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SA Police entrance exam
the SAPOL Recruitment Test, explained

SA Police uses a TAFE SA-run test of reading comprehension and written expression, with a 60% pass mark on each. Here's how it works, who's exempt, what it costs, and how to prepare in four weeks.

Updated 9 October 2026 14 min read Sources checked 9 October 2026 Independent, not advice

The short answer

The SA Police entrance exam is the SAPOL Recruitment Test, run by TAFE SA at its Adelaide City campus. Since 14 April 2025 it covers only reading comprehension and written expression, with a 60% pass mark for each. It takes about 2 hours, is free if SAPOL invites you, and you can resit after 3 months.

Components

2

reading and writing

Pass mark

60%

on each component

Test length

2 hours

TAFE SA, Adelaide City

Resit wait

3 months

if you don't pass

Contents +
  1. 1What the SAPOL test is
  2. 2Where it fits in the process
  3. 3Who is exempt
  4. 4Booking, cost and test day
  5. 5Reading comprehension
  6. 6Written expression
  7. 76 practice questions
  8. 8IQ and personality testing
  9. 9A 4-week prep plan
  10. 10Results, resits and reapplying
  11. 11What comes after
  12. 12FAQs
  13. 13Sources

What is the SAPOL Recruitment Test?

The SAPOL Recruitment Test is SA Police's written entrance assessment. It's delivered by TAFE SA, which developed it in consultation with SAPOL, and it sits near the start of the recruitment process, after your online application.

The test changed on 14 April 2025. Before that, it had four parts including spelling and numeracy. Now it has two: Reading comprehension (pass mark 60%) and Written expression (pass mark 60%). If you're reading older forum threads or prep sites that mention maths sections, they describe the old test.

Run by

TAFE SA

Adelaide City campus

Sections

2

reading, writing

Pass mark

60%

each section

Cost if invited

$0

$148.50 if self-booked

The test checks one thing: whether your reading and writing are good enough for police training and police work. Officers read legislation, policy and statements every shift, and they write reports and statements that end up in court. A 60% pass mark is not a high bar, but it applies to both sections separately.

What changed in April 2025

Since 14 Apr 2025 the test covers reading and writing only (spelling and numeracy were removed). Exemptions: a bachelor degree (Australia/NZ/UK), an Australian diploma (AQF5+), SACE with ATAR 65+, an IB diploma, a previous pass, another Australian/NZ police entrance exam, or 6+ months' experience in police, emergency services, the ADF or the SA public sector at ASO4+. Separate remote IQ and personality testing follows. Resit after 3 months.

Where the test fits in the SA Police recruitment process

The SAPOL process has seven published stages. The reading and writing test is the second, so it's an early filter: you can't reach the interview, medical or fitness test without passing it or holding an exemption.

SA Police recruitment stages, as published by SAPOL

1. Online eligibility form and application

What happens
Complete the online eligibility assessment form and application.

2. SAPOL Recruitment Test (TAFE SA)

What happens
Reading and writing, unless exempt. Pass marks 60% reading and 60% writing. You can resit after 3 months.

3. Remote IQ and personality testing

What happens
Psychometric testing done remotely.

4. Panel interview

What happens
Assesses leadership, decisiveness, problem-solving, stress management, integrity, courage and respect. Interstate and rural applicants interview by Teams.

5. Medical examination

What happens
With the Police Medical Section or a referred provider. No COVID-19 vaccination requirement.

6. Fitness test

What happens
The 'fit for duty' physical and agility test.

7. Selection board

What happens
Selection board decision. Country and interstate applicants do the initial tests and interview remotely, then a 3-day recruitment event at Police HQ. If unsuccessful you can reapply after 12 months.

Two different kinds of testing are easy to confuse. The TAFE SA test is a literacy test with fixed pass marks. The remote IQ and personality testing that follows is psychometric: it measures reasoning ability and work style, and SAPOL doesn't publish a pass mark for it. We cover that stage in its own section below and in our guide to police psychological assessment.

Pass the reading and writing test first. Everything else in the SAPOL process waits behind it.

Are you exempt from the SAPOL test?

Many applicants don't need to sit the test at all. SA Police grants exemptions for qualifications and work experience that already show the literacy level it needs. Check this before you book anything.

