CSORT: What Submarine Candidates Need to Know
Submarine service is the most physically and psychologically demanding duty assignment the Navy offers to enlisted Sailors. You spend months sealed inside a steel hull with 130 other people, no sunlight, no fresh air, and limited contact with anyone outside the boat. The Navy needs to know you can handle that before you ever set foot on a submarine. That is what the CSORT is for.
The Computer-based Special Operations Resiliency Test is not an aptitude test. There is no math. There are no vocabulary questions. It evaluates the psychological traits the Navy has identified as predictors of success in long-duration, high-stress, confined environments. You cannot study for it. You cannot game it. The right approach is to understand what it is, answer honestly, and know where it fits in your screening package.
Who takes the CSORT and when
The CSORT is part of the submarine volunteer screening process for enlisted candidates. If you want to serve in one of the Navy’s submarine ratings or have expressed interest in a submarine billet, your recruiter will schedule the CSORT as part of your overall screening package.
You do not request the CSORT on your own. Navy Recruiting Command determines when and whether you need it based on your stated interest in submarine duty. The test is typically administered at MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) or a designated military testing facility during your enlistment processing.
Where the CSORT fits in the timeline
Submarine volunteers go through several screening steps before they receive a submarine contract. The CSORT is one layer of that process, not the only one.
- ASVAB: Establishes your academic baseline and determines which ratings you qualify for. Submarine ratings have specific line score requirements.
- MEPS physical: Confirms you meet the physical standards for submarine duty, which include hearing, vision, and blood pressure thresholds beyond standard Navy requirements.
- CSORT: The psychological component. Administered at MEPS or a military testing facility.
- Medical screening review: Your full medical history is reviewed by submarine medical personnel.
- Submarine community manager review: The results of all components above go to the submarine community managers, who make the final determination on eligibility.
The CSORT is not the first step and not the last. It sits in the middle of a multi-layer process designed to evaluate candidates from every angle. Passing the physical and ASVAB does not guarantee submarine assignment; the CSORT results are a separate consideration.
Officers pursuing submarine warfare through commissioning programs such as the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate program may encounter psychological screening during their process, but the specific instruments used can differ from the enlisted CSORT. The details below apply to the enlisted screening pipeline.
What psychological traits the CSORT measures
The CSORT evaluates four core psychological domains that the Navy’s submarine community has identified as predictors of long-term performance in confined, isolated environments. These are not skills you can train in a week. They reflect patterns of thought and behavior that develop over years.
Stress tolerance
Stress tolerance is your ability to function consistently under sustained pressure. On a submarine, that pressure is constant. Watch rotations run around the clock. Equipment malfunctions happen in cramped spaces with no room for error. Emergencies require immediate, calm action from every crew member. The CSORT looks for candidates who can maintain steady performance under these conditions for months at a time.
Adaptability
Submarine schedules are rigidly structured, but the nature of submarine missions means plans change without warning. Deployments extend. Ports get cancelled. Watch schedules shift. A candidate who struggles when their routine is disrupted will have a harder time in a submarine environment where disruption is the baseline. The CSORT assesses how naturally you adjust to new constraints without a significant drop in performance or mood.
Emotional regulation
Emotional regulation is the consistency of your behavior and decision-making when conditions are uncomfortable, monotonous, or high-stakes. Submarines combine extreme monotony with periodic moments of high intensity. Long stretches of routine work alternate with drills, equipment issues, and operational demands that require full alertness. Candidates who swing sharply between moods or who respond to frustration with impulsive decisions are a risk in that environment. The CSORT is looking for emotional steadiness, not emotional flatness.
Interpersonal stability
You will share a berthing space with dozens of other Sailors, often sleeping in bunks stacked three high. You will work with the same small group of people every day for months, with no easy way to create distance from interpersonal friction. The CSORT evaluates your baseline tendency to maintain productive, conflict-managed relationships in close quarters. This is not about being extroverted or likable. It is about being someone your crew can rely on when personal tensions inevitably arise.
How the test captures these traits
The CSORT uses a mix of self-report questions and timed cognitive tasks. Self-report sections ask about your preferences, habits, and typical reactions to hypothetical situations. Some sections involve pattern recognition or reaction time tasks. The test includes built-in validity checks designed to detect inconsistent answers, extreme self-presentation, or attempts to select only “correct-looking” responses. Answering strategically tends to produce flagged results rather than better ones.
