55% of survey participants called Germany’s citizenship test too easy — The Local Germany

In Germany, 55% of participants in a The Local Germany survey called the citizenship test too easy. At the same time, many respondents noted that preparing for the exam helped them better understand the country’s history, political system and everyday life. According to The Local Germany, 42% of those surveyed consider the test well balanced, while only one respondent called it difficult.

Preparing for the exam

Some respondents said they viewed the test as more than just a bureaucratic requirement. Kunle, who is from Nigeria, said he studied the materials to learn more about German history and laws, and that the preparation encouraged him to follow political news. Richard, a 70-year-old resident of North Rhine-Westphalia, said the test gave him a better understanding of the country’s history and the reasons why its constitution has its current form.

Sama Beheshti, a 37-year-old Berlin resident who is from Iran and Australia, agreed that the exam largely tests memory. At the same time, she stressed that working through the questions gives a person some knowledge. Other participants particularly highlighted questions about democracy, elections and Germany’s political institutions.

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Integration and bureaucracy

Some respondents cautioned that the result of a single exam cannot fully determine the level of integration. Steve from Cologne, who is from the United Kingdom, described integration as a process shaped by everyday experience rather than by a document or a one-off test.

One respondent from the United Kingdom who lives in Trier called the German test fair and suggested comparing it with the British one. A respondent from Stuttgart, in turn, said that the British test also has, in her view, an excessive focus on factual knowledge rather than practical information for everyday life.

A 45-year-old respondent from the United States who lives in Berlin noted that the difficult challenge in the naturalization procedure may not be the test itself, but finding an appointment, submitting the required documents and complying with bureaucratic requirements.