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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.

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 2026-11-08 · Plain text version to copy (.md)

First: you only retake that one part

Every part of the inburgering exam has its own result. If you did not pass Spreken but passed Lezen, you only do Spreken again. The parts you passed stay passed.

For the Staatsexamen NT2, every part you pass gets a certificate. These certificates do not expire. When you pass all four parts, DUO sends the diploma.

What a retake costs

A retake is a new booking with a new fee. These are the fees as published when we checked on 8 November 2026:

  • A2 language exams (Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken): 50 euro per part, on inburgeren.nl.
  • KNM: 50 euro, on inburgeren.nl.
  • ONA (2013 law only): 40 euro, on inburgeren.nl.
  • Staatsexamen NT2, Programma I or II: 50 euro per part, or 200 euro for a complete exam, on duo.nl.
  • If you have a DUO loan, the fee can be paid from your loan.

Free attempts for asylum status holders (2021 law)

If you are an asylum status holder under the Wet inburgering 2021, your first 2 attempts at each exam are free. This does not apply if you take the exam at a lower level than your PIP says. A higher level is allowed.

If you need more than 2 attempts, you pay for the extra attempts yourself. You cannot borrow from DUO for them.

Be careful with cancelling. If you cancel at least 7 days before the exam, you keep your free attempt. If you remove your booking later than that, DUO's exam regulations say the free attempt is lost.

Rules that can cost you an extra fee

Some mistakes mean you pay again, even if you did not fail. DUO's exam regulations list them.

  • You can change or cancel an A2 exam or KNM up to 1 week before the exam. Cancel in time and you get your money back.
  • If you remove a booking later than that, the fee is not paid back.
  • If you could not come to the exam, you have to pay again for a new one.
  • If you have no valid ID, or your ID is damaged, you cannot take the exam. You have to book again and pay again.
  • If a very special situation stopped you from changing your date in time, you can ask DUO for a free exam. Send a letter or email with proof within 10 days after the exam date. DUO decides.

How long the waiting takes right now

For KNM and most A2 parts, the result usually arrives within 8 weeks. For Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 it takes about 16 weeks right now. DUO announced this on 31 July 2026, because there are many exams to mark. People who took the exam on the same day can get their result at different times.

Booking also takes time. inburgeren.nl says it can take more than 6 weeks before you can sit an exam after you register.

For the Staatsexamen NT2, you can only register for a retake after you have your result.

What the waiting means for your 3-year deadline

If the longer marking time puts you near the end of your 3 years, DUO gives you 6 months of extra time automatically. You do not need to do anything. DUO sends you a letter.

Since May 2026, DUO also gives some people extra time because there are not enough exam places for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2. This is for people who only have one or both of those parts left, and whose term is almost over. DUO decides per person and sends a letter. If you did not get a letter, you do not get this extra time.

Check your own deadline in Mijn Inburgering. Count the result wait and the booking wait before you plan your retake.

Do not book a retake blind

It is tempting to book again the same day you get a fail. But a retake costs money and weeks of waiting. If nothing changes in how you prepare, the chance that the result changes is small.

DUO gives a pass or fail and a mark, but you cannot see your marked exam. So you have to find your weak points yourself. Before you book:

  • Do the official practice exam for that part again, on a timer, as if it were real.
  • Write down where you lost time or felt unsure. Was it the words, the listening, or the type of task?
  • Practice that one thing for a few weeks. For Spreken, record yourself and listen back.
  • Book when your practice results are steady, not when you feel pressure.

Practicing before your retake

Kora lets you practice the part you need to retake, in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you got right and what you got wrong, so you can see what to fix. It cannot predict your next result.

Questions

How much does it cost to retake the inburgering exam?

50 euro per A2 part or KNM, and 40 euro for ONA, on inburgeren.nl. Each Staatsexamen NT2 part costs 50 euro on duo.nl. Checked 8 November 2026.

Do I have to retake all parts if I fail one?

No. You only retake the part you did not pass. The parts you passed stay passed.

Are retakes free for asylum status holders?

Under the 2021 law, the first 2 attempts at each exam are free, at the level in your PIP or higher. Extra attempts you pay yourself, and you cannot borrow for them.

When can I book a retake?

For the A2 exams and KNM you book in Mijn Inburgering. For the Staatsexamen NT2 you can only register again after you have your result.

Will the long result wait make me miss my deadline?

If the longer marking time for Spreken A2 or Schrijven A2 puts you near your deadline, DUO gives you 6 months of extra time automatically and sends a letter.

Official sources

General information, not legal advice. Your letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you.

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