Australian Citizenship Test is one of the core requirements to become an Australian Citizen. The citizenship of Australia is a privilege that comes with great rewards and responsibilities. Becoming an Australian Citizen is the beginning of your formal relationship with the Australian community. Australia is a democratic country with a multi-culture community where citizenship will allow you to practice your democratic rights. The Australian citizenship test is the final hurdle that you need to pass to become an Australian citizen.
Here in this article, we will focus on everything you need to know about the Australian citizenship test. Let’s get started.
About Australia
Australia is a country of an extraordinary landscape, rich culture, diverse nations, and one of the strongest economies in the world. What’s more amazing is that it’s the only country in the world that governs an entire continent. Moreover, Australia is considered to be one of the best countries in the world to live in. It’s ranked on top because of its health, education, wealth, and quality of life. Moreover, it’s the 6th largest country in the world by landmass. About 10% of the world’s biodiversity comes from Australia. The tropical rainforest in the north, red desert in the center, the vast snow-fields from the South-East to the Antarctic territory, this country is surrounded by the eye-catching beauty of nature. This amazing biodiversity of Australia, comparatively small population, a strong economy, and amazing practice of citizen rights make it one of the most popular countries to gain citizenship from.
Why You Should Apply For Australian Citizenship Test?
As said earlier, Australian citizenship is a privilege that comes with great rewards. Australia is one of the best countries to live in, for the quality of life there. If you become an Australian Citizen you will have access to all the citizenship rights of Australia which is still a dream in most of the parts of the world.
Here’s why you should apply for Australian citizenship.
⇒ Hassle-Free Living and Re-Entry
Acquiring Australian citizenship will allow you to live in the country indefinitely. You can leave the country and re-enter whenever you want to without having to stand in long queues of the immigrant counters. You can also live overseas for as long as you want to. But, if you live overseas for more than 5 years, you will have to apply every 5 years for a resident return visa.
⇒ Consular Assistance
DFAT, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia will ensure you consular support if you live overseas in case –
- There is any crisis like civil unrest, war, or any natural disaster.
- You get involved in an accident, illness, or crime.
- You get arrested overseas.
- Your passport gets stolen, lost, or expired; they will help you to replace it.
- Even in emergencies, they will issue you a repayable loan.
⇒ Right to Be a Part of Australian Democracy and Politics
Citizenship will give you the right to take part in Australian democracy and politics. If you are 18 years of age and above, you can apply your right of voting in federal and council elections. You will have the privilege to contest in elections. What’s more amazing is that you can even compete for the Australian Presidency!
⇒ Financial Aid for Education
As an Australian citizen, you will receive student loans for some eligible courses. There is a HECS-HELP loan for students who are studying in places supported by Commonwealth. This loan helps them to pay their student fees. But in case you study overseas, you won’t be eligible for this loan.
⇒ Visa-Free Travel
In terms of free travel, the Australian passport is the 8th strongest passport in the world. If you hold an Australian passport, you can travel to almost 169 countries with any visa or visa on arrival. You can even enter New Zealand and live their indefinitely.
Moreover, if you get Australian citizenship after passing the Australian citizenship test, you will have the right to-
- Freedom of speech and expression.
- Apply for working in the defense force and public services.
- Freedom of secular government and religion.
- Register children as Australian citizens even if they are born overseas.
- Freedom of association.
How to Apply For Australian Citizenship Test
The Australian Citizenship test is a must if you want to apply for citizenship. To apply for the test, first, you need to submit an application form. Then you need to pay the application fee to DOHA and wait for the appointment letter.
If your application meets all the requirements and you pass the Australian citizenship test, you will get an invitation to attend the Citizenship Ceremony where you will have to read the Australian pledge to become a citizen.
There are different ways to become an Australian citizen.
⇒ By Birth Right
If-
- One or both of your parents is an Australian citizen
- Your parents are permanent residents of Australia
- You were born here
You will automatically become a citizen of Australia by your birthright.
⇒ By Descendant Right
If you were born overseas but one or both of your parents is an Australian citizen, you will get citizenship by descendant right. Which means you will have all the rights and privileges of an Australian citizen.
