Austria Citizenship Test Study Guide 2026

Who can become an Austrian citizen

Most adults become Austrian by grant of citizenship (Verleihung der Staatsbürgerschaft). The rules are in the Citizenship Act (Staatsbürgerschaftsgesetz, StbG). Your application goes to the government of your federal state (Landesregierung).

Requirement	What the law says
Residence	Usually at least 10 years of lawful and unbroken residence in Austria, with at least 5 years of settled residence (Niederlassung).
Shorter period	In some cases 6 years is enough. Examples: the spouse of an Austrian citizen, after 5 years of marriage in a shared home, or a person who shows German at level B2 or lasting integration.
Very long residence	After 30 years with your main home in Austria, or 15 years with lasting personal and work integration, other rules apply.
German	Enough German under the Integration Act (Integrationsgesetz): level B1. German as your mother tongue also counts.
Knowledge	Basic knowledge of Austria's democratic order, Austrian history and the history of your federal state.
Conduct	The authority looks at your overall conduct (Gesamtverhalten), the public interest and how well you are integrated.

Who does not need the test

Children who are under 14 (unmündige Minderjährige) when they apply do not need to show German or knowledge.
For other children, going to school in Austria can count, for example with a pass grade in German.
A school certificate in history and social studies (Geschichte und Sozialkunde) at the level of year 4 of lower secondary school counts as proof of the knowledge.
People who cannot take the test because of a lasting physical or mental condition, shown by an official medical report (amtsärztliches Gutachten), are exempt.

How the citizenship test works

The test (Staatsbürgerschaftsprüfung) is run by the government of your federal state (Landesregierung). It may let the district authorities run it. Tests are held as needed, and at least once every six months. You are told the time, place and topics at least eight weeks before. You can also agree a different date with the state government.

Característica	Rule
Questions	18 written questions: 6 on the democratic order, 6 on Austrian history and 6 on the history of your federal state
Answers	Each question has 4 options. At least one and at most three of them are correct.
Points	A fully correct answer gets 1 point. A partly correct answer can get part of a point. If you tick any wrong option, the question gets 0 points.
Duração	2 hours. You work on your own, with no help and no aids.
Pass	At least half of the points in each of the three areas, or at least two-thirds of all points
Result	Only "passed" (bestanden) or "not passed" (nicht bestanden). Passed candidates get a certificate.
Retakes	If you fail, you may retake the test as often as you need.

The federal syllabus (Prüfungsstoffabgrenzung I) covers two areas. Democratic order: human dignity, Austria as a liberal state, a state under the rule of law, a democracy, a republic and a federal state, the separation of powers, and Austria as an EU member. History: early settlers, Habsburg rule, the 19th century, the end of the monarchy, 1918 to 1938, National Socialism and the Second World War, the Second Republic, modern Austria and the road to Europe. Each state government sets the syllabus for its own history.

The principles of Austria's democracy

Austria's constitution is the Federal Constitutional Law (Bundes-Verfassungsgesetz, B-VG). The National Assembly adopted it on 1 October 1920. Its first article says: "Austria is a democratic republic. Its law comes from the people."

Principle	What it means
Human dignity	Every person has the same worth. This comes first in the official syllabus, and fundamental rights protect it.
Democracy	The people choose their representatives in free elections and can also take part directly.
Republic	There is no emperor or king. The head of state is elected for a fixed time.
Federal state (Bundesstaat)	Austria is made up of nine federal states (Länder), which share power with the federation (Bund).
Rule of law (Rechtsstaat)	The government, the authorities and the courts may act only on the basis of laws.
Liberal state	Fundamental rights and freedoms protect each person from the state.
Separation of powers	Making laws (legislative), governing (executive) and judging (judiciary) are done by different bodies, and each checks the others.

Symbols and language

The flag is red-white-red: three equal stripes, with white in the middle.
The coat of arms is a black eagle with a crown shaped like a city wall. It holds a sickle and a hammer, and a broken iron chain hangs around its claws.
The federal capital is Vienna (Wien), where the highest federal bodies have their seat.
German is the state language. The constitution protects the languages and cultures of Austria's traditional ethnic groups (Volksgruppen) and recognises Austrian Sign Language.

How Austria is governed

Parliament (legislative power)

The National Council (Nationalrat) has 183 members, directly elected for five years. It debates and passes laws and controls the government, for example by asking questions.
The Federal Council (Bundesrat) has 60 members, sent by the parliaments of the nine federal states (Landtage). It represents the states. It can usually only delay a law, not stop it.
Together, the two chambers form the Federal Assembly (Bundesversammlung). It meets to swear in the Federal President.

Government (executive power)

The Federal President (Bundespräsident) is head of state. The people elect the president directly for six years, and he or she can be re-elected only once for the next term. Candidates must be at least 35. If nobody gets more than half of the votes, there is a second round.
The president appoints the Federal Chancellor (Bundeskanzler) and, on the chancellor's proposal, the ministers. The president is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces (Bundesheer).
The Federal Government (Bundesregierung) is the chancellor, the vice-chancellor and the ministers. It needs the support of a majority in the National Council. With a vote of no confidence, the National Council can force the government or one minister to step down.
Each federal state has its own parliament (Landtag). The Landtag elects the state government, led by a governor (Landeshauptmann or Landeshauptfrau).

