Learn the 128 Civics Questions in 14 Days: A Day by Day Plan

A fast way to study for the citizenship test that still sticks is to split the 128 questions into the three USCIS groups (American Government, American History, Symbols and Holidays), study a small part each day with flashcards, then take practice tests and review the questions you miss. The 14-day plan below helps you cover the whole list in order and still leaves time to review before your interview.

This plan is for the 2025 civics test, which applies to people who file Form N-400 on or after October 20, 2025. On this test, the USCIS officer asks up to 20 questions out loud from the list of 128, and you must answer 12 correctly. If you filed before that date, you take the 2008 test with 100 questions, and you can use the same grouping approach.

How are the 128 questions grouped?

• American Government, questions 1 to 72: principles of American government (1 to 15), system of government (16 to 62), rights and responsibilities (63 to 72).
• American History, questions 73 to 118: colonial period and independence (73 to 89), the 1800s (90 to 99), recent American history (100 to 118).
• Symbols and Holidays, questions 119 to 128.

How should each study day work?

Each session has three steps. First, learn new questions with flashcards: the question on the front, the answer on the back, and read both out loud because the test is oral. Second, review the questions from the day before. Third, write the questions you answered wrong on a separate list for extra review.

About 30 to 45 minutes a day is a manageable amount. If you can, split it into two short sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening, which is easier to remember than one long session.

The 14-day plan

1. Day 1: Questions 1 to 15, principles of American government. Start gently and get used to studying with flashcards.
2. Day 2: Questions 16 to 30, the branches of government and Congress. Review questions 1 to 15.
3. Day 3: Questions 31 to 46, Congress, the President, and the executive branch. Review Day 2.
4. Day 4: Questions 47 to 62, the Cabinet, the courts, and state powers. Review Day 3.
5. Day 5: Questions 63 to 72, rights and responsibilities. Review all of questions 1 to 62.
6. Day 6: Practice test on American Government (questions 1 to 72). Review your missed questions carefully.
7. Day 7: Questions 73 to 89, colonial period and independence.
8. Day 8: Questions 90 to 99, the 1800s. Review Day 7.
9. Day 9: Questions 100 to 118, recent American history. Review Day 8.
10. Day 10: Questions 119 to 128, Symbols and Holidays. Practice test on American History (questions 73 to 118).
11. Day 11: Review the questions whose answers change with elections or depend on your state. Review your missed-question list.
12. Day 12: Practice test on all 128 questions. Write down every missed question.
13. Day 13: Review only your missed-question list. Practice vocabulary for the reading and writing tests.
14. Day 14: Take a final practice test, practice listening to and saying the questions in English, then rest early.

If 14 days feels too rushed, you can stretch the plan to 28 days by spending two days on each day's part. What matters is studying steadily and not skipping review days.

Questions to check again before your interview

Some answers change with elections or appointments, such as the names of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and the Chief Justice. Others depend on where you live, such as your U.S. senators, your U.S. representative, your governor, and your state capital. USCIS requires you to answer with the name of the person serving in that office at the time of your interview, so check the updates page at uscis.gov/citizenship/testupdates a few days before your interview.

Why focus on missed questions?

The questions you miss on practice tests are the ones you are most likely to forget. Reviewing that list on its own uses your time better than relearning all 128 questions from the start. When you answer a question correctly three times in a row, you can take it off the list.

You also do not need to memorize every word. According to the USCIS Policy Manual, an answer counts if you give the correct answer or another way of saying it. Even so, USCIS encourages applicants to answer using the answers on the list.

Do not forget the English test

Besides the civics test, you must read 1 of 3 sentences correctly out loud and write 1 of 3 sentences correctly in English. Your speaking and understanding are judged during the interview about your N-400. USCIS offers free reading and writing vocabulary lists focused on history and government, so studying the civics questions also helps you review that vocabulary.

This plan helps you study in order without skipping any group. Results depend on each person's practice, but studying a little every day will help you feel more confident when you walk into the interview room.