The Leben in Deutschland test at the end of the integration course

The Leben in Deutschland test uses the same questions and the same format as the naturalization test (Einbürgerungstest): 33 questions in 60 minutes. You pass it with 15 correct answers, and to use the result for naturalization you need 17. It is normally the final test of the integration course. This guide explains who takes it in that context, how it relates to the certificate, and what the result counts for.

Who takes it at the end of the course

An integration course usually consists of a language course up to level B1, followed by an orientation course covering topics such as the legal system, history, culture, and everyday life in Germany. The orientation course ends with the Leben in Deutschland test. If you attend an integration course, whether voluntarily or because it is required as part of a residence permit, you typically take the test automatically at the end of the course.

If you are not in an integration course and need the test for citizenship, you take the naturalization test instead. It has the same questions and the same format, and you can prepare for it on your own, for example with the question catalog and an app.

Relation to the certificate

If you pass the Leben in Deutschland test and also reach level B1 in the language test, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) issues the Zertifikat Integrationskurs. It confirms German language skills at level B1 and basic knowledge of Germany's legal and social order and living conditions. If you do not reach both, BAMF confirms the results you reached in a written notice (Bescheinigung).

What the result counts for

The result can matter for several residence- and naturalization-related purposes:

• It usually serves as proof of the integration achievement required by many residence permits, for example when extending a residence permit or applying for a Niederlassungserlaubnis (permanent settlement permit). The exact requirements depend on the specific residence permit and are checked case by case by the responsible immigration office (Ausländerbehörde).
• For a later citizenship application, a Leben in Deutschland result of 17 or more correct answers counts as proof of the legally required knowledge of Germany's legal and social order, one of the conditions for naturalization. In that case you do not need to take a separate naturalization test. A result of 15 or 16 passes the test for the integration course but does not count for naturalization.

Since administrative rules can change and individual cases are handled differently, always check what your result means for your own situation with the responsible immigration office or naturalization office (Einbürgerungsbehörde).

Difference from the naturalization test

The questions and the format do not differ. Both tests draw from the same catalog: 33 questions out of 300 federal and 10 state-specific questions. What differs is the purpose, the pass mark and the document you receive. The Leben in Deutschland test ends the integration course and is passed with 15 correct answers. The naturalization test is for citizenship and is passed with 17. If you take the Leben in Deutschland test in your course and get 17 or more, you do not need to take the naturalization test as well. If you are unsure, ask your naturalization office.

Preparing for it

If you take the test at the end of an integration course, the orientation course has already covered much of the material. Even so, it helps to practice the question catalog directly, since a course cannot go through the exact wording of every single one of the 300 federal or 10 state-specific questions. A short, focused study plan in the last one to two weeks before the test usually makes the difference between passing narrowly and getting a comfortable result.