CBAT Guide
What is the CBAT?
The CBAT, or Computer Based Aptitude Tests, forms part of the selection process for a number of Royal Air Force roles. It is designed to assess whether your natural abilities and developed skills are suited to the demands of particular roles.
What does the CBAT assess?
Rather than testing how much factual information you can memorise, aptitude testing looks at how you perform across different kinds of mental tasks. Depending on the role and test battery, these may involve areas such as numerical reasoning, spatial awareness, attention, memory, multitasking and information processing.
Why does the RAF use aptitude testing?
Different RAF roles place different demands on candidates. Computer based aptitude testing helps identify whether your abilities align with the requirements of the role for which you are applying.
Can you prepare for the CBAT?
You cannot simply memorise answers for an aptitude test. You can, however, become more comfortable with the types of mental tasks you may encounter, practise working accurately under time pressure and improve your familiarity with relevant concepts.
What should preparation focus on?
Good preparation should focus on developing underlying skills rather than trying to reproduce the exact assessment. Practising regularly, reviewing weaknesses and learning to balance speed with accuracy can make your preparation far more productive.
Ready to start preparing?
Read our preparation guide for a practical way to structure your training.
How to prepare for the CBAT →