What's in the Victoria Police fitness test
Five events at the Academy, plus a timed swim you organise yourself.
Victoria's test checks aerobic fitness, grip, agility, upper-body strength and trunk endurance. The standards are modest compared with NSW, but every event is pass or fail, and you need all of them. The swim is done separately, before test day.
Multi-stage fitness test (beep test)
- Standard
- Level 5.01
Handgrip strength
- Standard
- 30 kg each hand
Illinois agility run
- Standard
- 20 seconds
Push-ups
- Standard
- 5 consecutive, on toes
Prone bridge
- Standard
- 60 seconds
Swim
- Standard
- 100 m in 4 minutes
- Detail
- Completed independently before the fitness test.
| Event | Standard | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-stage fitness test (beep test) | Level 5.01 | |
| Handgrip strength | 30 kg each hand | |
| Illinois agility run | 20 seconds | |
| Push-ups | 5 consecutive, on toes | |
| Prone bridge | 60 seconds | |
| Swim | 100 m in 4 minutes | Completed independently before the fitness test. |
From Victoria Police's police recruitment process page.
Beep test
5.01
660 m in 4:16 (calculated by us)
Time at the Academy
~1.5 hours
for all five events
Swim
4 min
for 100 m, signed off by a lifeguard
Beware of old guides. Some still quote a 2019 Victoria Police flyer. The standards above are from the current recruitment page, and they match Victoria Police's full-length fitness test video, updated in April 2024. Our national comparison shows how Victoria stacks up.
Where the fitness test sits in the Victorian process
The fitness test comes after the entrance exam and background checks, and before the psychological testing, medical and panel interview. You're notified of your test date about a month in advance, so it's tempting to start training then. Don't: with only two attempts, start well before you apply.
- 1
Online application and eligibility checks
Stages 1–2Personal, employment and education details, plus driving and criminal history checks.
- 2
Entrance exam
$284Numeracy, abstract reasoning, literacy and report writing. Practise with our entrance exam practice.
- 3
Background checks
FreeDocument pack and fingerprints at a local police station.
- 4
Fitness test
You are hereAbout 1.5 hours at the Victoria Police Academy, Glen Waverley, with the swim done beforehand.
- 5
Psych, medical, checks and panel interview
Later stagesOnline psych testing, a medical you pay for, comprehensive checks and a panel interview at Docklands.
Once through, you join the candidate pool and wait for an Academy intake. Our Victoria Police profile covers the Academy, and the Victoria Police salary guide shows a probationary constable's pay ($84,060 from June 2026, including the 13% commuted penalty).
The beep test to Level 5.01
Victoria's minimum is Level 5.01: you must start level 5. Calculated by us from the standard level table, that's about 660 m of shuttles in 4:16, with the last shuttles at 10.0 km/h and the first of level 5 at 10.5 km/h.
Level 3
- Speed
- 9.5 km/h
- Time per 20 m
- 7.58 s
- You reach it at
- 2:11
Level 4
- Speed
- 10.0 km/h
- Time per 20 m
- 7.20 s
- You reach it at
- 3:11
Level 5
- Speed
- 10.5 km/h
- Time per 20 m
- 6.86 s
- You reach it at
- 4:16
Level 6
- Speed
- 11.0 km/h
- Time per 20 m
- 6.55 s
- You reach it at
- 5:17
Level 7
- Speed
- 11.5 km/h
- Time per 20 m
- 6.26 s
- You reach it at
- 6:22
| Level | Speed | Time per 20 m | You reach it at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 3 | 9.5 km/h | 7.58 s | 2:11 |
| Level 4 | 10.0 km/h | 7.20 s | 3:11 |
| Level 5 | 10.5 km/h | 6.86 s | 4:16 |
| Level 6 | 11.0 km/h | 6.55 s | 5:17 |
| Level 7 | 11.5 km/h | 6.26 s | 6:22 |
Level 5 is a steady run for anyone who runs regularly, but a real effort for someone who doesn't. Aim to reach level 7 in training. That margin covers nerves, a different surface and the fatigue of other events. For context, NSW's minimum (level 7.1) means 380 m more running than Victoria's.
Practise the beep test with free audio
Run the full 20 m test in your browser with spoken levels, or start at level 4 or 5 for interval training.
Grip strength and the Illinois agility run
Grip: 30 kg each hand
You squeeze a handgrip dynamometer as hard as you can with each hand. You need 30 kg in both, so your weaker hand decides the result. Most active adults reach it; people with small hands or little upper-body training sometimes don't. Dead hangs, farmer's carries and towel hangs two or three times a week build grip quickly.
Illinois agility run: 20 seconds
The standard Illinois course is 10 m long and 5 m wide, with four cones down the centre 3.3 m apart. You start lying face down, get up on the command, sprint up and back, weave through the centre cones and back, then sprint up and back again. The official Victoria Police video shows the course and start position.