Courts and control

The Constitutional Court (Verfassungsgerichtshof) makes sure the constitution is followed. It can cancel laws that break it.
The Supreme Court (Oberster Gerichtshof) is the highest court for civil and criminal cases.
The Ombudsman Board (Volksanwaltschaft) has three members, elected by the National Council for six years. Anyone affected can complain to it about poor administration by the authorities.

Elections, rights and taking part

Austrian citizens may vote in National Council elections if they are 16 on election day, and may stand for election at 18. The vote is equal, direct, personal, free and secret: nobody may find out how you voted. Seats are shared in proportion to the votes. A party needs at least 4% of the valid votes across Austria, or a seat in a regional constituency, to win seats. EU citizens who live in Austria may vote in local and European Parliament elections.

Direct democracy

Tool	How it works
Popular initiative (Volksbegehren)	If at least 100,000 voters sign, the proposal must be put before the National Council.
Referendum (Volksabstimmung)	All voters vote on a law the National Council has passed. A total change of the constitution always needs a referendum.
Consultation (Volksbefragung)	The National Council decides to ask the people a question of basic importance. The result goes to the National Council and the government.

Example: in the referendum of 12 June 1994, two-thirds of voters said yes to joining the European Union.

Fundamental rights

All citizens are equal before the law. Privileges because of birth, sex, class or religion are not allowed, and nobody may be disadvantaged because of a disability.
Important freedoms include freedom of opinion, of the press, of religion and of assembly.
If an authority decides against you, you can use a legal remedy (Rechtsmittel) and challenge the decision, for example before a court.

Male citizens must do military service. Men who refuse for reasons of conscience do civilian service (Zivildienst) instead. Women may serve in the armed forces voluntarily.

Austrian history up to 1918

When	What happened
Roman times	Vindobona, a Roman army camp and town on the Danube frontier, stood where Vienna is today
976–1246	The Babenberg family rules Austria; in 1156 Austria becomes a duchy
996	A document uses the name Ostarrichi, the early form of Österreich
1278–1918	The Habsburg family rules Austria for about 640 years
1740–1780	Maria Theresa, the only female Habsburg ruler, reigns; she brings in compulsory schooling and abolishes torture
1848	Revolution: people rise against Habsburg rule and demand a constitution; in December Franz Joseph becomes emperor
1867	The compromise (Ausgleich) with Hungary creates Austria-Hungary; the December Constitution (Staatsgrundgesetz) guarantees fundamental rights and a permanent parliament
1907	All men get a general, direct and equal vote
28 June 1914	Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the throne, is shot in Sarajevo; Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia and the First World War begins

The Habsburg monarchy ruled many peoples and languages. It ended with the war in 1918.

From the First Republic to the State Treaty

12 November 1918: the Provisional National Assembly proclaims the Republic. Women gain the right to vote and first vote on 16 February 1919.
1 October 1920: the Federal Constitutional Law is adopted.
1933: Chancellor Engelbert Dollfuss shuts out the National Council and sets up an authoritarian corporate state (Ständestaat). Democracy ends.
February 1934: several hundred people die in armed fighting. July 1934: Nazis try to seize power and kill Dollfuss.
March 1938: on 12 March German troops march in, and Austria becomes part of Nazi Germany (Anschluss). Austria no longer exists as a state.
1938–1945: Jews, Sinti and Roma, disabled people and religious and political opponents are persecuted, and many are murdered. The Nazis run the Mauthausen concentration camp; today it is a memorial.
27 April 1945: Austria is re-established as an independent state, and the Second Republic begins.
1945–1955: the four Allies (the USA, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and France) occupy Austria in four zones. In Vienna, only the inner city is run by all four together.
15 May 1955: the State Treaty (Staatsvertrag) is signed at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna. Foreign Minister Leopold Figl says "Österreich ist frei!" (Austria is free!). The last foreign troops must leave by 25 October.
26 October 1955: the National Council passes the constitutional law on permanent neutrality. This day is now National Day (Nationalfeiertag).

Modern Austria and Europe

In 1989 the government applied to join the European Community.
On 12 June 1994, two-thirds of voters said yes to EU membership in a referendum.
On 1 January 1995 Austria joined the European Union, on the same day as Finland and Sweden.
On 1 January 2002 euro coins and notes replaced the Austrian schilling.

The nine federal states

The constitution lists the nine federal states (Bundesländer): Burgenland, Carinthia (Kärnten), Lower Austria (Niederösterreich), Upper Austria (Oberösterreich), Salzburg, Styria (Steiermark), Tyrol (Tirol), Vorarlberg and Vienna (Wien). Vienna is both a federal state and the federal capital.