ABF Officer (BFORT) Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the Australian Border Force Officer Recruit (BFORT) tests, topic by topic: what each section covers, the facts that come up most, and how to study it. Pair it with the free 15-question practice test.
The exam at a glance
| Questions | Cognify: 3 timed mini-games (Gridlock, Numbubbles, Proof It). Emotify: 3 parts (Matching Faces, Emotional Ties, Emotions in Action). Illustrait: a behavioural job-fit questionnaire. Criteria Corp does not publish item counts |
|---|---|
| Time | Cognify 15 minutes in total; Emotify about 20 minutes. Video interview answers and the written task are timed per question with an on-screen countdown |
| Passing score | No published pass mark. Criteria Corp sends results to the ABF and Home Affairs emails you whether you progress. If unsuccessful you can practise the assessments and reapply in the next recruitment round |
| Format | Unsupervised online assessments. Use a computer with mouse and keyboard, a stable connection, Chrome or Safari, a working camera and microphone, and a quiet, well-lit room with a plain background. Practice games and practice video questions are offered before the live tests |
| Certifying body | Australian Border Force (ABF), part of the Department of Home Affairs, recruiting through jobs.homeaffairs.gov.au |
| Test provider | Online, at home, on the Criteria Corp platform: capability testing (Cognify, Emotify, Illustrait), then a one-way video interview with a written and a verbal task. Later: medical, fitness, Employment Suitability Clearance and security clearance |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete ABF Officer (BFORT) study notes for “The Job and Eligibility”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: What Border Force Officers do · Who can apply · The integrity screen · Pay, location and the program, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
1. The Job and Eligibility
Border Force Officers work at international airports, seaports, mail and cargo centres, processing travellers, searching baggage and cargo, detecting prohibited goods and enforcing customs and migration law. BFORT is the ABF's entry-level path; the Marine Tactical Officer Cadet program is the separate path for sea-going roles.
Key facts
- You must be an Australian citizen.
- Recent advertisements set a minimum age of 18 and an education floor of Year 10, a Certificate IV or Diploma, a trade certificate and/or relevant work experience; check the current ad.
- You must obtain and keep an Employment Suitability Clearance (ESC) and at least a Baseline security clearance.
- You must meet the role's medical and fitness requirements; advertisements also mention psychometric assessment.
- Pay: A$66,839 plus 15.4% super during training (APS3 recruit rate as at 5 May 2025), with shift penalties of 15% (18:00 to 06:30), 50% Saturday, 100% Sunday and 150% public holidays.
- Shift work, weekend work and uniform are part of the job; officers carry powers under customs and migration law.
- Classroom locations: Mascot NSW, Tullamarine VIC, Adelaide Airport SA, Perth WA and East Arm NT (SA and NT subject to demand). No training in Tasmania or the ACT.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Read the current BFORT advertisement line by line; eligibility wording changes between rounds, and region-specific ads only hire for that region.
2. Cognitive Ability (Cognify)
Cognify is Criteria Corp's game-based cognitive test: three mini-games in 15 minutes, each getting harder as you progress. You can practise each game before the timer starts.
Key facts
- Gridlock: fit all the pieces into a grid as fast as you can (spatial reasoning).
- Numbubbles: pop the bubbles whose equation equals a target number (numerical speed).
- Proof It: find as many spelling and punctuation errors as you can in a long text; there are more errors than you can find in the time.
- You complete as many games as you can within 15 minutes, so do not stall on one puzzle.
- Use a mouse and keyboard; trackpads and phones slow you down.
- Train times tables to 12 x 12, order of operations, apostrophes and common misspellings (received, separate, government, occurred).
Flashcards
Exam tip: In Proof It, scan line by line at a steady pace and click errors as you see them; going back to re-read costs more time than it saves.
3. Emotional Intelligence (Emotify) and Illustrait
Emotify measures emotional perception, understanding and management in about 20 minutes across three parts. Illustrait is a behavioural questionnaire on how comfortable you would be in the role and your preferred work style.
Key facts
- Matching Faces: identify emotions on people's faces quickly and accurately (perception).
- Emotional Ties: read everyday situations and predict the emotions likely to follow (understanding).
- Emotions in Action: choose the best way to manage the emotions in short workplace scenarios (management).
- Good management answers acknowledge feelings, stay calm, use proper channels and keep the task moving.
- Illustrait has no right answers; answer honestly about how you behave, consistent with the job's realities (shift work, rules, public contact).
- Results from all three tools go to the ABF, and Home Affairs emails you the outcome.
Flashcards
Exam tip: In management items, the best option usually helps the person and the work at once; avoid options that ignore the feeling or escalate it.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question ABF Officer (BFORT) test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Written and Verbal Task
After the video interview questions you read a text, then complete a written task and a verbal task, each against a countdown. They test how you respond to scenarios and how well you extract key information, because officers keep official notebooks and give statements in court.
Key facts
- Read the entire text and all instructions before typing.
- Pull out who, what, when, where, how much and what was said; leave out opinion.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Practise by summarising a short news article in 5 factual sentences in 5 minutes, then reading your summary aloud in 60 seconds.
5. Medical, Fitness and the Employment Suitability Clearance
Successful candidates must meet medical and fitness requirements, obtain the Home Affairs Employment Suitability Clearance and hold at least a Baseline security clearance. The ABF does not publish its fitness test standards online.
