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Could You Pass the U.S. Citizenship Test?

Data shows that nearly all applicants for U.S. citizenship can pass the required test of U.S. history and government. U.S-born citizens are another story.
ByJason English|
A person holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony on the ship ‘Wavertree’ in New York City. The 20 candidates were from 17 countries and 5 of the candidates were current or former members of the U.S. military.
A person holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony on the ship ‘Wavertree’ in New York City. The 20 candidates were from 17 countries and 5 of the candidates were current or former members of the U.S. military. | Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Anyone applying for United States citizenship must take a test that demonstrates their knowledge of English as well as U.S. history and government. The latest statistics show that most candidates nail it: In the fiscal year from October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024, nearly 90 percent of applicants passed the citizenship test on their first try, and when re-takes are included, 94.4 percent sailed through.

To apply for citizenship, a candidate must be a lawful permanent resident in the U.S. for at least five years. In fiscal year 2024, the largest percentage of candidates had been born in Mexico (13.1 percent), followed by India (6.1 percent), the Philippines (5 percent), the Dominican Republic (4.9 percent), and Vietnam (4.1 percent). In the same time frame, a total of 818,500 candidates passed their tests and became new U.S. citizens, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Recent stats for how many U.S.-born citizens could pass the citizenship test are harder to come by, but a 2018 poll sponsored by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars found that just 36 percent of Americans could earn a passing score on the multiple-choice test. A mere 13 percent could correctly state the year when the Constitution was ratified (answer: 1788) and less that half of test-takers knew how many justices sat on the U.S. Supreme Court (answer: nine).

Could you pass the civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test? Successful applicants must orally answer six of 10 questions correctly (out of 100 possible questions). Try your luck on these sample questions taken from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website [PDF], and check out the answers below if you get stumped.

1. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

2. What is the economic system in the United States?

3. Who makes federal laws?

4. What are two Cabinet-level positions?

5. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?

6. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

7. The Federalist Papers supported the passage of the U.S. Constitution. Name one of the writers.

8. What is one thing Benjamin Franklin is famous for?

9. Before he was president, Eisenhower was a general. What war was he in?

10. What did Susan B. Anthony do?

A woman originally from Jamaica stands in a U.S. citizenship ceremony with a small American flag.
Michele Gray, originally from Jamaica, joins with other people during a ceremony in Miami to become American citizens. The event included 150 citizenship candidates from across the globe. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Answers:

1. 27 2. Capitalist economy/market economy 3. Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives) 4. Any two: Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of the Treasury, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Attorney General, Vice President 5. Freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of the press, the right to petition the government 6. Native Americans/American Indians 7. James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Publius 8. U.S. diplomat, oldest member of the Constitutional Convention, first Postmaster General of the United States, writer of Poor Richard’s Almanac, started the first free libraries 9. World War II 10. Fought for women’s rights/fought for civil rights.

Discover More U.S. History Facts:

A version of this story was published in 2009; it has been updated for 2025.

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