Illinois technique
- ✓ Explode up from the floor with hands under shoulders
- ✓ Stay low and use short steps into each turn
- ✓ Keep the weave tight; don't swing wide
- ✓ Look ahead to the next cone
- ✓ Practise on a surface like the Academy's
- ✓ Time every practice run and log it
Twenty seconds is a fair test of agility. If you're well over, practise the course itself twice a week; most people drop one to two seconds just by learning the turns.
Push-ups and the prone bridge
Push-ups: 5 consecutive, on toes
Five push-ups is the lowest standard in Australia, but read the wording: consecutive and on toes. No resting on the floor between reps, no knees. Assessors will expect a straight body and full range of movement. If you can't do five strict push-ups now, you can almost certainly do them within four to six weeks.
Can't do one on toes
- What to do
- Incline push-ups on a bench, 4 sets of 8, slow lowering from toes
- Target
- First full rep in 2–3 weeks
1–4 strict
- What to do
- 5 sets of 2–3 every other day; slow 3-second negatives
- Target
- 5 in a row by week 4
5–10
- What to do
- 3 sets at about 70% of max, 3 days a week
- Target
- 15 for a comfortable margin
| Where you are | What to do | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Can't do one on toes | Incline push-ups on a bench, 4 sets of 8, slow lowering from toes | First full rep in 2–3 weeks |
| 1–4 strict | 5 sets of 2–3 every other day; slow 3-second negatives | 5 in a row by week 4 |
| 5–10 | 3 sets at about 70% of max, 3 days a week | 15 for a comfortable margin |
Prone bridge: 60 seconds
A forearm plank on your toes, body straight from shoulders to ankles, held for 60 seconds. Keep your hips level with your shoulders, squeeze your glutes and breathe steadily. Practise daily: three holds, adding five to ten seconds a week, until 90 seconds feels routine.
Victoria's push-up standard is low. Its two-attempt rule isn't. Over-prepare every event.
The 100 m swim in four minutes
The swim isn't done on test day. Victoria Police says you must complete it in your own time, at a local pool, before you attend the fitness test, and a qualified lifeguard must sign off that you swam 100 m in 4 minutes.
Distance
100 m
four lengths of a 25 m pool
Time limit
4:00
before the fitness test
Pace needed
60 s
per 25 m length (calculated by us)
Victoria's page doesn't specify a stroke, but it is timed, which makes it harder than the untimed swims in Queensland and the AFP. If you can swim continuously, four minutes is comfortable. If you can't, it's the event most likely to delay your application, because you can't book the fitness test without the sign-off.
Getting the swim done
- ✓ Ask your pool whether a lifeguard can sign it off and when
- ✓ Practise 4 × 25 m with rest, then 2 × 50 m, then 100 m
- ✓ Breaststroke is slower but steadier for weak swimmers
- ✓ Take lessons now if you can't swim 25 m without stopping
- ✓ Do a timed practice swim before the real sign-off
- ✓ Keep the signed record safe for test day
An 8-week training plan for the Victorian test
For applicants who can run for 15–20 minutes.
- 1
Week 1: test yourself
BaselineA full mock test: beep test, grip if you can access a dynamometer (some gyms and physios have one), Illinois course, push-ups and prone bridge. Time a 100 m swim.
- 2
Weeks 2–3: build the base
5–6 sessionsThree runs a week: beep test intervals starting at level 3 or 4, an easy 30-minute run, and a turns and Illinois session. Two strength sessions with push-ups, planks, squats and grip work. One swim.
- 3
Week 4: re-test
Re-testEasier first half of the week, then a full beep test and push-up and plank tests. Adjust the plan to your weakest event.
- 4
Weeks 5–6: build
ProgressIntervals start at level 5. Plank holds to 90 seconds. Push-ups to 15. Illinois practice twice a week. Swim 100 m continuously once a week.
- 5
Week 7: full mock test
SimulationRun the whole test in order and a timed 100 m swim. Book your lifeguard sign-off if you're comfortably inside four minutes.
- 6
Week 8: taper
TaperTwo short sessions with efforts at test standard. No hard training in the 48 hours before your Academy date.
Want a plan built around your numbers? $24.99
The Fitness Test Pass Plan is a paid AI tool ($24.99 one-off, 180 days' access). Choose Victoria Police, enter your current beep level, push-ups, plank, swimming ability, test date and injuries, and it builds a week-by-week programme you can regenerate as you improve. It's AI-generated general guidance, not personal coaching. The free POLICE FIT app and the plan above are good alternatives.
See where you stand today
Enter your beep level, push-ups and plank time. The free checker shows your gap to Victoria's standard and every other force's.
Two attempts, then a 12-month wait
Victoria Police's own recruitment advice is blunt: you only get two attempts at the fitness test, and if you don't pass, you have to wait 12 months before you can reapply. It also advises applicants to download the POLICE FIT app, watch the fitness test video and start training, and to be realistic rather than "just give it a go".
