Australian Citizenship Test 2026: booking, questions, pass mark and free practice
The Australian citizenship test is run by the Department of Home Affairs for most people applying for citizenship by conferral. There is no national exam date and you do not book it yourself: after you apply, the Department invites you to a citizenship appointment and tells you the date, time and place. The test is 20 multiple-choice questions in English, in 45 minutes, and you pass with 15 right and all five Australian values questions right. This guide explains how the appointment works, the pass rule, the syllabus and a study plan.
Australian citizenship test at a glance
| Conducting body | Department of Home Affairs |
| What it is for | Australian citizenship by conferral, for most applicants aged 18 to 59 |
| Mode | On a computer at a Department office or some regional and overseas locations |
| Questions | 20 multiple choice, 5 of them on Australian values |
| Time | 45 minutes (90 minutes for an eligible Assisted Test) |
| Marking | At least 15 of 20 (75%) and all 5 values questions right; a wrong answer scores 0 |
| Language | English |
| How often | Once your appointment is set; a pass stays valid |
| Official website | immi.homeaffairs.gov.au |
Test dates and booking
You cannot pick a public test date. Home Affairs pages say that once your application is received you will be invited to a citizenship appointment, by a letter giving the date, place and time, and that you do not need to contact the Department to ask for one. Applicants are usually invited to the test centre closest to their home address; waiting times vary between centres. The Department's own test page could not be opened on 20 October 2026 (it refused the request), so read it directly for any change.
There is no extra charge for the test: the Department says the citizenship application fee includes it.
How to apply
- Check your eligibility and apply for citizenship by conferral through the Department of Home Affairs.
- Wait for the appointment letter with the date, time and office.
- Bring a photo identity document, such as a passport, an Australian driver licence or an Australian-issued proof of age card. Copies and photos of ID are not accepted, and without photo ID your appointment is moved to a later date.
- At the appointment, an officer checks your identity and documents, and you sit the test on a computer.
- Books, notes and phones are not allowed during the test.
Exam pattern
| Part | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 20 multiple choice, drawn at random from the Department's bank |
| Values questions | 5 of the 20, on Australian values |
| Time | 45 minutes; 90 minutes for an eligible Assisted Test |
| Pass rule | At least 15 of 20 (75%) and all 5 values questions right |
| Moving around | You can move between questions and change answers until you submit |
The pass rule has a trap: 18 out of 20 still fails if one of the wrong answers is a values question. With all five values questions right, you need at least 10 of the other 15.
The Assisted Test, at 90 minutes with the same pass rule, is for applicants who have completed at least 400 hours of English tuition in the Adult Migrant English Program, or who have a physical or cognitive impairment that stops them sitting the standard test.
Syllabus
Questions come only from the testable section of Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond:
- Australia and its people: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the states and territories, national symbols
- Australia's democratic beliefs, rights and liberties: freedom of speech, association and religion, equality, the rule of law
- Government and the law in Australia: the Constitution, Parliament, elections, the three levels of government, the courts
- Australian values: freedom, respect, equality and the responsibilities of citizenship
Read the testable section closely; the rest of the book is useful background but not tested. Our Australian citizenship test syllabus sets out the four parts.
A plan for the weeks before your appointment
| Week | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Read the testable section of Our Common Bond once. Take a practice test. |
| 2 | Australian values first: read that part twice, since every values question must be right. |
| 3 | Government and the law: levels of government, Parliament, voting, courts. |
| 4 | Australia and its people, and democratic beliefs. Second practice test. |
| 5 onward | A practice test every two or three days. Do not stop until you get every values question right every time and score well above 15. |
The Department also offers its own practice test on its website; use it beside ours.
Useful links
- Citizenship test (Department of Home Affairs)
- Prepare for the citizenship test (Home Affairs)
- Our Common Bond, testable section (PDF)
- Free Australian citizenship practice tests
- Australian citizenship test syllabus
- Australian citizenship test dates
- Canadian Citizenship Test 2026: booking and pass mark
- Life in the UK Test 2026: booking and pass mark
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for the Australian citizenship test?
At least 15 out of 20 (75%), and all five Australian values questions must be right. A score of 15 or more with a values question wrong is a fail.
How do I book the Australian citizenship test?
You do not book it yourself. After you apply, Home Affairs sends you an appointment with the date, time and place.
How many questions are in the Australian citizenship test?
Twenty multiple-choice questions in English, five of them on Australian values, in 45 minutes.
Is there negative marking in the Australian citizenship test?
No. A wrong or blank answer scores nothing, and nothing more is taken off.
Does the citizenship test cost extra?
No. The Department says the test is included in the citizenship application fee.