What is the Sova assessment?
Sova is a UK-built online talent-assessment platform. Sova names JCB and Nationwide as early-careers users, and Sky, John Lewis Partnership, TUI and Vodafone among its customers. Employers choose the activities in each assessment.
Access is through an emailed invitation link, with assessment and practice links on assess.sovaonline.com. Sova says off-the-shelf assessments take from 5 minutes to around 25 minutes, its Early Careers Assessment takes 15–30 minutes, and its full personality questionnaire takes around 20–25 minutes. Bain states its Sova-based digital assessment takes approximately 30–40 minutes. Candidates can leave and return within the deadline, except timed or recorded elements continue once started; Sova recommends one sitting where possible.
Who uses Sova in 2026
Sova names JCB and Nationwide as early-careers users, and Sky, John Lewis Partnership, TUI and Vodafone among its customers. Prep sites report earlier Santander use, but Santander does not name its current provider. NHS GMTS uses Amberjack and is not a Sova assessment.
Sova states that its numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests have no fixed time limit, but the time you take to reach the correct answer is factored into your score. The modules and timing named in your invitation email are what apply to you. The countdowns in our simulators are SovaGorilla practice settings for building pace, not a claim about your real sitting. Source: Sova Assessment help centre.
The Sova sections
| Section | Format | Calculator? |
|---|---|---|
| Situational Judgement | Workplace scenarios; choose most/least effective or rank responses | — |
| Verbal reasoning | Passage + True / False / Cannot Say | — |
| Numerical reasoning | Charts and tables, multiple choice | Yes (physical) |
| Logical / abstract reasoning | Number and letter series, codes and rule-finding items. Sova's own logical test uses abstract shape sequences. | — |
| Personality | Rating and forced-choice items | — |
Sova does not publish reasoning item counts or standard time bases. Its image-based personality questionnaire has 87 items and measures 18 traits.
How Sova scoring works
Sova states that its numerical, verbal and logical reasoning tests have no fixed time limit, but the time you take to reach the correct answer is factored into your score. Neither Sova nor employers publish a numeric threshold, pass rate or public benchmark.
Weighting between sections and whether one result offsets another depend on the employer and are not published.
How to prepare for Sova
Three drills in priority order:
- Logical reasoning — our practice uses number and letter series, codes and rule-finding items. Sova's own logical test uses abstract shape sequences.
- Numerical reasoning — chart-and-table format with a calculator. Practice our numerical drills — the format transfers fully.
- Verbal reasoning — read dense business writing (FT, Economist) and practise the strict True / False / Cannot Say discipline. Outside knowledge is the most common reason candidates miss.
For the personality questionnaire and Situational Judgement Test: review the sponsoring employer's currently-published values before you start, answer as your professional self, and don't over-think individual items.
More Sova resources
- What is the Sova assessment?
- How to pass the Sova assessment
- Sova practice questions (free examples)
- Is the Sova assessment timed?
- Sova personality questions explained
Practise the Sova simulator — free
Numerical and verbal reasoning plus free situational judgement scenarios are available without payment.
Open Sova SimulatorFree practice covers numerical and verbal reasoning plus situational judgement scenarios. Logical reasoning and personality are included in Full Access (£39).
Frequently Asked Questions
Not sure which test you'll get?
Employers configure Sova differently. Explore more: