The Australian government has published the official requirements for foreigners to pass its citizenship test, and the criteria are stringent, particularly on the section covering Australian values. According to the Australian Citizenship Practice Test portal, administered by the Department of Home Affairs, candidates must meet two distinct thresholds to be deemed successful.
Two Non-Negotiable Criteria for Passing
The first and most demanding requirement is that applicants must answer all five questions on Australian values correctly, achieving a perfect 100 per cent score on that section alone. There is no margin for error on these questions, irrespective of performance on the rest of the test.
The second requirement concerns overall test performance. Candidates must score at least 15 out of 20 questions correctly, translating to a passing mark of 75 per cent. Falling short on either criterion, even if exceeding the threshold on the other, results in failure.
Test Format and Strict Conditions
The citizenship test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions to be completed within 45 minutes. It is conducted entirely in English, with no exceptions. Candidates may answer questions in any order and can skip and return to earlier questions within the allotted time.
What is strictly prohibited during the test is equally clear: the use of books, handwritten notes, printed materials, mobile phones, and any other electronic devices is not allowed. The government recommends that applicants prepare by reading the Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond resource booklet ahead of the test date.
Practice Test and Preparation Resources
The practice test available on the portal serves as a preparation tool only, with the official notice making clear that actual questions on test day will differ from those in the sample. The study booklet is available in 40 community languages, including Swahili, Arabic, and French, to assist non-native English speakers.
Earlier reports indicated that the Australian government has published the Our Common Bond booklet, which contains everything needed to pass the citizenship test. The test is conducted in English only, but the booklet's multilingual availability underscores the government's effort to ensure all applicants can prepare adequately.
