Einbürgerungstest: format, registration, strategy

The Einbürgerungstest is a written multiple-choice test. You get a booklet with 33 questions, and each question has four possible answers, of which exactly one is correct.

• 30 questions come from the 300 general questions in the official catalogue
• 3 questions are about the federal state (Bundesland) where you have your main residence
• You have 60 minutes
• You pass with at least 17 correct answers
• The test costs €25

The questions are in German. There is no oral part and no essay.

BAMF publishes the complete catalogue of 310 questions you study from: 300 general questions plus 10 for your federal state. Each real test draws its 33 questions from this pool, so every question you can see in advance could come up. The catalogue is organised around three topic areas:

• Leben in der Demokratie (constitution, fundamental rights, elections, parties, federal structure, the rule of law, the welfare state)
• Geschichte und Verantwortung (National Socialism and its consequences, post-war Germany, the GDR, reunification, Europe)
• Mensch und Gesellschaft (family, education, religion, work, everyday life, migration history)

Recent editions added questions on Jewish life in Germany, antisemitism and Germany's relationship with Israel, so study those carefully. The current catalogue on bamf.de is dated 7 May 2025. BAMF notes that the wording in the catalogue may differ slightly from the actual test sheets.

You register at a BAMF test centre (Prüfstelle). Many test centres are adult education centres (Volkshochschulen) or language schools. Your Einbürgerungsbehörde can tell you which test centres are near you, and BAMF publishes lists for each federal state. Dates can fill up weeks in advance in big cities, so register early.

• Bring a valid photo ID such as a passport or national ID card
• Pay the €25 fee as the test centre instructs
• Mark your answers on the answer sheet exactly as instructed, with one answer per question

After the test you receive a certificate of your personal result from BAMF. Results can take several weeks or longer, so plan your application around that.

The 'Leben in Deutschland' test is the final test of the orientation course within an integration course. It uses the same catalogue and format: 33 questions in 60 minutes. For the integration course you pass with 15 correct answers, but for naturalisation you need at least 17. If you took 'Leben in Deutschland' and scored 17 or more, that result can serve as proof of civic knowledge, so you may not need to sit the Einbürgerungstest separately.

You do not have to take the test if you have a German school-leaving qualification (deutscher Schulabschluss), or if you cannot meet the requirement because of a physical, mental or psychological illness, a disability, or your age. Under the 2024 reform, some former guest workers (and spouses who joined them) and people in hardship cases also do not need the test. Children under 16 do not take it. If you think an exemption applies to you, ask your Einbürgerungsbehörde which evidence it needs.

• Work through all 300 general questions plus the 10 for your state. The pool is finite and published.
• Use BAMF's free Online-Testcenter to check answers and take full mock tests of 33 questions
• Learn the reasoning, not just the letter: many questions test the same idea (for example 'Rechtsstaat' or 'Volkssouveränität') in different words
• Watch for negations such as 'nicht' or 'kein' in the question; they are a common trap
• Revise the questions on Jewish life, antisemitism and Israel; they are newer and less familiar to many candidates
• In the test, answer every question. A blank answer scores nothing, and there is no penalty for guessing.