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Australian Public Service · Last updated November 2026

APS Entry-Level Jobs (APS 1 to APS 4) and the Career Starter Program: free practice test

APS 1 to APS 4 jobs are the entry door to the federal public service: service officers, client engagement and contact centre roles, administration, records, compliance support and the Career Starter Program for school leavers. Most rounds ask for a tailored resume and a short pitch or answers to questions, then use some mix of online tests, video or live interviews, work samples and referee checks to rate candidates on merit. Successful candidates go onto an 18-month merit list and must pass citizenship, police and integrity checks, and sometimes a security clearance, before an offer.

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About the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam

APS 1 to APS 4 jobs are the entry door to the federal public service: service officers, client engagement and contact centre roles, administration, records, compliance support and the Career Starter Program for school leavers. Most rounds ask for a tailored resume and a short pitch or answers to questions, then use some mix of online tests, video or live interviews, work samples and referee checks to rate candidates on merit. Successful candidates go onto an 18-month merit list and must pass citizenship, police and integrity checks, and sometimes a security clearance, before an offer.

What's on the exam

APS Entry Level (APS 1-4)
The Job and Eligibility
6 key facts
Online Tests: Reading and Written Communication
6 key facts
Online Tests: Numeracy and Data
6 key facts
Situational Judgement and Client Service
6 key facts
Pre-employment Checks and Security Clearance
6 key facts
Interview and APS Values
7 key facts
Application, Pitch and Selection Criteria
7 key facts
Starting in the APS
6 key facts

Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →

How to pass the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam

  • Read the candidate pack and the job's classification first. APS 3 and APS 4 roles expect more independent judgement than APS 1 and 2, so pitch your examples at the right level.
  • Most agencies now want a resume plus a one- or two-page pitch rather than long selection criteria. Tailor every application: the ATO warns that generic resumes can limit your chance of being shortlisted.
  • Practise reading, spelling, simple maths and client-service judgement questions. Entry roles are heavily customer-facing, so situational judgement items often decide who gets an interview.
  • Get on a merit list even if you miss the first job. Lists last 18 months and can be shared with other agencies, so one good round can lead to several offers.

Save your results and get your Readiness Score

Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the Hiring Process Cheat Sheet.

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What's in the premium APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) prep

Premium APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) 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.

3,000practice questions, every answer explained
6full-length mock exams, 50 questions each, timed
800flashcards with spaced repetition, sorted by topic
60comprehensive key notes across 8 topics

Your step-by-step study path

  1. 1
    The Job and Eligibility8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    Online Tests: Reading and Written Communication8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  3. 3
    Online Tests: Numeracy and Data8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  4. 4
    Situational Judgement and Client Service8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  5. 5
    Pre-employment Checks and Security Clearance7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    Interview and APS Values7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Application, Pitch and Selection Criteria7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Starting in the APS7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  9. Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.
    Premium
Free with an account

Read the complete APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) study notes for “The Job and Eligibility”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 11 minutes of reading: What entry-level APS jobs look like · Classifications and pay · Who can apply · Structured entry programs, 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.

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Study tools included

3,000 practice questions

3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.

6 full mock exams

6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.

Exam Readiness Score

One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.

800 flashcards + spaced repetition

800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.

60 comprehensive key notes

60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.

Mind maps

See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.

Sample questions with answers

These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.

