- KPAT here is the KPMG Assessment Test used in KPMG UK's student and graduate recruitment route.
- Two online stages: an untimed Skills Assessment (about 20 minutes) and a timed 36-minute Cognitive Assessment.
- The Skills Assessment ranks how you'd think, feel, or respond to workplace scenarios - there's no single "correct" answer key.
- The Cognitive Assessment covers numerical and logical reasoning: interpreting information, calculations, and drawing conclusions.
What "KPAT" Actually Means Here
Before anything else, a clarification worth pinning to the top of any cheat sheet: on this site, KPAT refers specifically to the KPMG Assessment Test, the online screening stage used in KPMG UK's student and graduate hiring process. Several other credentials float around the internet using the same four letters, but none of them apply to what you'll actually sit if you're applying to KPMG. If you want the full breakdown of the name itself, see What Is KPAT? and KPAT Meaning; if you're still mapping out how it fits into the wider hiring funnel, What Is KPAT Certification? and What Does KPAT Stand For? cover the basics in more depth.
This page is deliberately compressed - a one-page style review of the facts that matter on assessment day, without the padding. For a fuller walkthrough of preparation strategy, pair this with the KPAT Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
The Two-Domain Snapshot
Unlike multi-module exams with five or six content areas, KPAT is built around exactly two online assessments. Knowing what each one is actually testing - rather than assuming it's a generic aptitude test - is the single biggest lever for going in prepared. A domain-by-domain breakdown lives at KPAT Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 2 Content Areas, but here's the condensed version.
Domain 1: Skills Assessment
This is untimed, though KPMG suggests budgeting about 20 minutes. You'll be presented with workplace scenarios and asked to rank how you would think, feel, or respond in each situation.
- There's no fixed "right" answer - it's a behaviour-based, forced-ranking style task.
- Consistency across scenarios matters more than trying to guess a "correct" profile.
- KPMG explicitly points candidates toward SHL behaviour-based practice materials to get familiar with the ranking format.
Domain 2: Cognitive Assessment
This one is timed at 36 minutes and tests numerical and logical reasoning through information interpretation, calculations, and logical conclusions.
- Expect data tables, short passages, or numerical sets you must interpret quickly.
- Speed under time pressure is part of the test - pacing yourself across the 36 minutes matters as much as accuracy.
- KPMG recommends practicing with SHL general-ability style materials beforehand.
Key Takeaway
Treat the Skills Assessment and Cognitive Assessment as two completely different skill sets requiring two completely different prep approaches - one is about self-consistency, the other is about speed and accuracy under a clock.
Format, Timing & Registration Facts
Because this is a recruitment step rather than a paid exam, some of the "cheat sheet facts" candidates usually look for - fees, exam windows, renewal dates - don't apply in the traditional sense. Here's what does apply, laid out for quick scanning.
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Assessment order | Both online assessments follow the application stage, before later interview steps |
| Skills Assessment timing | Untimed; KPMG suggests allowing about 20 minutes |
| Cognitive Assessment timing | Timed, 36 minutes total |
| Recommended device | Desktop or laptop, per KPMG's guidance |
| Accessibility | Adjustments are available on request |
| After the assessment | Candidates receive a personalised skills feedback report |
| Later stages | A six-question recorded video interview and an in-person Launch Pad may follow, but these are separate recruitment stages, not part of the online assessment domains |
Because eligibility and process mechanics shift depending on the recruitment cycle, it's worth cross-checking the current details against KPAT Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify and KPAT Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling before you apply. If you're trying to understand where costs (if any) fit into the process, KPAT Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown addresses that specifically.
Question Style Cheat Sheet
Cheat sheets are only useful if they help you recognize a question type the moment it appears on screen. Here's what to expect, domain by domain, in plain terms.
What Skills Assessment Items Look Like
- A short workplace scenario is described - a colleague conflict, a deadline pressure situation, a client interaction.
- You're given a set of possible thoughts, feelings, or responses and asked to rank them from most to least like you.
- Because it's untimed, there's no benefit to rushing - but overthinking each ranking can also work against natural, consistent answers.
What Cognitive Assessment Items Look Like
- Numerical reasoning questions built around interpreting charts, tables, or short data sets.
- Logical reasoning questions that ask you to draw a conclusion from given statements or patterns.
- Calculation-based questions where accuracy under the 36-minute clock is the real test, not just knowing the method.
