TSA Prep Course 2026: the TAB, the legacy x-ray and English test, and the interview
Our TSA prep course takes you from the invitation to the job offer. If you first want to see what the test looks like, start with our tsa test prep page and its free practice test. Here you get the full course: video lessons and timed practice for all three TAB tasks, the older x-ray and English test, and the interview and checks that come after it.
- 21 video lessons with a written study guide each, about 86 minutes of video in total
- 18 timed tests for the TAB: Connect the Dots, Image Matching and Shape Folding, every answer explained
- The legacy CBT: 18 timed x-ray and English tests and 3 full practice exams
- After the test: structured interview with a STAR builder, medical and drug test, background check, ready pool
Only need one task? See the TSA connect the dots practice test or the TSA x-ray test page.
- All three TAB tasks in 8 items
- 3:30 on one clock
- A real dot board with 18 dots
- Score by task, every answer explained
Free · no account, no email · generated with our course generators, not items from the real test
One course for every step of TSA hiring
Current TSA job announcements name the TSO Assessment Battery (TAB), a computer-based test used to evaluate x-ray interpretation aptitude.1,2 Some applicants still report the older legacy test with x-ray images and English. After the test come the interview and the checks.3 The course has a block for each.
The TAB
The test in current announcements
- OfficialComputer-based, proctored at a TSA Testing Center, within 21 days, with a cut score1
- ReportedConnect the Dots, Image Matching, Shape Folding; no x-ray images, no English (test-takers, prep providers)
- LessonsA1–A7 and A6+, 18 timed practice tests
Legacy CBT
The older x-ray and English test
- CluesYour paperwork mentions English, reading, vocabulary or writing, or x-ray images of bags
- ReportedX-ray object recognition in timed blocks, then English; TSA has not published the format in the sources we cite
- LessonsB1–B8, 18 timed tests, 3 full exams
After the test
From tentative offer to day one
- TSA listsTentative offer, panel structured interview, medical evaluation, drug test, SF-86, fingerprints, credit and criminal check, ready pool3
- LessonsC1–C5 with a STAR builder, story bank, mock interview, SF-86 worksheet
The announcement says only that the TAB has a cut score you must meet or exceed, and that failed results stay on record for six months.1 So prepare every task to the clock, and book the test once your timed practice is reliably good, still inside the 21 days.
TSA test facts at a glance
From TSA’s job announcements and careers page, checked October 2026- Name
- TSO Assessment Battery (TAB), a computer-based test.1,2
- Purpose
- To evaluate x-ray interpretation aptitude, in TSA’s words.1 TSA’s careers page calls it a test of image interpretation aptitude.3
- Where
- Proctored, at a TSA Testing Center.1
- Deadline
- Schedule and complete it within 21 days of receiving the scheduling instructions.1,2
- Passing
- A cut score based on the minimum required proficiency; you must meet or exceed it. The number is not published.1
- Results on record
- Passing results two years, failed results six months.1,2
- Tasks
- Not described in the announcements. Test-takers and prep providers report Connect the Dots, Image Matching and Shape Folding.
- English
- A condition of employment: proficient in reading, writing, speaking and comprehending English.1
- Next steps
- Tentative offer, panel structured interview, medical evaluation, drug test, SF-86, fingerprints, credit and criminal history check, ready pool.3
- Length, items
- Not given in these sources. Check your invitation.
Block A: the three TAB tasks, one lesson at a time
Every task lesson has a video, a written guide with worked examples, and three timed practice tests from medium to very hard. Shape Folding gets four lessons: cube nets, edge matching, prisms and pyramids, and complex solids.
Block B: the legacy x-ray and English test
If your invitation points to the older test, block B trains both parts as test-takers describe them: x-ray images of bags in timed blocks, then reading, vocabulary and writing. The x-ray tests use 540 x-ray images.
How every lesson works
Method first, then worked examples from easy to hard, then practice on the clock. The same steps in every lesson, so you always know what comes next.
- 1
Watch the lesson
21 video lessons of about 3 to 7 minutes each, about 86 minutes in total.
