What is on the Australian Citizenship Test?
The test checks your knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship, based on the official booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, published by the Department of Home Affairs. Everything testable comes from that booklet — so knowing what it covers tells you exactly what to study, and what you can safely skip.
The format
- 20 multiple-choice questions with a 45-minute time limit.
- Pass mark 75% — you need 15 of 20 correct (see how the pass mark works).
- 5 Australian Values questions that you must all answer correctly — a single wrong values answer fails the test (see the values questions guide).
- Questions are drawn from Parts 1–3 and the Values section of Our Common Bond; Part 4 is not tested.
The four test areas
The testable material groups into four official areas — each has a study guide of its own:
- Australia and its people (Part 1) — First Peoples, European settlement, Federation and migration, plus the things that mark the nation's identity: flags, symbols, the anthem, and the states and territories.
- Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties (Part 2) — democratic beliefs, freedoms such as freedom of speech and freedom of religion, and the responsibilities and privileges that come with citizenship.
- Government and the law in Australia (Part 3) — how Parliament works, the three levels and three arms of government, the courts, voting, and the Constitution.
- Australian values (Values section) — the commitments every citizen makes, and the source of the 5 must-pass questions on every test.
What is not tested
Part 4 of Our Common Bond is not tested. Study time is best spent on the testable sections — Parts 1–3 and the values section — and on practising the format until it feels routine.
Example facts the test expects
A feel for the level of detail, drawn from the booklet's testable sections:
- Voting in elections is compulsory for citizens aged 18 and over.
- Australia's Head of State is the King, represented in Australia by the Governor-General.
- The Constitution can only be changed by a referendum — a national vote.
- Everyone is equal under the law and no person or group is above it — including leaders and the police.
None of this is trick material — but the test expects it as firm knowledge, not a vague impression, and the wrong options are written to catch half-remembered versions of each fact.
How to prepare
Read the testable sections of the booklet first — official translations exist in a range of community languages (see the test in your language) — then practise against the same rule the real test uses; the study plan turns that into six concrete steps. Want a feel for the questions before you start? Try a free sample of questions and answers. Our free practice app gives you source-verified questions on every testable topic, plain-English lessons, and mock exams that mirror the real format — 20 questions, 45 minutes, 75% to pass, and a values section that must be all-correct. It runs in your browser with no sign-up, no ads and no trackers, and works offline after the first load.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the Australian citizenship test?
The test has 20 multiple-choice questions and a 45-minute time limit. You need 15 of 20 correct (75%) to pass, and you must also answer all 5 Australian Values questions correctly.
What topics does the citizenship test cover?
Questions come from the testable sections of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond — Australia and its people; Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties; government and the law in Australia; and Australian values. Part 4 of the booklet is not tested.
Where do the test questions come from?
All test material is drawn from the testable sections of the official booklet Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond, published by the Department of Home Affairs. If it is not in those sections, it is not on the test.
More citizenship test guides
- 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
- 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.