Naturalisation test: a case study from Bern

This is how it can go: a typical path, put together from the procedures of the cantons. It is not about one particular person. The example is set in the canton of Bern, where there is a written test.

Every canton tests in its own way: 9 cantons with a written test, the others mostly in an interview with the municipality. The canton overview shows how it works in yours.

The moment it gets serious

You have lived in Switzerland for years, you pay taxes and you know where Bern is. Then the naturalisation test comes up. At first you may think: surely this cannot be that hard.

With the first practice questions, you may notice how much is missing. Where is Glarus? When did the Federal Constitution come into force? How many cantons have a Landsgemeinde?

In the canton of Bern, the test is a written multiple-choice test. You answer 48 questions in 90 minutes. You pass with 60 per cent or more.

Preparation: what works

The canton of Bern lists the topics of the test. They fall into three areas:

• geography, history, languages, religions, culture and public holidays of Switzerland and the canton of Bern
• democracy, federalism, rights and duties
• social security, health, work and education

Practise these areas separately, not everything at once. Take one area a week and work through it properly. That way you quickly see where your gaps are. Keep the canton in mind: Bern also asks about the canton itself.

One possible plan: three weeks for the three areas, one week for simulations. A little practice every day is better than a long session once a week.

Here on Einbürgerungsquiz you practise with around 500 questions, each with an explanation and a key point. 25 questions are free, with no account. The questions are in German and French.

In the last week you do test simulations: 48 questions in a row, with the results at the end. There is no clock. If you want to practise the pace, time yourself and allow 90 minutes.

Test day

The responsible office tells you the place, the time and what to bring. Read this information carefully a few days before.

In the test you have 90 minutes for 48 questions, so just under two minutes per question. It sounds like a lot of time. But if one question holds you up, time gets tight.

Read every question to the end. Sometimes a single word such as “not” or “always” makes the difference. First rule out the answers that are clearly wrong.

Easy to underestimate: everyday knowledge. The canton of Bern also tests social security, health, work and education. For example: which insurance is compulsory? How is the school system organised?

The stumbling blocks

There are three points where it is easy to stumble while practising:

Dates. When was the old-age pension (AHV / AVS) introduced? When did women get the right to vote? When did Switzerland join the UN? Years such as 1848, 1874 and 1971 are easy to mix up. Write the ten most important dates on a sheet of paper and put it on the fridge.

Cantonal capitals. In many cantons the capital has the same name as the canton, for example Zurich, Lucerne or Bern. In Aargau it is Aarau, in Appenzell Outer Rhodes it is Herisau. These exceptions are exactly what is worth practising.

The political system. Federal Council (Bundesrat / Conseil fédéral), Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung / Assemblée fédérale), National Council (Nationalrat / Conseil national), Council of States (Ständerat / Conseil des États) and concordance sound familiar. Then a precise question comes: how many members does the Council of States have? The answer is 46. The National Council has 200.

The result

In the canton of Bern you pass with 60 per cent or more. With 48 questions, that means at least 29 correct answers. So you can get 19 questions wrong and still pass.

If you pass, you receive a confirmation. In the canton of Bern it is valid without a time limit. If you did not pass, ask the responsible office what happens next.

What you can take away

Start early enough, not just a few days before the test.

Do the simulation several times. The point is not to memorise the questions. But you find out how long you need for 48 questions.

Check early what applies in your canton. The figures in this example come from the canton of Bern. Where you live, they may be different. There may also be an interview instead of a test.

And do not put too much pressure on yourself. If you have practised the three areas and done a few simulations, you know where you stand before test day.