How to Pass The UK Citizenship Test
To complete your British naturalization application, you must pass the U.K citizenship test. The pass mark is 75% and above, or if you correctly answer 18 out of the 24 questions. Anything less than that is considered a failure.
It sounds easy, right? Turns out, it’s very difficult to pass Life in the U.K test without adequate preparations. You would be surprised some U.K born citizens would probably fail the citizenship test without reading the guide book. If you’re an immigrant, then it would be twice as hard if you don’t prepare.
On that note, let’s have a look at what you need to do to pass the U.K citizenship test.
- Improve Your English Knowledge
One of the biggest reasons why most candidates fail the U.K citizenship test is poor English comprehension. Actually, according to research done by the University of Leicester, candidates who migrated from English speaking countries find it easier to pass the U.K Citizenship test than applicants who came from non-English speaking countries.
Hence, if you learned English during your permanent residency status in the United Kingdom, you should put a lot of effort into improving your language before the citizenship test. You can do so by enrolling in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Once you’re confident with your English listening, reading, and speaking skills, you can sit for a language test to attain a B1 level qualification.
However, the B1 English level qualification is not necessary if you come from a native English speaking country or you did your degree in English.
- Read The Official Handbook
All the questions that you will be asked during the test will be picked out from the official handbook for the citizenship test- Life in The United Kingdom: A Guide for New Residents. The contents in the book are divided into 5 chapters that cover everything that you need to know about Britain’s history, law, government, geography, culture, and principles in preparations for the exam.
The handbook can be purchased online via the UK government website. To avoid reading incorrect information, make sure you don’t read from any other sources except the official handbook that has been approved by the U.K government. Don’t forget, you can purchase other useful reading materials that have been endorsed by the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) department.
Whatever your studying methods, make sure you’ve read and understood all the content covered in the official handbook before you book the test. Otherwise, if you don’t read the guidebook, there is a high probability you will flunk the citizenship test.
- Take Practice Tests
A Life in the UK Practice Test will give you a clue about the type of questions to expect during the citizenship test. Not to mention, it will help you to calm down your anxiety.
Suffice to say, if you want to increase your chances of acing Life in the U.K test, don’t count yourself ready until you consistently score 75% and above after taking a few practice tests. Also, try to finish the practice test within 45 minutes since you will be given the same duration when sitting for Life in the U.K test.
To get started, you can purchase ‘Life in the United Kingdom Official Practice Questions and Answers’ handbook that has been approved by the Home Office. Alternatively, you can take practice questions online via your smartphone or computer.
- Attend Citizenship Classes
Although it’s not mandatory, you can attend British citizenship classes if you need assistance such as private tutoring to prepare for the citizenship test. The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program offers complimentary citizenship classes; sometimes it can be difficult to understand the handbook if English is not your first language, so you may need a tutor to guide you through it.
However, if you’ve not enrolled for the ESOL program, you can still sign up for British citizenship courses online. What’s more, you can organize a study group with other applicants who are eager to learn and pass the citizenship test.
- Avoid Test Anxiety
Test anxiety can interfere with your learning abilities and test performance. Hence, don’t book a test until you’ve covered all the basics to prepare. That means improving your English knowledge, reading the official handbook, passing a few practice tests, and attending citizenship classes.
If you start studying after scheduling the test, or a few days before Life in the U.K test, you will be under a lot of pressure to cram information which could trigger your anxiety. On the other hand, if you start studying 2 or 3 months before the citizenship test, you will have a better chance of avoiding test anxiety.
Beyond that, you need to get enough sleep, stay hydrated, and eat a well-balanced diet before sitting for the citizenship test. If you can, avoid too much sugar, energy drinks, or caffeine before attending the test.
Note: If you’re disabled but you can do the exam, you can request special assistance when applying for Life in the U.K test.