Victoria Police Officer Exam Study Guide (2026)
Everything the Victoria Police Officer (Recruit to Constable) 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 | 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) |
|---|---|
| Time | 2 hours in total: Literacy 30 min, Abstract reasoning 20 min, Numeracy 35 min, Report writing 35 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 |
| 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 |
| Certifying body | Victoria Police Recruiting Services Branch (police.vic.gov.au/police-officer-careers) |
| Test provider | 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 |
Mind map: the whole exam on one screen
Read the complete Victoria Police Officer study notes for “The Job and Eligibility”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 13 minutes of reading: What the job involves · Entry requirements · Character, drugs and associations · Appearance and conduct · Entrance exam exemptions, 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
What a Victoria Police officer does and the entry requirements: age, citizenship, licence, first aid, character, drugs, tattoos and the exemptions that let some applicants skip the entrance exam.
Key facts
- New officers work general duties: responding to calls, patrols, family violence, road policing, arrests and court. After general duties you can move into specialist areas such as detectives, Highway Patrol, Air Wing or the Dog Squad.
- Age and education: if you are over 18 you can apply; there is no upper age limit, no education requirement, no prerequisite subjects and no ATAR requirement.
- Citizenship: the Victoria Police Regulations 2014 require Australian citizenship or permanent residency. New Zealand citizens may apply but need to live in Australia on a special category visa before starting.
- Licence: an Australian driver licence, manual or automatic; a probationary licence is acceptable; no more than 7 demerit points when you apply.
- First aid: before induction you need a first aid certificate with CPR (HLTAID010 or HLTAID011), valid during training and for 12 months after.
- Character: zero tolerance for illicit drug use, random drug testing during recruitment, and a check of prior history against Victoria Police's prior history guidelines. If unsure, lodge a Voluntary Disclosure Form before applying.
- Tattoos: hand, arm and leg tattoos may be permitted; face, head and front-of-neck tattoos are not (unless a religious or cultural exemption is granted); offensive tattoos are never permitted.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Read the prior history guidelines and lodge a Voluntary Disclosure Form first if you have any offence, even as a juvenile. It takes one to four weeks and saves a wasted application (you have three attempts in total).
2. Literacy (Reading Comprehension)
ACER's Literacy component: 30 questions in 30 minutes on about six texts of varying difficulty, some with graphs, charts, diagrams or maps. Pass mark is a scaled score of 105 or more.
Key facts
- The texts vary in type and difficulty and may include graphs, charts, diagrams and maps that you must read and interpret.
- Most questions are multiple-choice; some ask you to answer true/false or yes/no to statements.
- At one minute per question, skim the questions first, then read the text with those questions in mind.
- Answers must be supported by the text. Watch absolute words (always, every, only, must) and qualifiers (although, unless, except).
- Main-idea questions: the best answer covers the whole passage, not one detail, and does not go further than the author does.
- Scores are scaled against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), so different test versions are comparable. You need 105 or more.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Practise on everyday official texts (council notices, timetables, product warnings, news graphs) and time yourself at one minute per question.
3. Numeracy
ACER's Numeracy component: 30 questions in 35 minutes with an onscreen calculator. Questions use money, percentages, rates and ratios, measurement, and data from tables and graphs. Pass mark 105.
Key facts
- Content can include number and algebra, measurement and geometry, and statistics and probability, set in adult contexts.
- Questions may be multiple-choice, true/false, or require you to type a number or measurement, so rounding and units matter.
- ACER suggests practising money, percentages, rates and ratios, area and volume, and reading data from graphs and charts.
- Key formulas: percentage change = change / original x 100; area of a rectangle = length x width; perimeter = 2 x (length + width); speed = distance / time.
- Statistics: mean = total / count; median = middle value once sorted; mode = most frequent value; range = highest minus lowest.
- Use the onscreen calculator for arithmetic, but estimate first so you notice a misplaced decimal.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Learn the onscreen-calculator habit: write the calculation on scrap paper as words first ("total / 26"), then key it in. Most numeracy errors are setting up the wrong calculation, not arithmetic.
Test yourself on these topics
Take the free 15-question Victoria Police Officer test, then save your results to unlock your Readiness Score and the mistakes bank.
4. Abstract Reasoning
ACER's Abstract reasoning component: 45 questions in only 20 minutes. You identify the rules in sequences of shapes and patterns. Pass mark 105.
Key facts
- Question types named by ACER: next in sequence (choose the shape that comes next), complete the pattern (find the missing shape) and middle of sequence (order the shapes and pick the middle one).
- At under 27 seconds per item, speed matters. Wrong answers are not penalised in ACER tests, so answer every question.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Do short timed drills of 10 items in 4 minutes. Speed comes from recognising the common rule families quickly, not from staring longer.
5. Report Writing
ACER's Report writing component: one typed report in 35 minutes, about 300 to 350 words, built from several sources of information. Pass mark is a scaled score of 107 or more.
Key facts
- You read multiple sources and include the relevant parts in your report. Selecting relevant information is one of the marking criteria.
- Markers assess: selecting relevant information; writing clearly, objectively and in a logical order; forming paragraphs; creating complex sentences; and correct spelling and grammar.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Use a fixed plan: 5 minutes reading and highlighting relevant facts, 22 minutes writing four or five paragraphs, 8 minutes proofreading. Practise with spell check turned off.
6. Fitness Test, Psychological Screening and Medical
Stages 5 to 7: the fitness test at the Academy, the online psychological screening and a GP-led medical with hearing and vision reports.
Key facts
- Fitness test components: beep test to level 5.01, grip test 30 kg in each hand, Illinois agility run in 20 seconds, five successive push-ups on toes, prone bridge held for 60 seconds, and a 100 m swim in four minutes.
- The swim is done before the fitness day at your local pool and signed off by a qualified lifeguard. The fitness test is held at the Victoria Police Academy; allow 1.5 hours and expect about a month's notice. You must be in Victoria to do it.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Do the swim early and keep the signed form safe. It is easy to pass but must be done before you attend the fitness test.
7. Background Checks and the Panel Interview
Stages 4, 8 and 9: the background document pack and fingerprints, comprehensive checks against Victoria Police values and the Code of Conduct, and the 40 to 50-minute panel interview.
Key facts
- Background pack: employment, family associations, education and travel. Completing it accurately is itself assessed; missing information delays you and non-disclosure can cancel your application.
- Fingerprints are taken free at your local police station (not at a Fingerprint Facility); bring photo ID and the documents in the Recruiting Applicant Pack.
Flashcards
Exam tip: For each STAR story, write one line on the Result and one on what you learned. Panels remember candidates who finish answers cleanly instead of trailing off.
8. Application Strategy, Academy and First Years
How to plan your application and what happens after the candidate pool: the 25-week Academy program, being sworn in, placements, the Diploma of Policing and pay.
Key facts
- The process averages about six months and has 10 stages: application, eligibility checks, entrance exam, background checks, fitness test, psychological testing, medical, comprehensive checks, panel interview, candidate pool.
- You have three months to sit the exam after invitation. You can submit a police officer application three times in total; withdrawn applications do not count.
Flashcards
Exam tip: Book the exam within your three-month window but only when ready: you get one re-sit of failed components, and failing the re-sit brings an exclusion period.
How to pass
- Abstract reasoning is the speed test: 45 questions in 20 minutes is under 27 seconds each. Practise naming the rule (rotation, count, shading, position) before you look at the options, and never leave a question blank because wrong answers are not penalised.
- Report writing is marked on selecting relevant information, objective tone, logical order, paragraphs, sentence variety, spelling and grammar, with no spell check. Plan for 5 minutes, write about 300 to 350 words, then proofread.
- Check the exemptions before paying $284. Recent ACER or interstate police exam passes, a bachelor's degree in an arts, science, humanities, business or law discipline, an ATAR of 65 or more with at least 25 in English, and some paramedic, firefighter, ADF and VPS roles can exempt you.
- Prepare four STAR stories for the panel interview: successful work relationships, communication, personal drive and integrity. Victoria Police says you are not expected to know police powers; it wants common sense, decision-making and verbal communication.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the Victoria Police Officer 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 Victoria Police Officer exam online?
It depends on the agency. 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. 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 Victoria Police Officer exam?
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. The exam has 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) and a time limit of 2 hours in total: literacy 30 min, abstract reasoning 20 min, numeracy 35 min, report writing 35 min.
What are the most tested topics?
The outline covers 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. Use the free practice test to see which ones you need most.
The premium Victoria Police Officer study path
Premium Victoria Police Officer 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
- 2Literacy (Reading Comprehension)8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 3Numeracy8 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
- 5Report Writing7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 6Fitness Test, Psychological Screening and Medical7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 7Background Checks and the Panel Interview7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25Premium
- 8Application Strategy, Academy and First Years7 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 Victoria Police Recruiting Services Branch (police.vic.gov.au/police-officer-careers).