The complete Australian citizenship test guide

If you're preparing for the Australian citizenship test, this guide covers everything from who needs to sit it to what you'll face on the day. All questions come from one official source — Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond — and the test has a clear, fixed format.

Who takes the test

Most applicants aged between 18 and 59 must sit the citizenship test as part of their citizenship by conferral application. The Department of Home Affairs sends you a test appointment invitation — you don't book it yourself.

Exemptions apply for:

• Children under 18
• Applicants aged 60 or over
• Applicants with a permanent physical or mental incapacity that prevents them from sitting the test

See Australian citizenship test exemptions for full details on each category.

The test format

Feature	Detail
Questions	20 multiple-choice
Time limit	45 minutes
Format	Computer-based, in English
Pass mark	At least 15 correct (75%)
Values requirement	All 5 values questions correct — no exceptions
Source material	Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond

That second requirement — all five values questions correct — is the one that catches most people. You could answer 19 questions correctly and still fail if the one wrong answer was a values question. The values requirement is independent of your overall score.

For a detailed breakdown of pass/fail scenarios, see how the Australian citizenship test is scored.

What the test covers

All questions are drawn from the four testable sections of Our Common Bond:

1. Australia and its people

History, Indigenous cultures — including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples — migration, settlement, national symbols, and identity.

2. Democratic beliefs, rights, and liberties

How Australian democracy works, the rights citizens enjoy, and how Australians participate in civic life.

3. Government and the law

Australia's three levels of government (federal, state, and local), how laws are made, the role of the courts, and the Constitution. Questions here often test specific roles — for example, the difference between federal and state responsibilities.

4. Australian values

Principles including respect for the rule of law, equality of men and women, freedom of religion and speech, and tolerance of others. Five of the 20 questions come from this section, and all five must be answered correctly.

Values questions often use scenarios — a situation is described, and you choose the response that best reflects Australian values. Understanding why Australia holds these values matters more than memorising their names. See Australian citizenship test values questions explained.

Eligibility to apply

Before your test appointment arrives, you'll need to meet the citizenship by conferral eligibility requirements:

Requirement	Standard rule
Permanent residency	Must hold a valid permanent visa
Lawful residence	At least 4 years in Australia
As permanent resident	At least 12 of those months
Total absences	No more than 12 months over 4 years
Recent absences	No more than 90 days in the final 12 months
Good character	Required for applicants 18 and over

For the full eligibility overview, see requirements for Australian citizenship.

How to prepare

Step 1: read the official booklet

Our Common Bond is available free from the Department of Home Affairs: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/test-and-interview/our-common-bond

Read it in full before doing anything else. Don't start with practice tests — the booklet gives you the context that makes practice test answers make sense.

For a guide on how to get the most from the booklet, see Our Common Bond: the official citizenship resource.

Step 2: review each topic in your own words

After reading the booklet once, go back section by section and take short notes. Writing the ideas in your own words is more useful than passively re-reading the same paragraphs.

For each section:

• Australia and its people: note key dates, historical events, Indigenous Australian history, migration, and national symbols
• Democratic beliefs, rights, and liberties: list each right, freedom, and civic responsibility
• Government and the law: draw a simple diagram of the three levels of government and what each one does
• Australian values: write each value in your own words, then think of a scenario where it applies

Step 3: follow a study schedule

Spreading study over two to four weeks is more effective than cramming. A simple approach:

• First week: Read through the booklet, taking brief notes on each section
• Second week: Do practice tests section by section, reviewing every wrong answer in the booklet
• Ongoing: Take full 20-question timed tests without notes; focus on weak areas

For a day-by-day plan, see the Our Common Bond 14-day study plan.

Step 4: take practice tests properly

Practice tests under real conditions — timed, no notes, quiet environment — give you an honest picture of where you stand. Start with Practice Test 1 and work through the series.

After each test:

• Note every question you got wrong
• Find the relevant section in Our Common Bond
• Understand why the right answer is correct, not just what it is

For guidance on how many tests to do and what to focus on, see Australian citizenship practice test strategy.

Step 5: review wrong answers properly

Most people check the answer and move on. That is a missed opportunity. The review is where most of the learning happens.

For every wrong answer, ask why you chose the wrong option:

• Did you confuse two similar concepts, such as federal and state responsibilities?
• Did you misread the question?
• Did you know the fact but fail to apply it to the scenario?
• Was it a values question where you recognised the value but chose the wrong response?

For values questions especially, identify which value was being tested, go back to that section of the booklet, and make sure you understand the principle rather than only memorising the answer.

