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About this exam

The AFP Officer Candidate pathway covers two advertised police officer roles on the Australian Federal Police careers site: Police officer – national policing and Police officer - ACT Policing. National policing officers work on Commonwealth crime - including terrorism, cybercrime, child exploitation, human trafficking, drug crime, fraud and corruption, and serious and organised crime - while ACT Policing officers investigate crime in the Australian Capital Territory and help keep the Canberra community safe. Candidates should treat this as a study hub, not an official syllabus: the AFP's police-officers careers page returned a 404 error when retrieved, so the exam name, question count, duration, passing score, fee, format, retake policy and validity period are all unconfirmed and shown as null. No official exam structure or eligibility detail is available from the supplied pages, so prepare by building broad knowledge of the AFP's crime portfolio and the Canberra policing context, then verify every recruitment and assessment detail directly with the AFP through its Jobs pages. The AFP describes its work as defending and protecting Australia and Australia's future from security threats, and lists police officer roles among its advertised careers. Use the practice questions to test recall of AFP crime areas and public contact channels, and confirm assessment specifics before booking anything.

What you'll study

Common questions

About AFP Officer Candidate preparation

What is the AFP Officer Candidate exam?

It is the recruitment assessment for people applying to become Australian Federal Police officers, with streams for national policing and ACT Policing. The AFP's police-officers careers page returned a 404 error when retrieved, so the exam's official name, format, length, question count and pass mark are not confirmed here. Check the AFP Jobs pages directly.

What does the exam cover?

The AFP advertises two police officer roles: Police officer – national policing and Police officer - ACT Policing. National policing covers Commonwealth crimes such as terrorism, cybercrime, child exploitation, drug crime, fraud and corruption, and serious and organised crime. ACT Policing covers crime in the Australian Capital Territory and the Canberra community. No official syllabus was available, so treat this as a study guide only.

How many questions are on the exam and how long does it take?

These details are not published in the source material retrieved. The AFP police-officers careers page returned a 404 error, and no question count, time limit or section breakdown was available. Do not rely on figures from other exams or older recruitment rounds; confirm timing with the AFP before your assessment day.

What is the passing score?

The passing score is not stated in the available source, so it is shown as null. Assessment standards can change between recruitment rounds, and the AFP careers page was unavailable when checked. Ask the AFP recruitment team for the current benchmark rather than assuming a figure.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

The retake policy is not confirmed in the source material. The AFP police-officers careers page returned a 404 error, and no waiting period or attempt limit was published. Contact AFP recruitment to ask about reapplication rules and any cooling-off period before you plan a second attempt.

How should I order my study?

Start with the AFP's crime portfolio: terrorism, cybercrime, child exploitation, human trafficking, drug crime, fraud and corruption, money laundering, illegal firearms, and crimes against the Commonwealth. Then learn the ACT Policing context and the public contact channels listed on the AFP homepage. Finish with practice questions under timed conditions, and verify assessment logistics with the AFP.

What are common failure modes?

Candidates often memorise generic police trivia instead of the AFP's specific crime areas, confuse national policing with ACT Policing responsibilities, or rely on outdated recruitment figures. Another common error is mixing up public contact numbers. Build accuracy on AFP-specific content and confirm every exam parameter with the AFP rather than assuming.

Which public contact numbers should I know?

The AFP homepage lists: emergency 000; Police Assistance Line 131 444 for non-urgent crime; National Security Hotline 1800 123 400; Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000; National Missing Persons 1800 000 634; ReportCyber 1300 292 371; and Airport Watch 131 237. Learn which channel fits which situation, because these distinctions are easy marks.

Is this page officially affiliated with the AFP?

No. This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the Australian Federal Police. All exam parameters shown as null are unconfirmed. Use the AFP's own Jobs and eligibility pages for authoritative recruitment information, and treat this material only as practice support.