Which employers use SHL tests, and what each one actually says
SHL is one of the oldest names in online aptitude testing, so prep sites tend to call every reasoning test "SHL". The table below separates employers that name SHL themselves from employers where only candidates or prep guides say so.
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By the LifeScore Editorial Team · Updated · How we check facts
Employers whose pages name this provider
Each row comes from that employer's own page on this site. 12 employers, checked November 2026. Stated means the employer says it. Candidates report means we found it only in candidate accounts.
| Employer | What the employer page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| PwC | PwC names SHL as its assessment provider. | Stated by PwC |
| NatWest Group | NatWest Group names SHL as its assessment provider. | Stated by NatWest Group |
| Standard Chartered | Earlier pages describe a Gallup talent assessment and an SHL numerical reasoning test | Stated by Standard Chartered |
| KPMG | Test providers named by prep guides include Cubiks and SHL, and one says the platform changes by service line and year. | Candidates report |
| HSBC | Prep guides describe the logical test as SHL's non-verbal inductive test, where you find the pattern and choose the next shape. | Candidates report |
| Barclays | One candidate report describes a 35-minute numerical test developed by SHL; prep guides add that Barclays has most recently used SHL but may have changed. | Candidates report |
| Transport for London | Prep sites say TfL's tests come from SHL, but TfL does not name a provider on the pages we read. | Candidates report |
| Sellafield Ltd | JobTestPrep reports SHL numerical and verbal reasoning tests in Sellafield's graduate process, with a verbal test of 30 questions in 20 minutes. | Candidates report |
| Rothschild & Co | An older candidate review describes an SHL test taken at the London office on interview day alongside other candidates. | Candidates report |
| Deutsche Bank | Prep sites describe the Ability Test as numerical, inductive and deductive questions, and one names SHL Verify Interactive G+. | Candidates report |
| Citi | Some prep guides say front-office tracks add Korn Ferry Talent Q or SHL numerical tests, and the guides disagree on the provider. | Candidates report |
| Morgan Stanley | A 2026 prep guide names SHL aptitude tests as the gating stage for summer analyst places, which Morgan Stanley itself does not confirm. | Candidates report |
Practise the format
- SHL reasoning tests explainedQuestion counts, timings, the interactive numerical format and how the score is reported
- Free numerical reasoning testTables and charts under a clock, scored the moment you finish
What an SHL invitation usually contains
SHL sells a catalogue, not one test. Employers pick modules: numerical reasoning built on tables and charts, verbal reasoning where you judge whether a statement follows from a passage, inductive reasoning with shape sequences, and personality and situational judgement questionnaires. Two employers that both "use SHL" can send very different invitations.
SHL's own factsheets describe its newer Verify Interactive tests as adaptive, meaning the next question depends on how you did on the last one. Prep sites report the interactive numerical test as about 18 minutes for at most 10 questions, with drag-and-drop answers in place of multiple choice. Read our SHL guide for the detail and the points where sources disagree.
Why "stated" matters more here than for any other provider
Because SHL is the default name in test prep, many claims that an employer uses SHL trace back to a single prep site. An employer that names SHL on its own careers page, or hosts its test on an SHL platform, is a firmer signal. In the table, "Stated" means the employer says it. "Candidates report" means we found it only in candidate accounts or prep guides.
Your invitation email is the decider. SHL invitations usually come from an SHL domain and name the modules. If yours names a different platform, use that provider's hub instead and do not spend your last evening on the wrong format.
How to prepare in the time you actually have
Numerical reasoning rewards speed at reading a table more than hard maths. Practise pulling the right two numbers from a chart and doing one percentage or ratio step with a calculator. Verbal reasoning rewards discipline: answer only from the passage, and treat "cannot say" as a real option when the text is silent.
Two timed sittings beat ten untimed ones. Take one practice test, find whether numbers or words cost you more points, and spend the remaining time on the weaker half. Our numerical reasoning test gives you that split in about 25 minutes.
How SHL scores are compared
SHL reports results as percentiles against a comparison group the employer chooses, such as graduates applying for similar roles. No employer on this site publishes the percentile it needs, and we do not guess one. What you can control is accuracy under time pressure, because an unanswered question and a wrong guess both cost you.
Some employers re-test shortlisted candidates in person to check the online result. If an assessment centre includes a short verification test, it is usually in the same style as the one you sat at home.
Practise with a free Reasoning test
50 original questions, 45 minutes, scored the moment you finish. Free, no sign-up. Our reasoning test is a free mix of numerical and verbal questions in an SHL-like format. It is not an SHL product.
Start the free Reasoning testFrequently asked questions
Which companies use SHL tests?
Is SHL the same as Talogy or Aon?
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Employer pages in this guide
- PwC assessmentBehavioural and timed cognitive assessments, then an on-demand video interview.
- NatWest Group assessmentWork scenarios, a mostly untimed skills assessment and six recorded video questions.
- Standard Chartered assessmentA Skills Insight Assessment with a 36-minute timed section, a pre-set pass level and a personal report.
- KPMG assessmentA 36-minute cognitive test of numerical and logical reasoning, after an untimed skills assessment.
- HSBC assessmentWork-simulation questions built on graphs, data tables, mock emails and articles, about 40 minutes each.
- Barclays assessmentTwo short interactive assessments. It states no reasoning test, though candidates report one.
- Transport for London assessmentA two-stage strengths test (ranked scenarios, then video); stage two scores are ranked from the top.
- Sellafield Ltd assessmentFive working days to finish a Strength and Values assessment, with a stated warning against using AI.
- Rothschild & Co assessmentThe firm says the online test is untimed; candidates recall a 20-minute numerical test with typed answers.
- Deutsche Bank assessmentSJT, behavioural questionnaire and Ability Test in 96 hours; only the Ability Test is timed.
- Citi assessmentEMEA programmes take a skills discovery survey, not a test; technology takes a coding assessment.
- Morgan Stanley assessmentCandidates report a chart-and-table numerical test; the firm says reasoning beats a perfect answer.
More assessment guides
- Aon (cut-e)Aon and cut-e Tests: Which Employers Use Them and How They Work
- Talogy (Cubiks, PSI)Talogy, Cubiks and PSI Tests: Which Employers Use Them
- Criteria (CCAT and CBST)Criteria Corp Tests: Employers That Use the CCAT, CBST and More
- CappfinityCappfinity Assessments: Which Employers Use Them and How
- Watson GlaserWatson Glaser Test: Which Law Firms and Employers Use It
- All assessment guidesBy test type, sector and topic
- All employer assessmentsEvery employer page, with what each says and what candidates report
LifeScore is not affiliated with any employer or test publisher named on this page. Names belong to their owners and appear only to describe published hiring processes. Pass marks and questions are not published by employers, and we do not claim to know them. Reviewed October 2026 by the LifeScore Editorial Team.