All 26 cantons · checked October 2026
Swiss citizenship test
Practise questions about Switzerland and your canton, understand every answer and find out how your canton tests. Free, no sign-up.
Or start the Swiss practice test right away →
- 768 questions with explanation and source
- Test format, residence rule and fees for every canton
- Independent, no login, no cookies
How many cantons make up Switzerland?
Tap an answer.
Your canton decides how you are tested
Federal law requires basic knowledge of Switzerland. Each canton decides how to check it: with a written test, in an interview or after a course. Choose your canton for its test format, residence rule, fees and practice questions.
- Written testYou sit a written test, usually multiple choice.
- InterviewThe questions are asked orally in the naturalisation interview.
- Course with testYou attend a compulsory course that ends with a test.
- Depends on the communeEach commune decides: a written test, an interview or both.
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Zurich Written test -
Bern Written test -
Lucerne Depends on the commune -
Uri Written test -
Schwyz Depends on the commune -
Obwalden Written test -
Nidwalden Interview -
Glarus Interview -
Zug Interview -
Fribourg Interview -
Solothurn Course with test -
Basel-City Interview -
Basel-Country Interview -
Schaffhausen Interview -
Appenzell Outer Rhodes Written test -
Appenzell Inner Rhodes Interview -
St. Gallen Depends on the commune -
Graubünden (Grisons) Depends on the commune -
Aargau Written test -
Thurgau Depends on the commune -
Ticino Course with test -
Vaud Written test -
Valais Depends on the commune -
Neuchâtel Interview -
Geneva Written test -
Jura Interview
What the test covers
Questions about Switzerland cover the same topics in every canton. On top of that come questions about your canton and often your municipality.
- Geography Cantons and capitals, rivers, lakes, mountains and the four language regions. 24 questions →
- History From the Federal Charter of 1291 to the federal state of 1848 and women’s suffrage in 1971. 24 questions →
- Politics and the state Federal Council, Parliament, popular initiative and referendum, federalism and separation of powers. 24 questions →
- Rights and duties Fundamental rights, the right to vote, taxes, compulsory schooling and military service. 24 questions →
- Society and everyday life Social insurance, education, religions, public holidays and living together. 24 questions →
- Symbols and traditions The Swiss cross, the national anthem, National Day and well-known customs. 24 questions →
How naturalisation works
The path looks similar in every canton. The municipality, the canton and the Confederation check your application in turn, and you become Swiss with the canton’s decision.
Check the requirements
A C permit and 10 years in Switzerland, 3 of them in the last 5 years. On top of that comes your canton’s residence rule of 2 to 5 years.
Prove language and basic knowledge
At least B1 spoken and A2 written in a national language. The canton checks basic knowledge with a test, in an interview or after a course.
Submit the application
Depending on the canton to your municipality or to the canton, with ID, proof of residence, debt and criminal record extracts and your language certificate.
Checks and interview
The municipality and the canton assess your integration. Often the municipality or a committee invites you to a naturalisation interview.
Federal approval
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) usually decides within eight months of receiving the complete file.
Decision and citizenship
The canton decides within one year of the federal approval. You then hold the citizenship of your municipality, your canton and Switzerland.
In some cantons the test comes before the application, in others afterwards. The exact order is on your canton’s page.
Naturalisation guides
Clear answers to the questions that matter before you apply, with references to the law and the authorities.
- Naturalisation in SwitzerlandThe overview: who can become Swiss and how it works.
- RequirementsC permit, 10 years, integration: every requirement under federal law.
- The process step by stepFrom the application at the municipality to the canton’s decision.
- Costs by cantonFederal, cantonal and municipal fees compared.
- Cantonal residence requirementsHow long you must have lived in your canton and municipality.
- Language proof B1/A2B1 spoken, A2 written: who needs a certificate and which ones count.
- Naturalisation interviewTypical interview questions and how to prepare.
- Facilitated naturalisationFor spouses of Swiss citizens and the third generation.
- Study plan for the testA study plan for the final weeks before the test.
Where the questions come from
Every question on this site is written by us, based on the study material of the Confederation and the cantons, and linked to its source. All content was checked in October 2026.
We do not copy official cantonal question catalogues, we link to them. You practise with our questions and read the official material directly from the authority.
The sources we rely on
- Swiss Citizenship Act (SCA, SR 141.0)Requirements, procedure, fees
- Swiss Citizenship Ordinance (SCO, SR 141.01)Language proof, integration, basic knowledge
- State Secretariat for Migration (SEM)Ordinary and facilitated naturalisation
- Federal Council report of 5 Nov 2025 (German)Residence rules of all cantons
- Naturalisation offices of the 26 cantonsTest format, fees, official study material
Common questions about the citizenship test
How many questions does the Swiss citizenship test have?
It depends on the canton. Zurich asks 50 questions from a public pool of 350, Bern 48 questions in 90 minutes, Aargau 45 questions in 40 minutes and Vaud 48 questions in 60 minutes. Many cantons check basic knowledge orally in the naturalisation interview instead of a written test.
Is the test the same in every canton?
No. Federal law requires basic knowledge of the geography, history, politics and society of Switzerland (Art. 2 Citizenship Ordinance). Whether and how this is tested is up to the canton. That is why every canton has its own page here.
When do I take the test?
Several cantons require you to pass the test before you apply, for example Bern, Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden and Geneva. In other cantons your knowledge is checked during the procedure, usually in an interview at the municipality.
Can I retake the test?
Yes, but the rules differ. In Bern and Aargau you can retake it as often as you need. In Vaud you have up to three written attempts. In Ticino a retake is possible after six months at the earliest.
Is the test available in English?
No. The test is held in the official language of your canton or municipality, so in German, French or Italian. In the canton of Bern the test is in French in the Bernese Jura and in German or French in Biel/Bienne. You can practise here in English to understand the content first.
Who does not have to take the test?
Many cantons exempt people who attended compulsory school in Switzerland for at least five years or hold a Swiss upper secondary qualification. The exact rules are on your canton’s page. Aargau grants no exemptions except for impairments.
How much does naturalisation cost?
The Confederation charges 100 francs for an adult. Cantonal and municipal fees come on top. Depending on where you live, the total ranges from a few hundred to over 3000 francs. See our guide to the costs for an overview.