The inburgeringsexamen raises a lot of questions among non-Dutch residents of the Netherlands. Which exams are there? What is the level? Are they mandatory for me? And how do I prepare? This article answers the most frequently asked questions about the integration exams.
Which exams are there and who has to take them?
The integration exams consist of four language exams (reading, listening, writing and speaking) and an exam about Dutch culture and society (KNM). People take these exams because they want permanent residence in the Netherlands or a Dutch passport.
For some exam candidates it is also required to follow a participation statement track and/or to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the Dutch labour market.
There are two groups who take the exams. For one group it is mandatory, for the other voluntary.
Mandatory. This group consists of statushouders, people with an asylum residence permit, and family migrants, meaning people with a temporary residence permit based on their relationship with someone who already lives permanently in the Netherlands. If you are in this group, you must complete the exams within three years, counted from the moment you receive the letter from the IND stating that you have a residence permit and are required to integrate.
Voluntary. This group takes the exams because they want permanent residence or a Dutch passport. Usually these are highly skilled migrants with a temporary work visa. If you are in this group, you must have lived in the Netherlands for at least five years before you can apply for permanent residence or a Dutch passport. You decide yourself when to take the exams. If you complete them in your first year here, they are still valid at the moment you are allowed to apply after five years.
Note: if you are from an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, you only take the exams for a Dutch passport, not for permanent residence.
What is the language level of the exams?
Because of changes in the Wet inburgering, the required level is not the same for everybody. Below you can read which level is likely to apply to you.
A: statushouders and family migrants
If you became obliged to integrate after 1 January 2022 and you are a statushouder, your language level is B1. If you received that letter before 1 January 2022, the lower A2 level applies.
Worth knowing: the integration exams at B1 are the same exams as the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1. There is no separate, lighter B1 version for people integrating. What preparation at this level involves is explained on our B1 page.
B: voluntary integrators
If you are integrating voluntarily for permanent residence or a Dutch passport, you can take the exams at A2 level. For several years the Dutch government has intended to raise the required level for this group to B1 as well, but that requires a change in the law and no date has been set.
If you want to take the exams at A2 level, it is sensible not to wait too long. You can prepare for them with our A2 course. Always check your own situation with DUO, as the rules around levels can change.
What do the integration exams cost?
The integration exams cost between € 40 and € 50 each. Excluding study and preparation costs, that puts the process at roughly € 240 to € 390. Check the current rates with DUO, as amounts can change.
Preparation costs can add up considerably, depending on which language school or course you choose. Self-study with the right resources makes the process a lot more affordable and less time-consuming.
If you go for an approved language school, there is a possibility of getting a loan from DUO which you repay over ten years. Whether you are eligible and what the conditions are is something to check with DUO.
If you want an affordable, time-saving option, online self-study courses are a good alternative. The guided online preparation courses at Inburgering Online cost € 11,95 per month.
How should I study for the exams?
The recommended order runs from receptive to productive, so from the skills where you take language in to the skills where you produce it:
Reading → Listening → Writing → Speaking → KNM
In principle you can start studying for the KNM exam once you have completed reading and listening. Most students, however, prefer to focus on the language skills first and keep KNM for last.
A tip that saves a lot of time: study related skills together. Reading and listening require similar abilities and have similarly structured exams. The same goes for writing and speaking.
For reading and listening there is something else worth doing: use ordinary Dutch alongside your practice material. Dutch TV, radio, podcasts and real-world texts are often harder than the exam, and that is exactly why they work. Your ear and eye get used to pace, sound and sentence structure, which makes the exam level feel easier afterwards. Do not let yourself get frustrated when you do not understand everything, because you do not have to.
As for vocabulary: you do not need to memorise thousands of words before you start. You get a long way with the words that occur most frequently in Dutch. Those appear in almost every text and every conversation, so every practice session pays off immediately.
How much time do I need to prepare?
If you are a beginner or have very little knowledge of Dutch and study three to four times a week for a total of seven to ten hours, you should be ready to take the exams after around six months.
If you already have experience with self-study, learn quickly or have some basic knowledge of Dutch, that period can be considerably shorter. Some students with prior knowledge have prepared for all exams within two months using the self-study courses at Inburgering Online.
Keep in mind that these are indications. How much time you need depends on your starting level, your study rhythm and how much Dutch you have around you in daily life.
How do I register for the exams?
You register through DUO and schedule a date there: register for your exam. You can only plan your exam date up to two months ahead of the day you register.
Get started
Once you know which level applies to you and when you want to take your exams, the next step is to start practising. At Inburgering Online you will find courses aligned with the real exams, so you practise exactly what you need.
