The Australian Citizenship Test: Eligibility and Prep

After becoming a permanent resident (Permanent Resident — PR) and settling in Australia for a period, for many people the final step on the settlement journey is naturalisation — becoming an Australian citizen. The most common path is citizenship by conferral, in which an important component is the citizenship test.

This article explains the groups of conditions for naturalisation eligibility, the content and format of the citizenship test, and how to prepare. It is an educational explainer about the conditions and the test — not application advice for an individual case. Every specific threshold and condition can change, so you need to check on the citizenship pages of the Department of Home Affairs (Home Affairs) for your own circumstances.

Who is eligible to naturalise?

To naturalise by conferral, an applicant usually has to meet several groups of conditions at once. The main groups are:

• General residence requirement: you must have lived in Australia for the required period, including a phase in which you held permanent resident status. This is a requirement about actual time living in Australia and time holding PR status — the specific thresholds change, so check on the Home Affairs citizenship pages.
• Good character: the applicant must meet the character requirement. Factors such as legal history may be considered; the specific criteria are set by Home Affairs.
• Intention to continue residing in / maintaining a connection to Australia: you need to show an intention to continue living in Australia or to maintain a close connection with Australia. The specific interpretation and requirements are set by Home Affairs.
• Basic English ability: the conferral path usually requires a basic level of English. The level and how it is demonstrated change — check Home Affairs.
• Passing the citizenship test: most applicants within the required age range must sit and pass the citizenship test (see the section below). Some groups are exempt — check Home Affairs.

Each of these conditions has its own thresholds and exceptions. Because the figures and criteria can be adjusted over time, you should not rely on memory or unofficial sources — always confirm on the Department of Home Affairs citizenship pages.

The Australian citizenship test

The citizenship test is part of the conferral naturalisation process for most applicants within the required age range. The test content is based on the official handbook “Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond”, published by the Department of Home Affairs.

The scope of knowledge in the test revolves around:

• Australian values: the foundational values that Australia upholds, such as respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual, equality, democracy, the rule of law and tolerance.
• Australian history: the main features of the country’s history and how it was formed.
• The system of government and democratic traditions: how government is organised, and the role of elections and the law.
• The rights and responsibilities of citizens: what Australian citizens are entitled to and responsible for.

In terms of format, the test is taken as a multiple-choice test on a computer. Applicants answer questions based on the content of Our Common Bond. The number of questions, how results are scored and the specific pass mark are set by Home Affairs and can change — check on the Department of Home Affairs citizenship test pages.

Some groups of applicants are exempt from the test in certain circumstances, for example based on age or other conditions. Whether you fall into an exempt group depends on the current rules — check Home Affairs to confirm.

How to prepare for the test

Preparing for the citizenship test is fairly straightforward, because all of the content is based on publicly available official material:

• Study “Our Common Bond”: this is the source material for the test. The Department of Home Affairs provides it free on the citizenship pages, in several formats. You should read carefully the knowledge that falls within the testable scope.
• Do the official practice test: Home Affairs provides a practice test so you can get familiar with the question style and how the test works. This is a good way to assess your own readiness before sitting the real test.
• Revise the Australian values section thoroughly: the Australian values section plays an important role in the test. Take the time to understand the foundational values and their meaning, rather than just memorising by rote.

Because the content and material may be updated, always use the latest version of Our Common Bond and the practice test directly from the official Department of Home Affairs source, rather than copies floating around online.

After passing: the pledge

Passing the test and having your application approved is not the final step. For most people naturalising by conferral, to officially become an Australian citizen you must also attend a citizenship ceremony and recite the Australian Citizenship Pledge.

At the ceremony, the new citizen commits to loyalty to Australia and its people, and to upholding the country’s democratic rights and freedoms and its laws. You only officially become an Australian citizen after completing this step. The rules on attending the ceremony and any exceptions are set by Home Affairs.

Notes by circumstance

The path to naturalisation is not the same for everyone. Some circumstances have their own rules:

• New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category Visa (SCV): some New Zealand citizens living in Australia may have a direct naturalisation path that does not necessarily follow the same sequence as other permanent residents. See the details in the article on the PR and citizenship pathway for New Zealand citizens.
• Children and people born in Australia: the citizenship status of children, as well as of people born in Australia, is governed by its own rules and may not require sitting the test in the way that adults naturalising by conferral do.

These are only a few examples. Because each category has different conditions, you should check to make sure you are looking at the correct naturalisation category for your circumstances, and confirm on the official Department of Home Affairs source.

Further reading

• From PR to Australian citizenship — the conceptual steps from permanent resident to citizen.
• How permanent residence and citizenship differ — a comparison of entitlements, risks and why many people move towards citizenship.
• 19 pathways to PR — an overview of the routes to becoming a permanent resident before thinking about citizenship.

Naturalisation is the step that completes the settlement journey for many permanent residents, bringing a stability of status and entitlements that PR does not have. The conditions, the test and the pledge all have clear rules, but the specific thresholds can change — always rely on the Department of Home Affairs citizenship pages for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Last updated: 13/06/2026. Migration rules change frequently — always check the official source.