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.
By the Kora team: Alex, Mariel and Abena, who did inburgering themselves. Written with help from AI. Every fact is checked against the official source. How we write our guides
Checked against official sources on 2026-10-25 · Plain text version to copy (.md)
Before you leave home
Bring a valid ID. Without it, you cannot take the exam. Plan your trip so you arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts.
- A valid ID
- For the B1 Staatsexamen: also the invitation letter from DUO
- Time: arrive 30 minutes early
At the A2 exam location
Your phone, watch, pens, paper, books and coat go into a locker. They do not go into the exam room.
You sign a promise to keep the exam secret. You may not photograph or copy the questions.
Every A2 part and KNM starts with 15 minutes of explanation. Then the exam itself begins.
How each A2 part is taken
Lezen, Luisteren, Spreken and KNM are done on a computer. Schrijven is the only part on paper: you write in a booklet.
- Lezen: 65 minutes, multiple choice on screen
- Luisteren: 45 minutes, with headphones and short video clips
- Schrijven: at most 40 minutes, 4 tasks on paper
- Spreken: 35 minutes, you answer into a microphone
- KNM: 45 minutes, multiple choice with video clips
At the B1 Staatsexamen
All four parts of the Staatsexamen are on a computer. If you arrive late, you cannot enter the exam room.
You get a pen and scrap paper in the room. Your own pens and paper are not allowed. Before the exam starts, the supervisor checks your ears for earbuds.
The only dictionary allowed is the paper Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2, and only for Lezen and Schrijven. You may bring a drink, but only in a bottle with a cap, kept on the floor.
Make the screens familiar
Many people are nervous because they do not know what the exam looks like. Practicing on screens that look like the real exam helps. Kora's mock exams copy the format and the timer of each part.
Questions
What if I forget my ID?
Without a valid ID you cannot take the exam. Check your ID the evening before.
Can I take my phone into the exam room?
No. Phones and watches go into a locker before the exam.
How long is the explanation before the exam?
For the A2 parts and KNM, there are 15 minutes of explanation before the exam itself starts.
Official sources
General information, not legal advice. Your letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you.
Practice for the exam with Kora
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