About the Government & Civil Service tests
~8 min read · Updated April 2026
Civil Service recruitment is run almost entirely through Civil Service Jobs (gov.uk) and a small set of standardised online tests — the Civil Service Judgement Test (CSJT), Verbal Reasoning, Numerical Reasoning and the Border Force Recruitment Test for Border Force entry. They sit before any interview and are typically pass / fail with no second chance in the same campaign.
Our free government recruitment mocks mirror the format used by the Cabinet Office Recruitment team and the Home Office's Border Force assessment, including the Success Profiles framework that underpins every Civil Service grade. UK English, gov.uk wording and current Success Profiles behaviours throughout.
What the tests actually involve
CSJT is an untimed online situational judgement test of around 12 scenarios. For each scenario you're asked to choose the most and least effective response from four options. There's no 'correct' answer in the academic sense — your responses are scored against the Success Profiles behaviours expected at the grade.
Civil Service Verbal Reasoning is a 20-minute, 25-question online test asking true / false / cannot say judgements based strictly on a short passage.
Civil Service Numerical Reasoning is 25 minutes, around 18 questions, on data-table interpretation and basic percentages.
Border Force Recruitment Test is a multi-stage online and assessment-day process covering judgement scenarios, written communication and a structured interview.
What's covered
CSJT scenarios are drawn from typical Civil Service workplace situations — managing competing deadlines, handling a difficult stakeholder, raising a concern about a colleague, supporting an inclusive team.
Verbal Reasoning passages are short, gov.uk-style policy summaries followed by statements you must judge against the passage.
Numerical Reasoning uses tables of public-sector data (population, expenditure, performance metrics) with short percentage and ratio calculations.
Border Force assesses awareness of customs and immigration legislation, the Civil Service Code, and the Border Force Operating Mandate.
How to study and pass first time
For CSJT, read the Success Profiles behaviours for the grade you're applying to and anchor every 'most effective' answer in those behaviours. The 'least effective' is almost always the response that ignores process or excludes a colleague.
For Verbal Reasoning, answer strictly from the passage. If the passage doesn't say it, the answer is 'cannot say' — even if you happen to know it's true.
For Numerical Reasoning, drill mental percentage and ratio calculations against a 60-second clock.
For Border Force, read the Civil Service Code and the Border Force Operating Mandate cover to cover before the assessment.
Common mistakes to avoid
On CSJT, picking the answer that 'just gets it done' over the answer that follows process. The Civil Service rewards process adherence and inclusivity, not lone heroics.
On Verbal Reasoning, applying outside knowledge to override the passage. The test is reading comprehension, not general knowledge.
On Border Force, confusing the Civil Service Code (impartiality, integrity, honesty, objectivity) with the Nolan Principles. The Code is the Civil Service's; the Nolan Principles are the wider Seven Principles of Public Life.
Why active practice testing works
Government recruitment tests are pass / fail and the Civil Service Recruitment Process is high-volume — campaigns can attract thousands of applicants for a handful of posts. Mocks lift you out of the bottom percentile faster than any other study activity.
The CSJT and reasoning tests have an unfamiliar format for most applicants. A few free mocks the night before is the cheapest way to remove first-time-on-test anxiety.
Booking and what to expect
Every Civil Service campaign on Civil Service Jobs (gov.uk) sets out exactly which tests you'll need to take and in what order. Tests are sent by email link with deadlines typically five to ten working days from the application sift.
Tests are sat at home on your own computer. Bring a calculator (allowed for Numerical Reasoning unless the test instructions say otherwise) and ensure a quiet, uninterrupted environment for the duration.