How the naturalization test is scored
The naturalization test has an English part and a civics part, and each is graded by its own rule. Knowing the rules tells you what a mistake costs, when the officer stops, and what happens if one part goes wrong. USCIS also publishes how many applicants pass, and most do.
Two parts, graded separately
USCIS's Scoring Guidelines for the U.S. Naturalization Test divide the test into English (speaking, understanding, reading and writing) and civics. You pass or fail each part on its own, and that matters later: if you fail one, you are retested only on that one.
Speaking and understanding
There is no separate speaking exercise. The officer judges your English from the way you answer the questions about your Form N-400 during the interview. The guidelines require officers to repeat and rephrase a question until they are satisfied that you either understand it or do not understand English, so asking the officer to say something again is normal. Understanding is not tested by asking you to define words from your application.
Reading
You are shown up to 3 sentences and you need to read 1 of them aloud correctly. The sentences are questions, but you do not have to answer the question you read. As soon as one sentence is read correctly, the officer stops the reading test. The guidelines also say applicants are not failed because of their accent.
Writing
The officer dictates up to 3 sentences and you need to write 1 of them so the officer can read it. Two details matter. You must not abbreviate any word the officer says. And spelling, capitalization and punctuation mistakes do not fail you unless they stop the sentence from making sense. Here too the test ends as soon as one sentence is right.
Civics
The officer asks up to 20 questions from the official list of 128 and you need 12 correct. The Policy Manual adds that the officer stops at 12 correct answers or at 9 wrong ones, so many interviews end well before question 20. If you filed before the 2025 test took effect, your version has 10 questions and 6 to pass. If you are 65 or older with 20 years as a permanent resident, the 65/20 guide explains the shorter test.
If you fail one part
You get 2 chances. USCIS schedules a second examination between 60 and 90 days after the first, and the officer retests only the parts you failed. Someone who passes civics and fails writing comes back for writing alone. The federal regulation behind this is 8 CFR 312.5, which gives the second opportunity while your application is pending. Failing the same part a second time leads the officer to deny the application on the education requirement, as the Policy Manual states.
How many people pass: the official numbers
USCIS's naturalization test performance page says that 95.7% of all applicants pass the naturalization test. For fiscal year 2022 it breaks that down: more than 88% passed at the first interview, and another 7% of all applicants passed at the second examination.
One thing to keep in mind: these figures cover fiscal years 2020 to 2022, before the 2025 version of the civics test existed. Most applicants in those years took the 2008 version (10 questions, 6 to pass), and USCIS does not say which version its figures measure. USCIS has not published pass rates for the 2025 version, which asks 20 and requires 12.
First-attempt pass rates by part, fiscal years 2020–2022
| Fiscal year | Civics | Speaking | Understanding | Writing | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 92.2% | 94.4% | 93.4% | 93.7% | 96.8% |
| 2021 | 93.6% | 94.2% | 93.3% | 94.9% | 97.7% |
| 2020 | 94.2% | 93.5% | 92.4% | 95% | 97.6% |
All applicants who took both parts that year, not counting those who filed a medical disability exception (Form N-648). Source: USCIS.
Read across the 2022 row and one pattern stands out: reading had the highest pass rate (96.8%) and civics the lowest (92.2%). The civics rate also went down each year in this table, from 94.2% in 2020 to 92.2% in 2022. For studying, that points to the part that is only memory: the civics questions are where applicants fail most often.
Two civics numbers for the same year
The same USCIS page also gives 92.4% for civics in fiscal year 2022, next to the 92.2% in the table above. Both are correct; they measure different groups. The 92.4% counts applicants who did not qualify for an age-based exception from English and includes those who filed Form N-648. The 92.2% counts everyone who took both parts and leaves out N-648 filers.
Applicants with an age-based exception
Applicants who qualify by age and years of residence can skip the English part and take civics in their own language. In fiscal year 2022, about 122,866 applicants qualified, 11.6% of the total. Their civics pass rates:
| Group | Civics pass rate, FY 2022 |
|---|---|
| 50 or older, 20 years as a resident | 88.7% |
| 55 or older, 15 years as a resident | 85.9% |
| 65 or older, 20 years as a resident | 91.2% |
The 55/15 group had the lowest rate of the three (85.9%), and all three were below the 92.4% of applicants without an exception. The 65/20 group, which studies a shorter list of 20 questions, did better than the other two. If you qualify for an exception, the study time you save on English is worth spending on civics.
What this means for your preparation
- The civics part is the one to prepare most. Take the practice test in the mode that works like the interview, where you answer from memory before seeing the answers.
- For writing, practice short dictated sentences without abbreviations; spelling is forgiven when the meaning is clear.
- For reading, a correct read of one sentence ends that part. Accent does not count against you.
- Read the civics test in your naturalization interview for the rest of the appointment.
- Read N-400 vocabulary: the Part 9 questions explained.
- Read A study plan for the 128 civics questions.
- Read The 65/20 special consideration.
- Read English test exemptions: 50/20, 55/15 and Form N-648.
- Read Civics test answers that change with elections.
- Read The November election and your civics test answers.
- Read 2008 vs 2025 civics test: which one you take.