- 2
Read the study guide
The method, the traps that cost points under time pressure and worked examples, with a self-check at the end.
- 3
Practice without the clock
A dot trainer in A2, unlimited practice generators in A3 and A4, fold viewers that turn every net into a solid.
- 4
Test on the clock
Three timed practice tests per task lesson, medium to very hard, with an explanation for every answer at the end.
The time limits in the tests are our own practice benchmarks. TSA does not publish the timing of the tasks.
Block C: the interview and the checks after the test
Passing the test gets you a tentative offer. TSA’s hiring page lists what comes next: a panel structured interview, the medical evaluation, the drug test, the SF-86, fingerprints and a credit and criminal history check.3 Five lessons prepare each step.
C5 covers the ready pool, the final job offer and the first months. TSA’s announcement also lists English proficiency as a condition of employment.1
Free practice vs the TSA prep course
Free questions show you the format. Here’s what they usually leave out.
| Free practice | TSA prep course | |
|---|---|---|
| Tasks | Often one task, or old test formats | All three TAB tasks, plus the legacy x-ray and English test |
| Clock | Often untimed | 18 timed TAB tests and 21 timed legacy tests and exams |
| Shape Folding | A few cube nets | Cube nets, edge matching, prisms and pyramids, complex solids, with fold viewers |
| Why an answer is right | Often just a key | Every answer explained with the rule or the difference that decides it |
| After the test | Not covered | Interview, medical and drug test, background check, ready pool |
| Cost | $0 | $68 once, 90 days of access |
Your plan, sized to your test
Three plans built on the course lessons. Pick your test and see the route.
Seven days for the TAB.
The seven-day plan from lesson A7, with one change: the course has no full TAB test, so day 1 and day 5 use the timed practice tests of each task.
- Day 1One timed practice test per task; note your weakest task and where you guessed most~45 min
- Day 2Cube nets (A4): name the opposite pairs on ten nets, then a timed cube test~40 min
- Day 3Edge matching (A5): zip three nets from the inner corners, then a timed test~40 min
- Day 4Connect the Dots and Image Matching (A2, A3): boards with zero mistakes, then a timed figure set~40 min
- Day 5Boxes, prisms, pyramids and complex shapes (A6, A6+), then the very hard test of your weakest task~50 min
- Day 6Review every wrong answer and write down why you made it~30 min
- Day 7Light review of the recaps and lesson A7, lay out your ID and confirmation, sleep15 min
Two weeks for the legacy CBT.
The two-week plan from lesson B8: x-ray first, English second, the full exams last.
- Week 1X-ray lessons B2, B3 and B4 with their timed tests; fifteen words a day from the B6 word bankdaily
- Week 2English lessons B5, B6 and B7 with their timed tests; fifteen words a daydaily
- Last daysThe three full legacy exams, at least a day apart, then review the misses~85 min each
After you pass: block C.
TSA’s order of steps after the test, with the lesson for each.
- OfferTentative offer and release forms: what “tentative” means (C5)
- InterviewPanel structured interview: STAR stories for the nine competencies (C1, C2)
- MedicalMedical evaluation and federal drug test (C3)
- BackgroundSF-86, fingerprints, credit and criminal history check (C4)
- Ready poolWaiting for a final job offer, training and the first months (C5)
Everything in the course
21 lessons in three blocks, each with a video lesson and a written study guide. Every task lesson in blocks A and B has three timed practice tests; B8 adds three full legacy exams.
Pages for single parts of the test
Want to look at one part first? These pages cover it on its own.
Questions before you buy
Is this TSA prep course for the new TAB or the old test?
Both. Block A prepares you for the TSO Assessment Battery (TAB), the test named in current TSA job announcements. Block B covers the older legacy computer-based test with an x-ray part and an English part, which some applicants still report. Block C covers the steps after the test: the interview, the medical evaluation and drug test, the background check and the ready pool. Your invitation and job announcement tell you which test you will take.
What is the TSA TAB?
