How do Australian Public Service graduate programs work?

Who can apply for an Australian Public Service graduate program, when the 2028 intakes open, the selection stages at the AGGP, DFAT and the ATO, how assessment centres run and what graduates are paid.

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Australian Public Service graduate programs take Australian citizens who have finished a degree in the last few years, or are about to, and train them in a paid program of 12 months to 2 years, mostly in Canberra. You can apply once through the Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP) to be considered by many agencies, or directly to agencies that run their own programs, such as DFAT, Treasury, the ATO and ASIO. Applications for the 2028 intakes open from February 2027, and selection runs through online tests, an interview and, at agencies such as DFAT and the ATO, an assessment centre before offers go out later that year.

Who can apply for an APS graduate program?

Every program we checked requires Australian citizenship and a recent degree, and final year students can apply. ASIO accepts dual citizens, and Treasury accepted applicants who would become citizens by December 2026 for its 2027 program.

Each program also needs a security clearance. DFAT graduates need a Negative Vetting Level 2 clearance before they start, and the clearance interview is held in Australia. ASIO does not need you to hold a clearance to apply and arranges the vetting itself.

How do APS graduate programs compare?

Program Who can apply Applications for 2028 Stages
AGGP (10 streams) Citizens with a bachelor degree or higher from the last 5 years Open 1 March 2027 Generalist Stream: online tests, a written pitch and a video interview, then reference checks
Treasury Citizens with a bachelor degree no more than 5 years old Open February 2027 Not listed on its graduate site
ATO Citizens on track to finish their degree by 31 December before the start Open March 2027 Online skills tests, an online assessment centre with an interview, a referee check
DFAT Citizens with a bachelor degree finished between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2026 (2027 intake) Not yet announced An online assessment, a one-way video interview with up to 3 minutes an answer, an assessment centre, referee checks
ASIO policy program Citizens, including dual citizens, finishing their degree before the start or graduated in the past 3 years Announced on ASIO's vacancies page A written pitch and CV, then some or all of a written test, psychological testing, an online assessment, an interview or an assessment centre, then vetting

From each program's own careers page, read 8 October 2026.

How long do the programs run, and where?

Program Length Based in
AGGP Generalist Stream 12 months Canberra, with a limited number in other major cities
Treasury 2 years, three 8 month rotations Mostly Canberra
ATO 2 rotations and a short frontline placement Offices in almost every state and territory
DFAT 18 months, 4 placements Canberra
ASIO policy program 12 months, 3 placements Canberra

The ABS is not running its own 2027 program and may recruit through the AGGP for 2028.

The ATO's 2027 round opened on 2 March 2026 and closed on 9 April, with online assessments in late April, assessment centres in May and June, merit pool notifications in mid August and offers from September, for a start on 1 February 2027. DFAT ran selection from April to July, made offers pending security clearance from October to December, and starts its graduates in February 2027.

What are the stages of selection?

The AGGP Generalist Stream runs five stages:

  1. Application, about six weeks, where your eligibility and suitability are assessed.
  2. Assessments, about two months: online aptitude tests, then a written pitch, then a one-way online video interview.
  3. Reference checks, about one month.
  4. Preferences and matching, about two months. Suitable candidates go into a merit pool and are matched to agencies on their qualifications, skills, experience and location preferences.
  5. Offers, about six weeks, with pre-employment checks.

DFAT's online assessment is behavioural or psychometric, or both. Our guide to psychometric tests covers the online tests.

A place in a merit pool is not a job offer. The ATO's merit pool is unranked. Services Australia's is valid for 18 months, and it says being in the pool does not guarantee an offer.

How does a graduate assessment centre work?

At Services Australia, the virtual assessment centre runs for about half a day, in a morning or afternoon session you choose. It has a behavioural interview and a group activity. You may need time off work or study to attend, and if you can't take part, your application is withdrawn. DFAT's assessment centre has an interview, a group activity and a written test.

