Cadet College Medical Test Requirements: A Parent's Guide to the Physical Fitness Stage

Once a candidate clears the written entrance test, most parents' next worry is the cadet college medical test requirements stage. It sounds intimidating, but for the vast majority of healthy, active children, it is a routine screening rather than a hurdle. This guide explains what the medical and physical fitness check actually covers, why it exists, and how you can prepare your child calmly in the weeks and months leading up to it.

Why Cadet Colleges Include a Medical and Physical Stage

Cadet colleges run a boarding-school routine built around discipline, drill, sports, and physical training alongside academics. The medical and physical fitness check exists simply to confirm a candidate is generally healthy and fit enough to keep up with that lifestyle — not to filter out children over small, treatable issues. This stage usually happens alongside or shortly after the interview, once a candidate has already done well in the written test, and it feeds into the overall merit list rather than acting as an isolated pass-or-fail hurdle for minor concerns.

What the Medical Examination Actually Checks

The medical board typically looks at a few broad categories of general health rather than running an exhaustive battery of tests. In general terms, expect checks for:

• Overall physical health and the absence of chronic or serious disease
• Height-to-weight proportion appropriate for the candidate's age
• Eyesight, including allowances for corrected vision within certain limits
• Hearing ability
• Any visible physical deformity or condition that could interfere with a demanding daily routine, such as significant flat feet or joint problems

These are described here in general categories deliberately — exact numeric standards for height, weight, and vision differ from one college to another and are revised from time to time. Always confirm the current figures in your target college's official prospectus or admission notice rather than relying on numbers you may have seen elsewhere.

Height, Weight, and Body Proportion

Most parents ask about height and weight before anything else. Cadet colleges generally assess this as a proportion check — similar in spirit to a BMI calculation — rather than a rigid single number that every child must hit exactly. A child who is a little underweight or slightly heavier than average for their age is very rarely disqualified outright; boards usually look at the overall picture, including general health and activity levels. If you're concerned your child is noticeably underweight or overweight for their age, a family doctor visit well ahead of the test date gives you time to make gradual, healthy adjustments through diet and activity rather than a rushed change right before the exam.

Eyesight and Hearing Standards

Vision is one of the most searched concerns among parents, and understandably so — glasses are common among school-age children today. Cadet colleges generally do allow for corrected vision within certain limits, so wearing glasses or contact lenses does not automatically rule a candidate out. What matters is getting an accurate, current eye test done early so you know exactly where your child stands, and so any correctable issue (like needing an updated prescription) is addressed well before the exam. The same logic applies to hearing — a basic hearing check with your family doctor is worth doing if you have any doubts, simply so there are no surprises on test day.

The Physical Fitness Check: What Younger Candidates Should Expect

It's important to separate the cadet college physical fitness test from the much more rigorous fitness assessments used later for officer selection, such as ISSB or PMA screening. At the Class 7, 8, 9, or 11 entry level, the physical check is generally a basic, age-appropriate fitness screening — confirming that a child is reasonably active and mobile enough to handle sports, drill, and physical training as part of daily boarding-school life. It is not designed to test athletic performance the way later military selection boards do, so there's no need for an intense last-minute training regimen.

Common Worries Parents Have — and Why Most Are Manageable

Every year, the same handful of concerns come up repeatedly among parents preparing their children for this stage:

• "My child wears glasses — will that disqualify them?" Usually not, since corrected vision within limits is generally accepted; check the specific college's current standard to be sure.
• "My child is underweight/overweight for their age." Minor deviations are typically viewed as part of the overall picture, not an automatic disqualifier, especially if the child is otherwise healthy and active.
• "There's a minor dental issue." Most minor dental concerns are treatable well before the test date with a routine visit to the dentist.
• "Can a treatable condition be fixed before the test?" In many cases, yes — which is exactly why an early check-up is so valuable.

The common thread here is that most of these worries are manageable with a bit of advance planning, not a reason to panic.

How to Prepare Your Child in the Months Before the Test

The best approach is calm and gradual, not rushed. A few practical steps make a real difference:

• Book a full check-up with your family doctor a few months before the test date, so there's time to treat anything treatable, such as a minor vision or dental issue.
• Encourage regular physical activity and sports in the months leading up to the exam, rather than a sudden crash fitness routine in the final week.
• Keep copies of any existing medical reports or prescriptions and bring them along to the exam, so the medical board has complete context if they ask about a past condition.
• Check your target college's official prospectus for its exact, current medical and physical standards, since these details vary between colleges and can change from year to year.

Pairing this physical preparation with steady academic revision tends to work best. Our preparation guide walks through how to balance both, and our practice quizzes are a useful way to keep test-day nerves down by building familiarity with the written portion while the medical side takes care of itself with routine check-ups.

Where the Medical Stage Fits in the Overall Selection Process

It helps to remember that the medical and physical stage is one part of a broader, merit-based selection process alongside the written test and interview — it isn't usually a simple isolated pass-or-fail for minor, treatable concerns. Colleges do publish their own detailed medical and physical standards in their admission prospectus, and timelines for each stage are typically laid out in the college's admission calendar, so it's worth checking dates early and planning your child's check-up accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a child with glasses still pass the cadet college medical test?

In most cases, yes. Cadet colleges generally allow corrected vision within certain limits, so wearing glasses or contact lenses does not automatically disqualify a candidate. It's still worth confirming the exact eyesight standard in your target college's current prospectus, since allowances can vary between colleges.

What if my child is slightly underweight or overweight for cadet college entry?

Minor deviations from the ideal height-to-weight proportion are usually assessed as part of the child's overall health picture rather than an automatic disqualification. If you're concerned, a family doctor visit several months before the test gives you time to make gradual, healthy improvements through diet and regular activity.

Is the cadet college physical fitness test as tough as ISSB or PMA fitness tests?

No. At the Class 7, 8, 9, or 11 entry level, the physical fitness check is a basic, age-appropriate screening to confirm a child is generally active and fit for a boarding-school routine of sports and drill. The more demanding running, push-up, and sit-up style assessments belong to later officer-selection stages, not entry-level admission.

When should we get a medical check-up before the cadet college test?

A good rule of thumb is a few months before the test date. This gives enough time to identify and treat anything correctable, such as a minor vision or dental issue, without last-minute stress. Bring any existing medical reports or prescriptions to the actual exam so the medical board has full context.

The medical and physical fitness stage is far less daunting than it sounds once you know what it actually checks and why. Get an early check-up, keep your child active, and confirm the exact current standards on your target college's official notice. If you'd like personalised guidance on timelines or documentation for this stage, feel free to get in touch with our team.