US Citizenship Civics Test: Choose the 2008 or 2025 Version

Start with the filing date

The 2025 USCIS policy applies to naturalization applications filed on or after October 20, 2025. USCIS administers the 2025 civics test to people who file from that date. The earlier 2008 version applies to applications filed before October 20, 2025. Use the date USCIS received your filing, not the date you began studying or received a later notice, to choose the matching course.

Source: USCIS

If you are unsure of the filing date, check the receipt notice or your USCIS account. Then select only the matching version for your first review. The two lists are not interchangeable. Studying the wrong set can leave you unprepared for the questions USCIS will ask.

Source: USCIS

Compare the two versions

The 2008 test uses a pool of 100 civics questions. During the oral test, the officer asks up to 10. You must answer six correctly to pass. The 2025 version uses a pool of 128 questions. The officer asks up to 20, and you need 12 correct answers. Both are spoken tests during the naturalization process.

Source: USCIS, USCIS

The larger 2025 pool does not mean the officer asks every question. The published rule sets a smaller number for the interview. Plan your study around the full pool for your version, then practice answering questions aloud. A written quiz can help with recall, but it does not replace speaking an answer in your own words.

Source: USCIS

Know when an answer may change

USCIS says some civics answers can change after elections or appointments. The 2008 materials tell applicants to use the current name of an official at the time of the interview. The 2025 materials give the same kind of warning. Before an interview, check current USCIS test updates for answers that depend on a current office holder or other changing information.

Source: USCIS, USCIS, USCIS

Use the USCIS update page as the final check for answers that can change. A printed study sheet can become outdated. Keep stable history and government facts separate from answers that name a current official. This makes it easier to refresh only the material that needs a current answer.

Source: USCIS, USCIS, USCIS

Study in the right order

First, confirm your filing date. Second, open the matching question list. Third, divide the list into small groups and cover each group more than once. Say your answer before you look at the offered choices or sample answers. Then check the answer and correct any missing part.

After you can recall a group, mix those questions with earlier ones. Mixed review helps you find facts that you remember only when they appear in their original order. Mark a question for another review if you cannot answer it clearly. Keep the current-answer questions in a separate list and check them against USCIS before the interview.

Use the matching practice course

The 2008 and 2025 practice courses are separate because each course follows a different official pool. The practice format on this site uses written answer choices to help with recall. The USCIS test is oral. Use the course to learn the facts, then practice saying answers aloud without reading the choices.

Source: USCIS, USCIS

A practice result shows which facts need more review. It does not predict an interview result. Continue studying the full list for your version and confirm current answers through USCIS. Do not use a practice score as a substitute for checking that you chose the correct test version.