Vivre Ensemble course or exam: which route should you choose?

To assemble an application for Luxembourg nationality by naturalisation or by option, you must include a "Vivre ensemble" certificate. Two routes lead there, and they are strictly alternative: whoever completes the course does not sit the exam, and vice versa.

Many candidates do not realise they have a choice, or choose by default. This article compares the two.

The two routes at a glance#

	The course	The exam
Format	12 sessions of 2 hours	1 paper
Total duration	24 hours	60 minutes
Condition for success	Full, active attendance at every required session	28 correct answers out of 40
Spread	Several weeks	A single date
Personal preparation	None required	Essential
Risk of failure	Absence or partial attendance	Insufficient score
Delivery	In person or online, weekdays or weekends	At an organised session

The course: three modules, twelve sessions#

The course is structured in three modules corresponding exactly to the three exam subjects:

Module	Subject	Sessions	Duration
1	Fundamental rights of citizens	3	6 h
2	State and municipal institutions	6	12 h
3	History of Luxembourg and European integration	3	6 h
Total		12	24 h

Courses are offered in French, German or English, in person or online, on weekdays or at weekends depending on the sessions available.

Attendance rules, not to be underestimated#

This is what many candidates discover too late. A discipline charter strictly governs participation:

• Physical presence is not enough: you must take an active part and respond to the trainer.
• A delay of up to ten minutes may be tolerated once, at the trainer's discretion. A longer or repeated delay counts as an absence.
• Leaving early, taking a break longer than ten minutes or any other partial attendance normally invalidates the session.
• In person, phones and recording-capable devices must be silent and out of sight. Recording or photographing the course without prior written permission is prohibited.
• Online, you need a stable connection, a camera on with your face visible, a working microphone and a quiet setting. You must interact and stay at the screen.

Registration rules#

• Online registration through the official portal is mandatory and final. Attending a session after registering only with a trainer does not count towards certification.
• A complete module must be booked with the same trainer.
• In-person and e-learning sessions cannot be mixed within a module.
• The portal does not allow two units on the same evening.

If you miss a session#

The portal's general text says a missed course can be booked again seven days after its scheduled date. The discipline charter adds that an approved justified absence allows rescheduling, whereas an unjustified absence — or more than one justified absence within a module — can block new registration for 45 days.

These two rules address different situations. If you miss a session, contact the Service de la formation des adultes rather than assuming the seven-day period applies automatically.

The exam: one paper, sixty minutes#

The exam is a single session: 40 multiple-choice questions, one correct answer each, 60 minutes, a threshold of 28 correct answers. The split follows the modules: 10 fundamental rights questions, 20 on institutions, 10 on history and European integration.

The official portal explicitly recommends this route to people who are already well informed and able to prepare independently.

Its own rules:

• registration is final and cannot be modified after confirmation;
• a new registration is only accepted one month after the exam date previously chosen, including after a failure;
• on the day, bring the identity document used at registration and your social security card;
• cheating results in immediate failure and may be reported to the authorities.

The detailed format is covered in a dedicated article.

The exemption for CAI or Biergerpakt holders#

A point often missed: holders of a certificate for civic instruction courses completed under the reception and integration contract (CAI) or the Biergerpakt are exempt from module 3, on history and European integration.

According to the portal, the system recognises this exemption automatically, so you should not register for those three sessions. That brings the course down to 9 sessions, or 18 hours.

Which route suits whom#

The course suits you if…#

• you prefer a structured setting and a trainer you can ask questions;
• you have no grounding in Luxembourg institutions and learning it all alone feels discouraging;
• the stress of a timed exam is a genuine obstacle for you;
• you have regular slots over several weeks and can guarantee full attendance;
• you value exchanging with others going through the same process.

The exam suits you if…#

• your schedule is irregular or hard to reconcile with twelve appointments;
• you have lived in Luxembourg for several years and already have some bearings;
• you are comfortable with self-study;
• you want to close this step quickly — a few weeks of preparation and one date;
• you have sat multiple-choice exams before and the format does not intimidate you.

The time factor#

This is often the decisive argument. Twenty-four hours of classes spread over several weeks is a substantial commitment, plus travel and scheduling constraints. The exam requires personal preparation — allow two to four weeks at twenty to thirty minutes a day — but you do it when you want, where you want, including on public transport.

For many working candidates, that is what tips the balance.

The risk factor#

Symmetrically, the course has a real advantage: there is no score to reach. If you attend every required session and take an active part, the certificate is issued. The risk lies in attendance, not performance.

The exam introduces a performance risk. That risk is managed through preparation, but it exists. If the idea of a timed paper blocks you durably, the course remains the safer route — and that is a perfectly legitimate decision.

What if I change my mind?#

Nothing locks you in. A candidate who fails the exam can enrol in the course. A candidate enrolled in the course who cannot make the sessions can switch to the exam. Both routes lead to the same certificate, with no hierarchy and no grade.

Always check the official portal#

Dates, locations, languages, available places and registration rules change regularly. The information in this article is meant to help you choose; the ministry's official "Vivre ensemble" portal remains the only up-to-date source, and it prevails in case of any discrepancy.

If you lean towards the exam, start by measuring your current level with the free simulator, then follow the method set out in how to prepare for the exam.