Key facts
- The ESC is a rigorous character and integrity screening that may include background, character, employment, police and financial checks.
- You must declare current and past drug use, criminal or high-risk associations, conflicts of interest, business interests, criminal history, non-compliance with border-related laws and workplace disciplinary history.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Do the Employment Suitability Self-Assessment on the Home Affairs jobs site before you apply; it shows the questions you will face.
6. Video Interview, STAR and the APS Values
The video interview is one-way and pre-recorded on Criteria Corp. You get time to read each behavioural question and prepare, then recording starts automatically with a countdown. The ABF pack points to the STAR method and the APSC's Integrated Leadership System (ILS).
Key facts
- STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Result. Keep Situation and Task brief; most of your time goes on Action.
- APS Values: Impartial, Committed to service, Accountable, Respectful, Ethical, plus Stewardship (added 2024).
Flashcards
Exam tip: Record yourself answering three practice questions on your phone with a 2-minute timer; watching it once fixes most habits.
7. Application Strategy and Timeline
The ABF describes a 5-step process; you must complete each step to progress. The online application asks for background information, a résumé, two referees and some questions; Criteria Corp testing follows after the advertisement closes.
Key facts
- Online application: background, résumé, two referees and application questions. Use the APS 'cracking the code' guidance and give evidence, not adjectives.
- Criteria Corp emails a link to capability testing once the application closes; finish before the end date.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Keep your résumé to two pages, list shift work, customer service and any compliance or security experience, and name referees who have seen you handle pressure.
8. BFORT Training and the First Year
BFORT mixes classroom training at an ABF College campus with on-the-job training. The traineeship page describes an initial 12-month program; the entry-level page describes six months of training, so expect classroom and operational phases across the first year.
Key facts
- Five classroom capability blocks: Orientation and foundation; Traveller one; Law enforcement essentials; Cargo examination and trade; Traveller two.
- Content can include legislation, powers, information and intelligence gathering, passenger processing, baggage and traveller search, detection, seizure processes and foundational tactics.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Treat the classroom phase like a full-time course: review legislation and powers every evening, as block assessments must be passed to continue.
How to pass
- Cognify gives 15 minutes for three mini-games that get harder as you go; it rewards both speed and accuracy. Practise on Criteria Corp's own demo pages and train mental arithmetic and proofreading.
- The video interview is one-way and auto-records when preparation time runs out. Use STAR, look at the camera, and practise with a timer until you can finish a full example in the time given.
- The written task tests whether you can pull the key facts from a text, because officers write notebook entries and statements that may be used in court. Read the whole text first, then answer in short, accurate, error-free sentences.
- Start the Employment Suitability Self-Assessment on the Home Affairs jobs site before you apply. The ESC asks about drug use, criminal associations, conflicts of interest and border-law breaches, and honesty matters more than a clean record.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the ABF Officer (BFORT) exam?
Most working candidates need 4 to 8 weeks at 45 to 60 minutes a day. Book your exam once your Readiness Score has stayed at 80 or higher for about a week.
Can I take the ABF Officer (BFORT) exam online?
It depends on the agency. Online, at home, on the Criteria Corp platform: capability testing (Cognify, Emotify, Illustrait), then a one-way video interview with a written and a verbal task. Later: medical, fitness, Employment Suitability Clearance and security clearance. Written and aptitude tests are often online now, but fitness tests, medicals and most assessment days are in person, and interviews may be in person or by video. Check the agency's recruiting website for the current arrangements.
What score do I need to pass the ABF Officer (BFORT) exam?
No published pass mark. Criteria Corp sends results to the ABF and Home Affairs emails you whether you progress. If unsuccessful you can practise the assessments and reapply in the next recruitment round. The exam has cognify: 3 timed mini-games (gridlock, numbubbles, proof it). emotify: 3 parts (matching faces, emotional ties, emotions in action). illustrait: a behavioural job-fit questionnaire. criteria corp does not publish item counts and a time limit of cognify 15 minutes in total; emotify about 20 minutes. video interview answers and the written task are timed per question with an on-screen countdown.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers the job and eligibility, cognitive ability (cognify), emotional intelligence (emotify) and illustrait, written and verbal task, medical, fitness and the employment suitability clearance, video interview, star and the aps values, application strategy and timeline, bfort training and the first year. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium ABF Officer (BFORT) study path
Premium ABF Officer (BFORT) prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1The Job and Eligibility8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Cognitive Ability (Cognify)8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Emotional Intelligence (Emotify) and Illustrait8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Written and Verbal Task8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5Medical, Fitness and the Employment Suitability Clearance7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Video Interview, STAR and the APS Values7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 7Application Strategy and Timeline7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 8BFORT Training and the First Year7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
Get every note, flashcard and question
Premium Monthly
- One career of your choice: any police force, APS, Defence, border, corrections, fire or state public service career
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: hiring process cheat sheet, interview answer builder, fitness test table and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews monthly until you cancel. Cancel in two clicks from your account; you keep access until the end of the month you've paid for. No minimum term.
Premium Yearly
- One career of your choice: any police force, APS, Defence, border, corrections, fire or state public service career
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: hiring process cheat sheet, interview answer builder, fitness test table and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
Summarized from the recruiting agency's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked November 2026. Confirm current requirements with Australian Border Force (ABF), part of the Department of Home Affairs, recruiting through jobs.homeaffairs.gov.au.