Inburgering guides
Plain answers about the inburgering exams: booking, exam day, KNM, A2 or B1, and results. Checked against official sources.
How to book your inburgering exam
You book every A2 exam part and KNM yourself, online, in Mijn Inburgering. Here is what you need and how it works.
Read →What happens on your exam day
No surprises on the day. What to bring, when to arrive, and what happens in the exam room, for the A2 exams, KNM and the B1 Staatsexamen.
Read →The KNM exam, explained
KNM tests what you know about life in the Netherlands. What it covers, how it works, and what changed in July 2025.
Read →A2 or B1: which route are you on?
Which exams you take depends on the law that applies to you and your route. A plain overview of A2, B1 and the Staatsexamen.
Read →Your exam results: when they arrive and what comes next
How long you wait for your result, why Spreken and Schrijven A2 take longer right now, and how retakes and diplomas work.
Read →B1 Staatsexamen pass rates: what the 2025 numbers show
The exam board publishes how many people pass each part of the B1 Staatsexamen. In 2025 the numbers went down in all four parts. Here is what the official figures say.
Read →Can't book the Spreken B1 exam? What is going on
In 2026 there were too few places for the Spreken exam. Here is why, and who gets extra time for their inburgering automatically.
Read →How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen
In 2025 the pass rate of the B1 Staatsexamen went down in all four parts. Each part is a different exam with its own format. Here is what each part asks of you, and how to practice it.
Read →The A2 speaking exam, explained
In the speaking exam you talk to a computer, not to a person. Here is how it works, and what helps.
Read →B1 Schrijven: the three task types and how they are marked
The writing part of the B1 Staatsexamen has 12 tasks in 100 minutes. Here is what each task type asks, and what the assessors look for.
Read →How B1 Spreken is marked
The B1 speaking exam has 16 tasks. Here is how assessors mark your answers, and which mistakes limit your score.
Read →De or het? Simple rules for Dutch articles
Dutch has two words for 'the': de and het. There is no logic you can hear, but a few rules make it much easier.
Read →Dutch word order: where does the verb go?
Dutch word order follows a few clear rules. Learn where the verb goes, and many sentences become easier.
Read →Who does what in the Netherlands?
Many KNM questions ask which organization you contact in a situation. Here is a simple overview.
Read →How long does it take to pass the inburgering exam?
Nobody can give you an honest number of weeks. It depends on your Dutch now and the hours you can study. Here is what is official: your deadline, the waiting times, and what you can plan around.
Read →A study plan for the inburgering exam when you work full time
You work all day and have 30 to 45 minutes left in the evening. This 8-week plan shows what to do each week, which part to start with, and when to book.
Read →Inburgering for partners and spouses
If you came to the Netherlands to live with a partner or spouse, you often have to integrate. Here is how it usually works, from the exam abroad to the diploma, in general terms.
Read →Retakes and costs: what to do after a failed exam
You only retake the part you did not pass. Here is what it costs, when you can book again, and why it pays to know what to fix before you book.
Read →Why did I fail the speaking exam?
A fail on Spreken hurts, and the letter does not tell you why. Here is what DUO does and does not tell you, what is known about the marking, and how to find your weak points yourself.
Read →Practicing the A2 speaking exam out loud at home
In the speaking exam you talk to a computer, not a person. That feels strange for almost everyone. Here is how to make it feel normal at home, with a short routine you can do every day.
Read →The new KNM exam (2025): what changed
On 1 July 2025 the KNM exam moved to new exam standards. Here is what the government says changed, what stayed the same, and what it means for how you practice.
Read →What the inburgering exam screen looks like
Most parts of the inburgering exam are on a computer. Here is how each part works on screen, based on what DUO publishes, and how to see the real screens before your exam.
Read →The A2 reading exam, explained
In Lezen A2 you read Dutch texts on a computer and click the right answer. Here is how it works, how it is marked, and how to practice.
Read →The A2 listening exam, explained
In Luisteren A2 you listen through headphones, watch short videos and click the right answer. Here is how it works, how it is marked, and how to practice.
Read →The A2 writing exam, explained
Schrijven A2 is the only A2 exam on paper. You write 4 short tasks by hand. Here is what the tasks look like, how they are marked, and how to practice.
Read →Ik ben gegaan or ik heb gegaan? Hebben or zijn in the perfect tense
In the Dutch perfect tense you need hebben or zijn. Most verbs take hebben. A smaller group takes zijn, and some take both. Here are the rules, with examples.
Read →Not finished with inburgering in time? Fines, extra time and who never gets a fine
If you finish late, DUO can give you a fine of at most 1,000 euro under the 2021 law. Asylum status holders never get a fine. After a fine you still have to integrate, and you get 6 months to 2 years of extra time. Your own letter from DUO decides what applies to you.
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