ADF General Entry Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the ADF General Entry (Navy Sailor, Army Soldier, Air Force Aviator) 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 | Online General Ability style aptitude test (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning items); DFR does not publish the number of questions. Some roles add specialist tests |
|---|---|
| Time | Timed; DFR does not publish the time limit. Work quickly and accurately, as every test has a restricted time |
| Passing score | No single pass mark. Your scores decide which roles you are eligible for; each job has its own minimum standard |
| Format | No calculator or dictionary is allowed in any ADF psychological test, and you must not use any aid. Take the online JOA when well rested, in a quiet room with no distractions. The DFR guide says you are generally allowed three attempts at aptitude testing, at least 12 months apart |
| Certifying body | Australian Defence Force (Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force), recruiting through Defence Force Recruiting (ADF Careers, 13 19 01) |
| Test provider | Job Opportunity Assessment (JOA) taken online after you apply; YOU Session with a Careers Coach by phone or video; Assessment Session (Defence interview, psychological interview, medical) and the Pre-entry Fitness Assessment at a Defence Force Recruiting centre |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete ADF General Entry study notes for “The Job and Eligibility”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: What general entry means · Age and consent · Citizenship and residency · Education, medical, fitness and security · Pay from day one, 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
General entry means joining the Navy, Army or Air Force as a sailor, soldier or aviator rather than as an officer. There are hundreds of roles, full time and reserve, and each has its own education, aptitude, medical and fitness standards on top of the ADF-wide rules below.
Key facts
- Age: you can apply from 16 years and 6 months and must be at least 17 on the day you join. Under-18s need written consent from both parents or legal guardian(s). Maximum ages differ by role.
- Citizenship: Australian citizens are eligible. Since 1 July 2024 eligible New Zealand citizens living in Australia, and since 1 January 2025 permanent residents from the UK, the US and Canada, can apply if they have lived in Australia for 12 months, are eligible for citizenship and have not served in a foreign military in the previous 2 years.
- Education: many general entry roles accept Year 10 with passes in English and Maths; technical roles may need Year 11 or 12 subjects such as Maths or Physics. Check the role page.
- Medical and fitness: you must meet ADF medical standards, a Body Mass Index of 18.5 to 32.9 (29.9 for pilots) and the Pre-entry Fitness Assessment for your Service and role.
- Security: you must be able to obtain a security clearance. ADF Careers says most roles need Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1); some need NV2 or Positive Vetting.
- Pay (base salary from 6 Nov 2025): recruit basic training A$60,517 a year; initial employment training A$69,162 (0-6 months) rising to A$76,079 (12 months +); a trained Private, Seaman or Aircraftman on pay grade 1 starts at A$79,096, before allowances.
- Full-time members commit to an Initial Minimum Period of Service set for each role; the Reserve and the ADF Gap Year are other ways in.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Pick two or three roles you qualify for, not one. Your aptitude scores, medical results and job vacancies all affect what is offered, and a Careers Coach will steer you towards roles that are open.
2. Verbal Reasoning
The General Ability items include word analogies, odd-one-out word meanings and letter or symbol codes. They test vocabulary and logical relationships under time pressure, without a dictionary.
Key facts
- Word analogies (A is to B as C is to ?): put the first pair's relationship into a sentence, such as "A is used to measure B" or "A is the opposite of B", then apply the same sentence to C.
- Common analogy relationships: tool and use, part and whole, opposites, degree (warm and hot), worker and workplace, cause and effect.
- Odd-one-out (word meaning): find the category that all but one word share. Watch for words with two meanings and for the difference between a person, a thing and an action.
- Word codes: compare the plain word and its code letter by letter. Typical rules are a fixed shift along the alphabet, reversing the word, or inserting a letter after each original letter.
- Symbol codes: match repeated letters to repeated symbols first (a letter that appears twice in the word appears twice in the code).
- No marks are lost for wrong answers in most aptitude tests, so never leave a question blank; eliminate what you can and choose the best remaining option.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Read widely for two weeks before the test: newspapers and non-fiction build the vocabulary that analogy and odd-one-out items rely on.
3. Numerical Reasoning
Arithmetic word problems and number series, done without a calculator. Expect percentages, fractions, ratios, money, time, speed-distance-time and work-rate problems.
Key facts
- No calculator is allowed in any ADF psychological test, so speed with mental arithmetic and quick written working is the core skill.
- Speed-distance-time: distance = speed x time. Convert minutes to fractions of an hour (15 min = 0.25 h, 20 min = 1/3 h, 45 min = 0.75 h).
- Percentages: 10% is one tenth, 5% is half of that, 25% is a quarter. Build harder percentages from these blocks.
- Number series: write the differences between terms. If they are not constant, check second differences, doubling, squares (1, 4, 9, 16) or two interleaved series.
- Work-rate and fraction-of-time problems: convert everything to fractions of one whole job and add them.
- Multi-step problems often include a distractor equal to the first step's answer. Re-read what the question asks for before you choose.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Ten minutes of timed mental arithmetic a day for a month does more than one long session. Time yourself and aim for accuracy first, then speed.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question ADF General Entry test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Abstract Reasoning
Figure series, odd-one-out figures and matrices test how quickly you spot visual rules. They need no knowledge, only a systematic method.
