Einbürgerungstest: the German citizenship test, explained in English
The Einbürgerungstest is the civics exam you take as part of applying for German citizenship. It is 33 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, drawn from a published catalog, and you pass with 17 correct answers. It costs €25, you can retake it as often as you like, and the certificate never expires. This page covers everything in English: format, eligibility, registration, exam day, and the fastest way to prepare.
Everything on Passbereit is explained in English and the trainer's interface is English, but the questions and answers are shown in German first, exactly as they appear on the exam, with the English translation underneath. That is deliberate: the Einbürgerungstest is sat in German with no dictionary, so the German wording is what you need to recognise. You can also read this site in German.
Format and pass mark
| Questions in the exam | 33 (30 general + 3 on your federal state) |
|---|---|
| Time allowed | 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | 17 of 33 correct |
| Questions you need to learn | 310 (300 general + 10 for your state) |
| Full official catalog | 460 questions (300 + 16 × 10) |
| Answer format | Multiple choice, four options, exactly one correct |
| Fee | €25 per attempt, at an accredited test centre |
| Exam language | German only, no dictionaries or aids permitted |
The 33 questions are not chosen freely: 30 come from the general catalog and 3 from the set for your federal state. Every question has four options with exactly one correct answer, and there is no negative marking — so never leave one blank. A guess is worth more than a gap.
Who has to take it, and who does not
The test is a standard requirement for naturalisation, but there are real exemptions. You do not need to sit it if you hold a German school leaving certificate or a German university degree, or if illness, disability or old age prevents you from taking it. In practice, the Einbürgerungsbehörde handling your application decides, so ask them before you book and pay — people occasionally sit an exam they were exempt from.
What you actually have to learn
The catalog contains 460 questions, and that number frightens people unnecessarily. It includes 10 state-specific questions for each of the 16 federal states, and your exam uses only one state's set. The real total is 310: the 300 general questions plus the 10 for the state where you apply. Which state counts is decided by where you file the application — not your birthplace, and not where you used to live.
The topics you will be tested on
The BAMF sorts the catalog into three official areas: Leben in der Demokratie, Geschichte und Verantwortung and Mensch und Gesellschaft. Those break down into the following topics, each with its own page of questions and explanations.
| Topic | What it covers |
|---|---|
| History and Responsibility | The Weimar Republic, National Socialism, the division of Germany, the GDR, the fall of… |
| Living in a Democracy | Elections, political parties, the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and how political power in… |
| The State and Federalism | Federal government, states and municipalities: who is responsible for schools, police or… |
| Law and the Rule of Law | The Rechtsstaat, separation of powers, the courts, the Federal Constitutional Court, and… |
| People and Society | Everyday life, work, family, school, religion and living together: your rights and… |
| Basic Rights | Articles 1 to 19 of the Grundgesetz: human dignity, freedom of expression, freedom of… |
| Symbols and Public Holidays | The flag, the coat of arms, the national anthem and the Day of German Unity — a small… |
Registration, cost and exam day
You register directly with an accredited test centre — typically a Volkshochschule or an integration course provider — and pay €25. Bring photo identification; the centre will check it. There is no online option, and no aids of any kind are allowed: no dictionary, no phone, no notes.
You mark your answers on a paper sheet, which is evaluated centrally by the BAMF rather than at the centre, so you will not learn your result on the day. The certificate arrives by post, usually within a few weeks. If you do not reach 17 correct answers you can book again as many times as you want; only a pass matters, and failed attempts do not appear in your naturalisation file.
How to prepare efficiently
- Start with your state's 10 questions — the highest value per minute, since 3 are certain to appear.
- Then work through the general catalog by topic, beginning with History and Responsibility, the biggest block.
- Learn the recurring German exam terms. Many questions become obvious once you know what Rechtsstaat or Bundesrat means.
- Drill only your mistakes. Re-reading questions you already answer correctly feels productive and is not.
- Finish with timed mock exams until scoring well above 17 is routine.
Questions people actually ask
Who has to take the Einbürgerungstest?
Almost everyone applying for German citizenship by naturalisation. You are exempt if you cannot take it for reasons of illness, disability or age, or if you hold a German school leaving certificate (for example the Hauptschulabschluss) or a German higher-education qualification. Your Einbürgerungsbehörde makes the final call.
What does it cost?
€25 per attempt, paid to the test centre. If you fail, a retake costs €25 again. The naturalisation application itself is a separate fee.
Where do I register?
At an accredited test centre — usually a Volkshochschule (adult education centre), an integration course provider or a similar institution. The BAMF publishes the list of accredited centres. You cannot sit the exam online.
How many times can I retake it?
As often as you need. There is no limit on attempts, and only the passing result matters for your application. Each attempt costs the fee again.
When do I get the result?
Usually within a few weeks, by post. The BAMF evaluates the answer sheets centrally, so the test centre cannot tell you on the day. You receive a certificate (Zertifikat Einbürgerungstest) if you passed.
Does the certificate expire?
No. The Einbürgerungstest certificate does not expire, so passing it early in your naturalisation process is fine.
Is the Einbürgerungstest the same as the Leben in Deutschland test?
They use the same question catalog and the same format, but they serve different purposes and produce different certificates. See the Leben in Deutschland page for the difference, and when one can count as the other.
Do the questions change every year?
The catalog is stable. The BAMF revises it occasionally — a question about a current office-holder can be updated, for instance — but there is no annual reshuffle, and the overwhelming majority of questions have been unchanged for years.
What level of German do I need?
The exam tests civics, not language, but it is written in German, so you need enough reading German to follow the questions — roughly B1, the same level required elsewhere in the naturalisation process. The vocabulary list covers the specific terms the exam reuses.
Passbereit is a free, independent study aid. It is not affiliated with the BAMF or with any test centre, and practice results carry no legal weight. The official BAMF question catalog is always the authoritative source. FAQ · Impressum · Datenschutz