Sproochentest · Fact sheet
Sproochentest facts and figures
Compact answers about Luxembourg’s citizenship language exam, compiled from the INLL, guichet.public.lu, the MyINL portal and Legilux. One fact per block, with the figure, the source and the date together.
The exam
- What is the Sproochentest and who runs it?
The Sproochentest is Luxembourg's language exam for acquiring Luxembourgish nationality: it evaluates spoken Luxembourgish and listening comprehension, and it is administered by the Institut national des langues Luxembourg (INLL).
- What law governs the exam?
Article 15 of the law of 8 March 2017 on Luxembourgish nationality, in force since 1 April 2017. It fixes the two test parts, the levels (speaking at A2, listening at B1) and the pass rule.
- How long is the speaking test?
10 minutes, in two parts of 5 minutes each.
- What comes first in the speaking test?
The interview with an examiner comes first, on an A2 topic. The picture description comes second.
- What level is speaking assessed at?
CEFR level A2.
- Does the candidate choose the picture?
Yes. The candidate chooses from 3 visual media offered.
- How long is the listening test?
35 minutes.
- What level is listening assessed at?
CEFR level B1.
- What does the listening test contain?
3 texts: a radio message, a conversation on an everyday topic, and an exchange or presentation on a specific topic. Answers are multiple choice, given on a tablet.
- Is there a written part?
No. The Sproochentest tests speaking and listening only; there is no reading or writing part.
Passing and pass rates
- What score passes the Sproochentest?
At least 50 percent in the speaking test. A speaking score below 50 percent can be offset if the average of the speaking and listening scores, rounded up, is at least 50 percent.
- What share of candidates pass?
69 percent of those who sat, across all sessions from December 2008 to July 2022: 21,437 candidates sat and 14,725 passed, per the INL statistics published in December 2022. Counting everyone who registered (22,545), 65 percent passed.
- What was the most recent yearly pass rate?
67 percent of those who sat, in the 2021/22 exam year: 3,295 registered, 3,096 sat and 2,068 passed, per the INL statistics published in December 2022. The published yearly rates of those who sat before that: 74 percent in 2017/18, 72 percent in 2018/19, 71 percent in 2019/20 and 63 percent in 2020/21.
Fee, sessions and registration
- How much does the exam cost?
75 euros, the registration fee.
- When is the next session?
Sessions are published in rounds on the MyINL portal rather than as one fixed yearly calendar. Registration for the January 2027 sessions opened on 1 September 2026, and registration for the February 2027 sessions opens Friday 2 October 2026 at 10:00. Which sessions are bookable changes week to week; letzpass.com/sproochentest/availability records the current state with the date it was checked.
- What should candidates check at registration?
The information provided at registration on the MyINL booking portal is reproduced on the diploma, and no changes can be made once the data have been submitted.
Results, certificate and retakes
- When do results arrive?
No official timeline is published. As of 12 August 2026, the INLL Sproochentest page, the INLL FAQ and guichet.public.lu state no results timeline and no delivery channel, so this page does not state one either.
- How long is the certificate valid?
For an unlimited period of time. The certificate does not expire.
- How many times can the exam be retaken?
There is no limit to the number of attempts. A candidate can only register again once the results of the previous test have been obtained.
Exemptions and alternative routes
- Who can take a course instead of the exam?
An adult resident in Luxembourg for at least 20 years, uninterrupted over the last 12 months, can take a 24-hour introductory Luxembourgish course instead of the exam (nationality by option). The course is organised by the Service de la formation des adultes (SFA) and its approved organisers; after the course, the attendance certificate is sent to the SFA.
- Is there a medical exemption?
Yes. An applicant whose physical or mental state prevents learning Luxembourgish can be exempted by the Minister of Justice, with a certificate from a specialist doctor.
The other naturalisation requirements
- How long must an applicant have lived in Luxembourg?
At least 5 years of legal residence. The final year immediately preceding the naturalisation application must be uninterrupted.
- What civics requirement sits beside the language test?
The 24-hour course "Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg" (6 hours fundamental rights, 12 hours state and communal institutions, 6 hours history and European integration), or passing the test covering the topics taught in that course. The certificate is presented with the application.
- How is the civics test run?
As a computer-based multiple-choice test, organised at Esch-Belval. The certificate is issued by the Service de la formation des adultes to people who followed the 24 hours of the course or sat the test.
Time off work to learn Luxembourgish
- What is linguistic leave (congé linguistique)?
A special leave for learning Luxembourgish, open to employees of all nationalities, capped at 200 hours over a whole professional career and taken in 2 instalments of 80 to 120 hours each.
- Who qualifies for linguistic leave?
Employees working in Luxembourg for an employer established in Luxembourg, with at least 6 months of service with that employer at the time of application, and self-employed persons or liberal professions active in Luxembourg for at least 6 months. There are no age or residence conditions.
- Who pays during linguistic leave?
The employee receives a compensatory benefit equal to their average hourly wage per hour of leave, capped at 4 times the social minimum wage per hour for unskilled workers. The State reimburses the employer 50 percent of the benefit and 50 percent of the employer's share of social security contributions.
How the exam has changed
Dated changes only, each with its source. If a change cannot be backed by a primary source, it does not appear here, and this page does not speculate about future changes.
- 8 March 2017
Luxembourg adopts the current nationality law (loi du 8 mars 2017 sur la nationalité luxembourgeoise), repealing the law of 23 October 2008. Article 15 defines the exam that exists today: oral expression at CEFR A2, listening comprehension at CEFR B1, and a pass at half the points in speaking or by the rounded-up average of the two tests. The law entered into force on 1 April 2017 (article 109).
- May to July 2017
A transitional exam round runs under article 15 of the new law. The INL statistics published in December 2022 record it as its own row: 81 percent of those who sat passed, the highest rate in the published series.
- December 2022
The INL publishes the statistics series this page cites, closing at July 2022: since December 2008, 22,545 candidates registered, 21,437 sat and 14,725 passed, 69 percent of those who sat. It is the most recent official series verified for this page (20 July 2026).
- 8 March 2023
The law of 8 March 2023 creates the Institut national des langues Luxembourg. The institute known as INL becomes the INLL, and article 15 of the nationality law now names the Institut national des langues Luxembourg as the body that organises the exam and certifies the level. The institute's own pre-2023 PDFs still carry the historic INL name.
- 23 May 2025
guichet.public.lu last updates its registration-conditions page for Luxembourgish nationality, carrying the registration fee unchanged at 75 euros.
- 11 August 2026
As observed on this date, session booking runs through the MyINL portal (myinl.inll.lu). No published 2026 session is still bookable: four December dates remain listed at INLL Glacis and Belval, of which 8, 9 and 15 December are sold out and 2 December is closed for registration. The 24 September session was removed from the portal on 28 July 2026. Registration for the January 2027 sessions opens Tuesday 1 September 2026 at 10:00.
Preparing for the exam itself? Read the Sproochentest practice guide