The Einbürgerungstest (Leben in Deutschland) has one quality most exams lack: the complete question catalogue is public before you sit. All 300 nationwide questions are available from BAMF in advance, drawn unchanged onto the real test. That shifts preparation from guessing what might appear to systematically covering what definitely will.
What score do you need to pass?
17 of 33 questions correct. There is no penalty for wrong answers and no subject-area minimum, so always answer every question. The nationwide pass rate exceeds 90 percent, largely because the question pool is fixed and published. The test is not designed to surprise you; it measures whether you have studied the catalogue.
What does the Einbürgerungstest cover?
The 30 nationwide questions are drawn from three subject areas with set weightings in the official BAMF catalogue:
| Subject area | German name | Nationwide questions |
|---|---|---|
| Politics and democracy | Politik in der Demokratie | 17 of 30 |
| History and responsibility | Geschichte und Verantwortung | 8 of 30 |
| People and society | Mensch und Gesellschaft | 8 of 30 |
A further 3 questions come from the official catalogue for the Bundesland (federal state) where you live. BAMF publishes each state’s 10 questions separately; 3 of those 10 appear on your test.
Why should you start with Politik in der Demokratie?
Politik in der Demokratie is the largest subject area, carrying 17 of the 30 nationwide questions. Covering it first gives you the single biggest return. This section covers:
- The Grundgesetz (Basic Law): which rights it guarantees, starting with Article 1 (human dignity is inviolable)
- Fundamental rights: freedom of movement (Freizügigkeit means the right to choose your place of residence), the separation of state and religious communities
- Germany’s political system: the republic form of government, 16 Bundesländer, the federal institutions
- Democratic rules: what makes a party unconstitutional (aiming to establish a dictatorship), how elections work
Drilling this category to near-perfect accuracy gives you more than half the nationwide points before you open the next section.
What is covered in Geschichte und Verantwortung?
Geschichte und Verantwortung (history, 8 questions) runs from the late Weimar Republic to reunification. The key periods and facts the questions test:
- National Socialism under Adolf Hitler: 1933 to 1945
- The post-war division: two German states, BRD (West) and DDR (East)
- The Berlin Wall: built by the DDR in 1961, opened in 1989
- Reunification: 3 October 1990
These questions anchor knowledge in dates and the lessons drawn from the NS era. The explanations in the BAMF catalogue make the reasoning explicit; read each one, not just the correct answer.
What does Mensch und Gesellschaft cover?
Mensch und Gesellschaft (society, 8 questions) covers life in Germany. Topics include:
- The relationship between state and religious communities: they are separate in Germany; the state is neutral on matters of belief
- Work: most working people in Germany are employees of a company or public authority (not self-employed)
- Social insurance: funded through Sozialabgaben (social contributions by employees and employers), not from church tax or donations
- Family and education structures
Eight questions is a smaller slice, but they have their own terminology that repays careful reading rather than skim-and-guess.
How should you handle the Bundesland questions?
Add them after the nationwide catalogue, not before. Three of your 33 test questions will come from your state’s official set of 10. BAMF publishes each Bundesland’s 10 questions on its website; they are short and cover your state’s history, political symbols and regional facts. Ten questions reviewed once or twice is all that is needed.
How long does preparation realistically take?
Two to four weeks of consistent daily study. Because the catalogue is public and finite, you know exactly when you are done: when you can answer every nationwide question reliably and have read your state’s 10. There is no syllabus to guess or scope to estimate.
Timed mock exams are the best final check. Run several 33-question mocks in 60 minutes, scored at 17 correct, before booking your sitting. After each mock, return to any category you fell short in and drill it again before your next full run.
Which facts should you lock in early?
These figures appear across multiple topic areas and pay dividends once committed:
- 17 of 33: pass mark
- 60 minutes: time allowed
- 16: number of Bundesländer
- Article 1: human dignity is inviolable
- 1933 to 1945: period of National Socialist rule
- 1961: year the Berlin Wall was built
- 1990: reunification
- Sozialabgaben: how social insurance is financed
Where do you book the Einbürgerungstest?
Once mock scores consistently clear 17 of 33, book a place at an approved test centre (Durchführungsstelle). The official test fee is 25 euros per sitting. Approved centres across Germany are listed on the BAMF website at bamf.de. The centre marks the answer sheet and sends the certificate (Einbürgerungstestzertifikat) by post.
This article is based on the official BAMF Gesamtfragenkatalog (as of 7 May 2025). This is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge or any government body.