German Citizenship Test Cost, Fees, and Passing Score

If you are planning to naturalise as a German citizen, the Einbürgerungstest is one of the last hurdles between you and your German passport. This guide breaks down exactly what the exam costs, what fees you pay for naturalisation itself, and how many questions you need to answer correctly to pass — all based on the official information published by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).

What the Einbürgerungstest actually costs

The test participation fee is €25. You pay this at the licensed test centre where you sit the exam, not to BAMF. That fee covers the test sheet, invigilation, marking, and the certificate you receive if you pass. If you have to retake the test, you pay €25 again for each attempt.

This is separate from the naturalisation application fee itself, which is €255 per adult. Children who are naturalised together with a parent pay a reduced fee of €51. Test participation fees may be reduced for applicants on low income or for families with several children — ask your local naturalisation authority before booking.

So in total, a single adult should budget roughly €280 for the test and the naturalisation fee combined, before any translation, document-procurement, or courier costs. That figure does not include the B1 German language certificate, which most applicants pay for separately at a language school.

How the passing score works

The exam is a written multiple-choice test with 33 questions. You have 60 minutes to complete it. To pass, you must answer at least 17 questions correctly — that works out to just over 51 percent.

The 33 questions are drawn from an official pool of 310 questions. Of your 33:

• 30 questions cover democracy, history and society at the federal level.
• 3 questions are specific to the federal state (Bundesland) where you sit the exam. Each of the 16 states contributes 10 candidate questions, and 3 of those appear on your sheet.

Every question offers four options, and exactly one is correct. There is no negative marking, so it is always in your interest to answer every question — even if you are guessing. You can drill 33-question sets under real exam conditions on our practice test to get comfortable with the timer.

Who does not need to pay the test fee

BAMF lists two groups who are exempt from taking the Einbürgerungstest, and therefore from the €25 test fee:

• Applicants who hold a German school-leaving certificate (for example an Abschluss from a German secondary school). The certificate itself is treated as proof of the required civic knowledge.
• Applicants who cannot participate because of a physical, mental, or age-related condition. In these cases the naturalisation authority handles the evidence separately, usually with a medical certificate.

Everyone else — including candidates who studied at a German university without also completing a German school-leaving qualification — must sit the standard 33-question test.

5 sample questions grounded in BAMF's catalogue

Try these under exam conditions — pick one answer per question, then check the key below.

1. What is the maximum time you have to complete the Einbürgerungstest? a) 30 minutes b) 45 minutes c) 60 minutes d) 90 minutes

2. How many questions must you answer correctly to pass? a) 10 of 33 b) 17 of 33 c) 22 of 33 d) 30 of 33

3. What is the standard naturalisation fee per adult? a) €51 b) €125 c) €255 d) €500

4. Which right is guaranteed by the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz)? a) the right to a company car b) the right to a specific job c) the right to freedom of opinion d) the right to free holiday travel

5. The German Bundestag is… a) the government of a federal state. b) the elected federal parliament. c) the highest German court. d) an advisory council of the Federal President.

Answer key: 1-c, 2-b, 3-c, 4-c, 5-b.

How to budget and plan your test day

Once you are consistently scoring above the 17-question threshold on mock exams, book your slot through your local naturalisation authority (Einbürgerungsbehörde) or one of the authorised test centres they list. Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation, and — importantly — your €25 payment receipt or the exact fee if the centre accepts on-the-day payment.

Arrive at least 15 minutes early. Once the test starts you get the full 60 minutes; use them. Read every question twice, mark an answer for all 33 items even if you are unsure, and double-check your sheet before handing it in. Most successful candidates score well above 17, and mock-test performance is the single best predictor of the real result — you can build up to that with the full 310-question catalogue on our site.

For the current legal text on fees, exemptions and prerequisites, see the official BAMF page on naturalisation.