You may be exempt if you have

  • ✓ A bachelor degree from Australia, New Zealand or the UK
  • ✓ An Australian diploma (AQF level 5 or higher)
  • ✓ SACE with an ATAR of 65 or more
  • ✓ An International Baccalaureate diploma
  • ✓ A previous pass in the SAPOL Recruitment Test
  • ✓ A pass in another Australian or NZ police entrance exam
  • ✓ 6+ months in policing, emergency services or the ADF
  • ✓ 6+ months in the SA public sector at ASO4 or above

SAPOL doesn't spell out on its process page what documents it wants as proof, so expect to supply certified copies of transcripts, a testamur, or a service record when the Recruiting Section asks. If you're unsure whether your qualification counts, ask before you book: the Recruiting Section is on (08) 7322 3353.

Exempt? Still practise reading and writing

An exemption skips the TAFE SA test, not the rest of the process. You'll still sit remote IQ testing, and written answers and the panel interview reward the same clear writing and careful reading the test measures.

How to book the test, what it costs and what test day looks like

The order matters here. SA Police wants you to apply first. Once the Recruiting Section has reviewed your application, it invites you to sit the test with TAFE SA, and the sitting is free. If you go straight to TAFE SA and book without applying to SAPOL, you pay the fee yourself.

SAPOL Recruitment Test: booking and logistics (read 9 October 2026)

Cost if SAPOL invites you

Detail
No cost
Source
TAFE SA course page

Cost if you book without applying to SAPOL

Detail
$148.50, or $126.50 concession (GST inclusive)
Source
TAFE SA course page

Length

Detail
2 hours (TAFE SA says evening sessions run 2.5 hours because breaks are condensed)
Source
TAFE SA course page

Location

Detail
TAFE SA Adelaide City campus
Source
TAFE SA course page

Minimum age to sit

Detail
17
Source
TAFE SA course page

Materials

Detail
External materials are not permitted
Source
TAFE SA course page

ESL applicants

Detail
Separate sessions booked as 2.5 hours
Source
TAFE SA ESL course page

Official practice

Detail
Practice Set 1: $40, two practice tests, 30 days' access
Source
TAFE SA practice page

TAFE SA's page showed Monday morning sessions from 9:30am to 11:30am through late 2026, with the ESL sessions on Monday afternoons. Session dates change, so treat any date you see as a snapshot and book through the link the Recruiting Section sends you.

On the day

You won't be able to bring notes, a dictionary or other outside materials. TAFE SA's public page doesn't say whether the sitting is on screen or on paper, or what identification to bring, so read your confirmation email closely and arrive early. Leave time to find room C.G10 at the Adelaide City campus, which is where TAFE SA lists the sessions.

Declare your history before you book

TAFE SA's ESL page warns that a criminal or serious traffic history may make you ineligible. If that applies to you, talk to the SAPOL Recruiting Section before you spend time or money on the test.

Reading comprehension: what it tests and how to approach it

Neither SAPOL nor TAFE SA publishes the number of questions or the text types. What we can say from the published description is that the reading section tests comprehension: understanding what a text says, what it implies, and what it doesn't say. That's the core skill in any police reading task.

  1. 1

    Read the question before the passage

    Know what you're hunting for. If the question asks why something happened, read for cause; if it asks what the writer wants, read for purpose.

  2. 2

    Separate stated from assumed

    Most wrong answers are things that sound true or likely but that the passage never says. If you can't point to the sentence, don't pick it.

  3. 3

    Watch the small words

    Only, all, some, may, must, usually. A single qualifier often decides the answer. 'May be towed' is not 'will be towed'.

  4. 4

    Eliminate, then choose

    Cross out options that contradict the text, then options the text doesn't support. What's left is usually the answer.

Speed matters less than accuracy in a two-hour test with two sections, but don't let one hard question eat ten minutes. Mark it, move on, and come back.

Written expression: what markers are likely to look for

TAFE SA doesn't publish the written expression marking criteria or the task type. Written expression tests in Australian recruitment generally assess the same handful of things, and these are what police reports need too.

