Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: July 6, 2026

 

The Simon-Kucher online test is an SHL-style numerical and logical reasoning assessment, usually around 18 questions in 25 minutes, used to screen applicants before the firm's case and behavioral interviews. This guide breaks down exactly what the test covers, how hard it is, and the fastest way to prepare so you pass it on the first try.

 

Before reading on:

 

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Key Takeaways

 

The Simon-Kucher online test is a short, SHL-based aptitude screen that filters applicants on speed and accuracy with data, not on consulting skill.

 

• The test is usually an SHL numerical and logical reasoning assessment of roughly 18 questions in 25 minutes

 

• Questions ask you to read graphs and tables and work out growth rates, percentages, ratios, and currency conversions

 

• It sits early in the process, after your application and before the case and behavioral interviews

 

• It is a pass-or-fail filter, so almost anyone who practices SHL-style tests clears it

 

• The real test of your candidacy is the pricing-focused case interview that comes later

 

What Is the Simon-Kucher Online Test?

 

The Simon-Kucher online test is a timed aptitude assessment built on SHL-style numerical and logical reasoning. You typically answer around 18 questions in about 25 minutes, reading data from graphs and tables to calculate growth rates, percentages, ratios, and currency conversions. It is an early screening step, not the final interview.

 

Simon-Kucher is the world's leading pricing and growth consultancy, with more than 2,200 employees across 30+ countries according to the firm's own figures. Founded in Germany in 1985, it advises clients on pricing, monetization, and revenue growth. Because that work is heavily quantitative, the firm screens early for people who can move through numbers quickly under pressure.

 

Having coached hundreds of candidates through screens like this one, I will give you the honest truth up front. This test is a filter, not a differentiator. It is built to screen out people who freeze with data, so your only job is to clear the bar and move on.

 

Where Does the Online Test Fit in the Simon-Kucher Interview Process?

 

The online test comes early, right after you submit your application and before any live interview. Pass it and you move into an HR screen, then case and behavioral rounds. The full process usually runs across the stages below.

 

Stage	What happens	Typical timing
Online application	Submit your CV and cover letter through the firm's careers site	Rolling
Online test	SHL-style numerical and logical reasoning assessment	Within a few weeks of applying
HR phone screen	A 15 to 30 minute call on motivation and fit	After you pass the test
First-round interviews	Case plus behavioral questions with consultants	1 to 2 weeks later
Final round	Several back-to-back case and behavioral interviews with managers, directors, and partners, sometimes with a longer case to prepare and present	Final stage

 

Timelines vary by office. One recent candidate on 2026 Glassdoor data described a clean run of an online assessment in November, an HR call in December, and a final interview in January.

 

Your application is what gets you to the test in the first place, so a sharp, results-driven resume that highlights quantitative and pricing-related work matters more than candidates think. If you want yours polished before you apply, my resume review service gives you unlimited revisions with a 24-hour turnaround.

 

What Format Does the Simon-Kucher Online Test Take?

 

The test is a multiple-choice aptitude assessment from the SHL family, the same kind of screen many large firms use. You get a graph or table, then two or three questions about it, and a short practice set runs before the real thing. Here is what to expect.

 

• Provider: an SHL-style assessment, the same family of tests used across many large employers

 

• Length: around 18 questions to finish in roughly 25 minutes, which is just over a minute per question

 

• Format: multiple choice, with a graph or table followed by two or three questions about it

 

• Warm-up: a short practice set of about 8 questions runs first, and you can pause before starting the real test

 

• Calculator: you are generally allowed a basic or on-screen calculator, so accuracy and speed matter more than raw arithmetic

 

In my experience, the timing sounds scarier than it is. Candidates who practice a handful of SHL numerical sets almost always finish with time to spare, because the questions repeat the same few patterns.

 

What Topics Does the Simon-Kucher Online Test Cover?

 

The test covers data interpretation and quick arithmetic, with a few logic questions mixed in. Almost everything traces back to reading numbers off a chart and doing something simple with them under time pressure. These are the recurring question types.

 

• Data interpretation: reading revenue, profit, or volume figures off graphs and tables

 

• Growth rates and percentages: working out percentage change, share of total, and year-over-year growth

 

• Ratios and proportions: comparing how resources like hours or budget split across business units

 

• Currency conversion: converting between two or three currencies using given exchange rates

 

• Logical and inductive reasoning: spotting the pattern in a sequence and finding the missing or odd item

 

Here is an example of the kind of question you will see.

 

Example: A chart shows a company's profit by division. Say renewable energy earned 40 million dollars out of 250 million dollars in total profit, and you are asked what share renewable energy made up. The answer is 16%, and the only hard part is finding the two numbers fast.

 

One quirk worth knowing: this is a general aptitude test, not a custom Simon-Kucher exam. Candidates have seen the very same questions show up at other firms, which means standard SHL practice questions transfer directly to this screen.

 

How Hard Is the Simon-Kucher Online Test?

 

The Simon-Kucher online test is not conceptually hard, but the time limit makes it feel that way. The math rarely goes past percentages, ratios, and basic conversions. The difficulty is doing it fast and clean while a clock runs.

 

Based on 2026 Glassdoor data, candidates rate the overall Simon-Kucher interview difficulty at 3.23 out of 5, with about 59% calling their experience positive. That puts it in the moderate range for consulting.

 

The good news is that speed under pressure is a skill you build with reps, not something you are born with. A week of focused practice is usually enough to turn a stressful test into a routine one.

 

Does the Simon-Kucher Online Test Differ by Office or Region?