In its job announcements TSA describes the TSO Assessment Battery (TAB) as a computer-based test used to evaluate x-ray interpretation aptitude. You take it proctored at a TSA Testing Center, and you must schedule and complete it within 21 days of receiving the scheduling instructions. It has a cut score, and you must meet or exceed it to be considered.
What tasks are on the TAB?
TSA’s announcements do not describe the tasks. Test-takers and prep providers report three: Connect the Dots (click scattered dots in order), Image Matching (find the one exact copy of a figure) and Shape Folding (fold a flat net into a 3D shape in your head). They also report that the TAB shows no x-ray images and has no English section. The course is built on these reports and tells you to read the instructions on test day.
What score do I need to pass the TSA test?
TSA does not publish the number. The announcement says the assessment includes a cut score based on the minimum level of required proficiency, and that you must meet or exceed it to be considered. Scores in the course and in the free test are practice scores; they cannot be converted into the official result.
What happens if I fail the TSA test?
According to the TSA job announcement, passing results are kept on record for two years and failed results for six months. Don’t treat the first attempt as a practice run: book the test once you score reliably well on timed practice, still within your 21-day window.
How long do I have to take the TSA test?
The announcement gives 21 days: you must schedule and complete the proctored test at a TSA Testing Center within 21 days of receiving the scheduling instructions. Lesson A7 has a seven-day plan for exactly this window, and lesson B8 a two-week plan for the legacy test.
Is there a TSA test study guide?
Yes. Each of the 21 lessons has a written study guide with the method, worked examples from easy to hard and a self-check, plus a video lesson. The guides for Image Matching and cube nets include unlimited practice generators, and Connect the Dots has a trainer for every round type.
Is this also a TSO exam prep course for the interview?
Yes. After the test, TSA’s hiring page lists a tentative offer, a panel structured interview, the medical evaluation, the federal drug test, the SF-86, fingerprinting and a credit and criminal history check. Lessons C1 and C2 prepare the structured interview with a STAR builder, a story bank and a mock interview; C3 to C5 cover the medical, the background check and the ready pool.
Which test will I take, the TAB or the legacy CBT?
Check your invitation email and the job announcement you applied to. Current TSA announcements name the TAB. If your paperwork mentions English, reading, vocabulary or writing questions, or x-ray images of bags, follow block B. Lesson B1 has a checker that sorts the clues for you.
Are the 8 course questions on this page like the real TAB?
They cover the three task types test-takers report, in a short mix: one dot board, three Image Matching figures and four Shape Folding items. The items are generated with the practice-test generators of our course on their own seeds, so they are not items from the real test and do not repeat a course test. The 3:30 clock is our own benchmark, not an official TSA figure.
What do I get, and how fast?
One payment of $68 gives you 90 days of access: 21 video lessons and written guides, 18 timed tests for the TAB, 18 timed legacy practice tests (x-ray, reading, vocabulary, writing), 3 full legacy exams and the five lessons for the steps after the test. Access starts right after checkout. If the course is not right for you, email support within 7 days for a full refund (7-day money-back guarantee).
Is Prepterminal affiliated with TSA?
No. Prepterminal is independent test prep and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the Transportation Security Administration, the Department of Homeland Security or any testing provider. The practice items are written or generated by us in the format test-takers report.
Everything from the invitation to the job offer
- 21 video lessons, about 86 minutes, and a written study guide for each
- 18 timed tests for the TAB: Connect the Dots, Image Matching and four Shape Folding lessons
- A dot trainer and unlimited practice generators for Image Matching and cube nets
- 18 timed legacy tests and 3 full exams: 540 x-ray images, reading, vocabulary and writing
- Interview prep with a STAR builder, story bank and mock interview; medical, background and ready pool
- Every answer explained, with the rule or the difference that decides it
21 days from invitation to test. Use them well.
Take one timed test per task tonight and see whether the dots, the figures or the folding cost you the most points.
Get the TSA prep course: $68P.S. Not ready to buy? Try 8 course questions first, then decide.
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