Written expression: the skills worth practising

Answering the task

What good looks like
Every paragraph does what the prompt asked
Common slip
Writing a general essay on the topic instead

Structure

What good looks like
Short introduction, one idea per paragraph, a conclusion
Common slip
One long block of text

Sentences

What good looks like
Complete, varied sentences that are easy to follow
Common slip
Run-ons joined with commas

Grammar and punctuation

What good looks like
Correct apostrophes, commas and agreement
Common slip
its / it's, their / there, comma splices

Spelling

What good looks like
Australian spelling, consistently
Common slip
Mixing 'organize' and 'organise'

Tone

What good looks like
Plain, respectful, objective
Common slip
Slang, sarcasm or exaggeration

SAPOL removed the separate spelling section in April 2025, but spelling still counts inside your writing.

The fastest way to lift a written expression score is to plan before you write. Five minutes spent jotting three points and an order will do more than any vocabulary list. Leave five minutes at the end to reread for missing words and apostrophes, which are the errors that tired writers make.

Six original practice questions with worked answers

We wrote these questions. They are not taken from the SAPOL Recruitment Test or TAFE SA's practice set, and they won't match the real test's exact format.

Questions 1 to 3 use the short passage below. Read it once, then try each question before opening the answer.

Notice to residents (an invented example): From 1 March, the Harbourside Community Centre car park will be open for overnight parking by registered residents. The trial follows repeated complaints about cars parked across driveways in nearby streets. Residents must display a permit, which is free but limited to one per household. The council will review the trial after three months, using the number of complaints received and the results of a resident survey. Vehicles parked overnight without a permit may be towed at the owner's expense. The car park will stay closed on public holidays.

Question 1

Reading: supported statement

Which statement is supported by the notice?

  1. AEach household can apply for two permits
  2. BResidents must pay for a permit
  3. CThe council will use more than one measure to judge the trial
  4. DThe trial will become permanent after three months
Show the answer and working

Answer: C

The notice says the council will review the trial using complaint numbers and a resident survey: two measures. A contradicts 'one per household'. B contradicts 'free'. D goes beyond the text: a review after three months doesn't mean the trial becomes permanent.

Question 2

Reading: true, false or cannot say

'Drivers who park overnight without a permit will be fined.' Based only on the notice, this statement is:

  1. ATrue
  2. BFalse
  3. CCannot say
Show the answer and working

Answer: C (cannot say)

The notice says vehicles without a permit may be towed at the owner's expense. It says nothing about fines. Many people choose False, but towing doesn't rule out a fine; the text is simply silent. Also notice 'may': even towing isn't certain.

Question 3

Reading: purpose

What is the main purpose of the notice?

  1. ATo persuade residents to vote for the trial
  2. BTo tell residents how the parking trial will work
  3. CTo criticise residents who block driveways
  4. DTo explain the council's towing policy
Show the answer and working

Answer: B

Most of the notice is practical detail: start date, permits, review, what happens without a permit. That's informing. It mentions complaints about driveways only as background (not criticism), and towing is one detail, not the main point. There's no vote, so A is unsupported.

Question 4

Written expression: punctuation

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

  1. AThe officer, who arrived first spoke to both drivers.
  2. BThe officer who arrived first spoke to both drivers.
  3. CThe officer who arrived first, spoke to both drivers.
  4. DThe officer who, arrived first spoke to both drivers.
Show the answer and working

Answer: B

'Who arrived first' tells you which officer, so it's essential and takes no commas. A opens a comma it never closes. C puts a comma between the subject and its verb, a classic error. D breaks the clause apart. If the clause were extra information (for example 'Sergeant Lee, who arrived first, spoke to both drivers'), it would need a comma on both sides.

Question 5

Written expression: objective tone

Which version is the most objective way to record this in a report?
'The obviously drunk driver rudely refused to help the officer.'

  1. AThe drunk driver refused to help the officer.
  2. BThe driver, who smelt of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, declined to answer the officer's questions.
  3. CThe driver was clearly intoxicated and being difficult.
  4. DThe rude driver had obviously been drinking heavily.
Show the answer and working

Answer: B

An objective record describes what was observed (smell, unsteadiness, declining to answer) and leaves conclusions such as 'drunk', 'rude' or 'clearly intoxicated' to the evidence. A, C and D all state opinions as facts. This skill matters in the test and every day as an officer, because a report can be read out in court.

Question 6

Written expression: planning a response

Practice writing task (allow 30 minutes): A local newspaper has asked readers whether police should spend more time on foot patrol in suburban shopping centres. Write a letter to the editor giving your view, with reasons.

Before writing, sketch a plan. Then compare it with ours.

Show the answer and working

Answer: a four-paragraph plan

Paragraph 1: state your view in one sentence (for example, more foot patrols, at the busiest times).

