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Armed Forces · Last updated November 2026

British Army Officer (Regular, via AOSB and Sandhurst): free practice test

Army officers lead soldiers from their first post as a Second Lieutenant, usually commanding a platoon or troop of around 30. You apply online, meet a senior recruiter, then attend the Army Officer Selection Board at Westbury: a 2-day Briefing where you learn the planning exercise and are assessed on fitness and practical tasks, then the residential Main Board with aptitude tests, a planning exercise, interviews, discussions, command tasks and fitness tests. Successful candidates start the 44-week Commissioning Course at Sandhurst.

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About the Army Officer exam

Army officers lead soldiers from their first post as a Second Lieutenant, usually commanding a platoon or troop of around 30. You apply online, meet a senior recruiter, then attend the Army Officer Selection Board at Westbury: a 2-day Briefing where you learn the planning exercise and are assessed on fitness and practical tasks, then the residential Main Board with aptitude tests, a planning exercise, interviews, discussions, command tasks and fitness tests. Successful candidates start the 44-week Commissioning Course at Sandhurst.

What's on the exam

Army Officer
The Officer Role and Eligibility
8 key facts
AOSB Aptitude Tests: Verbal, Numerical and Abstract Reasoning
7 key facts
The Planning Exercise
7 key facts
Command Tasks, Discussions and Practical Leadership
7 key facts
Fitness, Medical and Security
6 key facts
AOSB Interviews and Army Values
7 key facts
Application Strategy and Timeline
8 key facts
Sandhurst and Your First Year
5 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 Army Officer exam

  • Practise mental arithmetic for the planning exercise: speed, distance and time, 24-hour clock timings and simple fuel and load calculations. The Army's own recruiters say this is the one thing to practise before Briefing.
  • Be able to pass the fitness tests comfortably, not narrowly: 76 kg mid-thigh pull, 3.1 m medicine ball throw and level 7.10 on the bleep test. Arriving fit lets you focus on the leadership tasks.
  • Read the news every day for a month before Main Board, especially defence, security and UK society. Discussions and interviews test whether you can form and defend a balanced view.
  • Know why you want to be an officer and which part of the Army interests you, and have real examples of leading, organising and handling setbacks. Assessors look for potential to develop at Sandhurst, not a finished officer.

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 UK Public-Service Hiring Process Cheat Sheet.

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What's in the premium Army Officer prep

Premium Army 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.

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 Officer Role and Eligibility8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Notes free with an account
  2. 2
    AOSB Aptitude Tests: Verbal, Numerical and Abstract Reasoning8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
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  3. 3
    The Planning Exercise8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
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  4. 4
    Command Tasks, Discussions and Practical Leadership8 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
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  5. 5
    Fitness, Medical and Security7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  6. 6
    AOSB Interviews and Army Values7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  7. 7
    Application Strategy and Timeline7 key notes, 100 flashcards, then 375 practice questions in 15 sets of 25
    Premium
  8. 8
    Sandhurst and Your First Year7 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.
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Free with an account

Read the complete Army Officer study notes for “The Officer Role and Eligibility”

Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 12 minutes of reading: What an Army officer does · Age and nationality · The academic standard · Routes in and pay, 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. Passage: "The regiment's new radios last twice as long on one battery as the old sets but weigh 40% more. Last year, flat batteries were the most common reason patrols returned early." Which conclusion is best supported by the passage alone?
Answer: The new radios should reduce early returns caused by flat batteries. If flat batteries caused most early returns and the new sets last twice as long, fewer early returns from that cause is the supported inference. 'Never' goes too far, and the passage says nothing about preferences or speed. In verbal reasoning, choose the conclusion that needs no outside assumptions.
2. A battalion has 640 soldiers. 15% are on leave, and one eighth of the remainder are away on courses. How many soldiers are available?
Answer: 476. 15% of 640 is 96, leaving 544. One eighth of 544 is 68, leaving 476. A common mistake is to take both reductions from the original 640 (640 - 96 - 80 = 464) or to stop after the first step (544). Apply each change to the figure it refers to.
3. What number comes next in the series 2, 6, 12, 20, 30, ...?
Answer: 42. The gaps are 4, 6, 8, 10, so the next gap is 12 and the answer is 42. (The terms are also 1x2, 2x3, 3x4, 4x5, 5x6, so the next is 6x7.) When a series grows unevenly, look at the differences between terms first.
4. In a planning exercise, a Land Rover must cover 36 km at an average of 48 km/h. How long will the journey take?
Answer: 45 minutes. Time = distance / speed = 36 / 48 = 0.75 hours = 45 minutes. A quick way: 48 km/h is 0.8 km per minute, and 36 / 0.8 = 45. Planning exercises are built on many small calculations like this, done without a calculator.
5. A boat travelling at 12 km/h must cover 9 km and arrive at the jetty by 1400. What is the latest time it can leave?
Answer: 1315. 9 km at 12 km/h takes 0.75 hours, or 45 minutes. 1400 minus 45 minutes is 1315. Always work backwards from a fixed deadline, and write timings in the 24-hour clock as the planning exercise does.
6. Your group's plan must achieve the main aim of reaching a rendezvous by 1700. You also learn that a walker nearby has a serious injury. Most plans in this type of exercise expect you to:
Answer: Deal with the casualty first and then rework the timings to see what can still be achieved. Planning exercises usually rank saving life above other tasks. A good plan first deals with the emergency, then re-calculates timings and resources to achieve as much of the main aim as possible. Assessors look for sensible priorities and clear reasoning, not a single 'right' answer.
7. You are leading a command task. Your team's first idea fails with 5 minutes left and people start arguing. What is the most effective action?
Answer: Quickly regain attention, give a short revised plan with clear jobs for each person, and encourage the team. Assessors look for a leader who stays calm, communicates clearly and keeps the team working when things go wrong. Doing everything yourself or handing control to the loudest voice shows poor leadership. Completing the task matters less than how you lead.
8. In a group discussion on a current affairs topic, which behaviour is most likely to impress the assessors?
Answer: Making sensible, informed points, listening to others and building on their ideas. Discussions test your knowledge, reasoning and how you work with others. Quality of contribution, listening and bringing quieter members in all count. Dominating or never speaking both score poorly, and agreeing with everyone shows no independent judgement.
9. Which set of minimum fitness standards does the Army publish for officer candidates at AOSB?
Answer: Mid-thigh pull 76 kg, medicine ball throw 3.1 m, bleep test level 7.10. The Army's officer assessment page lists a 76 kg mid-thigh pull, a 3.1 m medicine ball throw and level 7.10 on the multi-stage fitness test (bleep test). Some specialist roles list a higher bleep level on their role pages, for example 8.7 for Army Legal Services.
10. As an officer cadet you notice that the ammunition count your section submitted is wrong and too high, because of your own counting error. Correcting it will mean an awkward conversation with your platoon commander. What should you do?
Answer: Report the error to your platoon commander promptly and correct the record. Integrity means being honest even when it reflects badly on you; ammunition accounting is also a legal and safety matter. Hiding or quietly balancing the error breaks trust. Owning mistakes quickly is exactly what the Army wants from future officers.
11. A young soldier in your platoon privately tells you that a corporal has been humiliating him in front of others for weeks. He asks you not to do anything. What is the best approach?
Answer: Reassure him, explain that you have a duty to act, protect him from reprisals and deal with it through the chain of command. Respect for others and the standard of Acceptable behaviour mean bullying must be dealt with. A leader cannot promise to ignore it, but should support the soldier, explain what will happen and handle it properly through the chain of command. A public confrontation undermines everyone involved.
12. During a group planning discussion, everyone quickly agrees a plan you are sure breaks a key time limit. You are the only one who has noticed. What shows moral courage?
Answer: Raise it clearly and calmly, show your working on the timings and suggest a fix. Courage includes moral courage: speaking up when something is wrong, even against the group. Doing it calmly, with evidence and a solution, also shows the communication and teamwork assessors want. Keeping quiet or telling the assessor later helps no one.
13. What is the general age range for joining the Regular Army as an officer?
Answer: 18 to 29, with over-30s considered only by exception. The Army's age page says officers should be between 18 and 29, with higher limits for specialists such as doctors and over-30s considered case by case. Most role pages say you can apply from 17 years 9 months to 28 years 11 months.
14. Which academic standard does the Army publish for standard-entry officers who took GCSEs and A-levels?
Answer: 35 ALIS points from up to 7 GCSEs (including grade 4/C in English Language, Maths and a science or foreign language) plus 72 UCAS points. The qualifications page sets 35 ALIS points from a maximum of 7 GCSEs, including grade C/4 in English Language, Maths and either a science or a foreign language, plus 72 UCAS Tariff points from up to 3 subjects (minimum 2 at Level 3). You do not need a degree unless you join as a professionally qualified officer.
15. How long is the Regular Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst?
Answer: 44 weeks. Army role pages describe officer training at Sandhurst as a 44-week course, after which you commission as a Second Lieutenant and go on to your corps' specialist training (for example the 16-week Platoon Commanders' Battle Course for infantry officers). Professionally qualified officers attend a shorter commissioning course.

