FBI Phase I Test: Current Special Agent Format and Practice

The FBI Phase I test is an early assessment in the Special Agent Selection System (SASS) for external Special Agent applicants who pass initial screening.

FBIJobs currently describes Phase I as a computerized exam in a proctored environment. The FBI Testing Overview, revised July 2026, states that the process takes approximately three hours including check-in and check-out procedures and contains five timed assessments:

• Logic-Based Reasoning;
• Figural Reasoning;
• Personality Assessment;
• Preferences and Interests;
• Situational Judgment.

This page is independent preparation guidance. The examples below are original JobPracticeTests questions, not FBI questions. The FBI states that it does not endorse test-preparation materials beyond FBIJobs.gov and its official guide.

Where Phase I sits in the current SASS process

The current FBIJobs external-applicant sequence begins with application and screening, followed by Phase I for invited candidates. After a Phase I pass, current FBIJobs guidance then requires a PFT self-evaluation and Suitability Questionnaire before later SASS stages such as Meet and Greet, the official PFT, Phase II written assessment and Phase II interview.

Do not apply Phase I rules to Intelligence Analyst or other FBI career paths. Those roles can use different assessment processes.

Current scheduling and result rules

FBIJobs currently states that an invited applicant has 14 days to schedule and complete Phase I and is notified of pass/fail status within about one hour of completing the test.

The current Testing Overview adds important administration rules:

• arrive 15 minutes before the appointment;
• cancellation or rescheduling without penalty is allowed up to 48 hours before the appointment;
• two expired invitations without acceptable explanation can lead to deactivation;
• an unsuccessful Phase I candidate is eligible to retest 90 days after the final test session, but a new invitation is not guaranteed;
• two Phase I failures make the applicant ineligible for future Special Agent consideration under SASS.

Always follow the instructions in your own invitation if they differ from an older third-party summary.

The five Phase I assessments

Logic-Based Reasoning

This section measures whether you can apply stated premises and identify conclusions that logically follow. Work only from the information given; do not add assumptions.

Figural Reasoning

This section uses visual patterns and relationships. Look for changes in shape, position, count, fill, rotation and other consistent rules.

Personality Assessment

The current FBI guide explicitly warns candidates not to try to “beat the test” by claiming qualities or experiences they do not have. Answer honestly rather than trying to construct an idealized profile.

Preferences and Interests

This assessment considers work-related preferences and whether the Special Agent work environment is a suitable fit. It is not an academic knowledge test.

Situational Judgment

These items present workplace situations and ask you to evaluate possible responses. Read the facts and instructions carefully rather than relying on generic law-enforcement stereotypes.

Original Logic-Based Reasoning practice

Question 1

All reports marked Priority A require supervisor review before submission. Report 17 is marked Priority A.

Which conclusion must be true?

A. Report 17 requires supervisor review before submission.
B. Every report is Priority A.
C. Report 17 has already been submitted.
D. Supervisor review is optional.

Answer: A. The rule applies to every Priority A report, and Report 17 is in that group.

Question 2

If an evidence transfer is incomplete, it cannot be closed in the tracking system. Transfer K was closed in the tracking system.

Which conclusion follows from the stated rule?

A. Transfer K was incomplete.
B. Transfer K was not incomplete under the rule.
C. The tracking system was offline.
D. Every transfer is closed automatically.

Answer: B. If incomplete transfers cannot be closed, a closed transfer does not meet the stated incomplete condition.

Question 3

No applicant who misses a mandatory stage without an accepted explanation may continue. Riley missed the mandatory stage and did not receive an accepted explanation.

What follows?

A. Riley may continue automatically.
B. Riley may not continue under the stated rule.
C. Riley has passed Phase II.
D. The stage was optional.

Answer: B. The rule directly excludes the described case.

Original figural-reasoning method drills

Real Phase I figural questions are visual. These text drills practice the underlying rule-finding method without pretending to reproduce the FBI interface.

Question 4

A sequence rotates 90 degrees clockwise each step: up, right, down, left, ?

A. Up
B. Right
C. Down
D. Left

Answer: A. The four-position rotation repeats.

Question 5

A pattern alternates filled and empty while the shape stays the same: filled square, empty square, filled square, empty square, ?

A. Filled square
B. Empty square
C. Filled circle
D. Empty triangle

Answer: A. The fill state alternates.

Original situational-judgment practice

Question 6

A required verification step has not been completed. A coworker suggests skipping it because the deadline is close. What is the strongest response based on the information provided?

A. Skip the requirement to save time.
B. Complete the required step or seek authorized guidance if priorities conflict.
C. Invent a verification result.
D. Ask an unauthorized person to approve the omission.

Answer: B. It respects the stated requirement and the role boundary.

Question 7

You discover an error in a report you submitted. What is the strongest general response?

A. Hide the error.
B. Correct or report the error through the appropriate procedure.
C. Blame someone who did not prepare the report.
D. Delete the record without authorization.

Answer: B. It addresses accuracy and accountability without inventing authority.

How to prepare responsibly

1. Read the current FBI Testing Overview before using third-party practice.
2. Practice logic and figural reasoning for method, not memorized answers.
3. Treat personality and preference items honestly; do not practice deception or profile gaming.
4. Use scenario practice to improve careful reading and rule application.
5. Build enough concentration for a roughly three-hour testing process.
6. Begin PFT preparation early; Phase I is not the end of SASS.
7. Keep every scheduling email and follow the exact deadlines in your applicant communications.

What comes after a Phase I pass?

Current FBIJobs guidance says successful Phase I candidates complete a PFT self-evaluation and Suitability Questionnaire within the published window, then continue through later SASS steps if eligible. Use FBI Phase II Test for the writing and structured-interview stages and FBI Special Agent Exam for the full process overview.

Official sources

• FBIJobs — Special Agent Application and Evaluation Process
• FBIJobs — Testing Overview
• FBIJobs — Documents and Downloads

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