There is no answer key for personality questions. The scoring reflects patterns across your full set of responses, not individual answers.
The submarine environment that makes this screening necessary
Understanding why the CSORT exists helps clarify what it is actually measuring. Submarine service is unlike any other duty in the Navy, and the demands it places on crew members go beyond what standard military screening accounts for.
A fast attack submarine typically deploys for three to six months. Ballistic missile submarines operate on a rotation system that keeps the boat at sea for 70-day patrols, with limited crew contact to the outside world. During those patrols, you operate under the ocean with no sunlight, no fresh air except what the boat’s systems recycle, and communication with family reduced to brief written messages that may be delayed.
The physical space is extreme. A fast attack submarine runs roughly 360 to 380 feet in length and 33 feet in diameter. That space houses the reactor, weapons systems, engineering spaces, the control room, and the living quarters for the entire crew. Berthing spaces are tight enough that racks must be designed to fold away during the day. Meals happen in shifts because the mess deck cannot seat everyone at once.
| Factor | Surface ship | Submarine |
|---|---|---|
| Hull access to open air | Daily | Rarely, if ever, during patrol |
| Natural light | Daily | None |
| Communication with family | Regular email and phone | Limited, delayed message traffic |
| Crew size | 200-5,000+ | 100-135 (fast attack) |
| Deployment length | 6-9 months with port calls | 70-day patrols (SSBN) or 3-6 months (SSN) |
Port calls on surface ships provide regular breaks, opportunities to leave the ship, and contact with the outside world. Submarine patrols typically do not include port calls. The crew stays on the boat for the full patrol.
These conditions are not described to discourage candidates. They are the reality of submarine service, and the Sailors who thrive in that environment find it rewarding precisely because it is demanding. But the psychological fit has to be there from the start. The CSORT exists to identify it.
What test day looks like at MEPS
The CSORT is computer-based and administered in a proctored testing environment. Your recruiter will schedule it and tell you when and where to report.
What to bring
- Government-issued photo ID
- Any paperwork your recruiter told you to bring
- Comfortable clothing (you may be at MEPS for several hours)
What not to bring
Personal items are not permitted in the testing room. Leave the following in your vehicle or at home:
- Cell phone
- Smartwatch or fitness tracker
- Calculator
- Notes or study materials of any kind
- Food or drinks
MEPS provides water. If you have a medical need to have food or medication nearby, notify your recruiter in advance so accommodations can be arranged.
Format and duration
The CSORT is entirely computer-based. There is no writing, no physical component, and no oral interview portion. Plan for approximately one to two hours of testing time. Your total time at MEPS on the day of the CSORT will likely be longer due to check-in, briefings, and post-test processing.
The test is self-paced within any time limits set for individual sections. Read each question carefully. There is no benefit to rushing, and inconsistent rapid-fire responses can flag the validity checks.
After the test
You will not receive your results immediately at MEPS. Your CSORT results are processed by Navy Recruiting Command and forwarded to the submarine community managers as part of your screening package. Your recruiter will contact you with next steps once the results have been reviewed.
How CSORT results factor into submarine eligibility
Your CSORT results are one component of a larger evaluation, not a standalone pass/fail gate. The submarine community managers review your full screening package: ASVAB scores, physical exam results, medical history, and CSORT profile together.
A strong CSORT profile does not guarantee a submarine contract. And a CSORT profile that raises questions does not automatically disqualify you. The community managers look at the complete picture.
If your CSORT results indicate areas of concern, there are a few possible outcomes:
- Additional evaluation: You may be referred for a follow-up psychological evaluation with a military mental health professional. This is not a disqualification. It is a deeper look at the same traits the CSORT was measuring.
- Counseling review: In some cases, a clinical reviewer examines your responses before any final determination is made.
- Alternative assignment: If the submarine screening process determines that submarine duty is not the right fit, you remain eligible for other Navy assignments based on your ASVAB scores and qualifications. A CSORT outcome that redirects you away from submarines does not affect your standing for surface, aviation, or other fleet billets.
The submarine community has limited billets. Even candidates who clear all screening steps may not receive a submarine contract immediately if billets are not available. Your recruiter will keep you updated on the availability of contracts in the ratings you qualify for.
How the CSORT differs from related Navy screening tools
Candidates who express interest in submarine service sometimes confuse the CSORT with other tests in the Navy’s qualification pipeline. The three are different in purpose, format, and what they predict.