Paragraph 2: first reason with an example: visible officers make it easier for people to report problems and seek help.

Paragraph 3: acknowledge the counterpoint (officers on foot can't cover as much ground) and answer it (target peak hours rather than all day).

Paragraph 4: a short conclusion that restates your view. Then reread for apostrophes, run-on sentences and Australian spelling. Paste your finished letter into our free writing marker for feedback.

Free tool

Get your practice letter marked

Our entrance exam practice tool marks a written piece for free once a day and generates fresh original reading and reasoning sets. It is a practice aid, not the real SAPOL test.

Practise reading and writing →

After the test: remote IQ and personality testing

Pass the TAFE SA test (or be exempt) and SA Police moves you on to remote IQ and personality testing. SAPOL describes this as psychometric testing done remotely, and it is a separate stage from the literacy test. It doesn't publish the test provider, the number of tests, timings or a pass mark.

Some commercial coaching sites say they know which product SAPOL uses. SAPOL hasn't confirmed this on the pages we read, so we don't repeat it as fact. What you can prepare for is the general shape of a cognitive test: short, timed problems in verbal, numerical and abstract reasoning.

Helps with remote IQ testing

  • ✓Timed practice in verbal, numerical and pattern reasoning
  • ✓A quiet room and a reliable connection
  • ✓Reading every instruction screen carefully
  • ✓Sleeping well the night before

Doesn't help

  • ✕Trying to 'game' the personality questionnaire
  • ✕Getting someone else to help: it's your result
  • ✕Cramming the night before
  • ✕Starting on a phone with a weak signal

The personality questionnaire has no right answers. Answer honestly and consistently. Our psychological assessment guide explains what forces screen for, and why trying to look perfect tends to backfire.

A 4-week plan to pass the SAPOL Recruitment Test

Allow about 30 to 45 minutes a day. If you left school a long time ago or English isn't your first language, stretch it to six weeks and consider the ESL session.

  1. 1

    Week 1: find your baseline

    30 min a day

    Do one timed reading set and one 30-minute writing task. Mark the writing against the skills table above. Note your two biggest problems (for example, 'misreads qualifiers' and 'run-on sentences').

  2. 2

    Week 2: reading accuracy

    40 min a day

    Read one opinion piece and one news report a day and write a one-sentence summary of each. Do short reading sets, and for every error write down why the right answer is right.

  3. 3

    Week 3: writing structure

    45 min a day

    Write three timed pieces this week: a letter, a short opinion piece and an objective incident summary. Plan for 5 minutes, write for 20, check for 5. Get each one marked.

  4. 4

    Week 4: full rehearsal

    2-hour mock

    Sit TAFE SA's $40 practice set under test conditions if you want the official format. Otherwise, do a two-hour rehearsal: reading sets, then a timed writing task, no notes. Rest the day before.

The cheapest boost

Read your writing aloud before you finish. You'll hear missing words and run-on sentences that your eye skips over.

Results, resits and reapplying

SA Police publishes the resit rule clearly, which many forces don't. The table separates the waits that apply at different points in the process.

SAPOL test results and reapplication rules

You don't reach 60% in reading or writing

What SAPOL says
You can resit the SAPOL Recruitment Test after 3 months

You passed before

What SAPOL says
A previous pass is an exemption, so you shouldn't need to resit

Unsuccessful later in the process

What SAPOL says
In most cases a new application won't be accepted for 12 months

Feedback

What SAPOL says
Available on request from SAPOL's Talent Acquisition Team (08) 7322 3353

Use a failed attempt as a diagnosis. You'll know which section fell short, so spend the three months there. A writing shortfall usually comes down to structure and sentence control, both of which improve quickly with marked practice.

What comes after the test, and what you'll earn in training

Once you're through testing, the remaining stages are the panel interview, medical, fitness test and selection board. SAPOL says the panel assesses leadership, decisiveness, problem-solving, stress management, integrity, courage and respect, and interstate and rural applicants interview by Teams.

The medical is done by the Police Medical Section or a referred provider. SAPOL's medical FAQ sets out its BMI, vision, colour vision and hearing rules (it doesn't allow hearing aids, for example); our police medical requirements guide compares them with every other force. The fitness stage is SAPOL's 'fit for duty' test, which our fitness test checker covers.