Step 6: focus extra time on values

Since all five values questions must be correct, they deserve more study time than their proportion of the test suggests. The values chapter is the most important part of the booklet to understand deeply — not just memorise.

Common mistake: picking the answer that sounds "nicest" rather than the one that actually upholds the relevant Australian value.

Other common values mistakes include:

• Confusing freedom of religion with only the right to practise a religion; it also includes the right not to hold religious beliefs
• Treating equality of men and women as only a workplace issue, when it applies across public and private life
• Memorising the names of the values without understanding how they apply in real situations

Study plans for different timeframes

7-day study plan

Use this only if your test is close and you can study every day.

Day	Focus
1	Read "Australia and its people" and take short notes
2	Read "Democratic beliefs, rights and liberties"
3	Read "Government and the law"
4	Read "Australian values"; explain each value aloud after reading
5	Take a full timed practice test and review every wrong answer
6	Re-read your weakest section and the values chapter
7	Take two more full tests and check your values score separately

14-day study plan

Days	Focus
1–2	Read "Australia and its people" — history, Indigenous cultures, migration
3	Read "Democratic beliefs, rights and liberties"
4	Read "Government and the law"
5–7	Read "Australian values" — slowly, with notes; explain each value in your own words
8–9	Take practice tests; review all wrong answers in the booklet
10–11	Revisit weak sections; re-do values chapter
12–13	Full timed tests; track values question score separately
14	Light review; prepare test-day logistics

30-day study plan

If you have a month, use the extra time to build confidence instead of cramming:

• Week 1: Read the booklet once without pressure and take brief notes
• Week 2: Re-read each section and do topic-specific practice questions
• Week 3: Take full timed practice tests every two days and review every wrong answer
• Week 4: Focus on weak areas and confirm you are consistently reaching 15/20 with all values questions correct

Tips for ESL applicants

If English is your second language:

• Read Our Common Bond in your community language first if a Department translation is available, then study the English version
• Focus on understanding the meaning of each question rather than translating word by word
• Spend extra time on the values section because scenario wording can be harder than simple fact questions
• Take several timed practice tests so the English question style feels familiar before test day

The test is conducted in English, so getting comfortable with the wording is part of effective preparation.

Common study mistakes

Avoid these mistakes:

• Starting practice tests before reading the booklet
• Only studying the topics you personally find interesting
• Memorising practice-test answers without understanding the source material
• Ignoring wrong answers instead of reviewing them in the booklet
• Treating values questions as normal questions, even though all five must be correct
• Leaving test-day logistics until the morning of the appointment

Are you ready?

Before your appointment, you should be able to say yes to all of these:

• I have read the full Our Common Bond booklet, including all testable sections
• I have completed multiple practice tests under timed conditions with no notes
• I am consistently scoring at least 15 correct answers
• I am getting all five values questions right in practice
• I know what to bring on test day and how to get to the test centre

Use the citizenship test self-assessment if you want a more structured readiness check.

Test day: what to do

Before leaving home:

• Locate and pack your appointment letter
• Locate and pack your original photo ID (passport or driver's licence)
• Check how long it takes to get to the test centre and plan to arrive 15–20 minutes early

At the test centre:

• Show your appointment letter and photo ID at check-in
• Staff will verify your identity before you enter the testing area
• Switch your phone off or to silent

During the test:

• Read each question carefully before selecting an answer
• Answer every question — there's no penalty for a wrong answer
• You have 45 minutes for 20 questions; don't rush

If you feel nervous, slow down and read the question again before answering. The day before the test should be light review, not heavy cramming: re-read the values section, check your notes, and get proper sleep.

After the test:

• Most applicants receive their result on the day
• If you pass, your application continues to the approval and ceremony stage
• If you don't pass, you'll be given information about your next steps

If you pass, see what to do after passing the Australian citizenship test for the approval, ceremony, and certificate steps.

For the full test-day checklist, see things to do on the day of your citizenship test.

What happens after you pass

Passing the test is not the last step. Your application moves into a final assessment phase — identity, character, and residency checks — before the Department approves it.

Once approved, you'll be invited to a citizenship ceremony by your local council. At the ceremony, you make the pledge of commitment. That is the moment you officially become an Australian citizen and receive your citizenship certificate.

If you don't pass first time, you'll generally be given the chance to resit. See what happens if you fail the citizenship test for what to expect.

Official source

All test information is maintained by the Department of Home Affairs: immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/test-and-interview/australian-citizenship-test

Related guides

• How the Australian citizenship test is scored
• Australian values questions explained
• Our Common Bond: the official resource book
• Things to do on the day of your citizenship test
• What happens if you fail the test
• Practice Test 1

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Always verify requirements with the Department of Home Affairs before your appointment.