100+ Free APC Written Assessment Practice Questions
Pass your Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC) Written Assessment exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.
Loading practice questions...
Explore More Australia Healthcare Registration Exams
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
Key Facts: APC Written Assessment Exam
120 MCQs
Australian Physiotherapy Council Written Assessment has 120 multiple-choice questions across two papers
Australian Physiotherapy Council - Written Assessment Information Booklet
Two 2-hour papers
Paper 1 (morning) and Paper 2 (afternoon) are each two hours on the same day
Australian Physiotherapy Council - Written Assessment
15 cases per paper
Each paper presents 15 clinical cases containing 60 MCQs
Australian Physiotherapy Council - Written Assessment Information Booklet
Pass standard 500
Passing combined scaled score is 500 using the Rasch measurement model
Australian Physiotherapy Council - scoring guidance
AUD $2,017
Written Assessment fee per sitting from 5 January 2026, same for each resit
Australian Physiotherapy Council - Fees and processing times
No negative marking
There is no penalty for wrong or skipped answers on the Written Assessment
Australian Physiotherapy Council - scoring guidance
4 times a year
The Written Assessment is offered four times a year, remotely or in Melbourne and Sydney
Australian Physiotherapy Council - Written Assessment
100
Free original practice questions here across all assessed clinical areas
OpenExamPrep
The APC Written Assessment is the computer-based multiple-choice stage of the Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway (APEP) for overseas-trained physiotherapists. It is two same-day papers, each two hours and each with 15 clinical cases and 60 single-best-answer MCQs, for 120 questions over four hours. It is held four times a year, remotely or at venues in Melbourne and Sydney, and costs AUD $2,017 per sitting from 5 January 2026. Results are pass or fail on a Rasch-model scaled score with a passing standard of 500 across the cardiorespiratory, neurology and musculoskeletal areas, with no negative marking. This 100-question bank provides original practice across those clinical areas plus assessment, ethics and the Australian regulatory framework.
Sample APC Written Assessment Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your APC Written Assessment exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A 34-year-old presents with low back pain and reports new urinary retention, saddle (perineal) numbness and bilateral leg weakness. What is the most appropriate physiotherapy action?
2According to current best evidence reflected in Australian practice, what is the most appropriate management for non-specific chronic low back pain?
3A patient has a positive empty can (Jobe) test, painful arc and weakness with resisted abduction. Which structure is most likely involved?
4Which exercise approach has the strongest evidence for mid-portion Achilles tendinopathy?
5A patient describes anterior knee pain that worsens with stairs and prolonged sitting, with no history of trauma or instability. What is the most likely diagnosis?
6During the first 6 weeks after an uncomplicated rotator-cuff repair, which activity is generally most appropriate?
7An older patient reports low back pain that is worse at night, unrelieved by rest, with unexplained weight loss and a history of cancer. What is the most appropriate response?
8Which finding is most consistent with lumbar radiculopathy at the L5 nerve root?
9A patient with lateral elbow pain reproduced by resisted wrist extension and gripping is most likely experiencing:
10Following an acute lateral ankle sprain (grade I-II) with no fracture, what is the most appropriate early management principle?
About the APC Written Assessment Exam
The Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC) Written Assessment is the multiple-choice knowledge stage of the Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway (APEP) for internationally qualified physiotherapists seeking to practise in Australia. It is sat after the Eligibility Assessment and Cultural Safety Training, and before the separate oral Capability Assessment and the one-day Clinical Workshop. The exam is computer-based and delivered as two same-day papers; each paper contains 15 clinical cases with 60 single-best-answer MCQs, for 120 questions in total over four hours. Cases describe realistic Australian patients across musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory and neurological physiotherapy, and require candidates to interpret findings and make safe, evidence-based, entry-level decisions mapped to the Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds set by the Physiotherapy Board of Australia. Performance is reported as a pass or fail using a Rasch-model scaled score with a passing standard of 500, and there is no negative marking.
Assessment
Two computer-based multiple-choice papers on the same day. Each paper presents 15 clinical cases containing 60 single-best-answer MCQs (about four questions per case), for a total of 120 questions. There is no negative marking.
Time Limit
Four hours of assessment time: Paper 1 (morning) and Paper 2 (afternoon), each limited to two hours, with all sittings starting at 9am AEST/AEDT.
