Commonwealth crime nationally (and ACT community policing), recruits Australian citizens only, requires a security clearance and takes about six to nine months to hire, followed by a 26-week Federal Police Development Program. Victoria accepts permanent residents and its entrance exam is a published four-part test; the AFP's online tests come before its Entry Physical Competency Assessment. Pick the AFP if you want federal investigations, protective or international work; Victoria if you want frontline community policing in Victoria.
Try both, free
Each free practice test takes about 10 minutes and shows your score by topic. No signup.
FAQ
What is the difference between Victoria Police Officer and AFP Police Recruit?
Victoria Police polices one state, with general duties first and specialist roles later. The AFP polices Commonwealth crime nationally (and ACT community policing), recruits Australian citizens only, requires a security clearance and takes about six to nine months to hire, followed by a 26-week Federal Police Development Program. Victoria accepts permanent residents and its entrance exam is a published four-part test; the AFP's online tests come before its Entry Physical Competency Assessment. Pick the AFP if you want federal investigations, protective or international work; Victoria if you want frontline community policing in Victoria.
Which is harder, Victoria Police Officer or AFP Police Recruit?
Victoria Police Officer: victoria police entrance exam (acer), four components: literacy 30 questions, abstract reasoning 45 questions, numeracy 30 questions (onscreen calculator) and report writing (one typed report of about 300 to 350 words) in 2 hours in total: literacy 30 min, abstract reasoning 20 min, numeracy 35 min, report writing 35 min. AFP Police Recruit: online battery of four timed parts for national and act policing: personality questionnaire, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning and numerical calculation. the afp does not publish the number of questions in about 86 minutes in total: personality 25 min, deductive reasoning 23 min, inductive reasoning 23 min, numerical calculation 15 min (protective service officers sit three parts, about 63 min). The longer exam covers more ground, but the harder one is the one further from your daily work. Take both free practice tests to see where you stand.
Can I hold both Victoria Police Officer and AFP Police Recruit?
You can usually apply to more than one agency at the same time, and many candidates do. You can only work in one full-time role at once, though, and each agency runs its own tests, checks and merit list, so plan your preparation around the test you'll sit first.
How do I prepare for Victoria Police Officer and AFP Police Recruit?
Start with the free practice test for each, then study by topic. Premium is per exam (A$89 a month each), so most people start with the exam they'll sit first and add the second when they're ready.
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Exam details are summarized from the recruiting agency's published information as of November 2026. Confirm with the recruiting agency before you book. AusGovCareer is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.