Pay while you train

Cadet $71,872 (domestic recruits, from 1 Jan 2026). Interstate and international transition recruits are paid as Probationary Constable ($83,398) throughout training. Country and interstate recruits get a $4,531.28 cost-of-living allowance on starting.

See the full SA Police salary guide for every rank, and the SA Police overview for conditions and news. If you're still choosing a force, our force-finder quiz compares them side by side, and the AI mock interview helps you rehearse for the panel. Entrance Exam Prep costs A$39.99 if you want unlimited practice sets and full writing marking.

Free email alerts

Know the day SAPOL changes its test

SA Police rewrote its test in April 2025 with almost no notice. We track the SAPOL Recruitment Test, TAFE SA session dates and SA intakes, and email you when anything changes.

  • ✓Alerts when the SAPOL test or exemptions change
  • ✓New original reading and writing practice

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Frequently asked questions

Is there a maths test in the SA Police entrance exam?

Not any more. From 14 April 2025 SAPOL removed the spelling and numeracy components, so the SAPOL Recruitment Test now covers reading comprehension and written expression only. Numbers can still turn up in the separate remote IQ testing later in the process, so basic numeracy practice is still worthwhile.

How much does the SAPOL Recruitment Test cost?

Nothing, if you apply to SA Police first and the Recruiting Section invites you to sit it. TAFE SA charges $148.50, or $126.50 concession, if you book the test yourself without having applied to SAPOL. The optional TAFE SA practice set costs $40.

What is the pass mark for the SA Police test?

SA Police sets a pass mark of 60% for reading comprehension and 60% for written expression. You need to reach both. A high reading score doesn't make up for a written expression score under 60%, so prepare both halves.

Where do you sit the SA Police entrance test?

TAFE SA runs the test at its Adelaide City campus. TAFE SA's course page lists two-hour sessions on set Mondays. SAPOL says country and interstate applicants can do the initial tests and interview remotely, so confirm the arrangements with the Recruiting Section if you don't live in Adelaide.

Who is exempt from the SAPOL Recruitment Test?

Exemptions include a bachelor degree from Australia, New Zealand or the UK, an Australian diploma (AQF level 5 or higher), SACE with an ATAR of 65 or more, an IB diploma, a previous pass, another Australian or NZ police entrance exam, and six months or more in policing, emergency services, the ADF or the SA public sector at ASO4 or above.

Can I resit the SA Police entrance exam if I fail?

Yes. SA Police lets you resit the SAPOL Recruitment Test after three months. Use that time on whichever component you fell short in. The separate 12-month wait applies if you're unsuccessful at a later stage, not to a failed literacy test.

Are your practice questions the real SAPOL test questions?

No. Every question on this page is original, written by us in the style of a reading and writing test. TAFE SA and SAPOL don't publish live questions, and we don't reproduce their practice material. For the official on-screen format, TAFE SA sells a $40 practice set.

Can English as a second language applicants get extra time?

Yes. TAFE SA runs separate SAPOL Recruitment Test sessions for English as a second language applicants. The test is still two hours, but the session is booked as two and a half hours. You apply through the ESL version of the course page rather than the standard one.

Evidence

Sources and how we checked them

Every figure on this page comes from the sources below, read on 9 October 2026. Pay rates and rules change when new agreements are made, so check the source for the date you're reading this. Where we couldn't confirm something from an official source, the page says so instead of guessing. Spotted an error? Read our corrections policy.

  1. SA Police: Recruitment process — test components, pass marks, exemptions, resit rule, IQ and personality testing
  2. TAFE SA: SAPOL Recruitment Tests — 2 hours, Adelaide City, $148.50 / $126.50 if booked without a SAPOL invitation, read 9 Oct 2026
  3. TAFE SA: SAPOL Recruitment Tests, English as a second language applicants — 2.5-hour sessions
  4. TAFE SA: SAPOL Recruitment Tests Practice Set 1 — $40, two practice tests, 30 days' access

Related guides

SA Police at a glance → Pay, conditions, recruiting and news for SAPOL. SA Police salary → Cadet, constable and every rank from the data. Entrance exam practice → Free daily original practice sets and writing marking.

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General information, not advice. This guide explains published rules and rates. It doesn't consider your personal circumstances and isn't financial, legal, tax or credit advice. Confirm anything you rely on with your force, your police association, the ATO or a licensed professional.