Ranger School Requirements: The New RPFA, Phases, and What to Expect

Ranger School is the Army's premier small-unit leadership course, and it is one of the hardest schools in the military. It is open to soldiers across the Army, not just the 75th Ranger Regiment, and earning the Ranger tab is a career-defining accomplishment. Here is what the course requires, including the new fitness assessment that took effect in 2025.

Ranger School vs RASP

First, clear up a common mix-up. RASP is the selection pipeline for the 75th Ranger Regiment. Ranger School is a leadership course that any qualified soldier can attend, and passing it earns the Ranger tab. They are different things. If you are researching the Regiment instead, read our guide to RASP and our SFAS vs RASP breakdown.

The new Ranger Physical Fitness Assessment (RPFA)

In April 2025 the Army replaced the old entry test with the Ranger Physical Fitness Assessment 2.0, built around continuous, combat-relevant movement rather than isolated calisthenics. It includes:

• A timed combat-style circuit, roughly 14 minutes, that strings together an 800-meter run, a wall climb, individual movement techniques, a farmer's carry with water cans, and a SKEDCO casualty drag.
• 6 chin-ups with strict form.
• A four-mile run in 32 minutes or less.

The change lowered the old push-up requirement (the legacy test asked for 49 push-ups and 59 sit-ups) and shifted the emphasis toward carrying loads and moving under fatigue, which is closer to what the course actually demands.

The 12-mile ruck

During the assessment phase, students complete a 12-mile foot march carrying an average load around 47 pounds. Miss the three-hour cutoff and you are dropped. Rucking is the single most trainable, most decisive skill for Ranger School, and most failures here come from soldiers who did not build their feet and legs for loaded distance.

The three phases

The course runs about 62 days across three phases that follow a crawl, walk, run model:

• Benning (Darby) Phase, about 21 days, builds the fundamentals of small-unit tactics and weeds out those not ready, starting with the brutal RAP week.
• Mountain Phase, about 20 days in the north Georgia mountains, focuses on mountaineering and patrolling in steep, punishing terrain.
• Swamp (Florida) Phase, about 20 days, emphasizes patrolling and small-unit tactics in jungle and swamp conditions.

Most students operate on little sleep and limited food the entire time, which is the real test: leading and making decisions when you are completely depleted.

How to prepare for Ranger School

Rucking and running win Ranger School. Build a heavy ruck base over months so your feet and joints adapt, and keep your four-mile run well under the standard so it is never in doubt. Train your grip and pulling strength for the chin-ups and load carriage, and add the kind of work-capacity circuits that mirror the new RPFA. Our 16-week ruck progression is a strong foundation.

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Ranger School FAQ

How long is Ranger School?

About 62 days across three phases, though students who recycle a phase can be there much longer.

What is the new Ranger fitness test?

The RPFA 2.0, introduced in April 2025: a timed combat circuit, 6 strict chin-ups, and a four-mile run in 32 minutes or less.

Do you have to be in the Ranger Regiment to attend?

No. Ranger School is open to qualified soldiers across the Army. The 75th Ranger Regiment is a separate organization with its own selection, RASP.

What load is the 12-mile ruck?

An average of about 47 pounds, with a three-hour time cutoff.

Ranger School standards and the RPFA are set by the U.S. Army and were updated in 2025. Confirm current requirements through official Army sources.