AFP fitness test
the EPCA, and what comes after

The Entry Physical Competency Assessment (EPCA) is the AFP's first fitness test. It comes after the online (SHL) tests: once you pass those, the AFP invites you to book an EPCA. To pass, you must complete three exercises to a set standard. The same EPCA applies whether you're applying to be a police officer (national or ACT Policing) or a Protective Service Officer.

The AFP's own message is that you don't need to be an athlete to pass, but you do need consistent training, gradual progression and sensible recovery. It publishes an instructional EPCA video and an 'EPCA Fitness Top Tips' guide on the application process page, both worth reading alongside this.

Three tests, one beep test attempt. The EPCA rewards rehearsal as much as fitness.

This table is generated from our AFP data file, which matches the AFP's application process page.

You must hold a plank for 60 seconds. The AFP is specific about the position, and it's slightly different from the plank many gyms teach, so practise it exactly.

You'll get a warning if you can't keep the straight line, if you move your hands, elbows or feet from the starting position, or if you collapse excessively through your shoulders. The AFP's page doesn't say how many plank warnings you're allowed, so don't plan on using any.

How to train for it

Do planks four days a week in the AFP position with fists apart. Start with 4 holds at 70% of your best time and add 5 seconds a week. By week six, hold 90 seconds once a week so 60 feels comfortable. Add side planks and dead bugs twice a week; both appear in the AFP's own program.

Applicants who identify as male must complete 15 valid push-ups, and those who identify as female must complete 8. For gender X applicants, the number is set case by case after a discussion. All reps must be done within 60 seconds.

1. 1

   Start position

   Body raised in a plank position, hands in line with your shoulders, arms straight, toes on the floor.

2. 2

   Lower

   Lower your body to within 5 cm of the floor, with your arms at a 90-degree angle, keeping a straight line from shoulders to heels.

3. 3

   Press

   Return to the start position with your elbows straight.

4. 4

   Keep moving

   You can rest at the top for no more than 3 seconds, and must adjust your form if the assessor asks.

The trap is depth. Within 5 cm of the floor is lower than most people go when counting fast reps. If your reps are shallow, the assessor will ask you to adjust, and reps that don't meet the standard don't count, which eats into your 60 seconds.

You get one attempt to reach level 6.5. Instead of the 'two misses in a row' rule used by some forces, the AFP uses warnings: you can receive up to two, and a third ends your test. Level 6.5 means completing the fifth shuttle of level 6: about 920 m of running in roughly 5:43, with shuttles at 11.0 km/h (6.55 s each).

Because leaving early earns a warning, the 'arrive early and wait' habit is critical. Many people who train alone get into the habit of turning as they arrive. In a group test at the AFP, that can cost you warnings well before you're tired.

Once you've passed the online tests, the AFP sends you details for booking an EPCA through its online booking tool. It holds fitness assessments around Australia throughout the year. The AFP also warns that you may sit the EPCA within a month of applying, so it expects you to be fit when you apply, not afterwards.

Here's how the EPCA fits into the whole process, from our AFP data file. The AFP notes that some steps can run at the same time or in a different order.

The AFP is clearer on this than most forces. You'll know on the day whether you passed. If you don't pass on your first attempt, you'll have the opportunity to re-sit the test, and you contact the recruitment team to arrange a new time when you're ready.

Use the gap well. Ask which test you missed and why: depth on push-ups, a sagging plank, or warnings on the beep test. Then retrain that specific weakness for four to six weeks before you rebook.

Passing the EPCA gets you into the process. At AFP College, recruits complete a second test, the Physical Competency Assessment (PCA), on up to three occasions, including on entry and before graduation. The AFP says the PCA checks you're physically prepared for operational duties when you graduate.

The pre-course program PDF lists the PCA as "stage 4 sit-up, 15/30 push-ups, 6.5 beep test". It doesn't say which push-up figure applies to which applicants, so we won't guess. The 4-stage sit-up is part of the program's warm-up, with a video demonstration on the AFP's PCA training page.

The AFP publishes a free Pre-course Fitness Program to prepare you for recruit training and the PCA. It's pitched at beginner to intermediate level, and its stated objective is to take you from 'unsworn to sworn' by preparing you for College. The AFP recommends starting it after you've passed the EPCA, ideally with a fitness professional, and seeing a doctor or physio before you begin.

The program uses supersets: do exercise 'a' then straight into 'b', then rest. Tempo is written as three numbers (lowering, pause, lifting), and every exercise has an easier regression and a harder progression. Watch the AFP's videos before you start, because the coaching cues are in the videos rather than the PDF.

The pre-course program is for after the EPCA. If you haven't passed it yet, this simpler plan targets the three tests directly in three to four sessions a week. Start with four weeks of run-walk if you can't yet jog for 20 minutes.

1. 1

   Weeks 1-2: baseline

   3-4 sessions

   Test all three: plank in the AFP position, push-ups to 5 cm depth in 60 seconds, and a beep test. Two runs a week (intervals and steady). Push-ups and planks three times a week.

2. 2

   Weeks 3-5: build

   4 sessions

   Intervals rise to 6-8 x 400 m. Steady runs to 30 minutes. Push-up volume up; one timed 60-second set a week. Planks build towards 90 seconds.

3. 3

   Week 6: deload and mock EPCA

   3 lighter sessions

   Halve volume. Do a mock EPCA with a friend calling warnings: early starts, late arrivals and looped turns.

4. 4

   Week 7: sharpen

   4 sessions

   One beep test to at least level 7. One 90-second plank. One max push-up set at full depth.

5. 5

   Week 8: taper

   2 sessions + test

   Two short sessions early in the week, then rest for 48 hours before your EPCA.

If you'd rather have a plan built from your own scores, equipment and booking date, our paid AI Fitness Test Pass Plan costs $24.99 one-off for 180 days' access and puts your weakest test first. It's optional: the AFP's free material plus this plan covers what you need.

If you're injured or unwell, tell the assessors before you start. Because a re-sit is possible, a postponed EPCA is far better than an injury that keeps you out of training.

Police recruits train at AFP College in Barton, Canberra, for 26 weeks, and are paid from day one. The police recruit rate is $69,698 a year (Band 2.3), plus super; PSO recruits start at Band 2.1. You get a free ensuite room and main meals at the College.

See our AFP salary guide for pay after graduation and our AFP profile for roles and the whole process. The assessment centre includes a STAR interview, so practise with our AI mock interview; for the SHL tests, try our entrance exam practice. The $79.99 Recruit Prep Bundle combines both with the fitness plan.

Also applying to a state force? Compare the WA Police PPE, SAPOL's fit for duty circuit, the Tasmania Police test and the NT Police assessment.