A 30-day study plan for the citizenship interview

A month is enough time to cover everything the interview tests, if you study a little every day. This plan splits the work into four weeks: civics first, then English, then the questions about your own application, then review.

It's a starting point, not a rule. Our guide to what to expect at the interview explains each part in full, and no study plan can guarantee a result.

Before you start

Check two things, because they change what you study:

1. Which civics test is yours. If you filed Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025, you take the 2025 test, from a list of 128 questions. If you filed earlier, you take the 2008 test. Our civics test guide explains both.
2. Whether an exemption applies. Depending on your age and years as a permanent resident, you may not need the English test, or you may study a shorter civics list. See our exemptions guide.

Week 1: civics basics

Aim for about 20 minutes a day.

• Use our free civics practice test, a few questions at a time. Say the answers out loud, since the officer asks them out loud.
• Group questions by topic, such as the Constitution, the three branches of government, and history. Topics are easier to remember than a list.
• Mark the ones you miss, and start each day with yesterday's misses.

Week 2: your local answers and the English test

Local answers. Some answers depend on where you live and who's in office: your senators, your representative, your governor, and your state capital. Look them up with our free local answers tool, and check again close to your interview.

English. The officer tests reading, writing, and speaking. For reading and writing, you're given up to 3 sentences and need to get 1 right. Our English test guide explains how it works.

• Read a few sentences out loud every day.
• Write short sentences from dictation. A family member or friend can read them to you.

Week 3: the questions about your N-400

The officer reviews your application with you, in English, and some of the questions use legal words.

• Go through your copy of the N-400, one section a day, and make sure your answers are still true.
• Study the hard words with our free N-400 vocabulary flashcards. Words like "EVER," "cited," and "expunged" have specific meanings on the form.
• Practice answering in short, honest sentences. If you don't understand a question, you can ask the officer to repeat or rephrase it.

Our guide to the N-400 review questions walks through each section.

Week 4: review and practice

• Take full civics practice tests until you pass them comfortably.
• Practice the whole interview out loud with someone, from the oath at the start to the questions about your application.
• Get your documents ready a few days early, using the list on your interview notice.

If you need more time

That's fine. If the interview date is close and you feel behind, focus on the civics questions you keep missing and on the vocabulary in your own N-400 answers. If you don't pass part of the test, you get a second chance, usually 60 to 90 days after the first interview. Our guide to what happens if you don't pass explains how it works.