Key facts
- Look for one change at a time: position, rotation (90 or 45 degrees, clockwise or anticlockwise), number of elements, size, shading and shape.
- Most items combine two or three independent rules. Check each rule separately, then pick the only option that satisfies all of them.
Flashcards
Exam tip: When you practise, say the rule out loud ("rotates 45 clockwise, shading alternates"). Naming the rule makes it faster to spot next time.
5. Fitness, Medical and Security Clearance
The Assessment Session includes a medical; if you are deemed PFA Fit you sit the Pre-entry Fitness Assessment, and you complete a Security Pack for vetting. Standards differ by Service and role.
Key facts
- PFA timing: you must pass within 6 weeks of your Enlistment Day. It may include push-ups, sit-ups and a cardio test such as the 20 m shuttle run (beep test), run, walk or swim.
- Army (DFR brochure): general entry combat and officer roles 8 push-ups, 45 sit-ups (feet held), 7.5 shuttle; non-combat roles 4 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, 6.1 shuttle.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Train to beat the standard comfortably, not just reach it. Nerves and a strange venue cost most people a level on the beep test.
6. Defence Interview, Psych Interview and ADF Values
At the Assessment Session a Defence interviewer assesses your motivation, knowledge of the role and suitability, and a psychologist assesses your readiness for military life. Both look for the ADF values: Service, Courage, Respect, Integrity and Excellence.
Key facts
- The Defence interview is a job interview: why the ADF, why this Service and role, what you know about training, postings and lifestyle, and evidence of teamwork, discipline and resilience.
- The psychological interview covers your background, school and work history, relationships, coping with stress, alcohol and drug use, and your readiness to leave home, take orders and live in close quarters. Be honest and consistent with your forms.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Prepare five short STAR stories (teamwork, pressure, a mistake, helping someone, finishing something hard) and practise telling each in under two minutes.
7. Application Strategy and Timeline
From application to enlistment usually takes months, and much of the time depends on paperwork. Getting documents and medical records in early is the biggest thing you control.
Key facts
- Step 1, Job Opportunity Assessment: emailed after you apply; matches you to roles. Take it rested and in a quiet room.
- Step 2, YOU (Your Opportunities Unlimited) Session: a Careers Coach discusses Services and roles you are eligible for based on your JOA results.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Request your GP and specialist records the week you apply. Missing medical documents are the most common reason applications stall.
8. Recruit Training and the First Year
After enlistment you go straight to recruit training, then to initial employment training for your trade, then to your first posting. Training locations differ by Service.
Key facts
- Army: recruit training at the Army Recruit Training Centre, Blamey Barracks, Kapooka (Wagga Wagga, NSW).
- Navy: Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, including a basic swim test (3 m platform jump, 50 m swim, 10 m underwater swim and 15 minutes treading water).
Flashcards
Exam tip: Arrive fitter than the PFA standard and able to iron, polish and fold. Recruits who are comfortable physically have more energy for learning.
How to pass
- The JOA has no published cut-off, but your scores decide which jobs are open to you. Practise all three item types (verbal, numerical, abstract) without a calculator so a weak area does not close off the role you want.
- Do mental arithmetic every day before the test: percentages, fractions, speed-distance-time and number series. The ADF does not allow a calculator in any psychological test.
- Prepare for the Defence interview as a job interview: know the role you applied for, its training pathway and posting locations, and have real examples that show the ADF values of Service, Courage, Respect, Integrity and Excellence.
- Start fitness training the day you apply. You must pass the PFA within 6 weeks of your enlistment day; use the free ADF Active app to practise push-ups, sit-ups and the beep test to the standard for your Service and role.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the ADF General Entry 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 ADF General Entry exam online?
It depends on the agency. Job Opportunity Assessment (JOA) taken online after you apply; YOU Session with a Careers Coach by phone or video; Assessment Session (Defence interview, psychological interview, medical) and the Pre-entry Fitness Assessment at a Defence Force Recruiting centre. 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 ADF General Entry exam?
No single pass mark. Your scores decide which roles you are eligible for; each job has its own minimum standard. The exam has online general ability style aptitude test (verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning items); dfr does not publish the number of questions. some roles add specialist tests and a time limit of timed; dfr does not publish the time limit. work quickly and accurately, as every test has a restricted time.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers the job and eligibility, verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, abstract reasoning, fitness, medical and security clearance, defence interview, psych interview and adf values, application strategy and timeline, recruit training and the first year. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium ADF General Entry study path
Premium ADF General Entry 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
- 2Verbal Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Numerical Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Abstract Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5Fitness, Medical and Security Clearance7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Defence Interview, Psych Interview and ADF 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
- 8Recruit 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
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Summarized from the recruiting agency's official candidate information and the rules cited, checked November 2026. Confirm current requirements with Australian Defence Force (Royal Australian Navy, Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force), recruiting through Defence Force Recruiting (ADF Careers, 13 19 01).