Preparing for Your Canadian Citizenship Exam

The Canadian citizenship written exam is one of the major hurdles you need to take if you want to be granted citizenship. The exam determines how much citizenship applicants know about Canada and unlike your typical exam, only consists of 20 questions. Topics covered include Canadian history, geography, government, economy, laws, and the rights and responsibilities of citizens. The good thing about the test is it doesn’t take into account proficiency in English or French and exam preparation can be done in a systematic way to ensure that applicants can pass with flying colors.

If the grant of Canadian citizenship is one of your major goals, you need to take this exam seriously. Read on to know how you can do so.

How to Study for Your Canada Citizenship Exam

Use the official study guide

To ace the test, you can use the official study guide, Discover Canada. Preparing for the exam is easy since the study guide is available in PDF, eBook, or MP3 version. You also have the option to order a paper copy if you learn better by reading an actual book.

Set a time to study

Make sure that you carve out a portion of the time to study, whether it’s an hour or four hours a day. The worst thing you can do is to cram for this exam when it determines your chance to become a Canadian citizen. Set a goal to master all the fundamental points in the exam so you can come armed and confident on exam day.

Start studying today

It’s easy to want to put off starting a systematic study routine for this test especially if you have not even applied yet. However, if the grant of Canadian citizenship is one of your goals for a better life and career, you should start preparing for it as early as now. The earlier you familiarise yourself with the basic principles, the easier it is to master everything you need to know to pass the exam when that day comes.

Take a review class

Citizenship experts recommend signing up for a review class. Your review class can help explain topics that may be unclear to you. Review classes offer good opportunities to ask questions. You can also take advantage of mock examinations that can help you improve your test-taking skills. Practice tests can play a huge role in boosting your confidence on exam day. By taking practice tests, you allow yourself to be comfortable in the testing format and in the style of questions. This level of familiarity can help eliminate nervous jitters on exam day.

Slow down when you need to

You may feel overwhelmed with all the information especially if you think you have limited time to prepare for the test. But overwhelming anxiety won’t help you prepare for the test and end up eating much of your time. If you are feeling overwhelmed, learn to slow down and take short breaks. Study and master one small topic at a time. Do something else to relax and then go back when you feel ready.

Ask for help

If you have friends or family members who have successfully taken the test, ask for pointers or engage them as practice partners. This is ideal if you learn best by practicing what you studied with other people. You can ask them to quiz you or throw you random questions so you can actively recall what you just read.

Have an MP3 version with you at all times

If you are working or a student and you are pressed for time, make sure you can easily access your MP3 version of the guide. You can listen to it while on the commute or while waiting for your coffee. A few minutes of listening to the MP3 guide can help you master the contents of the guide on the go.

Next Steps

If you feel that you are ready to take the test, you can send an application letter and then wait for the AOR or acknowledgment of receipt letter. Once you receive the letter, you may be invited to take the test within weeks of receipt of your AOR. If you don’t pass the test, you may be scheduled for a second test, which can be 4-8 weeks after the first test.

The Canadian citizenship test is one of the major challenges to becoming a citizen. However, ample preparation can help you ace this exam so you can be one step closer to your dream of being a Canadian citizen.