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Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland

Leben in Deutschland” test and the Einbürgerungstest — two tests that look like twins at first glance, but they’ve got different purposes and vibes. Let’s break it down properly

Leben in Deutschland (LiD)

The Leben in Deutschland tests your knowledge of the legal and social order and the living conditions in Germany. If you apply for Permanent residence, you must use the test to demonstrate knowledge of Germany’s legal and social system and living conditions. You do not necessarily need to attend the course to write the tests.
You need a minimum of Level A2 to B1 to understand the test questions.

  • Part of the Integrationskurs (integration course).
  • Aimed at helping migrants understand life in Germany: politics, history, rights, values, and local customs.
  • Often a requirement for permanent residency (Niederlassungserlaubnis) — but not always.

Einbügerungstest

The Einbürgerungstest tests your knowledge of the legal and social order and the living conditions in Germany. If you apply for German citizenship, you must use the test to demonstrate understanding of Germany’s legal and social system and living conditions. You need a minimum of Level B1 to understand the questions.
Specifically required for naturalisation (Einbürgerung), i.e., becoming a German citizen.

Note – Some indications are that you need to have certificates for both tests to apply for your Citizenship. Please confirm this with your local Ausländerbehörde. You should schedule an “Information” session with your local authority before submitting your application

✅ So, are they the same test?

Technically, yes — they pull from the same question bank, and the LiD test can count as the Einbürgerungstest, if it was taken as part of an integration course and certified accordingly.
But! Not all LiD tests are automatically accepted as the Einbürgerungstest unless the certificate says so.
So don’t assume. Always check with your local Einbürgerungsbehörde (naturalisation office). 
If you want to knock out both in one go, take the Leben in Deutschland test through the integration course and make sure it’s properly documented for Einbürgerung.

Where do I register for the tests

You can contact your local foreigners office (Ausländerbehörde) or register at the local VHS. 

How do I prepare for the tests

The official list of possible questions (310) is available as a download on the BAMF website.
The above link is for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland questions. The list of questions is the same for both tests, but for Leben in Deutschland you will get Klasse 1 questions, and for the Einbürgerungstest you will get Klasse 2 questions. There is no way of knowing which questions are Klasse 1 or Klasse 2, so you need to know all of them.

You can enrol for the “Leben in Deutschland” course at the VHS, and write the “Test zum Orientierungskurs Leben in Deutschland“ exam. This test is needed for permanent residence in Germany.
There is no course requirement for the 
Einbürgerungstest, but if you would like to enrol for a course, consider the Leben in Deutschland option, or contact the VHS or Ausländerbehörde.

Apps and websites

Personal experience:
I wrote the Einbürgerungstests in October 2023 at the VHS in Stuttgart. Since then, the questions have been updated, so make sure you use the latest versions of any app. I used the EiInbürgerungstest (2023) app to practise the questions. It had the option to do all 310 questions, and you could mark them as difficult so you could review them later. I also used the Einbürgerungs Trainer app, which explains the learning material very well.
I finished my test and checked my answers within 5 minutes. I received my results after 3 months and got 100%

What to expect during the test

During the exam, you will receive a test booklet with 33 questions. You have 60 minutes to answer the questions. Each question requires you to choose the correct answer from four possible answers.
If you answer at least 17 questions correctly, you have passed the test. You will then receive a certificate of your personal test result from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

30 questions belong to the subject areas “Life in a Democracy”, “History and Responsibility” as well as “People and Society”.
Three test questions are asked about the federal state in which you are registered as your primary residence for example Baden-Württemberg

Info on the internet

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