Thomas GIA Test - Complete Guide & Information
Updated: January 10th, 2026
The Thomas International GIA test isn’t just another assessment - it's a true test of speed and mental agility.
- 20 minutes
- 5 topics
- 200 multiple choice questions
- 2-3 seconds per question!
Intimidating, isn't it? No worries! This guide has everything you need to learn about the Thomas GIA test. Gain an understanding of the test format, learn about the scoring, get top expert tips, and more!
What Is the Thomas International GIA Test?
The Thomas International General Intelligence Assessment (GIA) is a speed test that measures your ability to quickly learn, comprehend and retain information. The test has 5 sections, each taking 2-3 minutes. Each section has a single, very distinctive type of question.
Thomas GIA assessment sections:
- Reasoning
- Perceptual Speed
- Number Speed and Accuracy
- Word Meaning
- Spatial Visualisation
Thomas GIA Test
Examples, tips, & info
Thomas GIA Test Scoring
Each Section is Scored Separately: While the GIA Test has a final score, it is calculated based on your score in the 5 test sections.
Wrong Answers Reduce Points: The Thomas International GIA test is scored based on both your correct and incorrect answers. Correct answers gain you points, and incorrect answers reduce points.
Each correct answer gains 1 point, and each wrong answer reduces points, depending on the section:
- Reasoning – 1 point reduced for an incorrect answer
- Perceptual Speed – 0.25 points reduced
- Number Speed and Accuracy – 0.5 points reduced
- Spatial Visualisation – 0.5 points reduced
- Word Meaning – 0.5 points reduced
Below is an example from a Thomas International score report showing just that:
That is why you shouldn’t simply storm through the questions to answer as many as you possibly can, and also shouldn’t be too careful, on the other hand. Finding the balance between speed and accuracy is crucial for a high score on the Thomas GIA test.
Scoring Is Based on Percentiles: All your scores will be presented as a percentile score (of what percent of past test-takers your score is higher). For instance, if you have scored in the 75th percentile, you have scored higher than 75% of test-takers.
The Thomas International GIA Test score percentiles are defined:
- Low – 4-15 percentile
- Below Average – 16-34 percentile
- Average – 35-65 percentile
- Above Average – 66-85 percentile
- High – 86+ percentile
Focus on Your Weak Spots: Everyone has their weaker areas. Some have difficulty using quick mental maths, others find spatial reasoning disorienting and unintuitive. To succeed on the Thomas GIA test, you must excel in all 5 test sections.
To help you focus your practice on where you need the most, we have added a preliminary diagnostic test to the practice plan.
Take a look at this excerpt from the score report you get when finishing your first Thomas GIA diagnostic test:
The ✓'s represent questions answered correctly. The ✗'s represent incorrect answers.
Did you notice that the Number Speed and Accuracy section has more ✗'s? That means that your skill in this particular section needs some improvement. This way, you will be able to focus your practice on the areas you need most and make it as effective as it can be.
What Employers Use the Thomas GIA Test?
A wide variety of employers are using the Thomas International GIA Test, here are the most popular:
- Canonical – this UK-based software company uses the Thomas GIA Test for multiple positions across various departments, especially for programming and management positions.
- Siemens – Siemens uses the GIA Test to screen candidates mainly for mid-management and engineering positions.
- Version 1 – an Irish company dealing with software development, asset management, and consulting, uses the Thomas International GIA Test predominantly for business analysts, but also more technical positions may be requested to go through it.
- Metro Bank – this bank, operating in the UK, uses the Thomas GIA for nearly every position.
- CBRE – CBRE uses the Thomas International test mainly for screening candidates applying to its graduate scheme.
How to Practice and Pass the Thomas International GIA Test
The Thomas International GIA Test has a very unique and challenging test format due to three main reasons:
- Unique Question Style – the Thomas GIA test contains questions you will see in no other test.
- Elaborate Instructions – the GIA test has VERY specific instructions. If you fail to fully comprehend the task, you will likely fail the entire test section.
- Unequal Performance in Sections – the GIA test sections are very different from one another, and you need to excel in them all for a high score.
To pass the Thomas International test and get the job you want, you need to practice the exact, actual test experience. The following sample questions and free test sample mimic the questions you will face in the test, providing the best studying experience possible.
Example Questions
Perceptual Speed
How many pairs contain the same letter?
Reasoning
Number Speed and Accuracy
Which number is farthest from the median?
Spatial Visualisation
How many pairs contain the same letter? (mirror image excluded).
Word Meaning
Which word is the odd one out?
Visit our Thomas GIA Free Practice page for more!
Be Fully Prepared for the Thomas GIA Test
Take control of your GIA test success with personalized reports, full-length simulations, and expert practice tools that mirror the real exam.
Thomas GIA Test FAQs
The Thomas General Intelligence Assessment (GIA) is a cognitive test that measures how efficiently an individual can process and learn new information. It assesses five core areas: reasoning, perceptual speed, numerical accuracy, word comprehension, and spatial awareness. Employers commonly use this assessment to predict a candidate's ability to adapt to new tasks and training, making it a key tool in recruitment and employee development.
The Thomas GIA test results are expressed as percentiles, comparing the test-taker's performance to a standard group. A score below the 35th percentile is considered low, between the 35th and 65th percentiles is average, and scores above the 85th percentile are seen as high. For example, a percentile score of 83% means the individual performed better than 83% of the comparison group, indicating strong adaptability and learning potential.
The total number of questions ranges between approximately 130 and 160, depending on the specific version of the test. Each section is timed separately, with durations varying from 2 to 5 minutes. The entire assessment typically takes about 20 minutes to complete.
To perform well on the Thomas GIA test, concentrate on enhancing your cognitive speed and accuracy. Short, timed exercises can improve your skills, particularly if you use practice tests that simulate the actual exam. These practice tests help you get accustomed to both the time limits and question types. Maintaining focus and staying calm under pressure during the timed sections are also crucial strategies for success.
Approximately 20 minutes for the actual testing portion. Including instructions and practice examples for each section, the total time is 30-45 minutes.
The Thomas Aptitude Test is another name for the Thomas General Intelligence Assessment (GIA). It is an assessment used to evaluate potential candidates' abilities in how they would be able to adapt and learn in a new role.
The GIA test is different than other assessments because it puts an equal amount of importance on both speed and accuracy. In other tests, candidates may be required to finish the test before time runs out, but the GIA test measures how well one understands and retains information while also assessing the pace of their performance.
Here's What Test-Takers Say About Our Thomas GIA Test Practice!
More Free Practice
We at JobTestPrep find the assessment tests world highly diverse and fascinating. If you are looking to deepen your knowledge in the aptitude tests world, or you want some extra practice before your test, we've got you covered!
Check out these fantastic free practice tests (all are completely free):
Free Aptitude Test | Free Psychometric Test | Free Numerical Reasoning Test | Free Verbal Reasoning Test | Free Cognitive Test | Free Critical Thinking Test | Free Abstract Reasoning Test | Free Spatial Reasoning Tets | Free Personality Test | Free Inductive Test | Free Mechanical Reasoning Test
Discover More Test Providers and Cognitive Tests You Should Know
Korn Ferry/ Talent Q | SHL Practice Test | Aon / Cut-e | Hogan Test | Saville Assessments | Cubiks | TestGorilla
Create Your Custom Assessment Prep Kit
Job-seeking can be a long and frustrating process, often taking months and involving numerous pre-employment tests and interviews. To guide you through it, we offer a Premium Membership.
