Preparing for the Life in UK Test (2024)

The 'Life in UK' test is one part of your indefinite leave to remain (ILR) application. It is a 24 question multiple choice computer based exam that you have 45 minutes to complete. It costs £50 and you can book it here.

It does not expire, and you can use the same exam you took for your ILR in your British citizenship application.

How do I prepare?

You'll find that there are a lot of books, podcasts, and subscriptions that people suggest in order to pass the exam, but it doesn't need to be so confusing. In order to prepare for the 'Life in UK' test, all you need to do is the following:

• Go to this website
• Find the 'Exams' section
• Go through ALL the exams (1-17)
• Rote memorize the correct answer to each question
• Revise these exams AT LEAST 3 times
• Closer to your exam date, pick an exam and take it in full exam mode (timed, no disturbance, etc) a few times until you feel confident

If you are someone who needs to read and understand the information beforehand, you can find chapters to read under the 'Study Materials' section of the site linked above.

Give yourself as much time as you feel you need to prepare, but don't put aside TOO much time. This isn't a Royal College exam. A good week of reviewing or even a few days can be more than enough.

Disclaimer: we do not own the website we've linked above. We used it for our own prep and found it to be more than sufficient to pass. The site itself is free of cost, but you can always donate to help keep it running so more IMGs can pass the exam in the future.

What will happen exam day?

You'll be asked to be at the exam center at a specific time. DO NOT BE LATE. You'll also need to bring a form of identification- and this needs to be the same document you used to book your exam. The easiest and safest thing to book with would be your passport.

Once you've checked in at the exam center, there will be a brief check to ensure you don't have any materials on you that would allow you to cheat in the exam. They will also keep your phone before you enter the exam hall and take your photo.

Depending on your center, you may have a cubicle where there will be a computer for you to login to. You'll be given a code to access your exam, there will be a short practice test for you to understand how the exam will be, and then you can start.

There are no bonus points for finishing first. Take your time, go through each question thoroughly, and pick your answer. If you're unsure, try your best to narrow it down to two answers.

You need to score 75%, or get 18 questions correct. Once you've gone through all the questions, do a quick review to ensure you're happy and click submit. The results are instantaneous, so no long, arduous waiting.

With the 'pass' result, you'll be given a 'unique reference number'. This is what you'll put in your ILR application, and later your citizenship application as well. If you've unfortunately failed, you will need to retake the exam, but the good news is that is there is no exam attempt limit.

Good luck and we hope you pass!