What happens if you fail the Australian citizenship test?
First, what "fail" actually means. The pass rule has two parts, and a sitting fails when either part is missed:
- scoring below 75% — fewer than 15 of the 20 questions correct, or
- getting any of the 5 Australian Values questions wrong — whatever the overall score.
That second part is why people fail with scores that look comfortable: 19 of 20 with one wrong values answer is a fail, while 15 of 20 with a clean values section is a pass. The worked examples are on the pass mark guide, and the must-pass section has a guide of its own.
Retake rules — where they actually live
Everything procedural about the official test — whether and when you can sit it again, how rebooking works, and anything to do with appointments or fees — is set by the Department of Home Affairs, and those arrangements can change. This page deliberately does not restate them: a third-party summary (including this one) can go stale without notice. Check the current rules on the official Home Affairs immigration and citizenship site (our cost, eligibility & booking guide collects the official links in one place), and treat anything you read elsewhere as a starting point, not an answer.
Before the next attempt: diagnose, then drill
A failed sitting tells you something specific — use it. Work out which part of the rule you missed:
- Below 75% overall? The gap is breadth. Study the testable sections you avoided, not the topics you already like — an average built on your strong areas hides exactly the questions that cost you the sitting.
- A values question? Treat the values section as its own exam. Read the values section of the booklet slowly, then drill it until a clean 5-for-5 is your normal result — not just until you scrape through once. If an answer choice makes a value sound optional or negotiable, it is almost always the wrong choice.
Then practise under the real conditions before you rebook: 20 questions, 45 minutes, scored with the real two-part rule. One good practice score can be luck — you are ready when even your worst recent sitting clears both parts of the rule. Our free practice app scores every mock exam that way, always includes 5 values questions like the real test, tracks your weak areas, and builds a readiness estimate from your recent answers, so the decision to rebook rests on evidence rather than hope. The study plan lays that rebuild out step by step.
What doesn't change
None of your preparation is wasted. The test stays based on the same testable sections of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond — Parts 1–3 and the values section (see what is on the test) — so everything you already know still counts; the job is to close the specific gap that failed the sitting, not to start again.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if you fail the Australian citizenship test?
A sitting fails if you score below 75% (fewer than 15 of 20 correct) or answer any of the 5 Australian Values questions incorrectly. Arrangements for retaking — booking, timing and anything else procedural — are set by the Department of Home Affairs and can change, so check the official Home Affairs website for the current rules.
Why do people fail the citizenship test with high scores?
Because the 5 Australian Values questions must all be correct. A sitting with 19 of 20 overall but one wrong values answer is a fail, while 15 of 20 with a clean values section is a pass.
How do I know when I'm ready to sit the test again?
Consistency beats one good score. Aim for repeated mock-exam passes under the real conditions — 20 questions, 45 minutes, 75% plus an all-correct values section — so that even your worst recent sitting clears both parts of the rule.
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
- The test in your language
- How to pass — the study plan
- 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.