AFP Police Recruit Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Recruit: National Policing and ACT Policing 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 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 |
| Certifying body | Australian Federal Police (AFP), recruiting through afp.gov.au/jobs and careers.afp.gov.au |
| Test provider | 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 |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete AFP Police Recruit study notes for “The Job and Eligibility”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: What AFP police officers do · Who can apply · Education: four ways in · Requirements you prove later · Pay and conditions, 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
AFP police officers serve in National Policing (serious and organised crime, counter-terrorism, cybercrime, fraud, protection, airports, international deployments) or ACT Policing (community policing in Canberra under contract to the ACT Government). Recruits must meet citizenship, age, education, licence and character standards before any testing.
Key facts
- Be at least 18. There is no upper age limit, but you must pass the health assessment.
- Be an Australian citizen and provide proof at the Employment Suitability Questionnaire stage.
- Hold a valid Australian driver's licence, at least a provisional (P) licence.
- Education: any one of Year 10 plus 2 years' work experience, Year 10 plus a Certificate III or higher, Year 12, or a Diploma or higher qualification.
- During selection you must show a minimum fitness level, swim 100 m freestyle (untimed, unaided) and hold current first aid and CPR certificates.
- You must meet the AFP's character, health, psychological and security standards; decisions on suitability are case by case and some are final with no appeal.
- Current recruiting priorities shown by the AFP: Community Policing in Canberra; Protective Service Officer roles in places such as Canberra, Perth, Pine Gap, Geraldton and Exmouth.
- Pay: the AFP lists a college recruit at Band 2.3 with a base salary of A$69,698, plus 15.4% superannuation; check the AFP Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027 for the current rate, as scheduled increases apply.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Run the AFP's online eligibility self-help tool (about 15 minutes, no personal data) before you apply, and fix gaps such as first aid, CPR and the swim certificate while you wait for testing.
2. Deductive Reasoning
The Deductive Reasoning test (23 minutes, pen and paper allowed) measures your ability to draw logical conclusions from information and to complete scenarios using incomplete information. The AFP's fact sheet points to SHL's interactive deductive practice test; items are typically scheduling, ordering and logic puzzles.
Key facts
- Only accept a conclusion that the information forces. 'Could be true' is not the same as 'must be true'.
- 'All A are B' does not mean 'all B are A'. 'Some A are B' says nothing about a particular A.
- For ordering and scheduling puzzles, draw slots and place fixed facts first, then linked pairs, then the rest.
- Test each possible placement of a linked pair against every other rule; usually only one survives.
- Watch negative rules ('not last', 'cannot be Monday'): they often decide the puzzle.
- Interactive items may ask you to drag items into a schedule; read every rule before moving anything.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Always sketch. A 10-second grid of days or positions prevents most errors in timed logic puzzles.
3. Inductive Reasoning
The Inductive Reasoning test (23 minutes, National and ACT Policing only) measures your ability to identify underlying patterns and predict outcomes. Items are usually visual: sequences of shapes or grids where you choose the next figure or the odd one out.
Key facts
- Break each figure into features: shape, number, colour or shading, position, rotation, size.
- Track one feature at a time across the sequence; most items combine two or three simple rules.
- Common rules: rotation by a fixed angle, movement one step around a grid, adding or removing one element, alternating colours.
- For number or letter series, check the differences first, then products, squares and alternating patterns.
- If two answers look right, look for the feature you have not yet checked.
- Do not over-think: inductive tests reward steady pace over perfection.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Say each rule out loud as you find it ('rotates 90 degrees clockwise'); naming the rule makes it easier to test against the answer options.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question AFP Police Recruit test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Numerical Calculation and the Personality Questionnaire
The Numerical Calculation test (15 minutes, calculator, pen and paper allowed) checks that you can add, subtract, multiply and divide quickly and accurately. The Personality questionnaire (25 minutes) asks how you typically behave at work to see how well your style fits policing competencies.