The APSC describes an assessment centre as several applicants doing activities such as job simulations, role plays and group discussions, with skills and behaviours like teamwork and communication assessed against the job's requirements. In a behavioural interview you answer with examples of what you have done. Our guide to the STAR method shows how to structure those answers.

Is it online or in person?

  • AGGP Generalist Stream: every assessment stage is online, and its page lists no assessment centre.
  • ATO: online, including the assessment centre and its interview.
  • Services Australia: a virtual assessment centre.
  • DFAT: its graduate pages do not say whether the assessment centre is online or in person.
  • Treasury: its graduate site does not say.
  • ASIO: its pages do not say, and you must be in Australia for every stage.

Read on each agency's own page, 8 October 2026.

If you miss out, the ATO and Services Australia both give feedback on your assessment once selection has finished.

What are the common mistakes, and how do you stand out?

The APSC says the most common mistake it sees from AGGP applicants is not reading the application questions or requirements correctly, so read your stream's application pack first. Its tips, and the agencies' own pages, add a few more:

  • Start early. The APSC says the form can take up to 1.5 hours, and getting new copies of a birth certificate or academic transcript can take much longer.
  • Write any written response in a separate document first, then copy it in. The APSC assesses your written communication, so proofread it.
  • Save as you go. The ATO's form times out after 30 minutes without activity.
  • Sit online tests on a laptop or tablet. Services Australia asks for an internet-connected device with a large screen.
  • Use your own examples. DFAT asks for specific examples from your own experience, and AI tools are not allowed during its interviews or assessment tasks.

To stand out, write your application to the selection criteria. The APSC says it wants to know why you would make a great public servant overall, and lists the capabilities to show:

  • motivation to work in government and the graduate program
  • self-awareness
  • collaboration and client service
  • results orientation and adaptability
  • research and analytical skills
  • verbal and written communication.

How does the ASIO graduate program work?

ASIO runs six graduate programs: finance, law, human resources, project management, technology, and strategic policy, governance and communications. It posts recruitment dates on its current vacancies page and its Instagram.

An ASIO application starts with a written pitch that uses examples to show how you meet the role, a CV of no more than 2 pages, your academic transcript and 2 referees, one of them a current or previous manager. ASIO assesses every applicant against six core capabilities: strategic thinking, achieves results, productive working relationships, personal drive and integrity, communicates with influence, and demonstrated skills and experience. Everyone who joins has an interview and goes through security vetting, which includes a security interview and an interview with a psychologist.

You may get the interview questions ahead of time, you can bring notes, and ASIO recommends the STAR model. It says it does not measure candidates by GPA alone. It gives no feedback to unsuccessful candidates, and its process takes longer than others because of the security clearance.

What do APS graduates earn?

Graduate pay depends on the agency. The AGGP Generalist Stream lists $70,000 to $89,000, depending on the agency you are placed with. The ATO starts graduates on $75,431 and promotes them to APS 4 on $84,028 when they finish. DFAT starts graduates at APS 4 on $84,115 and moves them to APS 5 on $92,753 at the end. All of these pay 15.4% super on top.

Our guide to APS levels and pay has the full pay scale from APS 1 to EL 2, and our graduate salary survey has what Australian graduates are paid outside government. For pay negotiation and changing careers later, see our advice and guides.

Should you start in government or the private sector?

Our view, from the BSoc Bulletin in April: start hungry, exit comfortable. In our 2026 Salary Survey, Big 4 staff are paid about $25K less than their peers early in their careers (how much Big 4 consultants earn). In return you get speed. You learn to manage clients, pitch for work, handle pressure and understand how a business makes money, and the intensity of those first few years compounds over a career.

A first government role is narrower, the pace is slower and pay rises come in small steps. Moving into the private sector gets harder the longer you stay, because private firms hire for breadth and commercial instinct. Government suits a later stage, with better hours and overtime that is accounted for. Build your skills first, then move across when you are ready.

First ran in the BSoc Bulletin as Should you work in the public sector?, 14 April 2026.

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