One requirement for German citizenship is passing the Einbürgerungstest — a standard test of your knowledge of German law, society and history. It is not a language exam but a general knowledge test; you do, however, have to read and understand the questions and answers in German.
Structure of the test
The Einbürgerungstest has 33 questions — 30 general questions and 3 about your federal state (Bundesland). Each question has four answer options, and you pass with 17 or more correct answers.
Which topics come up
- Political system: the constitutional structure of Germany, how elections work and how government operates.
- History: post-war Germany, the Berlin Wall and reunification.
- Society and law: fundamental rights, equality and legal matters of everyday life.
- State-specific questions: facts about the Bundesland where you live — these 3 questions differ for each state.
How to study
The officially published question catalogue contains 300+ questions, and the test draws its questions from it — so working through the whole catalogue is the most effective strategy.
- Go step by step: 20–30 questions a day covers the whole catalogue in 2–3 weeks.
- Take mock tests: instead of only memorising, take timed tests with random questions to get used to the real conditions.
- Collect your mistakes: revise the questions you keep getting wrong separately.
On the day of the test
You normally have 60 minutes, which is plenty for 33 questions — there is no need to rush. Read each question carefully, because some options can look very similar.
For the other requirements for citizenship (length of residence, German language level, proof of income and so on), contact your local Ausländerbehörde or a recognised migration adviser.