Our Common Bond — the citizenship test booklet, summarised

Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond is the official booklet published by the Department of Home Affairs — and it is the whole syllabus: every question on the citizenship test is drawn from its testable sections. If it is not in those sections, it is not on the test. This page is a map of what is inside, so you know what you are studying and what you can safely skip.

What is testable — and what is not

Questions come from Parts 1–3 and the Values section. Part 4 is not tested — it is background reading, so study time is best spent on the four testable blocks below.

Part 1 — Australia and its people

First Peoples — the world's oldest continuing cultures — European settlement and the First Fleet (1788), Federation (1901) and migration, plus the nation's identity: flags, symbols, the anthem, and the states and territories. The most fact-dense part of the booklet. Full guide: Australia and its people.

Part 2 — Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties

Democratic beliefs, freedoms such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion, and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship — what you give (obey the law, vote, defend Australia if needed, jury service) and what you gain (passport, public-service jobs, standing for election, consular help). Full guide: democratic beliefs, rights and liberties.

Part 3 — Government and the law in Australia

How Parliament works, the three levels and three arms of government, the courts, voting, and the Constitution — including the facts the test leans on hardest: the King is Head of State, the Governor-General gives Royal Assent, and only a referendum changes the Constitution. Full guide: government and the law.

The Values section — the 5 must-pass questions

The commitments every citizen makes — freedom, respect, fairness, equality of opportunity and the rule of law. This short section supplies 5 of the 20 test questions, and all 5 must be correct to pass, which makes it the highest-stakes reading in the booklet. Full guide: the values questions.

Where to get the booklet — free

The testable section is a free official PDF from the Department of Home Affairs, and official translations exist in a range of community languages — around 40 when this page was last reviewed; the official Read Our Common Bond booklet page is the authority on the current list (see also the test in your language).

A summary is a map, not the study

Use this page to orient, then read the real thing — the test expects the booklet's detail as firm knowledge, and the wrong answer options are written to catch half-remembered versions. When you have read a part, drill it: our free practice app has 500 source-verified questions across all four areas, each answer citing the booklet section and page it was checked against, and mock exams that mirror the real format. The six-step study plan puts the whole route together.

Frequently asked questions

What is Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond?

The official citizenship test booklet published by the Department of Home Affairs. Every question on the citizenship test is drawn from its testable sections, which makes it the one essential study resource.

Which parts of Our Common Bond are testable?

Parts 1–3 and the Values section: Australia and its people; Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties; government and the law in Australia; and Australian values. Part 4 is not tested.

Where can I download Our Common Bond?

The testable section is a free PDF on the Department of Home Affairs website, and official translations are published in a range of community languages. The official 'Read Our Common Bond booklet' page carries the current list.

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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.