The short answer
- 5 official themes, set by the arrêté of 10 October 2025
- Principles and values plus rights and duties = 22 of the 40 questions: start there
- Then history and geography (8), institutions (6), living in France (4)
- Scenario questions are unpublished: understand the values, train on mock exams
The syllabus of the French civic exam is set by the arrêté of 10 October 2025. It is built on 5 official themes, and every 40-question exam follows exactly the same breakdown:
| Theme | Questions per exam |
|---|---|
| Principles and values of the Republic | 11 |
| Institutional and political system | 6 |
| Rights and duties | 11 |
| History, geography and culture | 8 |
| Living in French society | 4 |
The single most useful insight: principles and values plus rights and duties account for 22 of the 40 questions, more than half the exam. If your time is limited, start with these two themes.
Format reminder: 40 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, made up of 28 knowledge questions and 12 scenario questions, all in French. You need 32 correct answers to pass: the detailed scoring rules and time-management tips are in the score guide.
The syllabus also has an official study companion: the livret du citoyen. Its June 2026 edition is organised in five parts that match these five themes one for one, and our guide to the new livret explains how to pair it with your revision.
Principles and values of the Republic: 11 questions
The heaviest theme, tied with rights and duties.
Covers: the motto "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité" and the symbols of the Republic (the tricolour flag, Marianne, 14 July, the Marseillaise), plus laïcité and the 1905 law, equality between women and men, and fundamental freedoms.
Revision tip: learn each symbol together with its meaning, not as an isolated word. Questions often ask what a symbol stands for, not just its name.
Institutional and political system: 6 questions
Covers: the role of the President and the Prime Minister, Parliament with the Assemblée nationale and the Sénat, elections, local government (communes, départements, régions) and the European Union.
Revision tip: draw a simple "who does what" diagram: who votes laws, who leads the government, who runs your commune. One clear diagram sticks better than a long page of notes.
Rights and duties: 11 questions
The other heavyweight theme, also worth 11 questions.
Covers: fundamental rights, taxes and the income declaration, obligations such as school and respecting the law, and social protection.
Revision tip: revise in pairs, matching each right with a duty. That logic mirrors how the theme, and many of its questions, are built.
History, geography and culture: 8 questions
Covers: the French Revolution of 1789, major figures such as Napoléon and de Gaulle, the world wars, the geography of France, and its monuments and culture.
Revision tip: build a short timeline with the essential dates, then place each figure on it. Visual anchors work far better than rereading notes for history.
Living in French society: 4 questions
The lightest theme.
Covers: public services, emergency numbers (15 for the SAMU, 17 for the police, 18 for the fire brigade, 112 for the European number), healthcare and the médecin traitant, school, and everyday life.
Revision tip: memorise the emergency numbers today. They are among the easiest points to secure on the whole exam.
Revising the scenario questions
The official knowledge question lists are public for each variant of the exam (CSP vs CR vs naturalisation comparison). The 12 scenario questions, however, are not published. They test whether you can apply republican values to everyday situations.
Two approaches work:
- Understand the values rather than memorising them: for any situation, ask what laïcité, equality or respect for the law requires.
- Train on scenario-style questions in a mock exam until the reasoning becomes automatic.
The priority order
- Principles and values of the Republic: 11 questions
- Rights and duties: 11 questions
- History, geography and culture: 8 questions
- Institutional and political system: 6 questions
- Living in French society: 4 questions
The first two themes alone cover 22 of the 40 questions. Add history and you reach 30. The last two themes are shorter and quick to revise.
Measuring your progress
Start with theme-by-theme practice to find your weak spots: a low score on a heavyweight theme like rights and duties is expensive on exam day. Then move to full mock exams in real conditions: 40 questions, 45 minutes. Before you register, aim to score above 32 consistently, with a safety margin of a few points.
Frequently asked questions
Is the syllabus the same for the CSP, the carte de résident and naturalisation?
The structure is identical: the same 5 themes and the same breakdown of the 40 questions. What changes is the official knowledge list: our CSP vs CR vs naturalisation comparison covers the differences.
Should I learn every official question by heart?
Working through your variant's public list is a solid base. But 12 of the 40 questions are unpublished scenarios, so genuinely understanding the values remains essential.
How many mistakes are allowed?
You need 32 correct answers out of 40, so at most 8 mistakes. The detailed scoring rules are in our score guide.
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