- All 20 official papers, 2016–2026, marked instantly
- 10 full-length mock exams, 25 questions each
- 26 topic tests, every answer explained
- 1,010 questions in all; retake any test
- Your weak topics after every test
- Bonus: the 7-page fact sheet (PDF)
Active Citizen exam and citizenship test compared
| Feature | Medborgerskabsprøven | Indfødsretsprøven |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Meets one requirement for permanent residence | Meets a requirement for Danish citizenship |
| Questions | 25 written questions, 2 or 3 options each | 45 questions |
| Pass mark | At least 20 correct | 36 of 45, including 4 of the 5 questions on Danish values |
| Duration | 30 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Content | Danish democracy and everyday life, culture and history | Danish society and values, culture and history |
| Frequency | Twice a year | Twice a year |
Both exams are open to anyone who has applied, or intends to apply, for the status concerned; a pending application is not a precondition for sitting either. The overlap in date, deadline and fee is what makes the two so easily confused, and neither pass mark is expressed as a percentage, so they must be read as raw counts of correct answers.
Source: Om Medborgerskabsprøven · Om Indfødsretsprøven
Dates and windows
| What | When | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Registration deadline, winter 2026 sitting | 21 October 2026 | Confirmed |
| Medborgerskabsprøven, winter 2026 | 25 November 2026 | Confirmed |
| Indfødsretsprøven, winter 2026 (same day) | 25 November 2026 | Confirmed |
| Fee for either exam, 2026 | 946 kroner, paid on registration | Confirmed |
| Request for alternative ID or special exam conditions | At least 4 weeks before the test date | Rolling |
| Result issued | Up to 4 weeks after the test | Confirmed |
| 2027 test dates published | By 1 October 2026 at the latest | Tentative |
| Next edition of the learning material | Late August 2027 | Tentative |
The registration deadline is fixed at five weeks before the test day, so it moves with the date rather than being an independently announced cut-off. Late registration is only possible in special circumstances, and then only by arrangement with a language centre or SIRI.
What this means for your preparation
The single thing candidates get wrong is which exam they have registered for. Medborgerskabsprøven and Indfødsretsprøven are sat on the same day, for the same fee, after the same deadline, and are often discussed interchangeably online. They are not interchangeable. This exam has 25 questions and a pass at 20, and it counts towards permanent residence, not citizenship.
Twenty of twenty-five leaves five errors
The pass threshold is a count, not a percentage: at least 20 of the 25 questions correct, in 30 minutes. That allows exactly five mistakes across the whole paper, which is a tighter margin than most candidates assume when they compare it loosely with the citizenship test. With two or three options per question and no deduction described for a wrong answer, there is no reason to leave anything blank, but there is also very little room to rely on guessing. Since the whole paper is drawn from 26 published fact sheets, the reliable route to 20 is coverage rather than depth: a candidate who has read every sheet once and the difficult ones twice is better placed than one who knows a third of the material thoroughly.
Do not prepare from the citizenship material
Because the two exams share a test day and a fee, candidates routinely download the wrong study material. The citizenship test asks 45 questions in 45 minutes, requires 36 correct answers and includes a separate hurdle of four correct out of five questions on Danish values. Medborgerskabsprøven has no such values sub-hurdle and is built instead on the 155-page publication on democracy and everyday life in Denmark. Preparing from the citizenship reading list means studying a larger body of material that does not map onto the 25 questions actually asked. The safeguard is simple: the material for this exam is the one whose title begins Medborgerskabsprøven, and everything examinable is inside it.
Past papers are the highest-yield practice
Sittings from 2016 to 2026 are published in full with answer keys, two per year. That is a large bank of real questions phrased exactly as the examiners phrase them, which matters more here than in exams with a broad syllabus, because both the wording and the emphasis recur. Working a past paper under a 30-minute clock also calibrates pace, which is the other thing candidates misjudge: 25 questions in 30 minutes is not generous once each stem has to be read carefully in Danish. The audio version of the material is worth using alongside the text for candidates whose listening comprehension is ahead of their reading speed.
Identification is the commonest reason for exclusion
Original valid identification must be produced on the day. Accepted documents include a Danish residence permit or passport, an EU, EEA or Swiss national identity card or passport, or a non-EU passport carrying a residence sticker. Photocopies and photographs on a phone are not accepted, and a driving licence is not accepted at all. A candidate whose documents do not fit those categories must obtain SIRI's approval for alternative identification, and the request has to be submitted four weeks before the test. Since registration closes five weeks out, there is a single week in which both steps fit comfortably, and candidates in that position should start with the identification question rather than the booking.
The certificate does not travel by itself
Results are issued within four weeks, and candidates who pass receive a prøvebevis. That certificate is not forwarded automatically to the immigration authorities: the candidate is responsible for submitting it with the permanent residence application. This is where a pass can be wasted. Anyone timing an application around the winter sitting should allow for the four-week result window on top of the 25 November test date before assuming the document will be in hand. A candidate who fails may sit again in the following term, but a new fee is payable, so the retake is a fresh 946 kroner and roughly six further months.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Medborgerskabsprøven and Indfødsretsprøven?
They serve different applications. Medborgerskabsprøven, the Active Citizen exam, helps satisfy one of the requirements for permanent residence and asks 25 written questions in 30 minutes, with at least 20 correct needed to pass. Indfødsretsprøven is the citizenship test: 45 questions in 45 minutes, 36 correct required, including four of the five questions on Danish values. They are held on the same day, cost the same and share a deadline, but passing one does not count for the other.
When is the next Active Citizen exam and when must I register?
The winter 2026 sitting is on 25 November 2026 and registration closes on 21 October 2026. The deadline is always five weeks before the test day. The exam is held twice a year, so a candidate who misses the October deadline is waiting for the next term rather than for a rescheduled sitting. Dates for 2027 are due to be published on the official deadlines page by 1 October 2026 at the latest.
How much does it cost and how do I register?
The fee for 2026 is 946 kroner, the same as for the citizenship test, and it is paid when registering. Registration is made directly with a language centre, not through a central online booking, so candidates choose a centre from the official list and contact it before the deadline. Late registration is possible only in special circumstances, by arrangement with the language centre or with SIRI. A retake in a later term requires the fee to be paid again.
What should I study, and do I have to buy anything?
The exam is based on the official publication Medborgerskabsprøven - demokrati og hverdagsliv i Danmark, 155 pages covering 26 fact sheets, published free as a PDF with a complete MP3 audio version. Past papers from 2016 to 2026 are published with answer keys. The authorities warn against unofficial third-party training sites and advise relying only on SIRI's material. The current edition covers the winter 2026 and summer 2027 sittings; a new edition is due in late August 2027.
What identification do I need on the day?
Original valid identification, not a copy or a photograph. A Danish residence permit or passport, an EU, EEA or Swiss identity card or passport, or a non-EU passport with a residence sticker are accepted; a driving licence is not. If none of these is available, SIRI can approve alternative documentation, but the request must be made at least four weeks before the test. Dictionaries and other aids are prohibited, and phones and smartwatches must be handed in or set aside.
What happens after I pass, and what if I fail?
Results come within four weeks. Those who pass receive a certificate, which the candidate must submit personally with the permanent residence application; it is not forwarded to the immigration authorities automatically. Those who fail may sit again in the following term on payment of a new fee. Candidates needing adjustments for a disability, such as extra time, technical aids or an assistant, must apply to the language centre with supporting documentation at least four weeks before the test.