Protect your attempts
- ✓Clear every standard by a margin in training first
- ✓Do a full mock test in order before your date
- ✓Have the swim signed off well before test day
- ✓Ask to reschedule if you're injured or unwell
Ways people waste one
- ✕Treating the first attempt as a practice run
- ✕Training only the beep test
- ✕Knee push-ups in training, then toes on the day
- ✕Arriving tired after a night shift
What isn't published: whether a failed event can be resat on its own, or how soon your second attempt can be booked. Ask Victoria Police Recruiting Services before your first attempt so you can plan around it.
Protective Services Officer applicants
PSO applicants follow a similar process and, according to our reading of the PSO recruitment pages, use the same fitness standards as police applicants, but no swim is listed for PSOs. PSOs can later convert to police through the Constable Qualifying Program.
Check before you book
Because the PSO pages list the fitness standards by reference rather than in full, confirm the current PSO requirements with Victoria Police Recruiting Services before your test date, especially whether any swim is required for the PSO role you're applying for.
Test day at the Victoria Police Academy
Before and on the day
- ✓ Confirm you'll be in Victoria on the test date
- ✓ Bring your signed swim record
- ✓ Allow about 1.5 hours at the Academy
- ✓ Sleep well for two nights beforehand
- ✓ Eat a light meal two to three hours before
- ✓ Wear running shoes with good grip
- ✓ Warm up properly and listen to each briefing
- ✓ Pace the beep test from level 1; don't sprint early
After the fitness test come the psych tests, medical and panel interview. Practise for the interview with our AI mock interview, and read about the beep test in depth in our beep test levels guide. If you're weighing up other states, compare the NSW and Queensland tests.
Free email alerts
Get told if Victoria Police changes its fitness test, plus training tips
Many guides still quote Victoria's 2019 flyer. We check the official recruitment pages and email you if a standard, the swim rule or the two-attempt rule changes, with a practical tip a fortnight for the events that catch Victorian applicants out.
- ✓Victoria Police fitness standard changes
- ✓Beep test, push-up and swim tips
Frequently asked questions
What is in the Victoria Police fitness test?
Five events at the Academy: the beep test to Level 5.01, grip strength of 30 kg each hand, the Illinois agility run in 20 seconds, 5 consecutive, on toes push-ups and a 60 seconds prone bridge. You also complete a 100 m swim in four minutes at your own pool beforehand, signed off by a qualified lifeguard.
What beep test level do you need for Victoria Police?
Level 5.01, which means level 5, shuttle 1. Calculated by us from the standard 20 m table, that's about 660 m of shuttles in 4:16, reaching 10.5 km/h. That's the lowest police beep minimum in Australia; Queensland's is level 5, shuttle 7 and NSW's is level 7.1.
How many push-ups do you need for Victoria Police?
Five consecutive push-ups on your toes. It's the lowest push-up count of any Australian force, but 'consecutive' means no resting between reps, and 'on toes' rules out knee push-ups. Assessors will expect a full range of motion, so train strict push-ups well beyond five.
How many times can you do the Victoria Police fitness test?
Victoria Police's own recruitment advice says you only get two attempts at the fitness test, and if you don't pass, you have to wait 12 months before you can reapply. That makes preparation before your first attempt essential.
Can I do the Victoria Police fitness test interstate?
No. Victoria Police says you must be in Victoria to complete the fitness test and can't do it interstate or overseas. The test is held at the Victoria Police Academy, and you're told your date about a month in advance.
How does the Victoria Police swim test work?
You swim 100 m within four minutes in your own time, at a local pool, before your fitness test day. A qualified lifeguard must sign off that you completed it. Four minutes for 100 m allows a minute per 25 m length, which is achievable for most people who can swim continuously.
Do PSOs do the same fitness test?
Protective Services Officer applicants use the same fitness standards as police applicants, according to our reading of the PSO recruitment process, but no swim is listed for PSOs. Check the current PSO recruitment page before you book.
Is there a free training app for the Victoria Police fitness test?
Yes. Victoria Police's free POLICE FIT app has videos, tips, workouts and resources for the fitness test. Victoria Police also publishes a full-length fitness test video showing every event.
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.
- Victoria Police: Police recruitment process — events, standards, swim rules, location and 1.5-hour duration
- Victoria Police: Recruitment process, tips for success (updated 1 October 2024) — two fitness test attempts, then 12 months before reapplying
- Victoria Police: Fitness test, full version video (updated 19 April 2024) — official demonstration of every event
- Victoria Police: PSO recruitment process — PSO stages
- Topend Sports: Illinois Agility Test — standard course layout
- Léger et al. (1988), J Sports Sci 6:93-101 — beep test protocol
Related guides
Joining the police
More in this series
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.