The "Leben in Deutschland" exam tests your knowledge of the political system, history, and social structure of Germany. It is identical to the Einbürgerungstest but is also used for integration course completion, so most newcomers end up taking it regardless of whether they plan to apply for citizenship right away.
Exam Structure
You will receive a questionnaire with 33 random questions out of a 310-question catalogue. You must answer at least 15 correctly to pass for an integration course certificate, or 17 for citizenship purposes — the test itself is identical either way, only the required score differs.
How to Register and What It Costs
You can take the test at a Volkshochschule (VHS) or any officially licensed test center. Registration is done online or in person, and the fee is usually around 25 EUR if you are not taking it as part of a state-funded integration course, where it is often included in the course price. If you receive Bürgergeld or are in certain integration programs, ask your Jobcenter or Ausländerbehörde caseworker whether the fee can be waived — it often can be, but only on request.
What the Questions Cover
- Politics: the Grundgesetz (Basic Law), the federal system, how elections work, the role of the Bundestag and Bundeskanzler.
- History: the Nazi era and the Holocaust, the division of Germany, and reunification in 1990.
- Rights and values: equality between men and women, freedom of religion, and the rule of law.
- State-specific questions: three questions unique to your Bundesland — its capital, symbols, and local history.
Sample Questions You Might See
- "Was ist mit dem Begriff 'Volkssouveränität' gemeint?" — Das Volk wählt Vertreter, die für es entscheiden. (What is meant by "popular sovereignty"? — The people elect representatives who decide on their behalf.)
- "Wer wählt den Bundeskanzler / die Bundeskanzlerin in Deutschland?" — Der Bundestag. (Who elects the Federal Chancellor in Germany? — The Bundestag.)
- "Seit wann gibt es die Bundesrepublik Deutschland?" — Seit 1949. (Since when has the Federal Republic of Germany existed? — Since 1949.)
How to Study Efficiently
The official BAMF website publishes a free online test trainer with all the possible questions and their correct answers, so you can practice the exact question pool rather than guessing what might come up. Learners who go through the full set over one to two weeks, a little every day, usually pass comfortably on the first attempt.
Pro tip: practice the 3 state-specific questions for your Bundesland separately — they are the ones learners forget most often because they are not in the general question pool everyone shares.
After You Pass
If you took the test as part of an integration course, the result feeds into your course completion certificate (Zertifikat Integrationskurs), which can shorten the path to a settlement permit. If you passed at 17/33 or higher, that same certificate is one of the required documents for the Einbürgerungstest step of a citizenship application.
If You Do Not Pass
There is no limit on retakes and no mandatory waiting period, but each attempt costs the fee again, so it is worth studying properly the first time rather than treating it as a formality.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I take the test in a language other than German? — No, the test itself is only offered in German, though preparation materials are also available in other languages.
- Do I need to attend an integration course to take the test? — No. You can register independently at any licensed test center, even without taking a course.
- Is the test the same across all federal states? — The 30 general questions are identical everywhere; only the 3 state-specific questions change depending on where you live.
- How long is my result valid for a citizenship application? — There is no official expiry date on the certificate itself, but immigration offices generally expect the underlying facts of your application (residence duration, integration course completion) to still be current, so it is best not to let years pass between passing the test and actually applying.
- Can I use the test result for a different Bundesland than the one I took it in? — Yes, the 30 general questions and your overall score are valid nationwide; only the 3 state-specific questions were tied to where you registered, and that does not need to match where you eventually apply for citizenship or a settlement permit.
Try it yourself — free
1000 most important words. AI explanations. Spaced repetition. Fast start.