How to pass the Australian citizenship test — a study plan
Passing is a clear, checkable target. The rule has two parts: score at least 75% (15 of 20 questions) and answer all 5 Australian Values questions correctly — in the same 45-minute sitting (see how the pass mark works). Everything testable comes from one booklet. That makes the preparation unusually plannable — here is the plan, in six steps.
Step 1 — Get the official booklet
Download Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, the free official booklet from the Department of Home Affairs. Every test question is drawn from its testable sections, so it is the one resource you cannot skip.
The English testable PDF is free to download, and official translations exist in a range of community languages — see the test in your language. For a map of what is inside, read our booklet summary first.
Step 2 — Read for meaning, one area at a time
Work through the four official test areas in order and make sure the ideas themselves are clear before you memorise anything. Only Parts 1 to 3 and the values section are testable.
Each area has a guide of its own: Australia and its people, democratic beliefs, rights and liberties, government and the law, and Australian values.
Step 3 — Turn understanding into firm knowledge
The test expects dates, names and numbers as firm knowledge, not a vague impression — 1788 and 1901, the 7-point Commonwealth Star, the three levels and three arms of government. Learn the exact facts, because the wrong answer options are written to catch half-remembered versions.
Step 4 — Drill the values section until 5-for-5 is normal
Every test includes 5 Australian Values questions and all 5 must be correct — one wrong values answer fails the sitting regardless of your overall score. Practise this section until a clean 5-for-5 is your normal result, not your best result.
The values guide covers what the questions expect and the misreadings that cost sittings.
Step 5 — Sit full mock exams under the real rules
Practise the real format until it feels routine: 20 questions, 45 minutes, a 75% pass mark, and an all-correct values section, scored exactly as the real test scores it.
Our free practice app scores every mock with the real two-part rule and always includes 5 values questions — see how the pass mark works.
Step 6 — Judge readiness by your worst sitting, then book
One good score can be luck. You are ready when even your worst recent sitting clears both parts of the rule. Booking, fees and eligibility are set by the Department of Home Affairs, so use the official site for the practical steps.
Our cost, eligibility & booking guide collects the official links in one place.
How long will it take?
That depends on where you start — how familiar Australia's history and system of government already are, and how comfortable you are reading English. The reliable signal is not days on a calendar but consistency: when mock exam after mock exam clears both parts of the rule, with a clean values section every time, you are ready; while scores still swing, you are not. Let the results, not the calendar, make the booking decision.
Frequently asked questions
How do you pass the Australian citizenship test?
Score at least 75% — 15 of 20 multiple-choice questions — and answer all 5 Australian Values questions correctly in the same 45-minute sitting. Prepare by studying the testable sections of the official Our Common Bond booklet and practising full mock exams under those exact rules.
How long should I study for the citizenship test?
It depends on your starting point, so use consistency rather than a calendar: you are ready when repeated mock exams clear both parts of the rule — 75% overall and an all-correct values section — including your worst recent sitting, not just your best.
Can I study for the test in my own language?
Yes — the Department of Home Affairs publishes official translations of the booklet's testable section in a range of community languages, and reading one for understanding works well. The test itself is conducted in English only, so pair the translation with English-language practice.
More citizenship test guides
- What is on the citizenship test?
- What score do you need to pass?
- Australian Values questions
- Free practice questions and answers
- What happens if you fail?
- The test in your language
- Our Common Bond — booklet summary
- Cost, eligibility & booking
- Free practice app — 500 source-verified questions, lessons and mock exams
Unofficial study aid — not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Australian Government or the Department of Home Affairs. Every practice question is verified against the official booklet. Always confirm anything important against the official Our Common Bond booklet.