AS2708-2001 Standard: 5-minute test, standard prose passages, 40 WPM net speed, 95% accuracy. 1 word = 5 keystrokes.
Practice the Australian Standard typing test. 5-minute assessment using government prose, scored against the official 40 WPM / 95% accuracy benchmark.
AS2708-2001 is the Australian Standard that defines how keyboard typing speed and accuracy should be measured. Published by Standards Australia, it is the benchmark used by federal, state, and territory government departments when assessing candidates for administrative and clerical roles.
The standard specifies that tests should use continuous prose in standard English, with normal punctuation and mixed case. The test runs for exactly 5 minutes. Speed is measured in net words per minute, where one word equals 5 keystrokes.
| Metric | How It's Calculated | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Gross WPM | Total keystrokes / 5 / time in minutes | - |
| Net WPM | Gross WPM minus uncorrected errors per minute | 40+ WPM |
| Accuracy | Correct characters / total characters x 100 | 95%+ |
| Duration | Continuous typing on prose passage | 5 minutes |
| Word definition | 1 word = 5 keystrokes (inc. spaces) | - |
AS2708-2001 is the Australian Standard for measuring keyboard typing speed and accuracy. It defines how typing tests should be conducted, including the use of standard prose passages, a 5-minute test duration, and scoring based on net words per minute and accuracy percentage.
The standard benchmark for Australian government administrative roles is 40 words per minute (net) with 95% accuracy over 5 minutes. Some roles may have higher requirements, such as 60-75 WPM for executive assistant positions or 75-100 WPM for transcription.
Under AS2708, one word equals 5 keystrokes including spaces and punctuation. Your gross WPM is total keystrokes divided by 5, divided by the test time in minutes. Net WPM subtracts uncorrected errors from the gross figure.
Jobs that commonly require AS2708 testing include APS administrative officers, police support staff (NSW, QLD, VIC), court reporters, medical receptionists, legal secretaries, Services Australia data entry operators, and various state government clerical positions.