- KPAT stands for KPMG Assessment Test, a two-part online screening used in KPMG UK student and graduate hiring.
- Domain 1 (Skills Assessment) is untimed and takes about 20 minutes; Domain 2 (Cognitive Assessment) is strictly timed at 36 minutes.
- The Skills Assessment ranks how you'd think, feel, or respond in workplace scenarios - there are no right or wrong "facts" to memorize.
- The Cognitive Assessment tests numerical and logical reasoning through interpreting information, doing calculations, and drawing logical conclusions.
What Is a KPAT, Exactly?
KPAT stands for KPMG Assessment Test. It's the online evaluation KPMG uses as part of its UK student and graduate recruitment process, sitting between your initial application and later interview stages. If you've applied for a KPMG graduate scheme, internship, or school-leaver program and received an email inviting you to complete "online assessments," this is what people mean when they ask, what is KPAT.
Unlike a professional certification with exam fees, renewal periods, and a credential to display afterward, the KPAT is purely a hiring tool. There's no ongoing validity to track and nothing to renew - you either move forward in the recruitment pipeline or you don't. That distinction matters because a lot of confusion online blends the KPAT together with unrelated credentials that happen to share the same acronym. If you want the short version of this same explanation, our companion piece on what a KPAT actually is covers the basics from a slightly different angle.
Who Takes the KPAT and Why
The KPAT is aimed at candidates applying through KPMG's UK student and graduate recruitment route - school leavers, undergraduates, and graduates applying to programs across audit, tax, consulting, and technology functions. After you submit an application, KPMG invites you to complete the two online assessments before moving to later stages such as a recorded video interview and an in-person assessment day KPMG calls the Launch Pad.
It's worth being clear about scope here: the video interview and Launch Pad are later recruitment stages, not additional domains of the online assessment itself. When people search for the full list of KPAT exam domains, they sometimes expect four or five sections. In reality, the online assessment itself has exactly two components, which we break down below.
The Two Parts of the Online Assessment
Every candidate completes the same two-part structure, taken online from your own device. KPMG recommends using a desktop or laptop rather than a phone or tablet, and offers adjustments for candidates who need them. Here's the shape of the two parts side by side:
| Component | Format | Time | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skills Assessment | Scenario ranking | Untimed (~20 minutes suggested) | How you'd think, feel, or respond in workplace situations |
| Cognitive Assessment | Multiple-choice reasoning | Timed - 36 minutes | Numerical and logical reasoning |
Because the two parts are graded so differently - one is behavioral and untimed, the other is timed and answer-based - treating them as a single "test" to revise for is a mistake. If you want a deeper walkthrough of both, the KPAT exam domains guide goes section by section.
Domain 1: The Skills Assessment
Skills Assessment
This section presents workplace scenarios and asks you to rank how you would think, feel, or respond. There's no ticking clock pushing you through it - KPMG suggests allowing around 20 minutes, which gives you room to read each scenario carefully.
- Focuses on judgment and self-awareness in realistic work situations
- Uses ranking rather than single "best answer" multiple choice
- KPMG points candidates toward SHL behaviour-based practice materials to get familiar with the style
- Consistency across scenarios matters more than trying to guess a "perfect" persona
Because this is a self-report style assessment rather than a knowledge test, there's no content to memorize. What actually helps is understanding the format so the ranking mechanic doesn't slow you down or catch you off guard on test day. Our KPAT study guide spends time specifically on how to approach ranking-style items without overthinking them.
Domain 2: The Cognitive Assessment
Cognitive Assessment
This is the timed portion - 36 minutes - and it's where most preparation time should go. It tests numerical and logical reasoning through three recurring task types.
- Interpreting information presented in tables, charts, or short passages
- Performing calculations under time pressure
- Drawing logical conclusions from given premises or data
KPMG explicitly recommends SHL's general-ability practice resources as preparation for this section, which is a useful signal: the question style will resemble standard numerical and logical reasoning formats rather than accounting-specific or role-specific content. Speed matters here in a way it doesn't in the Skills Assessment - 36 minutes covering numerical and logical reasoning means pacing yourself across questions is as important as accuracy on any single one.
