How do you practice effectively for the integration exam? That depends on your situation. Status holders work towards B1; family and labour migrants can, in certain cases, still graduate at A2. What applies to you determines how you set up your preparation. The exam requires real effort, but with the right approach you’ll know exactly where you stand on exam day.
Key takeaways from this blog
- There are two target groups with different exam levels: status holders (B1) and other newcomers (A2 or sometimes B1).
- Exams are administered by DUO, not by the municipality or the IND.
- The structure of the exams is fixed; the content of the questions differs per sitting.
- DUO’s result doesn’t show which topics you missed, so your preparation needs to be broad.
- Authentic Dutch material such as TV, radio and podcasts strengthens your level structurally.
- Knowing the most common words gets you far: it’s about building language feel, not memorising lists.
First things first: which exam do you need to take?
Before you start practicing, it’s important to know which exam applies to you. Anyone preparing at the wrong level wastes time and energy. Below you’ll find what applies to your situation.
Status holders: integration exam at B1
If you are a status holder, you are required to integrate at B1 level. The municipality draws up a personal integration plan together with you and is your first point of contact for questions about your process. The three-year integration term starts the moment you receive the letter from the IND stating that you have a residence permit and must integrate.
Good to know: the integration exam at B1 is the same exam as the State Exam NT2 Programme I. It is not a separate or easier variant. You simply take the state exam. The exams are administered by DUO.
Besides the language exams, there are other components for status holders. You must complete a participation statement process and demonstrate that you know enough about the Dutch labour market. The municipality will inform you about this.
Want to get started right away with practice material at B1 level? Then check out the B1 page of Inburgering Online.
Family and labour migrants: A2 or B1
If you are a family migrant, labour migrant or voluntary newcomer, different rules apply. In certain cases you can still graduate at A2 level. You don’t follow a municipal process and the municipality is not your first point of contact. These exams are also administered by DUO for this group.
Not sure which level applies to you? Check this via the official information from DUO or the IND, so you know for certain that you’re practising at the right level.
Want to look at practice material at A2 level? Then go to the A2 page of Inburgering Online.
What exactly do the exams test?
The integration exam and the State Exam NT2 test different language skills. The structure of the exams is fixed; the content of the questions differs per sitting. So you can get to know the format well, but don’t expect questions identical to what you’ve practiced before.
Listening
In the listening exam you hear fragments, such as conversations or short messages, and answer questions about what you heard. At B1 level the situations are more complex than at A2. You train this by listening to spoken Dutch and focusing on the main point and the details.
Reading
The reading exam consists of multiple-choice questions. For the State Exam NT2 Programme I, the reading exam lasts 110 minutes. You read texts and answer questions about the content. It’s about text comprehension, not writing skills or forming sentences.
Speaking
In the speaking exam you respond to situations or questions. You are assessed on how comprehensible and fluent your expression is. At B1 level the bar is higher than at A2: incorrect use of de/het, which is overlooked at A2, does count towards your score at B1.
Writing
In the writing exam you complete short writing tasks, such as a message or a letter. You are assessed on word choice, sentence structure and correctness. At B1 more precision is expected than at A2.
How do you use your result to keep practicing?
Have you taken an exam and want to know what to adjust? Then it’s only fair to say: DUO’s result doesn’t show which topics you made mistakes on. You receive a result per component, but no detailed feedback on content. So after a resit you can’t fall back on a specific error analysis from DUO.
That means your preparation needs to be broad. Practice all components, even the ones you’re reasonably good at. A weak component you ignore can still trip you up at a resit.
Practicing with authentic Dutch material
An approach many people underestimate: regular Dutch TV, radio and podcasts. Material like the Journaal in easy language, radio broadcasts or podcasts isn’t made for the exam, but that’s exactly what makes it valuable. Because it’s harder than the exam, the exam level feels easier afterwards.
The only thing to keep in mind: don’t get frustrated if you don’t understand everything. That’s normal and it’s not the goal either. You’re building language feel, and you’ll notice that payoff on exam day.
Vocabulary: building language feel, not memorising
For A2 you need knowledge of the most common words, roughly 2,000. For B1 that’s roughly 4,000. Those numbers sound like a hurdle, but they’re not. The most common words are also the words you encounter most often, in conversations, texts and exercises. By reading and listening a lot, you naturally learn to recognise and use those words.
It’s not about memorising lists, but about building language feel. A word you’ve heard three times in a real context sticks better than a word you’ve copied out ten times.
How Inburgering Online helps you prepare
At Inburgering Online you’ll find practice material that matches the structure of the integration exam and the State Exam NT2. The video explanations are clear and easy to follow, and the core structures of Dutch are explained directly, without detours. That applies to the whole range, both at A2 and at B1.
The course costs 11.95 euros per month. You start whenever you want and set your own pace.
Want to register for an exam with DUO? You do that via inburgeren.nl.
FAQ
Who administers the integration exam?
The exams are administered by DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs). The IND determines whether you must integrate and informs you about this by letter, but the IND does not administer exams.
What is the difference between the integration exam and the State Exam NT2?
The integration exam at B1 is the same exam as the State Exam NT2 Programme I. There is no separate or easier variant for newcomers at that level. You simply take the state exam.
Do I need to do anything else besides the language exams as a status holder?
Yes. Status holders must also complete a participation statement process and demonstrate that they know enough about the Dutch labour market. The municipality will inform you about what this means for your situation.
Can I see where I made mistakes after my exam?
No. DUO’s result doesn’t show which topics you made mistakes on. You see a result per component, but no detailed feedback on content. Prepare broadly for a resit for this reason.
When does my integration term start?
The three-year integration term starts the moment you receive the letter from the IND stating that you have a residence permit and must integrate. That start date is stated in the letter itself.
Is authentic Dutch material useful for my preparation?
Yes, definitely. Material like the Journaal in easy language, radio and podcasts is valuable because it’s harder than the exam. That makes the exam level feel easier afterwards. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t understand everything; building language feel takes time.
How many words do I need to know for the exam?
For A2 it’s about the most common words, roughly 2,000. For B1 that’s roughly 4,000. You don’t learn those words by cramming lists, but by hearing and reading them again and again in real contexts.
Start practicing with purpose today
You now know what the exam involves, what applies to your situation and how to approach your preparation. The next step is to actually get started.
Status holders working towards B1 can find targeted practice material on the B1 page of Inburgering Online. Family and labour migrants working at A2 level can find their material on the A2 page of Inburgering Online. For 11.95 euros per month you get access to video explanations and exercises that match the structure of DUO’s exams.