⇒ By Grant
If you don’t meet the birthright or the descendant right, you can still apply for Australian citizenship by grant. But in such a case, you will have to meet all the requirements and pass the citizenship test.
Here are the pre-requirements to take the citizenship test.
- You are a permanent resident of Australia.
- You have lived in Australia for at least 4 years. It includes living at least 12 months as a permanent resident.
- You are above 16 years and below 60 years age.
- You have to show your identity proof during the registration. For this, you have to provide or allow the government to take your photograph.
- You have to get a character certificate.
- You have proper knowledge about your privilege and responsibilities as a citizen.
There are also exceptions. Not everyone needs to attend the Australian citizenship test. If you meet any of the criteria below you can apply for the citizen without attending the test.
- You are age below 16 years or above 60 years.
- Any of your parents is a former citizen of Australia.
- You have any physical disability that prevents you from taking the citizenship test.
- Your birthplace was Australia but you are stateless now.
- You were born before 1975 in Papua New Guinea.
Australian Citizenship Test – Backstory
Let’s take a look at the backstory of the Australian citizenship test. Back in 2006, it was first announced that applicants need to pass Australian citizenship test to get citizenship. It was due to checking whether the applicant has knowledge of the English language as English is the state language of Australia. Besides, another aim was to test if the applicant has proper knowledge about Australia. The ultimate goal was to determine if he or she is suited to be an Australian citizen.
The proposal for the test was implemented on 1 October 2007. The requirement was to get a 60% mark with answering 3 mandatory questions correctly. But, it showed on the statistics that about 20% of the applicants failed on their first attempt to pass the test.
Later on, the effectiveness of the citizenship test was reviewed. And the rule was changed to get 75% marks without having to answer any mandatory questions.
Since 1949, when Australian Citizenship was introduced, about 5 million people obtained citizenship. Though the number lowered when the test was introduced at first because a huge number of applicants failed the citizenship test, however, when the rules of the test were improvised, the number increased again.
In the year 2018-19, about 127,674 people became Australian citizens by conferral. Here’s a list of the number of people according to nationality (top 5).
| Nationality | Number of People |
| India | 28,470 |
| The United Kingdom | 13,364 |
| Philippines | 9,267 |
| Mainland China | 7,974 |
| Sri Lanka | 4,861 |
Format of Australian Citizenship Test
The citizenship test is computer-based. It’s only available in English. There are 20 questions in total. The given time is 45 minutes.
All the questions are multiple-choice questions or MCQ. It means, all the questions will have 3 answer options. In the case of truth/false question, it will have 2 options. You will need to obtain 75% to pass the test that means you have to answer correctly at least 15 questions out of 20.
The test was originally based on the book “Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond”. The book is available on the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
In the book, there are 2 sections.
- Testable section
- Non-testable section
The testable section includes Australia and its people, government, and the law. It also includes Australia’s liberties, democratic beliefs, and rights. The non-testable section is to help you have a better understanding of Australia.
But according to the new update, there will be a few questions outside the resource book. The questions will be about examinees’ understanding of Australian values. For example, their values on religious freedom or violence against women.
Sample Questions
Here are some sample questions to help you have some general ideas.
- Which group of stars do you see on the Australian National flag?
- The Union Jack
- The Commonwealth Stars
- The Southern Cross
Answer: The Southern Cross
- Why is 26th January celebrated in Australia?
- Easter Day
- Australia Day
- Anzac Day
Answer: Australia Day
- Who is the Queen’s representative of Australia?
- President
- Governor-General
- Prime Minister
Answer: Governor-General
- What color is the Australian Aboriginal flag?
- White, Black, and Green
- Black, Yellow, and Red
- Green, White, and Blue
Answer: Black, Yellow, and Red
- Which Symbol of Australia symbolizes commonwealth property?
- Australia’s National Anthem
- National Flower
- Commonwealth Coat of Arms
Answer: Commonwealth Coat of Arms
- From where the early settlers came to Australia?