CSORT vs. NAPT
The NAPT is a knowledge-based aptitude test for nuclear field candidates. It covers algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics, and chemistry. Candidates who want to enter the nuclear propulsion program but whose ASVAB math and science scores fall just below the qualifying threshold take the NAPT as a second shot at demonstrating technical aptitude.
The CSORT measures nothing like that. It does not test what you know. It evaluates how you tend to think, feel, and behave under pressure. Some nuclear-trained Sailors serve on submarines and encounter both tests, but they serve entirely different screening purposes.
CSORT vs. SEAL and SOF screening
The name “Special Operations Resiliency Test” creates confusion. The CSORT is not part of the Navy Special Warfare (SEAL) screening pipeline. SEALs and other Naval Special Warfare candidates go through a different set of psychological and physical evaluations specific to that community.
The CSORT is a submarine screening tool. The word “Special Operations” in the name reflects the historical origins of the test instrument, not the community it currently screens.
CSORT vs. ASVAB
The ASVAB is an academic aptitude battery that measures your knowledge and reasoning across 10 subject areas. It determines which ratings you qualify for and establishes the academic baseline Navy Recruiting uses to match you to programs. Submarine ratings require specific ASVAB line score composites: you need VE+AR+MK+MC = 210 or VE+AR+MK+EI = 210 to qualify for most submarine technical ratings.
The ASVAB tells the Navy what you can learn. The CSORT tells the Navy how you’ll hold up doing it for months at a time in a sealed metal tube.
| Test | Type | What it measures | Who takes it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASVAB | Aptitude | Knowledge and reasoning | All Navy recruits |
| NAPT | Aptitude | Math and science depth | Nuclear field candidates |
| CSORT | Psychological | Personality traits, stress response | Submarine volunteers |
Frequently asked questions
Can I study for the CSORT?
No. The CSORT measures personality traits and cognitive patterns developed over years, not knowledge you can acquire from a book. There is no material to study. No commercial prep products exist for this test, and that is not a gap in the market. It is because preparation in the traditional sense does not apply here.
The most useful thing you can do before the test is get enough sleep, eat before you go, and answer every question honestly. Rested, well-fed people produce more consistent responses than exhausted, hungry ones.
What does it mean to answer honestly?
Answer each question based on how you actually think and behave, not how you think the Navy wants you to answer. The CSORT includes validity scales that detect inconsistent response patterns. If you answer every question in the most extreme positive direction or shift your answers based on what you think sounds best, those patterns show up in the scoring. Honest responses produce a cleaner profile.
Is there a passing score?
There is no single cutoff score that determines pass or fail. The CSORT generates a psychological profile, and the submarine community managers interpret that profile in context alongside the rest of your screening package. Think of it less like a test you pass and more like a layer of information that informs a human decision.
What happens if the results raise a concern?
The submarine community managers may refer you for additional evaluation by a military mental health professional. This is not a disqualification. Many candidates who go through a follow-up evaluation proceed with their submarine contracts. The follow-up is a more detailed look at the same things the CSORT was measuring, conducted by a clinician rather than a computer.
If the overall screening process determines that submarine duty is not the best match, you continue your enlistment process and choose from other ratings your ASVAB scores support. The CSORT outcome does not close other doors.
Can I retake the CSORT?
Retesting policies are set by Navy Recruiting Command and may depend on the specific reason a retest is being considered. Your recruiter is the right person to ask. If a retest is available, your recruiter will advise on the waiting period and next steps.
Do officers take the CSORT?
Officer submarine candidates may undergo psychological screening as part of their commissioning program, but the specific instruments and process differ from the enlisted CSORT. If you are pursuing an officer path to submarine service, your officer recruiter or program coordinator will explain what screening applies to your route.
How long before I hear back about my results?
Processing time varies. Your recruiter will contact you once the results have been reviewed by Navy Recruiting Command and forwarded to the submarine community managers. It is rarely the same day. Plan for a few business days to a couple of weeks, depending on where you are in the overall screening process.
Is the CSORT used for any other Navy programs besides submarines?
The CSORT is primarily associated with the submarine screening pipeline for enlisted candidates. Other Navy communities have their own screening instruments. If you are also pursuing nuclear field ratings or special warfare programs, those pipelines have separate evaluations specific to their requirements.
For the full picture of Navy qualification tests and how to prepare for each one, see the test-prep guide index.