Most applicants for Australian citizenship by conferral who are aged between 18 and 59 must pass the Australian citizenship test as part of their application. The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions drawn from the Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond (OCB) resource booklet and is conducted in English at a DHA office. To pass, applicants must correctly answer all 5 Australian values questions and achieve a score of at least 15 out of 20 overall (75%) — both conditions must be met. Applicants who pass the test and whose application is approved are invited to a citizenship ceremony where they make the pledge of commitment to Australia. Citizenship is not conferred until the pledge is made at the ceremony. This page explains the test, the study material, the pass mark, and the ceremony.

For current information on the citizenship test, interview, and ceremony, refer to the DHA citizenship interview and test page. To access the Our Common Bond booklet and practice tests, refer to the DHA Our Common Bond page.

• Australian Citizenship Act 2007, s 21(2)(c) — citizenship by conferral requirement that applicants demonstrate an adequate knowledge of Australia and the responsibilities and privileges of citizenship
• Australian Citizenship Act 2007, s 21(2)(d) — applicants must have an adequate knowledge of the English language
• Australian Citizenship Regulations 2016 — prescribe the citizenship test requirements and the approved test
• DHA: Citizenship interview and test — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship-test
• DHA: Our Common Bond booklet (testable version) — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/OCB-testable
• DHA: Prepare for the citizenship test — immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/prepare-for-test

Who must take the citizenship test

The citizenship test requirement applies to applicants for citizenship by conferral who are aged 18 to 59 at the time of the test. Applicants who are:

• Under 18 — do not take the test; children under 18 are granted citizenship either with a parent or separately under the child citizenship pathway
• 60 and over — do not take the test; the knowledge test requirement does not apply to this age group, though the application process still applies

The English language adequacy requirement (that the applicant has an adequate knowledge of English) is assessed for the same age group — DHA assesses English ability during the test and interview process.

The Our Common Bond study resource

Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond (OCB) is the official DHA resource booklet that forms the basis of all citizenship test questions. It covers:

• Australian values: democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, equal opportunity for all, respect for others, and a spirit of egalitarianism
• Australian history: from Indigenous Australians through to Federation (1 January 1901), the world wars, and the post-war immigration program
• Government and law: the Australian system of government (federal, state, and local), the Constitution, Parliament, the role of the Governor-General, rights and responsibilities of citizens
• Australian society: symbols, national days, and key institutions

The OCB is available in English and in 40 community languages — but the test itself is conducted in English only. Applicants can use the translated version to understand the content, but must be able to read the test questions in English.

A free online citizenship practice test is available on the DHA website to help applicants prepare.

The test — format and pass mark

The citizenship test is conducted at a DHA office. Key features:

• 20 questions — randomly selected multiple-choice questions based on the OCB booklet
• Conducted in English only — interpreters are not provided for the test itself (though an interpreter may be used for non-test parts of the interview)
• Pass mark: to pass, the applicant must:
  — Answer all 5 Australian values questions correctly (the 5 values questions are identified as such — there is no partial credit on these), AND
  — Achieve an overall score of at least 15 out of 20 (75%)
  Both conditions must be met — passing the overall score alone does not suffice if any values question is incorrect

The test is conducted on a computer at the DHA office under the supervision of a DHA officer. Applicants who fail the test can retake it — DHA will reschedule the test; there is no indefinite bar on retaking, but the application processing continues while retakes are scheduled.

The citizenship interview

In addition to the test, DHA may conduct a citizenship interview as part of the application. The interview allows the DHA officer to:

• Verify the applicant's identity
• Assess English language ability (an adequate knowledge of English is required for the same age group as the test)
• Confirm the applicant's understanding of Australian values and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship
• Address any concerns arising from the application

Not all applicants are interviewed — the interview is more likely for applicants whose language ability is uncertain from the application alone, or where DHA has questions about the application.

After passing the test — the citizenship ceremony

Once the application is approved, the applicant is invited to attend a citizenship ceremony. At the ceremony:

• The applicant makes the Pledge of Commitment as a new Australian citizen — the pledge affirms the applicant's loyalty to Australia, support for Australian democratic beliefs, respect for rights and freedoms, and upholding of the laws of Australia
• Citizenship is conferred at the ceremony when the pledge is made — the application approval alone does not make the person a citizen
• Citizenship ceremonies are typically conducted by local councils, though DHA also conducts some ceremonies (including for protection visa holders and other groups)
• After the ceremony, the person receives their citizenship certificate

The applicant must continue to meet all citizenship requirements up to the date of the ceremony — a new criminal conviction or other disqualifying event between approval and the ceremony must be disclosed to DHA. For information on citizenship by conferral eligibility requirements, see the Australian citizenship by conferral page.

The dual pass mark requirement — all 5 values questions correct, plus 75% overall — catches a small number of applicants who achieve the overall score but miss a values question. The values questions are clearly identified in the practice tests, and applicants should ensure they have memorised the Australian values as stated in the OCB booklet. The test is conducted at a DHA office and is not available online — applicants who are not based near a major city should be prepared to travel. Applicants who have difficulty reading English may find the test challenging — if the applicant's English is at a level where the test would be unfair (for example, due to severe disability or very limited schooling), DHA has processes for exemption on compassionate grounds. For the current test format, the OCB booklet in community languages, the online practice test, and ceremony information, refer to the DHA citizenship test and interview page.