German Exam for Naturalisation in Zurich (KDE)

Group course, Zurich or online

CHF 350 for 8 lessons of 45 minutes in 4 sessions over two weeks, on Tuesdays and Thursdays: 18:00 to 19:30 at Leutschenbachstrasse 95, 8050 Zürich, or 20:00 to 21:30 online. Maximum 5 participants. For learners who have completed level B1. The KDE online trainer is included.

Saturday compact course

CHF 150 for 3 lessons on a Saturday from 14:00 to 16:15, in Zurich or online. Revision of all four parts and a mock exam shortly before your test, for learners with completed B1 who are already well prepared. It does not replace a full preparation.

Private lessons

CHF 90 per lesson of 45 minutes, one to one, online or in Zurich, at times we agree with you. For any level: a level still below B1, a close exam date, one weak part such as speaking or listening to Swiss German, or a second attempt.

Online trainer

Practise listening, reading and writing in the KDE format on your own, with a 15-minute personal review: CHF 59 for 6 months, free when you book the KDE exam or the group course with us.

Yes. The requirements, your route (KDE or telc B1) and your learning plan can be explained in English, so you understand exactly what Canton Zurich expects. The lessons themselves are mainly in German, because you are preparing for a German exam and need to practise in the target language.

KDE stands for Kantonaler Deutschtest für die Einbürgerung, the cantonal German test for naturalisation. It is the official language proof recognised by Canton Zurich (and some other cantons) for naturalisation. It has an oral part at level B1 (listening and speaking) and a written part at level A2 (reading and writing).

No. We offer the preparation, not the exam. Registration and payment for the KDE run through us, plus a CHF 35 handling fee; a date can be booked through us as long as it is at least 10 days away. Alternatively, you can provide the German proof through the telc B1 certificate: we prepare you for it and organise the telc exam registration for you.

For naturalisation in Canton Zurich the KDE requires level B1 orally (listening and speaking) and level A2 in writing (reading and writing). In the oral part you should manage everyday communication; in the written part you should understand short texts and write a short message.

If you have completed B1 and want a full preparation, take the group course: it is the lowest price per lesson and includes the online trainer. If you are already well prepared and your test is close, the Saturday compact course is a revision with a mock exam. Choose private lessons (CHF 90 per 45 minutes) if your level is still below B1, your exam is close and no course date fits, one part is missing or you prefer to learn alone.

Yes. If you hold a recognised B1 certificate, such as telc, Goethe, ÖSD or fide, you do not need to take the KDE in Canton Zurich. At Bildung und Entwicklung Schweiz® you can prepare specifically for telc B1, and we organise your telc exam registration in Zurich for you. The telc B1 certificate also counts as the German proof for the settlement permit C.

People going through ordinary naturalisation in Canton Zurich who do not already hold another recognised German proof. If you already have a B1 certificate (for example telc, Goethe, ÖSD or fide), you do not need the KDE. Whether it applies to you depends on your commune and your prior education.

Typically people whose mother tongue is German, who attended at least five years of compulsory school in German, who completed an apprenticeship, gymnasium or studies in German, or who hold a recognised B1 language certificate. In those cases your German proof is already provided.

It has two parts. The written part covers listening, reading and writing and is taken in a group. The oral part covers speaking, in a personal conversation of around 15 minutes. Both parts must be passed and can usually be taken and repeated separately.

No. No dictionaries, notes or mobile phones are allowed; you show your German from memory. That is exactly why we train free, confident use of the language, so you are secure without aids.

A valid ID. If you are already in the ordinary naturalisation procedure, your commune issues a letter that authorises your participation: bring that too. The exact requirements are in the invitation from your test centre.

You can repeat it. If you only failed one part, you repeat just that part. In ordinary naturalisation the repeat is arranged with your commune or the city chancellery. In private lessons we prepare exactly the missing part with you, so the second attempt holds.

At the AOZ test centre in Zurich a partial repeat costs CHF 150 and repeating the whole test costs CHF 250. Fees can vary slightly by centre. The cost of the language proof is borne by the applicant.

The KDE is primarily a cantonal test for Zurich and is not accepted everywhere for naturalisation in other cantons. If you want to be safe across cantons, a Switzerland-wide certificate such as fide or telc B1 is the better choice.

The KDE is the cantonal Zurich naturalisation test (B1 oral, A2 written). fide is the federal proof recognised Switzerland-wide by the SEM. telc is an international certificate available at every level; a telc B1 certificate is recognised in Zurich as an alternative to the KDE. We help you choose the right route in a free first consultation.

For ordinary naturalisation, Canton Zurich also requires a basic-knowledge test (civics) on geography, politics, history and society of Switzerland and the canton. We prepare you for it with our digital StaatskundeTrainer, with over 330 questions and personal support, alongside your German preparation.

The group course costs CHF 350 for 8 lessons of 45 minutes (CHF 43.75 per lesson); with a KulturLegi (Caritas) you pay CHF 245. The Saturday compact course costs CHF 150 for 3 lessons. A private lesson costs CHF 90 for 45 minutes. The KDE online trainer costs CHF 59 and is free when you book the exam or the group course with us. Exam fees are separate.

At Leutschenbachstrasse 95, 8050 Zürich (district 11, near Oerlikon and Glattpark), and online by video call.