Grundkenntnistest Zurich: how the citizenship test works

For ordinary naturalisation in the Canton of Zurich you need knowledge of Switzerland, the Canton of Zurich and the municipalities of Zurich. You prove it in a test with questions about geography, politics and history.

The legal basis is § 16 of the cantonal citizenship ordinance (KBüV): the municipality checks basic knowledge either in a naturalisation interview with a standardised questionnaire or with a test.

You do not have to take the test if one of these applies:

• You are younger than 12.
• You currently attend compulsory school or upper secondary education (apprenticeship, Gymnasium) in Switzerland.
• You attended compulsory school in Switzerland for 5 years, at least 3 of them at lower secondary level.
• You completed upper secondary education in Switzerland.

The canton's self-check tells you for your situation. In the City of Zurich, people in the facilitated naturalisation procedure have their knowledge checked in the naturalisation interview.

The canton publishes the list of all 350 questions (PDF, German, May 2025). Each question has 4 answers, exactly one is correct.

The canton's official practice test asks 50 questions and shows after each answer whether it was correct. Whether the real test has the same format is not officially confirmed.

Your municipality tells you when and where you can take the test. Ask your municipality to register. Depending on the municipality, you take the test before or after you submit your application.

In the City of Zurich the test takes place in the Stadthaus, only after you have submitted your application.

Fees differ by municipality and test provider. Ask your municipality. In the City of Zurich the test is free.

Neither is officially published, so we do not give numbers here. The canton's Gemeindeamt answers questions: grundkenntnistest@ji.zh.ch, +41 43 259 83 81 (Mon to Thu 13:30 to 17:00, Fri 13:30 to 16:00).

The canton offers the practice test, the naturalisation brochure and the list of all questions.

Here you find all 350 questions with answers and explanations, sorted by topic, in six languages and always with the German wording. With Learn online you practise in short lessons with reviews and mock exams.