History6 min read
The history of Luxembourg for the exam: the essential timeline
From Siegfried and the Lucilinburhuc of 963 to the euro and Schengen: the dates, figures and turning points the official syllabus asks you to know.
Guides
Understand the exam, the institutions and the procedure
Long, checked articles to prepare the “Vivre ensemble” paper and understand where it fits in a Luxembourg nationality application.
20 guides
Read these first
Fundamental rights5 min read
Fundamental rights explained for the Vivre Ensemble exam
Where fundamental rights come from, which ones appear in the Luxembourg Constitution, what limits them, and the difference between the European Convention and the EU Charter.
All guides
The exam5 min read
Vivre Ensemble exam day: what to expect and a checklist
What to bring, how to manage the 60 minutes, what strategy to use on a hard question, and what happens after the paper.
Revision method5 min read
A 14-day study plan for the Vivre Ensemble exam
A day-by-day programme, at 20 to 30 minutes a day, to cover the three subjects, deal with the classic confusions and arrive ready on exam day.
Revision method5 min read
The best study techniques for the Vivre Ensemble exam
Active recall, spaced repetition, effective flashcards and error handling: the methods that genuinely work for memorising institutions and dates.
Revision method4 min read
The 10 most common mistakes in the Vivre Ensemble exam
The confusions that cost the most marks on the day, and the method errors that cause otherwise capable candidates to fail.
History5 min read
Luxembourg and European integration: from the ECSC to the euro
Why a small country became a pillar of Europe: the ECSC, the Treaties of Rome, Schengen, Maastricht and Lisbon, the euro and the institutions based in Luxembourg.
History5 min read
Luxembourg during the two world wars
The 1914 occupation, the political crisis of 1919, forced Germanisation, the 1941 census, the 1942 general strike, liberation and the Battle of the Bulge: the markers the syllabus requires.
Nationality4 min read
How long does it take to obtain Luxembourg citizenship?
What you control and what you do not in the timeline of a nationality application, and how to run the Vivre Ensemble certificate in parallel with the rest of the file.
Nationality5 min read
Luxembourg citizenship requirements and where the Vivre Ensemble certificate fits
Where the “Vivre ensemble” test sits in a Luxembourg nationality application, what the other steps are, and why you should never rely on a secondary source for your file.
Fundamental rights4 min read
Who protects fundamental rights? Constitutional Court, ECtHR and CJEU
The three levels of protection for fundamental rights — national, Council of Europe, European Union — and how to stop confusing the two European courts.
Institutions4 min read
Elections in Luxembourg: legislative, municipal and European
Frequency, voting systems, who can vote and for what: the electoral chapter of the Vivre Ensemble syllabus, with the distinctions the exam tests most.
Institutions4 min read
The Luxembourg court system: the jurisdictions you need to know
Judicial branch, administrative branch and Constitutional Court: which court does what, and how to stop confusing them on exam day.
Institutions4 min read
Luxembourg's communes: municipal council, college of aldermen and competences
How the local level works in Luxembourg: bodies, six-year mandates, municipal competences, State supervision and voting rights for foreign residents.
Institutions4 min read
Chamber of Deputies and Council of State: never confuse them again
Composition, role and powers of the two most confused institutions in the Vivre Ensemble exam, plus the complete path of a Luxembourg law.
Institutions6 min read
Luxembourg's institutions explained for the Vivre Ensemble exam
The Grand Duke, the Chamber of Deputies, the Council of State, the Government, the courts and the communes: the subject that carries half the exam, explained institution by institution.
The exam6 min read
Vivre Ensemble course or exam: which route should you choose?
Both routes lead to the same certificate. An honest comparison of the 24-hour course and the 40-question exam: duration, constraints, attendance rules and who each suits.
The exam5 min read
How difficult is the Vivre Ensemble exam? What really causes failure
An honest assessment of the difficulty of Luxembourg's civic education test: the level actually required, what trips candidates up, and how much preparation time you need.
Revision method7 min read
How to prepare for the “Vivre ensemble au Grand-Duché de Luxembourg” exam
A complete method for preparing Luxembourg's civic education test: where to start, how much time to allow, how to split the three subjects, and how to know you are ready.
The exam5 min read
Vivre Ensemble exam format: 40 questions, 60 minutes, 28/40 to pass
Everything you need to know about the paper: number of questions, duration, pass mark, split by subject, question type and registration rules.
Nothing to install
Test your level right now, in your browser
Twenty sample questions, a timer, a score and an explanation after every answer. It is free and there is nothing to install.
20 questions~15 min
Ready to earn your “Vivre ensemble” certificate?
The app is launching soon. Leave your email and we'll tell you the moment it's live on the App Store.
We'll only email you once, when the app is live.
No account · Works offline · Five languages
Independent preparation app. Not connected to the Luxembourg Government or to the organisers of the official exam.