The German citizenship test, formally the Einbürgerungstest, is a 33-question multiple-choice exam on Germany’s legal system, history, and society. You need at least 17 correct answers to pass, the fee is €25, and every question on test day comes from a public pool of 310 items you can study in advance on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). You have 60 minutes, and if you fail you can retake it as many times as you want.1Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. Einbürgerungstest – Fragenkatalog zur Testvorbereitung2Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany
What the Test Covers
The question pool contains 300 general questions that apply nationwide and 10 questions specific to each of Germany’s 16 federal states. On test day you receive 30 general questions and 3 from your state of residence.1Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. Einbürgerungstest – Fragenkatalog zur Testvorbereitung
The items fall into three subject areas. The first, living in a democracy, covers how the federal government, parliament, and courts work, along with the Basic Law, fundamental rights, political parties, and elections. The second, history and responsibility, focuses on key events in German history, especially the Nazi era, the division and reunification of Germany, and Germany’s responsibility toward victims of National Socialism. The third, people and society, covers cultural norms, religious freedom, equality between men and women, the education system, and everyday rights and duties.
Every question is multiple choice with four options and one correct answer. Nothing is essay-based or opinion-based; the questions are factual and direct.
The 2024 reform of Germany’s nationality law expanded the pool with new items on antisemitism, racism, Holocaust denial, and Israel’s right to exist. Applicants must acknowledge Germany’s special historical responsibility for Nazi crimes, including the protection of Jewish life and the prohibition of wars of aggression. One question asks what counts as antisemitic behavior; another asks which act relating to Israel is prohibited in Germany.3Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. New Law on Nationality Takes Effect
Who Has to Take It, and Who Doesn’t
The Nationality Act (Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz, or StAG) requires naturalization applicants to demonstrate knowledge of Germany’s legal system, society, and living conditions. For most applicants, passing the Einbürgerungstest is how you satisfy that requirement.4Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. Nationality Act – Section 10
Several groups can skip it. If you completed an integration course (Integrationskurs), you took the Leben in Deutschland test at the end. It draws from the same 310 questions in the same format, and if you scored at least 17 out of 33, your certificate already meets the knowledge requirement. Do not pay for a separate Einbürgerungstest without checking with your citizenship office first.5Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany
You can also prove the required knowledge with a German school-leaving certificate or a degree from a German university in a relevant field such as law, political science, social sciences, or public administration. Your local citizenship office decides whether a specific qualification counts.
The law waives both the language and the knowledge requirement if you cannot fulfill them because of a physical or mental illness, a disability, or your age. There is no fixed age cutoff and no set list of qualifying conditions. Your local naturalization authority evaluates each case individually, usually based on a medical certificate.4Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community. Nationality Act – Section 10
One point worth flagging: passing the citizenship test does not on its own satisfy naturalization requirements. You also need to demonstrate B1-level German under the Common European Framework, which is a separate proof handled through a recognized language exam, an integration course certificate, or a German school diploma. Since the citizenship test itself is written entirely in German, reaching B1 before you sit for it is practical, not just a legal formality.
Registering for the Test
You register at an authorized test center supervised by BAMF. These are typically adult education institutions (Volkshochschulen), and they are spread across the country. Bring a valid passport or national identity card to sign up.2Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany
The fee is €25, paid at registration. The center confirms your date and location once payment is processed. Slots fill quickly in larger cities, so register a few weeks ahead.
Test Day
Bring the same identification you used to register. You receive a paper booklet with 33 questions and mark your answers on a provided answer sheet. You have 60 minutes. Dictionaries, phones, and other reference materials are not allowed, and a proctor supervises the room.6Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge. The Final Examination and the Certificate
Passing requires 17 correct answers out of 33, just over half. The threshold is meant to confirm basic civic knowledge rather than to filter academically. If you fail, you can retake the test any number of times with no waiting period, but you pay the €25 fee again for each attempt.
How to Prepare
The single most useful preparation tool is the official online test center on the BAMF website. It contains all 310 questions in the pool. You can work through them interactively, see the correct answer with an explanation after each question, download the full questionnaire as a PDF, or run a simulated test that mirrors the real exam.5Federal Office for Migration and Refugees. Naturalisation in Germany
Because the entire pool is public, nothing on test day is a surprise. If you have worked through all 310 questions, you have seen every possible item. Third-party apps and flashcard decks exist and can be useful, but check them against the official BAMF materials, since older apps may not include the questions added by the 2024 reform.
Some federal states offer voluntary preparatory courses through local naturalization authorities. Contact your local citizenship office to find out what is available in your area.
Getting Your Results
After the exam, the test center sends your answer sheet to BAMF for grading. Results arrive by mail at your registered address, usually within several weeks. One regional testing authority estimates around eight weeks, though processing times vary with volume.
The result is issued as a formal certificate, and this is what you submit to your local citizenship office along with the rest of your naturalization documents. The certificate does not expire, so a longer wait on your naturalization application will not invalidate it.