FRV Written Selection Test: sections, timing and how to prepare

The Fire Rescue Victoria Written Selection Test (WST) is run by ACER (the Australian Council for Educational Research). It's the first test after your application, and you must pass all four sub-tests to move on to the group assessment.

The four sub-tests

Sub-test	Questions	Time
Literacy	30	35 minutes
Abstract reasoning	30	35 minutes
Numeracy	30	35 minutes
Mechanical reasoning	32	20 minutes

The test takes 2 hours 5 minutes. ACER may add unscored trial questions, with extra time to match.

Literacy

Reading comprehension across different types of text. Read the question first so you know what to look for, and watch for words like "most", "only" or "proposed" that change the meaning.

Abstract reasoning

Shape sequences and patterns. Look for one change at a time: rotation, number of items, shading, position and size.

Numeracy

Everyday maths: rates, percentages, measurement, time and reading data. ACER provides an on-screen calculator, and you can't bring your own, so the challenge is setting up each problem correctly.

Mechanical reasoning

The section most applicants haven't seen before: levers, pulleys, gears, springs, pressure and simple circuits. With 32 questions in 20 minutes you have under 40 seconds each, so you need to recognise each principle quickly. Practice makes the biggest difference here.

How you sit it and what it costs

You can sit the WST online at a test centre, or at home with live webcam supervision. If you test from home you'll need a small A4 whiteboard and marker for working, as paper isn't allowed. The fee is $238, waived if you hold a current Centrelink Health Care Card. A WST result is valid for 3 years.

What comes next

Candidates who pass are ranked and invited to the group assessment, then the shuttle run (level 9.6), a personality profile, a selection interview and the Physical Aptitude Test. The whole process usually takes 6–12 months.

Checked against ACER and FRV sources in October 2026. Always confirm with ACER and FRV before you sit the test.