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German lessons · German exam guides · B1

The Einbürgerungstest and "Leben in Deutschland

If you live in Germany, sooner or later you will hear about a test with 33 multiple-choice questions on politics, history and society. There are actually two versions: the Einbürgerungstest (naturalisation test) for people applying for German citizenship, and the "Leben in Deutschland" test (LiD) at the end of the integration course. Both are run by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) and draw on the same question catalogue – but the pass marks differ.

Who needs which test

  • Einbürgerungstest – for anyone applying for German citizenship (Einbürgerung). It proves the required knowledge of the legal and social order and living conditions in Germany.
  • "Leben in Deutschland" – the final test of the Orientierungskurs, the 100-unit orientation part of every integration course. The language part ends with the "Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer" (DTZ).

Good news: if you reach at least 17 of 33 points in the LiD test, this also counts as proof for naturalisation – you don't need to sit the Einbürgerungstest again. According to BAMF, you are also exempt if you have a German school leaving certificate, or if you cannot meet the requirements because of illness, disability or age.

33 questions in 60 minutes

Both tests have the same format: a test sheet with 33 questions, each with four possible answers, and 60 minutes to answer them.

  • 30 questions on "Leben in der Demokratie" (living in a democracy), "Geschichte und Verantwortung" (history and responsibility) and "Mensch und Gesellschaft" (people and society).
  • 3 questions about the federal state (Bundesland) where you are registered with your main residence.

The pass marks:

  • Einbürgerungstest: at least 17 correct answers. With fewer, you can repeat the test.
  • LiD test: at least 15 correct answers pass the Orientierungskurs; 17 or more also count for naturalisation.

The question catalogue and state questions

The questions are not secret. BAMF publishes the complete catalogue (Gesamtfragenkatalog): 300 general questions plus 10 questions for each federal state. So for your own test you have to know 310 questions – the 300 general ones and the 10 for your Bundesland. Only learn the state questions for the state where you are registered: a person in Bayern gets questions about Bayern, not about Berlin.

Practising online on bamf.de

The free Online-Testcenter on bamf.de has two modes:

  • Fragenkatalog – go through all questions; after each one you see the correct answer.
  • Mustertest – a practice test sheet; at the end you see which answers were right, with short background information.

BAMF also offers sample test sheets (Musterbogen) as PDF.

Registration

  • Einbürgerungstest: you register directly with a BAMF test centre (Prüfstelle). Many of them are Volkshochschulen (adult education centres), but not all. Your local naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde) can tell you which test centres are near you. Bring a valid photo ID on the test day. There is a fee – check the current amount on bamf.de or with the test centre. Afterwards BAMF sends you a certificate with your result.
  • LiD test: it takes place on its own date after the Orientierungskurs. Ask your integration course provider (Kursträger) about the date.

German B1 for citizenship

The test only checks knowledge. For citizenship you must also prove German at level B1 of the CEFR – for example with a B1 result in the DTZ from the integration course. The Zertifikat Integrationskurs requires both: DTZ at B1 and a passed LiD test. Rules on naturalisation can change, so always check the current requirements on bamf.de or with your Einbürgerungsbehörde.

How to prepare

  • Practise in the Online-Testcenter until you get almost every question right – 17 is the minimum, not the goal.
  • Learn the key words: Bundestag, Bundesrat, Grundgesetz, Wahl, Gericht.
  • Do not skip the three state questions – they are easy points.
  • Read each question to the end: words like nicht or kein change the answer.
  • Read the questions aloud – it trains your B1 German at the same time.

At a glance

Einbürgerungstest Test "Leben in Deutschland"
For citizenship application end of the integration course (Orientierungskurs)
Questions 33 (30 general + 3 state) 33 (30 general + 3 state)
Time 60 minutes 60 minutes
Pass mark 17 15 (17 also counts for citizenship)
Registration BAMF test centre (often a Volkshochschule) via the integration course
Practice Online-Testcenter on bamf.de Online-Testcenter on bamf.de

Sources: BAMF – Einbürgerung, BAMF – Naturalisation (English), BAMF – Online-Testcenter, BAMF – Abschlussprüfung Integrationskurs

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