Key facts
- Calculation items are short: rates (fuel per 100 km), percentages, remainders, unit conversions and simple money sums.
- Use the calculator for heavy arithmetic but estimate first, so you can spot a keying error.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Do the numeric test when you are fresh and the personality questionnaire last; it is untimed in feel but still has a 25-minute window.
5. EPCA Fitness, Health and Security Assessment
After the online tests you sit the Entry Physical Competency Assessment, then the Employment Suitability Questionnaire, health and psychological assessments and an AFP security assessment. Several of these outcomes are final with no appeal.
Key facts
- EPCA: 60-second plank with correct form; push-ups in 60 seconds (15 for men, 8 for women; gender X case by case), each to within 5 cm of the floor, no more than 3 seconds' rest at the top; beep test to level 6.5, one attempt, up to 2 warnings.
- You learn your EPCA result on the day and can re-sit by contacting recruitment.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Train the beep test to level 8 or more so level 6.5 feels easy on the day; you get only one attempt.
6. Assessment Centre, Interview and AFP Values
The AFP assessment centre is held online and includes team activities, scenarios and an interview. It is scored on six competencies, and the AFP recommends STAR answers. Your answers should reflect the AFP's seven values.
Key facts
- Six competencies: deciding and initiating action; working with people; analysing; adhering to principles and values; coping with pressure and setbacks; presenting and communicating information.
- AFP values: integrity, commitment, excellence, accountability, fairness, trust and respect.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Build a grid of your examples against the six competencies so each story is used once; reusing the same story looks thin.
7. Application Strategy and Timeline
The AFP process has 8 stages and usually takes 6 to 12 months; stages can overlap or change order. A two-page-style CV is uploaded with a 10-minute online form, and success puts you in a merit pool until a College place opens.
Key facts
- Stages: eligibility self-help tool, online application with CV, online testing, EPCA, Employment Suitability Questionnaire, assessment centre, health assessment, security assessment.
- Your CV should show work history, responsibility, community involvement and evidence of the six competencies; qualifications are optional on the form.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Keep a dated checklist of every document and stage; a missing certificate is the most common avoidable delay.
8. AFP College and the First Year
Recruits are paid from day one of training at AFP College in Canberra. National and ACT Policing recruits complete the 26-week Federal Police Development Program; Protective Service Officers complete a 15-week program.
Key facts
- Federal Police Development Program: 26 weeks at AFP College in Canberra.
- Protective Service Officer Program: 15 weeks.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Arrive at College already able to pass the PCA; fitness failures are the easiest way to lose your place.
How to pass
- The online tests are timed with no published pass mark, so speed and accuracy both count. Do the free SHL practice tests the AFP links to (deductive, inductive, calculation, personality) and the five in-platform practice questions before each live test.
- Start fitness training now. The EPCA is a 60-second plank, push-ups in 60 seconds (15 for men, 8 for women) and the beep test to level 6.5 with one attempt only, and AFP College later runs a harder Physical Competency Assessment.
- Collect your paperwork early: proof of citizenship, Year 10 (or higher) evidence, a full traffic history from every place you have held a licence (no older than 3 months when submitted), first aid and CPR certificates and a signed 100 m swim certificate.
- The assessment centre scores six competencies, including adhering to principles and values and coping with pressure and setbacks. Prepare 8 to 10 STAR examples and link each to an AFP value: integrity, commitment, excellence, accountability, fairness, trust or respect.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the AFP Police Recruit 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 AFP Police Recruit exam online?
It depends on the agency. 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. 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 AFP Police Recruit exam?
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. The exam has 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 and a time limit of 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).
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers 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. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium AFP Police Recruit study path
Premium AFP Police Recruit 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
- 2Deductive Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Inductive Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 4Numerical Calculation and the Personality Questionnaire8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 5EPCA Fitness, Health and Security Assessment7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Assessment Centre, Interview and AFP 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
- 8AFP College 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 Federal Police (AFP), recruiting through afp.gov.au/jobs and careers.afp.gov.au.