A foreign national applying for British citizenship or naturalization must pass the Life In The United Kingdom Test monitored by the Home Office to prove a general knowledge of both the English language and the culture of the UK before applying for citizenship.

The Test

The Life In The United Kingdom Test is computer-based and contains 24 questions; an applicant has a 45-minute time limit to complete the test.

Regions

The majority of the test covers general subjects about the UK. Test centers are positioned around the country in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the tests at each center ask some questions regarding that region of the country.

Resources

The UK Border Agency, which controls the test, provides both hard copies and online versions of handbooks, including "Life In The United Kingdom: A Journey To Citizenship," which contain all the information required to complete the Life In The United Kingdom Test successfully.

English Language

Would-be citizens must demonstrate a level of proficiency in the English language before taking the Life In The United Kingdom Test. Language testing can be done at most institutions of higher learning in the UK. If an applicant does not pass the language test, he can attend combined language and citizenship classes.

Test Language

The test is usually taken in English, but applicants in Wales can request that the test be administered in Welsh and in Scotland in the Scottish Gaelic language.

Source:

UK Border Agency

Knowledge Of Language And Life In The UK