How much does the Australian citizenship test cost?

How much does the Australian citizenship test cost?

The test itself costs nothing extra. The fee you paid with your citizenship application already includes it.

So you do not pay at the door, you do not pay a booking fee, and you do not pay again to sit it a second time.

What does the application fee cover?

When you apply for citizenship by conferral, you pay one application fee. Home Affairs says this fee includes the test. There is no second bill for the test later.

We do not print the amount here. Fees change, and they rise each 1 July. The Home Affairs fees list is the only place to read the current figure, so check it on the day you apply. A number you saw on a forum last year may be wrong today.

What if you fail and need to sit it again?

You do not pay again. After a fail, Home Affairs books a new appointment for you and charges nothing for it. You can have up to three appointments in total. If you do not pass after three, your application may be refused. A fail leaves your permanent visa as it is, and you can keep living in Australia.

Read how many times you can sit the test for the full picture.

Which costs are yours, then?

The test fee is zero, but a test day still has small costs that are easy to forget:

• Travel to the test centre. The place is named in your appointment letter, and it can be a trip across a city.
• Time off work, if your appointment falls on a working day.
• Childcare. Children cannot come into the test centre, and the centres have no childcare. You must arrange it yourself.

Plan these when your letter arrives. They are small next to the application fee, but they are real.

Do you need to pay for study material?

No. Every question on the test comes from one booklet, "Australian Citizenship: Our Common Bond". It is free to read and download, in English and in 40 community languages. Home Affairs also gives you a free practice test, a podcast, and free AMEPOnline modules for people who are learning English.

You do not need to buy a course. The booklet has all the information the test uses. Our guide to the whole booklet shows what is inside.

Our own free practice test is a mock with 20 questions, 45 minutes, and the same pass rule: 15 of 20 correct, and all 5 values questions right. It is practice, not the real thing, and it costs nothing to try.

Who books the test?

Home Affairs books it for you and sends a letter. If a website asks you for money to book your test, stop and check with Home Affairs first.

A simple next step

Save your money for the application, then spend your time on the booklet. Start with the free practice test to see where you are. Then read how the booking and test day work, so the day holds no surprises.