How the naturalization test works

The Einbürgerungstest (naturalization test) and the Leben in Deutschland test use the same questions and the same format: 33 questions in 60 minutes. The naturalization test is passed with 17 correct answers. The Leben in Deutschland test at the end of an integration course is passed with 15. This guide walks through the process from registration to the result.

What the test checks

Each of the 33 questions has four answer options, exactly one of them correct. 30 questions come from the federal catalog of 300 questions. 3 questions come from the 10 questions for the German state (Bundesland) where you have your main residence. Each participant gets one of the questionnaires that the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) provides, and people in the same session get different questionnaires.

Registering for the test

You register at a test center approved by BAMF, often a Volkshochschule (adult education center). Your naturalization office (Einbürgerungsbehörde) can tell you which test center to use, and BAMF publishes a list of test centers. Registration usually requires a valid ID or residence permit. The fee for the naturalization test is 25 EUR per attempt, usually paid at registration or on the day of the test. If you take the Leben in Deutschland test at the end of an integration course, BAMF pays for your first attempt.

On the day of the test

Bring a valid ID and arrive on time, ideally a little early. Without ID, most centers will not let you take the test. Aids such as dictionaries, notes, or phones are not allowed during the test. The test is set in German, with no translation printed in the booklet. If you are still working on your German, plan for that when you prepare, since the test checks language comprehension and factual knowledge at the same time.

You get 60 minutes for the 33 questions, a little under two minutes per question. For most people who have practiced the catalog beforehand, that is comfortably enough time. The test is on paper, and you mark your answers with a pen.

Result and certificate

For the naturalization test you need at least 17 correct answers. You do not get the result on the day, and the test supervisors are not allowed to tell you how you did. The test center sends the answer sheets to BAMF, which marks them centrally and sends every participant a written result (Bescheinigung) with the total score by post. For the Leben in Deutschland test in an integration course, BAMF issues the Zertifikat Integrationskurs if you pass the test and reach level B1 in the language test. Otherwise it issues a Bescheinigung with your results. Where needed, BAMF also informs your course provider of the results. How long you wait for the result depends on BAMF's workload. The BAMF page on naturalization (in German) shows up to which test date BAMF is currently marking tests.

If you do not pass

You can retake the naturalization test as many times as you need, there is no limit on attempts. Each new attempt costs the full 25 EUR fee again. It usually pays off to go back through the catalog and focus specifically on the questions you were unsure about, rather than simply repeating the same preparation. The 2 to 4 week preparation plan shows one way to do this.

Leben in Deutschland test versus naturalization test: what is different

Both tests use the same catalog and the same 33-question format. The differences are the purpose, the pass mark and the document you receive. The Leben in Deutschland test ends the orientation course of an integration course and is passed with 15 correct answers. If you also reach level B1 in the language test, BAMF issues the Zertifikat Integrationskurs, which can matter for a permanent residence permit among other things. If you are not in an integration course and need the test for citizenship, you take the naturalization test, which needs 17. A Leben in Deutschland result of 17 or more also counts for naturalization, so you do not need to take the naturalization test as well. If you are not sure which applies to your situation, ask your naturalization office (Einbürgerungsbehörde).

Exact procedures can vary a little between states and test centers. Details like how long you wait for an appointment or how you pay the fee are best confirmed directly with your test center.