Stage 3 Fitness Test / Physical Competency Test
Update for 2025 Garda Recruitment Campaign
All Garda applicants will undergo a Fitness Test and Physical Competence Test as part of the Garda recruitment application process and their subsequent training. Prospective Garda candidates must undergo a bleep test / shuttle run. This involves running continuously between two points 20 metres apart at a set time that gradually decreases until the candidates cannot keep up the intervals. They will also be required to a competency based timed circuit.
Prospective gardaí will no longer have to perform any sit-ups or push-ups to gain admission to the Garda college. The requirements for the bleep test, which requires candidates to run repeatedly between two points 20m apart in a set time, have also been relaxed. The varying standards for male, female, younger and older candidates have also been replaced with a single standard for all candidates.
The obstacle course remains unchanged.