If you want a deeper sense of how challenging these question types feel in practice, especially the 36-minute cognitive section, read How Hard Is the KPAT Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026. And if you're wondering what "passing" even means for a two-part screening like this, KPAT Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass walks through how the results actually get used.
Who Uses This Assessment
KPAT sits inside KPMG UK's student and graduate recruitment route - it's the screening layer between the initial application and later human-facing stages like the recorded video interview and the in-person Launch Pad. It's not a general-purpose credential you can add to a CV independently; its value is tied entirely to the specific KPMG hiring cycle you're applying through.
For candidates weighing whether preparing for this assessment is worth the time investment relative to other graduate scheme routes, Is the KPAT Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and KPAT Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis lay out the bigger-picture considerations. And if you're specifically hunting for open roles tied to this recruitment pipeline, KPAT Jobs is the place to start.
Key Takeaway
Because this is a hiring gate rather than a standalone qualification, your prep time is best spent getting comfortable with the exact two domains - not chasing broader "certification" content that doesn't map to KPMG's actual process.
One-Week Focus Plan
You don't need a months-long study plan for a two-part online screening, but a short, structured run-up in the days before your assessment window helps you walk in calm rather than caught off guard. Here's a compact plan built around the two domains specifically.
Cognitive Assessment Groundwork
- Practice interpreting data tables and short numerical passages under a timer, since the real assessment is capped at 36 minutes.
- Work through SHL-style general-ability practice sets, as recommended by KPMG.
- Track how many questions you complete accurately per 5-minute block to gauge your natural pace.
Skills Assessment Familiarity
- Review sample behaviour-based scenarios so the ranking format doesn't feel unfamiliar on test day.
- Reflect honestly on how you'd actually respond to workplace scenarios rather than guessing an "ideal" answer.
- Since this section is untimed, practice pacing yourself so you're thoughtful without overanalyzing every item.
Mixed Review & Logistics
- Alternate between short numerical drills and behaviour-scenario reviews so neither skill goes stale.
- Confirm you'll be using a desktop or laptop as KPMG recommends, and test your setup in advance.
- If you may need adjustments, arrange these ahead of your scheduled slot.
Light Review Only
- Skim through your notes on question styles rather than cramming new material.
- Get a full night's sleep before the Cognitive Assessment, since sustained focus over 36 minutes benefits from being well-rested.
This kind of tight, domain-mapped schedule matters more than generic study techniques borrowed from unrelated exams. For a longer-horizon version of this plan with more detail on each stage, see the KPAT Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
Quick Reference: Do's and Don'ts
- Do use SHL behaviour-based and general-ability practice materials - they're what KPMG itself points candidates toward.
- Do set up on a desktop or laptop rather than a phone or tablet, per KPMG's recommendation.
- Do pace yourself deliberately across the 36-minute Cognitive Assessment rather than front-loading time on early questions.
- Don't treat the Skills Assessment like a test with hidden "correct" answers - it's measuring consistency of response, not knowledge.
- Don't skip requesting adjustments if you need them; KPMG offers this option before you start.
- Don't confuse this stage with the later recorded video interview or in-person Launch Pad - those come afterward and test different things entirely.
For more structured practice built around these exact two domains, you can work through timed drills on our practice test platform, which mirrors the pacing challenges of the real Cognitive Assessment. Combining that with scenario-based review on the same practice site gives you a fuller picture before your actual assessment date.
FAQs
No. In this context, KPAT is the KPMG Assessment Test, a hiring screening stage used in KPMG UK's student and graduate recruitment route. It has no renewal cycle or certification credential attached - it's simply an online assessment step in the application process.
The Skills Assessment is untimed, though KPMG suggests allowing about 20 minutes, and the Cognitive Assessment is timed at 36 minutes. Together, budgeting roughly an hour for both, plus setup time, is a reasonable expectation.
It tests numerical and logical reasoning through information interpretation, calculations, and logical conclusions, all within the 36-minute time limit. KPMG recommends practicing with SHL general-ability style materials to prepare.
Not in the traditional sense. It presents workplace scenarios and asks you to rank how you'd think, feel, or respond, so consistency and honesty in your rankings matter more than trying to identify a hidden ideal answer.
You receive a personalised skills feedback report. Later recruitment stages, such as a six-question recorded video interview and an in-person Launch Pad, may follow, but these sit outside the online assessment domains themselves.