Passing Score
Reported as a pass or fail on a scaled score using the Rasch measurement model; the passing combined scaled score is 500 across the cardiorespiratory, neurology and musculoskeletal areas. There is no fixed raw-percentage cutoff and no penalty for wrong or skipped answers.
Exam Fee
AUD $2,017 per Written Assessment sitting from 5 January 2026, with each resit charged at the same AUD $2,017. The full APEP assessment journey costs about AUD $7,814. (Australian Physiotherapy Council (APC))
APC Written Assessment Exam Content Outline
Musculoskeletal physiotherapy
The largest clinical area. Covers spinal and peripheral assessment, red-flag screening (cauda equina, fracture, infection, malignancy), post-operative orthopaedic management, tendinopathy and overuse injuries, manual therapy indications and contraindications, and progressive exercise-based rehabilitation in Australian practice.
Neurological physiotherapy
Stroke rehabilitation and motor relearning, Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders, spinal cord injury management, balance, falls and vestibular rehabilitation, and paediatric neurology, with emphasis on safe, goal-directed, evidence-based decision-making.
Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy
Acute and ICU care, airway clearance and chest physiotherapy techniques, post-surgical and post-operative respiratory management, oxygen and ventilation awareness, and exercise prescription for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation in Australian acute settings.
Professional practice, ethics and the Australian regulatory framework
Informed consent and capacity, documentation and clinical reasoning, scope of practice, AHPRA registration and the Physiotherapy Board of Australia, the Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds, mandatory notifications, cultural safety, and the Australian healthcare context including Medicare, the NDIS and private health insurance.
Foundational sciences, electrophysical agents and special populations
Functional anatomy and biomechanics, pathology and tissue healing, electrophysical agents (TENS, ultrasound, heat and cold) with their indications and contraindications, basic pharmacology awareness, and special populations such as women's health and older adults.
How to Pass the APC Written Assessment Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Reported as a pass or fail on a scaled score using the Rasch measurement model; the passing combined scaled score is 500 across the cardiorespiratory, neurology and musculoskeletal areas. There is no fixed raw-percentage cutoff and no penalty for wrong or skipped answers.
- Assessment: Two computer-based multiple-choice papers on the same day. Each paper presents 15 clinical cases containing 60 single-best-answer MCQs (about four questions per case), for a total of 120 questions. There is no negative marking.
- Time limit: Four hours of assessment time: Paper 1 (morning) and Paper 2 (afternoon), each limited to two hours, with all sittings starting at 9am AEST/AEDT.
- Exam fee: AUD $2,017 per Written Assessment sitting from 5 January 2026, with each resit charged at the same AUD $2,017. The full APEP assessment journey costs about AUD $7,814.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
APC Written Assessment Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the APC Written Assessment multiple choice?
Yes. The Written Assessment is a computer-based, single-best-answer multiple-choice exam. It is delivered as two same-day papers, each containing 15 clinical cases with 60 MCQs, for 120 questions in total. The separate oral Capability Assessment is not multiple choice.
How many questions are on the APC Written Assessment and how long is it?
There are 120 multiple-choice questions across two papers. Paper 1 (morning) and Paper 2 (afternoon) are each two hours, for four hours of assessment time on the same day, with sittings starting at 9am AEST/AEDT.
What is the passing score for the APC Written Assessment?
The result is reported as a pass or fail using a Rasch-model scaled score, with a passing combined scaled score of 500 across the cardiorespiratory, neurology and musculoskeletal areas. There is no fixed raw-percentage cutoff and no negative marking.
How much does the APC Written Assessment cost in 2026?
From 5 January 2026 the Written Assessment fee is AUD $2,017 per sitting, and each resit is charged at the same AUD $2,017. The full APEP assessment journey costs about AUD $7,814.
Who has to sit the APC Written Assessment?
Internationally qualified physiotherapists following the Australian Physiotherapy Entry Pathway (APEP) sit it after the Eligibility Assessment and Cultural Safety Training. It must be passed before progressing to the oral Capability Assessment and the Clinical Workshop.
Are these official APC practice questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the Physiotherapy Practice Thresholds and published exam structure. The APC provides an official practice test through the Candidate Dashboard after you apply and pay for the Written Assessment.