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Certification guide

How to join the British Army, Royal Navy or RAF: All three services start with an online application, then test your aptitude, fitness, health and motivation before you start basic training. The Royal Navy and RAF now use the same [Defence Aptitude Assessment](https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers/joining-process/defence-aptitude-assessment); the Army runs its own Assessment Centre. Officers face a separate, longer selection. Here is how each route works and how to prepare.

Army Officer exam FAQ

How many questions are on the Army Officer exam?

AOSB is a selection board, not a single exam: computer-based aptitude tests (reasoning and numeracy), a timed planning exercise, interviews, a group discussion, command and individual tasks and fitness tests. The Army does not publish question counts, with a time limit of briefing 2 days; main board about 3.5 days (army commissioning regulations). planning exercise: candidates report about 1 hour of individual planning, then a group discussion and individual questioning. Format: closed book. the planning exercise is done with pen and paper; no calculator is mentioned by the army, so practise mental maths. briefing teaches you the planning method before main board.

What is the passing score for Army Officer?

No published pass mark: assessors judge your overall potential to train at Sandhurst, and no single activity alone leads to non-selection. Fitness minimums: mid-thigh pull 76 kg, medicine ball throw 3.1 m, multi-stage fitness test level 7.10.

How much does the Army Officer exam cost?

No fee. Most UK public-service applications are free. The police promotion and investigators' exams are arranged through your force, and degree routes may have tuition costs, so check the job advert or your force before you start.

Which languages is the Army Officer exam offered in?

English.

Where do I take the Army Officer exam?

Online application and senior recruiter interview, then AOSB Briefing (2 days) and Main Board (residential), both at Westbury, Wiltshire. Professionally qualified officers attend a 3-day Main Board (Short).

Is this Army Officer 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 Army Officer prep is Premium at £45 a month for this exam.

What's in the premium Army Officer prep?

3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (The Officer Role and Eligibility: 375; AOSB Aptitude Tests: Verbal, Numerical and Abstract Reasoning: 375; The Planning Exercise: 375; Command Tasks, Discussions and Practical Leadership: 375; Fitness, Medical and Security: 375; AOSB Interviews and Army Values: 375; Application Strategy and Timeline: 375; Sandhurst and Your First Year: 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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Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. The recruiting organisation changes formats and fees, so confirm with British Army: Army Officer Selection Board (AOSB), Westbury, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before you book. UKCivilServicePrep is an independent career-prep service, not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency.

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