The Einbürgerungstest: 310 published questions, 33 on the day, and you need 17
The Einbürgerungstest is how most applicants for German citizenship prove their knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany. It sits next to the language requirement, a B1 exam under § 10 Abs. 4 StAG (see telc or Goethe for B1), and it is not a language test. Every question it can ask is published in advance: 310 of them, of which you get 33, and 17 correct answers pass.
Everything below was read on the pages and documents of the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) on 5 October 2026: its naturalisation page, the question catalogue (Gesamtfragenkatalog, version of 7 May 2025) and the exam rules for test centres (Prüfungsordnung). Where a figure is our own arithmetic from those documents, it says so.
The format: 33 questions, 60 minutes, four options each
You get a test booklet with 33 questions and 60 minutes. Each question has four possible answers, one of them correct. 17 correct answers pass.
30 questions come from three subject areas, Leben in der Demokratie, Geschichte und Verantwortung and Mensch und Gesellschaft. 3 questions are about the federal state (Bundesland) where your main residence is registered.
Under the exam rules, every candidate receives a test paper that is not identical to those of the other candidates in the same session. Phones, dictionaries and notes are not allowed, invigilators may not answer questions about content, and they may not tell you how you did.
The finding: a state question is three times as likely to come up
This arithmetic is ours, from BAMF's own figures.
The catalogue has 300 general questions and 10 questions for each federal state. The test takes 30 of the 300 and 3 of the 10. So any single general question has a one-in-ten chance of being on your paper, and any single question about your own state has a three-in-ten chance.
Put another way: the 10 questions for your state are worth 3 points, about 9% of the test from 3% of the material you need to study. They are the best-paying ten questions in the catalogue, and they sit at the very back of a 191-page PDF.
Make sure you study the right state. The three questions follow the state where you are registered with your main residence (Erstwohnsitz), not the one you live in most or plan to move to.
Also ours: 17 of 33 is about 52%, the lowest pass mark of the citizenship tests we compare. Spain's CCSE asks 15 of 25 (60%) from a published bank of 300; Norway's statsborgerprøven asks 24 of 32 scored answers (75%) and publishes no bank.
How to prepare with BAMF's own material
BAMF publishes the full catalogue as a PDF and as an interactive Online-Testcenter, where each question shows the correct answer after you answer it. There is also a sample paper (Musterfragebogen) that marks your answers and then shows the correct solutions with short background notes. Some states also run preparation courses; your naturalisation authority knows which.
Note the version. The catalogue BAMF links carries the date 7 May 2025, and BAMF adds that the wording of individual questions and answers can differ slightly from the original test questions. So learn the content of an answer, not its exact sentence.
Fee, booking and the wait for the result
The test costs €25, paid to the test centre when you register. Bring a valid identity document with a photo on the day.
Book early. Under the exam rules a test centre must register each session with BAMF at least three weeks before the date, and it must offer you a test date within twelve weeks of your registration. The list of test centres for each state is on BAMF's naturalisation page, and your naturalisation authority can tell you which is nearest.
The result comes by post, from BAMF, not from the test centre. It states your total points and one of two outcomes: erfolgreich teilgenommen (passed) or teilgenommen (took part). The test papers themselves are never handed out, not even as a copy.
Then wait. On 5 October 2026, BAMF's naturalisation page, dated 28 September 2026, said it was currently marking tests taken up to 9 July 2026. The reading is ours: on that day the result of a test sat in July was still being marked almost three months later. Check that line on BAMF's page before you plan your application around a date.
If you score fewer than 17, you can retake the test. BAMF's page sets no limit on the number of attempts.
Who does not have to take it
BAMF lists two exceptions: you have a German school-leaving qualification, or you cannot meet the requirement because of a physical, mental or psychological illness, a disability or your age.
If you passed the integration course test, you may already have it. The Zertifikat Integrationskurs counts as proof of this knowledge when you scored at least 17 of 33 in its Leben in Deutschland test, and the two tests share the same catalogue. The same certificate counts as proof of German when your Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer result was B1.
The test is one condition among several. For the language half, and how Germany's B1 compares with other countries, see citizenship language requirements by country.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Leaving the ten state questions until the end.
Learning them first.
3 of your state's 10 questions are on the paper, against 30 of 300 general ones. Each state question is three times as likely to come up.
Studying the state you live in rather than the one you are registered in.
Checking which state holds your Erstwohnsitz.
BAMF asks the three state questions about the state where your main residence is registered.
Memorising the exact wording of the catalogue answers.
Learning what each answer means.
BAMF warns that the wording of individual questions and answers in the catalogue can differ slightly from the questions in the test.
Sitting the test a few weeks before a deadline.
Allowing for the booking lead time and the marking backlog.
Centres register sessions with BAMF three weeks ahead and may offer a date up to twelve weeks out; on 5 October 2026 BAMF was marking tests taken up to 9 July.
Booking the Einbürgerungstest after an integration course.
Checking your Zertifikat Integrationskurs first.
17 of 33 in the Leben in Deutschland test already counts as the same proof, according to BAMF.
Questions
How many questions are in the Einbürgerungstest, and how many do I need?
33 questions, four answers each, in 60 minutes. You pass with 17 correct. 30 questions come from a published set of 300 general questions and 3 from the 10 published for the federal state where your main residence is registered.
How much does the Einbürgerungstest cost?
€25, paid to the test centre when you register. The naturalisation itself is a separate fee: BAMF gives €255 per person, and €51 for a minor child naturalised together with a parent.
How long does it take to get the Einbürgerungstest result?
The result is posted to you by BAMF. On 5 October 2026 BAMF's naturalisation page, dated 28 September, said it was marking tests taken up to 9 July 2026, so results were taking close to three months. Check the current line on BAMF's page.
Can I retake the Einbürgerungstest?
Yes. BAMF says that if you answer fewer than 17 questions correctly you can repeat the test, and it gives no limit on attempts.
Who is exempt from the Einbürgerungstest?
People with a German school-leaving qualification, and people who cannot meet the requirement because of illness, disability or age. A Zertifikat Integrationskurs with at least 17 of 33 in the Leben in Deutschland test also counts as the same proof.
Where do I take the Einbürgerungstest?
At a BAMF-approved test centre (Prüfstelle). BAMF publishes a list of centres for each federal state on its naturalisation page, and your naturalisation authority can advise you. Bring an official photo ID.
Is the Einbürgerungstest the same as the Leben in Deutschland test?
They use the same published catalogue of questions. The Leben in Deutschland test is taken at the end of an integration course, and BAMF accepts a result of at least 17 of 33 in it as proof of the same knowledge.
Last updated