Ace the Royal Navy Psychometric Tests with Accurate Practice [2025 Edition]

The Naval Service Recruiting Test (NSRT) is the first part of the Navy's joining process. Your test performance impacts the types of jobs you'll be offered; the higher your scores, the better your chances of getting the posting you want or having a variety of options to choose from.

The test (NSRT) consists of four different sub-tests containing a total of 120 multiple choice questions:

• Inductive Reasoning – This section includes choosing the odd one out, shape analogies, and inferring the next shape in a sequence.
• Verbal ability – This section includes odd one out exercises for sentences, sentence completion, and correcting sentences that have had two words swapped.
• Numeracy – This section includes continuing number series with both fractions and whole numbers, as well as calculating averages and weighted averages.
• Mechanical Comprehension – This section requires you to show an understanding of mechanical concepts like cogwheels, velocity, rotation, force, movement, and inertia.

Can you recognise the patterns or relationships between words and shapes?

This section will test your ability to process information, whether it is words, phrases, or shapes, and indicate relevancy or irrelevancy to the group presented.

Do you remember this fun game we used to play as kids, in which you would get a few words and asked to choose the odd one out?

That was fun.

But what happens when the words are unknown or when you can’t connect all the dots under time pressure? A bit challenging, I would say.

This section of the Royal Navy test can be easy but it can also be tricky or frustrating, and one should get used to the right-thinking methods to overcome it.
Coming ready is the key to success here.

See an example below: 

Based on our experience, it takes around 20-40 seconds to read, understand, and then choose the correct answer to this kind of question. On the test, you’ll be asked to answer 30 Qs in only 9m. Without practice, it can be quite a challenge and can become an obstacle on your way to joining the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy psychometric test's numeracy section might include topics such as averages, ratios, weighted averages, and more.

Sounds familiar, right?

Even if you remember those titles from school, you should practice them. Having a time limit, you will not have the moment while taking the test to stop and recall what your teacher used to say and “what was this equation again!?”. The NSRT PrepPack comes with a full section on re-learning these skills.

Here's a sample question for you to try:

8 children attend "Sunshine" kindergarten with an average age of 3.5.
5 children attend "Rainbow" kindergarten with an average age of 5.

This sub-test includes 30Qs with a time limit of 16m. You can find many more reminders and comprehensive explanations In the full preparation pack, to help you ace this section and achieve a high score.

 This section will test your understanding of mechanical principles. It's pass mark depends on the branch you are joining, and you can ask your AFCO (Armed Force Careers Office) about it.

You will get illustrations presenting varied mechanical systems and will be asked about the expected outcome.

The joining process is a bit different for ratings, officers, and the marines commando. Here we elaborate on the rating joining process, and you can find more about this on the Royal Navy practice formal website. The process can seem a bit long, so let’s go deeper and understand what you should expect in every step.

1. Confirm your eligibility according to the Royal Navy parameters: age, medical, nationality and residency, criminal convictions, tattoos, and piercings.
2. Register your interest in the role that suits your skills and desires. You can search for your options on the job board of the formal Navy website.
3. Take the Naval Service Recruiting Test (NSRT) - read more about the Navy psychometric test in the previous section.
4. Get a virtual interview.
5. Your AFCO will arrange medical and eye tests for you, performed by a Ministry of Defence-approved doctor.
6. Take the fitness test, including running, pushups, and abs drills. Test requirements will change depending on the branch you have applied for and your attributes (age and gender). Some roles will also require further interviews at this point.
7. Join the Pre-Royal Navy Course (PRNC) - a four-day comprehensive physical assessment course in which you will be tested for running and swimming and will get a taste of life in the Navy.
8. Pass the security and reference check.
9. Once you pass all previous steps, you are in! The process has ended, and you will get details about where and when you will start your Basic Training.

The Royal Navy of the UK has various roles and might offer you a challenging career with opportunities to progress. Experience-wise, you might cage dive with sharks, jet ski in the Caribbean, have a one-night stopover in Barbados, drive in sand dunes in Dubai, and have nights out in places you would never dream of going.

The adventures are endless.

Whether you are a professional cook or a mechanical engineer, you can find your spot in the Navy. All you have got to do is want it and commit to the process.

We mentioned the Royal Navy psychometric test, virtual interview, and multiple fitness tests - the joining process is not easy. Still, with some ambition and the right guidance, it is more than possible.