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How to study for the Canadian citizenship test

Study the official guide, Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. It is free, and all test questions are based on information in it. You can read it online, download a PDF or eBook, listen to the audio version, or order a paper copy.

Checked against canada.ca on November 1, 2026. Rules can change, so confirm on canada.ca before you act.

Study one book: Discover Canada

The official study guide is Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. IRCC bases all the test questions on information found in the study guide.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

canada.ca says it is the only official study guide for the test and that it is available at no cost. If you use any other material to prepare, you do so at your own risk.Source: canada.ca, Discover Canada study guide (opens in a new tab)

You can start studying for the test at any time.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

Ways to get the guide

The guide is free and comes in several formats. canada.ca says there are very small differences between the print, audio and electronic versions, but these won't affect your ability to prepare for the test.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)Source: canada.ca, Discover Canada study guide (opens in a new tab)

What the test covers

The test asks about the rights and responsibilities of being a Canadian citizen, and about Canada's history, geography, economy, government, laws and symbols.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

Discover Canada's main chapters are: Applying for Citizenship; Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship; Who We Are; Canada's History; Modern Canada; How Canadians Govern Themselves; Federal Elections; The Justice System; Canadian Symbols; Canada's Economy; and Canada's Regions. The guide also has a Study Questions section.Source: canada.ca, Discover Canada table of contents (opens in a new tab)

The guide itself says you will be asked about facts and ideas presented in it.Discover Canada, › Study Questions, p. 52 (opens the official guide on canada.ca)

The test does not have questions to assess your English or French. The test has 20 questions (multiple choice or true or false) and lasts 45 minutes. You need at least 15 right to pass.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

Study tips from Discover Canada

Discover Canada has its own study questions. It says they are similar to the questions found on the citizenship test, and that all the answers can be found in the guide. canada.ca links to them from its "Study for the test" page.Discover Canada, › Study Questions, p. 52 (opens the official guide on canada.ca)Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

The guide also suggests these ways to prepare:Discover Canada, Applying for Citizenship › How to Use this Booklet to Prepare for the Citizenship Test, p. 6 (opens the official guide on canada.ca)

  • Study the guide.
  • Practise with a friend or family member: have them ask you questions about Canada.
  • Look for citizenship classes. Schools, school boards, colleges, community centres and immigrant-serving groups can tell you about them.
  • Take English or French language classes.

A simple study plan

Study one chapter at a time. Read it, or listen to it on the way to work, then read it again a day later. Try to study a little on most days rather than once a week.

After each chapter, test yourself without looking at the guide. Write down what you got wrong, then go back to that part of the guide and read it again.

Make your own short lists of things that are easy to mix up, like names, dates and places, and review them often.

When you have been through the whole guide, take full practice tests. The real test gives you 45 minutes for 20 questions and you need 15 right, so practise at that pace.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)

Pass15 has free timed practice tests at pass15.ca/practice-test. After each answer we show the part of Discover Canada it comes from, so you can go back and check it.

Common questions

What is the official study guide for the Canadian citizenship test?
Discover Canada: The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship. canada.ca says it is the only official study guide for the citizenship test.Source: canada.ca, Discover Canada study guide (opens in a new tab)
Is Discover Canada free?
Yes. The guide is free and available in multiple formats: online, PDF, eBook, audio, and a paper copy you can order.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)
Are all the test questions from Discover Canada?
Yes. IRCC says it bases all the test questions on information found in the study guide.Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)
Can I listen to Discover Canada instead of reading it?
Yes. There is a free audio version on canada.ca. The full recording is 2 hours and 53 minutes, and you can download it to listen on your computer, phone or portable audio player.Source: canada.ca, Discover Canada (audio) (opens in a new tab)
Is there an official practice test?
Discover Canada has a Study Questions section. The guide says these questions are similar to the questions found on the citizenship test, and canada.ca links to them from its "Study for the test" page.Discover Canada, › Study Questions, p. 52 (opens the official guide on canada.ca)Source: canada.ca, Study for the test (opens in a new tab)