Citizenship Test Pass Marks Compared: US, UK, Canada, Australia and More

Short answer: citizenship test pass marks range from about 50% to 80%. Denmark, France and Mexico sit at the top (80%); the UK, Canada, Australia, Estonia and Norway require 75%; the US, Spain, Cyprus and the Czech Republic require 60%; Germany needs 17 of 33 (about 52%), and Austria is scored by area. Australia and Denmark add a second condition: their values questions must be answered correctly whatever your overall score.

Pass marks for 15 citizenship tests, side by side

Every country on this list runs an official knowledge test with a published format. Figures are from the official sources linked on each country page and were last reviewed in October 2026.

Pass marks grouped

• 80%: Denmark, France, Mexico. Denmark also requires 4 of its 5 values questions.
• 75%: United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Estonia, Norway. Australia also requires all 5 values questions.
• About 70%: Netherlands (DUO does not publish the exact mark).
• 60%: United States, Spain, Cyprus, Czech Republic.
• Just over 50%: Germany (17 of 33). Austria uses an area-based rule rather than a single percentage.

Which citizenship test is the hardest?

A pass mark alone does not tell you how hard a test is. Four other things matter just as much:

• Whether the questions are published. Germany’s pass mark is the lowest, and all 310 questions are public, so most candidates pass; Spain publishes its full 300-question bank too. The UK, Canada and Australia publish a handbook but not the questions.
• How much material there is. The Life in the UK handbook covers centuries of history, which many applicants find the hardest part. Denmark’s 45 questions include current affairs, which cannot be learned from a fixed book.
• The format. The US test is oral: you must recall answers and say them to an officer, not recognise them from a list. Most others are multiple choice on a computer.
• The language. Outside the US, UK, Canada and Australia, the test is in the national language, and a separate language exam is usually required as well.

France combines a high pass mark (80%) with a brand-new exam and a large five-theme syllabus, which makes it one of the more demanding tests to prepare for. Australia’s and Denmark’s values rules mean one wrong answer in the wrong place can fail you, whatever your total. Our guide to common topics in citizenship tests shows where each test puts its weight.

Where a pass mark is not a percentage

Austria’s Staatsbürgerschaftsprüfung has 18 questions in three areas (Austrian history, the democratic order, and the history of your federal state) and you pass by scoring at least half the points in every area, or two-thirds of the points overall. Norway’s Statsborgerprøven has 36 questions but only 32 count; 4 are trial questions. The Netherlands does not publish a pass mark for KNM, so practise to a higher target than you think you need.

What score should I aim for?

Do not aim for the pass mark. Aim for at least 10 percentage points above it in practice, because nerves and unfamiliar wording on the day can cost a few points. If the pass mark is 75%, aim for 85% or more in mock exams; for France’s 80%, aim for 90%. Pass three timed mock exams in a row at that level before you book. See how long it takes to study for a citizenship test and what happens if you fail.

Practise in the real format

Every mock exam on All Citizenship Test uses the real number of questions, time limit and pass mark for that country, so your practice score tells you how you would do on the day. Choose your country to start.