Key Takeaway
Spend most of your prep time on the Cognitive Assessment's numerical and logical reasoning style, since it's timed and skill-based. Spend comparatively little time "practicing" the Skills Assessment beyond understanding its ranking format.
What Happens After You Submit
Once you complete both parts, KPMG provides a personalised skills feedback report regardless of outcome - a nice touch compared to assessments that give you nothing back. Candidates who progress typically move on to a six-question recorded video interview, followed by the in-person Launch Pad stage for those who advance further.
It's also worth setting expectations correctly: because this is a hiring assessment and not a certification, there's no pass certificate, no expiry date, and no renewal fee to plan for. If you're researching cost or scoring specifics, be aware that a lot of generic content online conflates the KPAT with unrelated exams - our passing score breakdown and eligibility requirements guide stick specifically to how KPMG's process actually works.
Building a Focused Prep Plan
You don't need weeks of generic study techniques for the KPAT - the useful prep window is short and targeted, mostly aimed at the Cognitive Assessment. A simple two-stage approach works well for most candidates:
Numerical & Logical Reasoning Drills
- Work through SHL-style numerical reasoning practice, timing yourself in short bursts
- Practice interpreting tables and charts quickly, since this feeds directly into the Cognitive Assessment
- Review logical conclusion questions until the reasoning pattern feels familiar, not just the answer
Format Familiarity for the Skills Assessment
- Read through sample workplace scenarios so the ranking format isn't a surprise
- Think honestly about how you'd respond rather than trying to predict a "model" answer
- Confirm your device setup - KPMG recommends a desktop or laptop - before your scheduled window
If you want a single condensed reference to run through the night before, the KPAT cheat sheet pulls the must-know facts about format and timing into one page. And if you're still deciding whether the effort is worth it relative to other graduate pathways, this ROI analysis weighs that question in more depth.
Common Misunderstandings About the KPAT
A surprising number of candidates arrive under the wrong assumptions, usually because they've read content written about a different, unrelated "KPAT." A few clarifications worth repeating:
- It's not a paid certification exam. There's no exam fee structure or renewal cycle to research - search results claiming otherwise are almost always describing a different credential entirely.
- There are only two domains. The video interview and Launch Pad are separate recruitment stages, not sections of the online assessment.
- The Skills Assessment isn't timed. Confusing it with the 36-minute Cognitive Assessment leads people to rush through scenarios unnecessarily.
- Practicing with SHL-style materials is the officially suggested route. KPMG itself points candidates toward SHL behaviour-based and general-ability practice, so that's the most relevant resource type to use.
For a broader orientation piece that untangles this acronym confusion in more detail, see what KPAT actually means and what KPAT stands for. You can also run full-length practice sessions modeled on the real format over on our main practice test platform before your scheduled assessment window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Difficulty depends mostly on how comfortable you are with timed numerical and logical reasoning, since the Cognitive Assessment's 36-minute window is the main pressure point. The Skills Assessment is untimed and more about self-reflection than difficulty. See our full difficulty breakdown for more context.
The Skills Assessment has a suggested allowance of about 20 minutes and is untimed, while the Cognitive Assessment is timed at 36 minutes. Together, most candidates should plan for roughly an hour including setup and reading instructions.
KPMG doesn't publish a fixed passing threshold the way a formal certification might. Instead, performance across both assessments feeds into whether you progress to the video interview stage. Our passing score guide explains what's actually known about this.
Candidates who progress typically complete a six-question recorded video interview, followed by an in-person Launch Pad stage for those who advance further in the process.
KPMG points candidates to SHL behaviour-based practice for the Skills Assessment style and SHL general-ability practice for the Cognitive Assessment. Pairing that with a structured resource like the KPAT study guide covers both bases.