Video: Brits & Expats try UK Citizenship Test, Fail
We created this lighthearted video on what it means to be British according to the mysterious Life in the United Kingdom Test before the kerfuffle that is now the infamous Brexit.
Informally known as the British citizenship test, expats – and we suspect Brits in residence will have to answer these questions, as well – are tested on their knowledge of British culture in order to stay in a post-Brexit UK.
Sounds easy enough, right? Well, we thought so, too, until we gave it a try.
Brits vs Expats: the British citizenship test
We asked our multinational colleagues in London to answer some of the more ridiculous questions on the British citizenship test and happily filmed their answers.
No, Tom, if you fail the test you are not automatically deported, until Theresa May gets her way, at least. You can retake the test no sooner than a week later and as many times as you want until you do pass.
Hopefully by then you’ll know what the average British person is supposed to know: when the first farmers arrived in Britain, and the distance between the North coast of Scotland and the South coast of England, without looking it up on your mobile.
About the the Life in the UK test
This test, introduced in 2005, was rewritten in 2013 to make it even more difficult.Chances are with the vote to leave the EU it will be rewritten again soon enough.
Immigrants have to answer questions on a variety of topics – including historical facts, popular culture, and politics – that the British government deems important enough to ascertain one’s Britishness.
What’s not shown in the video is that each applicant for British citizenship must take this exam of 24 questions, and have to pass with at least a 75%. For those with maths skills as excellent as Tom’s, that’s 18 out of 24.
Who has to take the UK citizenship test?
Don’t worry, if you’re younger than 18 or older than 65 you are exempt from taking the test.
How to take the UK citizenship test
To take the test, you need to book through gov.uk and choose one of the 5 local test centres out of 60 in the UK.
More ridiculous British citizenship test questions
The video above only covers just a few of the many possible questions one can find on the test. Some of our personal favourites (and real practice test questions) are:
- What kind of bird do people usually eat on Christmas Day?
- Some public places have alcohol-free zones where you cannot drink in public – True or False?
- Which of these forts were part of Hadrian’s Wall?(Choose any 2 answers)
- Housesteads
- Skara Brae
- Sutton Hoo
- Vindolanda
- In 55BC Julius Caesar led a Roman invasion of Britain. It was unsuccessful & for how many years did Britain remained separate from the Roman Empire?
Selection of test questions courtesy of TheUKTest.com