What is the pass mark for the Life in the UK test?

What is the pass mark for the Life in the UK test?

The pass mark is 75 percent. The test has 24 questions, so you need 18 correct answers to pass.

That means you can get 6 questions wrong and still pass. A bad answer or two does not end your attempt.

How many questions can you get wrong?

You can get 6 of the 24 questions wrong and still pass, because 18 correct answers is 75 percent. If you get 7 wrong, you have 17 right, and that is a fail.

One question can make the difference, so it helps to know where you stand before you book.

Is 18 out of 24 a safe score to aim for?

No. It is the least you need, not a target to practise for. On the day you may feel nervous, read a question too fast or meet a topic you studied less. A few marks of space protects you.

When you take practice tests, aim to score well above 18, for example 21 or more, on questions you have not seen before. Look for the same result several times in a row, because one good score can be luck.

How do you raise your score?

Start with the chapters where you lose marks. After each practice test, make a short list of what you got wrong and why. Was it a fact you did not know, two things you mixed up, or a question you read too fast?

Each reason has its own fix:

• A fact you did not know needs a second look at the handbook, in your own words.
• Two things you mixed up need a side by side note, for example two dates or two nations.
• A question you read too fast needs a slower habit. Read the whole question and every answer before you choose.

Give most of your time to history, because it is the longest chapter. Do not skip the short chapters. The test follows the whole handbook, and small chapters are quick marks.

The first handbook chapter, on values and principles, is short, so it is a quick start.

When do you find out if you passed?

You are told pass or fail on the day, at the centre. You do not wait for the post.

After the test you also get an email with your unique reference number, called the URN. You get it whether you pass or fail. The URN also shows next to your result in your Life in the UK account.

If you pass, keep the URN. You put it on your citizenship or settlement application, and the Home Office uses it to check your result and your photo.

Can you take the test again if you fail?

Yes. You can take the test as many times as you need, and you pay each time.

The rules do not name a waiting time between attempts. Do not rush back to the first free slot. Use the days to fix the topics that cost you marks. There is more in our guide to retaking the test.

How can you test yourself against the pass mark?

Take a full test of 24 questions with a timer, in a quiet room, with your phone away. Count your correct answers. Compare with 18.

A free practice test gives you a first score. After that, read how many questions the test has so you can plan your time per question.

Check yourself

• How many questions must you answer correctly out of 24?
• What was your last practice score, and what is your plan to move it higher?
• Which kind of mistake do you make most often, and what is your fix?