Revamped U.S. Citizenship Exam on the Horizon
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is considering revamping the U.S. citizenship test, with the aim of making it more challenging and focused on learning American values and assimilating with U.S. culture.
Currently, the test has ten questions, with only six needed to be answered correctly. However, the proposed changes could include more demanding questions and a requirement for more questions to be answered correctly. According to reports, the USCIS plans to revert to a version of the Trump-era test where applicants study 100+ civics questions, are asked 20 questions, and must correctly answer at least 12.
Amanda Head of Just The News criticizes the current format of the U.S. citizenship test, stating it fosters memorization over meaningful absorption of American values. Head suggests that the revamped test should aim to make potential citizens feel more integral to their community and country. She emphasizes the importance of assimilation for potential citizens into American society and culture.
Key details of the proposed changes are:
- The current test (since 2008) has 100 civics questions; applicants are asked 10 and need 6 correct answers to pass.
- Under the first Trump administration, the test briefly required answering 12 correct out of 20 questions, drawn from 128 possible questions, making it notably tougher.
- The new USCIS director Joseph Edlow, appointed in 2025, has criticized the existing test as "too easy" and overly reliant on memorization rather than comprehension of U.S. governance and values.
- The revisions aim to restore the more challenging 2020-era format that emphasizes deeper knowledge of American civics and values.
- These changes tie into broader immigration policy shifts emphasizing economic interests and national priorities.
Reports differ slightly on exact implementation timelines and details, with some noting the changes as proposals under development and not yet official as of early August 2025. However, the direction clearly indicates a move to increase difficulty and focus on genuine understanding of American political principles and citizenship responsibilities rather than simple memorization.
In summary, the revamped exam is expected to:
- Feature more questions asked per test (up from 10 to about 20)
- Require a higher passing score (from 6 correct to 12 correct answers)
- Reinforce learning of American values and governance rather than mere memorization
- Head's comments indicate support for the new test's goal of making it more challenging and focused on learning American values.
- Scoring 10 out of 10 on the current U.S. citizenship test is not uncommon due to its simplicity.
- Head's comments do not indicate any opposition to the current format of the U.S. citizenship test being a memory game.
- Amanda Head advocates for an increase in the number of questions to 14.
The revisions to the U.S. citizenship test, as proposed by the USCIS, aim to make the exam more challenging and focused on learning American values by incorporating more demanding questions, increasing the number of questions asked, and requiring a higher passing score. Amanda Head of Just The News supports these changes, emphasizing the importance of assimilation for potential citizens and advocating for an increase in the number of questions to 14. The new test is expected to reinforce learning of American governance and values, moving away from simple memorization.