1. Under the Public Service Act 1999, who can be engaged as an ongoing APS employee?
Answer: Australian citizens, unless the agency head decides it is appropriate to engage a non-citizen. Section 22(8) of the Public Service Act 1999 says an agency head must not engage a non-citizen unless the agency head considers it appropriate. In practice almost every APS job ad requires citizenship, and some agencies (such as the ATO) require it at the time you apply. A clearance is only needed for some roles and is obtained after an offer.
2. The Career Starter Program for school leavers lists these eligibility rules: Year 12 (or equivalent) completed in 2025 or being completed in 2026, and Australian citizenship by November 2026. Which applicant is eligible?
Answer: Tom, who is completing Year 12 in 2026 and is an Australian citizen. Tom meets both rules: he is completing Year 12 in the stated year and is already a citizen. Jai finished outside the window, Lena will not be a citizen in time and Ruby has no Year 12 or equivalent. The program pays from about $54,000 plus 15.4% super and includes a Certificate IV in Government or HR.
3. Choose the sentence with correct spelling and punctuation for a letter to a client.
Answer: Your payment has been received, and we will process it within five business days.. "Received" follows "i before e except after c", "process" has one c and "business" is spelt b-u-s-i, and "payment has" agrees in number. The comma before "and" joining two full clauses is correct. Entry-level written tests often hide one error per option, so read each word rather than skimming.
4. Instruction: "Clients who report a change of address must provide proof within 14 days. If proof is not received, the old address remains on file." A client reported a new address 20 days ago and has sent nothing. What address is on file?
Answer: The old address. The rule says the old address stays on file if proof is not received within 14 days. Twenty days have passed with no proof, so the old address remains. Reading-for-rules questions test whether you apply the exact condition rather than what seems helpful.
5. Which reply to a client email is the clearest and most professional?
Answer: "Thanks for your email. We have your form and expect to finish assessing it by 12 June. We will email you the outcome.". A good reply acknowledges the message, says what is happening, gives a timeframe and says what comes next, in plain English. Jargon like "as per previous correspondence", vague casual language and telling a client not to contact you all fail the client-service standard the APS expects.
6. A team processed 1,240 applications in week 1 and 1,550 in week 2. By what percentage did output rise?
Answer: 25%. The rise is 1,550 - 1,240 = 310. As a percentage of the starting figure: 310 / 1,240 = 0.25, or 25%. A common error is dividing by the new figure (310 / 1,550 = 20%). Percentage change is always measured against the original value.
7. An officer works 7 hours 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and spends 40% of that time on phone calls. How many hours a week are spent on calls?
Answer: 15 hours. Weekly hours are 7.5 x 5 = 37.5. Forty per cent of 37.5 is 15 hours. 37.5 is the full week, and 18.75 would be half the week. Convert minutes to a decimal (30 minutes = 0.5 hour) before multiplying.
8. A table shows a contact centre answered 82% of 4,500 calls within the target time on Monday and 90% of 3,800 calls on Tuesday. On which day were more calls answered within target?
Answer: Monday, 3,690 calls. Monday: 0.82 x 4,500 = 3,690. Tuesday: 0.90 x 3,800 = 3,420. Tuesday had the better rate but Monday had more calls within target because volume was higher. Read whether the question asks for a rate or a number.
9. A client on the phone becomes angry and swears because a payment is late. What is the best first response?
Answer: Calmly acknowledge their frustration, explain you want to help, and ask for the details you need to check the payment. Acknowledging the emotion and moving to the facts usually calms a call and lets you help. Agencies have policies for abusive calls, but the first step is de-escalation. Blaming the client is disrespectful and promising an outcome you cannot guarantee breaches honesty and could mislead the client.
10. A friend asks you, an APS 3 service officer, to look up whether their ex-partner has updated their address in the agency's system. What should you do?
Answer: Decline, because accessing records without a work reason is a breach of privacy and the APS Code of Conduct. APS employees may only access client records for official purposes. Browsing a record for a friend is a privacy breach and a Code of Conduct matter, however small the disclosure, and asking a colleague to do it is the same breach. Integrity checks and audit logs are designed to detect exactly this.
11. You notice a colleague has been processing their own cousin's claim. What is the most appropriate action?
Answer: Raise it with your supervisor, because it is a conflict of interest that must be declared and managed. The APS Code of Conduct requires employees to take reasonable steps to avoid conflicts of interest and to disclose them. Working on a relative's matter is a clear conflict even if the claim is valid. Reporting it to your supervisor lets the agency reassign the work; the other options either ignore the risk or create new ones.
12. At the ATO, how long can it take to process pre-engagement integrity checks once complete, correct documents have been received?
Answer: Up to 20 working days. The ATO says its pre-engagement integrity checks (identity, citizenship, national police check, tax and super compliance, conflicts of interest) can take up to 20 working days after it has complete and correct documents. Problems with documents add time. Other agencies have their own checks and timeframes.
13. Which APS Value requires the APS to "respect all people, including their rights and their heritage"?
Answer: Respectful. That is the wording of the Respectful value in section 10 of the Public Service Act 1999. Impartial is about apolitical, evidence-based advice; Ethical is about leadership, trustworthiness and integrity; Committed to service is about professional, efficient and collaborative work.
14. An APS job ad asks for "a one-page pitch". According to the APSC, what should it do?
Answer: Explain why you are the right person for the job: why you want it, what you offer and how your skills and experience apply. The APSC's "Cracking the code" describes a pitch as a short statement of your claims for the job, and advises highlighting specific examples or achievements rather than duplicating your resume. Copying the duty statement shows no evidence, and full work histories belong in the resume.
15. You were found suitable but not offered the job. The panel creates a merit list. For how long can it be used to fill similar jobs?
Answer: 18 months from the date the job was advertised in the Public Service Gazette. The APSC says a merit list is valid for 18 months from the Gazette date and can be used by the agency, and in some circumstances shared with other APS agencies, to fill similar jobs. Unless you opt out, another agency may contact you. Keep your phone and email details current.

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Certification guide

Government job interview questions and how to answer them: Australian government interviews are structured: a panel of two or more people asks every candidate the same behavioural and scenario questions and rates the answers against the job's requirements and the employer's published values. The [APSC's guide to APS recruitment](https://www.apsc.gov.au/working-aps/joining-aps/cracking-code/7-interview-and-other-assessment-cracking-code) describes exactly this. Here is how the panel scores you, the questions that come up again and again, and how to build answers that score well.

APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam FAQ

How many questions are on the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam?

Varies by agency and job. The APSC says shortlisting may use video interviews, multiple-choice questions or psychometric tests, and later stages may add a work sample test. The Career Starter Program uses a video interview and a group assessment. Question counts are not published, with a time limit of not published; set by each agency for each recruitment round. Format: online tests and recorded interviews are unsupervised. you may take a copy of your application and notes into an interview, and the apsc says it is fine to take time to think or ask the panel to rephrase a question. read each agency's rules on ai use.

What is the passing score for APS Entry Level (APS 1-4)?

No published pass mark. Panels rate you on merit against the job's requirements; suitable candidates can be placed on a merit list that the agency (and other agencies) can use for 18 months from the Gazette date.

How much does the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam cost?

No fee to apply or to sit any assessment. Most government agencies charge no application fee, but some tests and checks cost money (for example Victoria Police's entrance exam, medicals, first aid certificates and police checks). Confirm current costs on the agency's recruiting website before you apply.

Which languages is the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam offered in?

English.

Where do I take the APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) exam?

Online application on APSJobs or the agency's careers portal. Shortlisting may use online multiple-choice or psychometric tests or recorded video interviews taken at home; interviews are virtual, by phone or in person; some bulk rounds use an assessment centre.

Is this APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) practice test free?

Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) prep is Premium at A$89 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium APS Entry Level (APS 1-4) prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (The Job and Eligibility: 375; Online Tests: Reading and Written Communication: 375; Online Tests: Numeracy and Data: 375; Situational Judgement and Client Service: 375; Pre-employment Checks and Security Clearance: 375; Interview and APS Values: 375; Application, Pitch and Selection Criteria: 375; Starting in the APS: 375), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 50 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 8 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.

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