How to prepare for the Australian citizenship test

Home Affairs recommends these free resources to prepare:

• Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond: the testable section, available in English and 40 community languages. All test questions are based on it.
• The Our Common Bond podcast: useful for listening practice and revising on the go.
• The official practice test: designed to look and feel like the real test, but a sample only.
• AMEPOnline citizenship modules: interactive material for English language learners.

Home Affairs also says it does not endorse or recommend external courses, including paid apps. You don’t need to pay for anything to prepare. This site is a free, independent practice tool to use alongside the official material.

1. Read the testable section of Our Common Bond. Home Affairs says all test questions are based on it. Read the four testable parts once from start to finish, in English and, if it helps, in your own language.
2. Study one part at a time. Work through Australia and its people; democratic beliefs, rights and liberties; government and the law; and Australian values, making short notes on each.
3. Practise each part with questions. After studying a part, answer practice questions on it straight away to check what stuck.
4. Master the Australian values questions. All 5 values questions on the test must be correct, so practise them until you get every one right.
5. Review your mistakes. Go back over every question you got wrong, read the explanation, and retry it until you answer it correctly.
6. Take timed mock tests. Sit full 20-question tests with the 45-minute timer until you pass consistently with 5/5 on values.
7. Try the official practice test. Use the Home Affairs practice test to see the official look and feel. It is a sample only; the questions on the day are different.

Study notes and practice for each part:

• Australia and its people: study · practise
• Australia’s democratic beliefs, rights and liberties: study · practise
• Government and the law in Australia: study · practise
• Australian values: study · practise

How long you need depends on how familiar you are with the material. Here is one example of a week built from short sessions:

Repeat until you have covered all four parts, then shift towards mock tests and reviewing mistakes. Flashcards and quick practice suit short breaks.

Australian values is the part where there is no margin for error: you need 5 out of 5. Aim to understand each value well enough to apply it to a real situation.

The test is conducted in English only. Reading Our Common Bond in your own language can help you understand the ideas, but make sure you also read it in English so the words on the test are familiar.

Home Affairs points English learners to the AMEPOnline citizenship modules and suggests considering the Adult Migrant English Program to improve your English.

A good sign is passing several full mock tests in a row with both rules met:

• at least 15/20 overall, and
• 5/5 on the values questions every time.

Your progress page tracks your recent mock tests and values accuracy on this device. Practice results are a guide only. They can’t predict your real result.