The selection starts with a pre-selection, followed by phase 1 (basic capacities assessment, BCO), phase 2 (sensorimotor assessment, SMO), phase 3 (core competence assessment, KCO) and phase 4, the interview with the KLM Flight Academy admissions committee (TC) and KLM's Commissie van Aanname (COVA). The Aviation Medical Center carries out the pre-selection, the BCO, the SMO and the core competence assessment on three non-consecutive days at its office in Amsterdam, and after each phase it is decided whether you continue. For the whole selection you pay a personal contribution of EUR 335.56

The aeromedical centre sends an email invitation to create an account, which allows candidates to check the schedule and choose a suitable day to start the initial round. Successful candidates are invited to the subsequent selection phase, while others are informed that they have not passed. Only after a positive result are candidates invited to schedule the basic capacities assessment (BCO). Those meeting the minimum requirements continue after the lunch break to the Sensorimotor Assessment (SMO). Anyone who completes the whole selection receives a report with all results and a recommendation. Candidates can download the report themselves and then decide whether the aeromedical centre may share it with the school.17

Candidates report that since the end of April 2025 there has been a pre-selection before phase 1 of the KLM Flight Academy selection. The KLM Flight Academy pre-selection consists of personality questionnaires, intellectual aptitude tests and two sensorimotor tests measuring eye-hand-foot coordination and reactive stress tolerance, administered by the aeromedical centre.17

Phase 1, the basic capacities assessment (BCO), takes about 2 hours and covers numerical and verbal capacities, abstract-analytical ability and logical reasoning. If you meet the minimum requirements, you continue after the lunch break to the sensorimotor assessment (SMO), which also takes about 2 hours.7

If you withdraw after passing phase 2 or 3, the school recovers the selection costs up to a maximum of EUR 1,800, possibly plus the advanced costs of the medical examination.5

The total selection procedure takes about three to six months.6

During the sensorimotor tests, the aeromedical centre observes the result and the approach to the task. The KLM Flight Academy explicitly asks candidates not to take selection training, because learned behaviour distorts the competency assessment; for the aptitude tests the school itself does mention (free) practice sites. The KLM Flight Academy advises being fit and alert, noting that excessive practice can lead to working faster but also to more mistakes.6

The questionnaires from the pre-selection are revisited in the core competence assessment, where they are checked and discussed alongside other information. In this phase the Aviation Medical Center looks further into your personality and interpersonal qualities.7

One applicant (2024) failed the first round of the KLM Flight Academy selection on technical and spatial comprehension. One applicant (2025) was rejected in the KLM FA pre-selection on extraversion, technical comprehension and eye-hand-foot coordination.13

Phase 4 is an interview of 30 to 45 minutes with the KLM Flight Academy admissions committee and KLM's COVA at KLM in Schiphol. It covers, among other things, your selection results, your life history and your motivation to become a pilot.6

The pre-selection looks at basic requirements for learning to fly. For the pre-selection, the aeromedical centre lists technical comprehension and planning ability as intellectual components, whereas numerical and verbal abilities alongside abstract and logical reasoning are covered in the basic capacities assessment (BCO).7