 

Yes. The core numerical screen stays consistent, but the exact mix changes by office and role. Candidates across the Middle East, Europe, and the Americas all report the same SHL-style foundation, with a few local additions.

 

• Some offices add a short case-based or Excel data exercise on top of the numerical test

 

• A few include a personality questionnaire that has no right or wrong answers

 

• Question counts and time limits shift slightly between the multiple-choice and interactive SHL versions

 

• The numerical and logical core is the constant you should prepare for first

 

How Do You Prepare for the Simon-Kucher Online Test?

 

The fastest way to prepare is to practice SHL-style numerical sets under timed conditions until the patterns feel routine. You are training speed and familiarity, not learning new math. Work through this plan in order.

 

1. Practice SHL-style numerical tests: do timed sets so the format stops feeling foreign
   
   
2. Drill mental math: get fast with percentages, ratios, and fractions without reaching for a calculator
   
   
3. Master chart and table reading: practice pulling the one number you need out of a busy graph
   
   
4. Rehearse currency conversion: set up the multiplication cleanly so you do not flip the rate
   
   
5. Sharpen pattern recognition: run a few logical and inductive reasoning sets for the non-numerical questions
   
   
6. Simulate test conditions: sit a full timed mock so the real clock does not rattle you

 

The single highest-value habit is sharpening your mental math, since every section rewards quick, accurate arithmetic. The same speed pays off again in the case interviews, so this practice is never wasted.

 

What Are the Best Tips to Pass the Simon-Kucher Online Test?

 

Tip #1: Read the question before the chart

 

Find out what is being asked first, then hunt the chart for that one number. Reading the whole graph before you know the question wastes precious seconds.

 

Tip #2: Round aggressively

 

For percentage and share questions, a close estimate often rules out every wrong answer. You rarely need an exact figure to pick the right multiple-choice option.

 

Tip #3: Never get stuck

 

If a question is dragging, flag it, move on, and come back if time allows. One hard question is not worth three easy ones you never reach.

 

Tip #4: Use the answer options

 

When a direct calculation is slow, work backward from the choices. Plugging in answers is often faster than solving from scratch.

 

Tip #5: Set up currency math once

 

Write the conversion as a single multiplication so you do not invert the rate. Flipping the direction is the most common avoidable error on these questions.

 

Tip #6: Treat the warm-up seriously

 

Use the practice set to lock in the interface and your pacing before the clock counts. The warm-up does not score you, so it is free reconnaissance.

 

What Common Mistakes Should You Avoid?

 

Most failures on this test come from preventable errors, not weak math. Watch for these.

 

• Skipping practice because the math looks easy, then freezing once the clock starts

 

• Calculating to full precision when a rough estimate would have been enough

 

• Spending two or three minutes on one question and running out of time

 

• Misreading the units on a graph, like millions versus thousands

 

• Inverting an exchange rate and converting in the wrong direction

 

What Happens After You Pass the Simon-Kucher Online Test?

 

Passing the online test moves you into the interview rounds, which is where your candidacy is actually decided. The HR screen comes first, then the case and behavioral interviews that carry the real weight.

 

The heart of the process is the Simon-Kucher case interview, where you solve a candidate-led business problem out loud. You drive the structure, decide what to analyze, and walk the interviewer to a recommendation.

 

Because the firm specializes in monetization, expect a pricing case built around price elasticity, customer segmentation, willingness to pay, or product packaging. Generic frameworks fall flat here, so your structure should target revenue and price levers directly.

 

Some interviewers also throw in a quick brainteaser or market sizing question, like estimating how many museum tickets a country sells each month. They care about your logic, not a perfect number.

 

Case interviews are where most Simon-Kucher offers are won or lost. If you want to get case-ready fast, my case interview course walks you through pricing and profitability cases in as little as 7 days.

 

Clear the Simon-Kucher online test the way strong candidates always do: practice a handful of timed SHL numerical sets until the patterns feel routine, then pour your real energy into the pricing case that decides the offer.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What is the Simon-Kucher online test?

 

It is a timed SHL-style aptitude test that screens applicants on numerical and logical reasoning. You read data from graphs and tables and answer questions on growth rates, percentages, ratios, and currency conversion. It comes before the case and behavioral interviews.

 

How long is the Simon-Kucher online test?

 

Most candidates report about 18 questions to complete in roughly 25 minutes, which works out to just over a minute per question. A short practice set runs first so you can get used to the format. Time pressure, not difficulty, is the main challenge.

 

Is the Simon-Kucher online test hard?

 

The math rarely goes beyond percentages, ratios, and basic conversions, so it is not conceptually hard. The real challenge is working quickly and accurately while a clock runs. Based on 2026 Glassdoor data, candidates rate the overall interview difficulty at 3.23 out of 5.

 

What kind of questions are on the Simon-Kucher online test?

 

Expect data interpretation from graphs and tables, percentage and growth-rate calculations, ratio comparisons, currency conversions, and a few logical or pattern-recognition questions. Some offices add a short case or Excel exercise. A personality questionnaire is occasionally included.

 

Can you use a calculator on the Simon-Kucher online test?

 

You are generally allowed a basic or on-screen calculator on SHL-style numerical tests like this one. Even so, strong mental math saves time, because reaching for a calculator on every step is slow. Practice estimating so you only calculate when you must.

 

What happens after you pass the Simon-Kucher online test?

 

You move into an HR screen followed by case and behavioral interviews. The cases are candidate-led and focused on pricing and revenue growth, the firm specialty. Final rounds often include several back-to-back interviews with senior staff.

 

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