- Africa
- Great Britain and Ireland
- Asia
- Answer: Great Britain and Ireland
What you should do before attending the Australian Citizenship Test
First of all, you have to arrive right on time. If you fail to attend the test on time, you won’t be able to take the test that day. The next most important thing is that you have to bring the original documents that you provided with your application form. Besides, you have to bring your photograph and identity declaration.
When you arrive at the test center, a citizenship officer will call you to a counter. (S)he will check your documents and verify if the information you gave in your form is correct. Then, (s)he will check if you are eligible to take the test. If you don’t bring a photograph with you, (s)he will take a picture on the spot.
If everything goes right, (s)he will give you a password. With the password, you can log in to one of the computers to take the test.
During the Australian Citizenship Test
You will have to start the citizenship test at the right time. You will get 45 minutes to complete the Australian citizenship test. During the test, you cannot keep any resources with you. If you bring any electronic devices with you, you will have to keep them turned off. The rest of your personal belongings will be under the desk.
If you want to, you can talk with assistance. Any kind of communication with the other examinee is prohibited during the test. If you can’t use a computer, a test officer will help you with it. If you have any disability that prevents you from taking the Australian citizenship test, you can ask for assistance.
After the Australian Citizenship Test
After the Australian citizenship test, you can see your result on your computer screen. This result will be automatically updated in your application form. If you pass the test, you will have to wait for confirmation. If your application meets the requirements, you will get an approval letter which means you are almost done. Then, you have to wait for another letter that will come with the location and time for your citizenship ceremony. This letter generally comes within 6 months of getting approval.
In the citizenship ceremony, you will have to read or repeat the Australian pledge. You can’t be officially a citizen if you don’t take the pledge. But there are also exceptions here.
You can skip the citizenship ceremony if you-
- Have any physical disability that prevents you from attending the citizenship ceremony.
- Were born before 1975 in Papua New Guinea.
- Were born in Australia but you are stateless now.
- Have any parent who is a former citizen of Australia.
- Are re-acquiring citizenship.
What If You Fail the Australian Citizenship Test?
If you fail the Australian citizenship test, you can take the test again. You can even take the test on the same day. But if you need to study, you can choose a different date. However, there is the latest update on the rules. If you fail the test 3 times, you will have to wait another 2 years to take the test again.
If you take the Australian citizenship test again, you don’t need to pay any fees.
Tips for Passing the Australian Citizenship Test
- Follow the book “Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond”.
- Revise all the materials before the test.
- Practice the questions before taking the test.
- Sleep well the night before the test day.
- Eat sufficiently on the test day so you can focus well on the test.
- Arrive a bit hourly to the Australian citizenship test center.
- Read the questions properly before answering.
- You are allowed to answer 5 questions incorrectly. So, try to answer at least 15 questions with confidence.
- Even if you don’t know the answer to any specific question, don’t leave it blank. Try to choose the answer that seems like the closest possible answer. You will have a 33% possibility of choosing the answer correctly. Moreover, if the question is a true/false question, the possibility of choosing the right answer is 50%.
- When you are done answering in the Australian citizenship test, go through and review all your answers again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How Many Times Can You Take the Australian Citizenship Test?
- If you fail the Australian Citizenship test, you can take it again on the same day. If you need time to study, you can choose a different date. But, according to the latest update in rules, if you fail 3times in a row, you will have to wait 2 years to take the test again.
- How long does it take to Process Australian Citizenship?
- Most of the people face an average of 493 days of the waiting period. This waiting period is between the times of applying and getting the approval or denial letter from the department. Most of the citizenship processes are completed within 22 months.
- When is the Citizenship Ceremony Held after the Test?
- The ceremony is held within 6 months of getting the approval letter.
In conclusion, the Australian citizenship test is a very crucial step to becoming an Australian citizen. Hence, you should take all of the associated preparation before attending in an Australian citizenship test.
The above tips and information might be a good resource for you to start your preparation for the Australian citizenship test. However, you should have adequate knowledge of Australia and every important thing about this country to pass the Australian Citizenship test at your first attempt!
Take this quick quiz to see if you are ready for the Aussie citizenship test. The answers will be shown as soon as you answer all the questions.
