Norwegian citizenship test pass mark and scoring
Both Norwegian knowledge tests use a fixed pass mark, and both include a handful of unscored trial questions — which is why the numbers look odd at first glance. Here is exactly how the scoring works, when you get your result, and what score to aim for in practice.
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Statsborgerprøven: 36 questions, of which 32 count toward your score. You pass with 24 correct answers — 75 per cent of the scored questions.
Samfunnskunnskapsprøven: 38 questions, of which 34 count. You pass with 26 correct answers — about 76 per cent. Both tests last a maximum of 60 minutes.
- Citizenship test: pass at 24 of 32 scored questions (36 total).
- Social studies test: pass at 26 of 34 scored questions (38 total).
- The pass mark is the same in every test language.
Why some questions are not scored
In each test, four questions are new trial questions that HKdir is testing for future use. They do not affect your result, and you cannot tell which ones they are — so answer every question as if it counts.
Every scored question is worth the same, and the result is simply a count of correct answers — a wrong answer costs no more than an unanswered one. Never leave a question blank: with three options, even a guess has value.
When and how you get your result
HKdir sends results by email, and you can see your result the day after the test by logging in to Min side on the test portal. The formal certificate of completion arrives two to four weeks after the test date, and results can be shared digitally through Vitnemålsportalen.
If you believe something went wrong, there is an appeals process — see HKdir's pages for the procedure and deadlines.
What to aim for in practice
The pass mark is 75–76 per cent, but aiming for exactly that leaves no margin for nerves, unfamiliar wording, or an unlucky topic mix. A safer target is to score 85 per cent or higher consistently across full practice tests before you book.
Path to Norway's mock tests use the official format and show a category breakdown after each session, so you can see whether a weak score comes from one topic you can fix or from general gaps that need more time.
Common questions
How many questions can I get wrong and still pass?
On the citizenship test you can miss 8 of the 32 scored questions. On the social studies test you can miss 8 of the 34 scored questions. The four unscored trial questions in each test do not affect this.
Is the pass mark the same in every language?
Yes. The social studies test has the same questions, format and pass mark in all 23 languages. The citizenship test exists only in Norwegian.
What happens if I score exactly the pass mark?
You pass. 24 correct answers on the citizenship test or 26 on the social studies test is a pass — there is no rounding or grading beyond pass/fail.
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