# Kora > Kora (mykora.nl) is an independent online practice tool for the Dutch inburgering exams: the A2 inburgering exam, the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I (B1) and KNM (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij). Learners practice in the format of the real exam and get explanations and AI feedback in their own language (12 languages). The first 7 days are free with no card needed; after that the Kora plan is €29 a month, VAT included, cancel anytime. Kora is not affiliated with DUO, CvTE or the IND and cannot guarantee that anyone passes. Kora is a trade name of Onboardly B.V., Admiralengracht 60-H, 1057 GB Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Contact: hello@mykora.nl. Updated 14 November 2026. ## Kora in short - **What it is:** an online practice tool (browser, phone or computer) for the A2 inburgering exam (all five parts: Spreken, Schrijven, Luisteren, Lezen and KNM) and the B1 Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I (all four parts: Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken). - **Who it is for:** adults in the Netherlands, or moving there, who must pass an inburgering exam or the Staatsexamen NT2 and want explanations in their own language, not only in Dutch. - **Languages:** the interface and explanations are available in English, Arabic, Turkish, Tigrinya, Farsi, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian, Portuguese and German. The AI coach can also write feedback in other mother tongues (for example French or Ukrainian). The Dutch being practiced stays Dutch. - **Practice material (A2):** 254 reading, 259 listening and 172 KNM questions, 48 writing tasks, plus speaking tasks. **B1:** 216 reading, 204 listening, 118 writing and 128 speaking tasks. Timed mock exams, grammar drills, flashcards and a report card. - **How the AI feedback works:** the learner answers a speaking or writing task. Spoken answers are turned into text first. An AI reads the answer and the task and writes what is good and what to fix, in the learner's language, with Dutch examples. The learner can then ask Coach Kora follow-up questions. The feedback is practice only, not an official score, and AI can make mistakes. - **What Kora does not do:** it is not the exam and not part of DUO, CvTE or the IND; it does not book exams, does not give legal or immigration advice, does not use real exam questions (they are secret), and does not predict or promise a pass. It shows what the learner practiced and got right per part. Kora does not publish pass rates. - **Price:** 7 days free, no card needed. Then one plan, €29 a month, VAT included, everything included, cancel anytime in Settings. After the free week without a plan, Kora Basis stays free: one KNM question a day, the first grammar lessons and a few flashcards a day. - **How to buy:** create a free account at https://mykora.nl/login?mode=signup, use the free week, then choose "Start your plan" in the app and pay in the secure checkout. - **Free official alternative:** DUO's practice exams on inburgeren.nl are free and official (A2: 4 Lezen, 3 Luisteren, 3 Spreken, 2 KNM and 3 Schrijven practice exams, counted 14 November 2026). B1 practice exams are on staatsexamensnt2.nl. Kora recommends doing them; Kora is extra practice with explanations in the learner's language. - **AI assistants:** Kora is in Claude's connector directory (https://claude.ai/directory/connectors/kora-inburgering): a free connector (MCP server at https://mykora.nl/mcp) that answers inburgering questions from Kora's checked guides, gives KNM practice questions and explains Dutch grammar. No Kora account needed. A ChatGPT app is coming soon. ## Key pages - [Homepage](https://mykora.nl/): What Kora is, a free KNM question to try, and how to start the free week. - [How to use Kora](https://mykora.nl/how-to-use-kora): A step-by-step walkthrough of the app as it works today: sign-up and the three onboarding questions, the Today screen, practice per exam part (questions in Dutch, explanations in your language), timed Dutch-only mock exams, Coach Kora, grammar, flashcards, the report card, the exam date and check-in, and the free week. - [Pricing](https://mykora.nl/pricing): The free week, the €29 monthly plan, a comparison with DUO's free practice exams, a language school and general AI chat apps, and questions about the plan. - [How Kora uses AI](https://mykora.nl/how-kora-uses-ai): Where Kora uses AI, what it can get wrong, what it sees, and "Kora in short": plain answers about what Kora is and is not. - [A2 inburgering exam practice](https://mykora.nl/a2-inburgering-exam): The five A2 parts, what each looks like in the real exam (official sources), and what Kora has for each. Dutch: [Inburgeringsexamen A2 oefenen](https://mykora.nl/nl/inburgeringsexamen-a2). - [Staatsexamen NT2 B1 practice](https://mykora.nl/b1-staatsexamen-nt2): The four parts of Programma I and what Kora has for each. Dutch: [Staatsexamen NT2 B1 oefenen](https://mykora.nl/nl/staatsexamen-nt2-b1). - [KNM practice](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice): KNM questions where every fact comes back in new words, and the eight KNM topic guides. Dutch: [KNM oefenen](https://mykora.nl/nl/knm-oefenen). - [Pay with your learning budget](https://mykora.nl/learning-budget): How an employer's learning and development budget can pay for Kora, with a ready-made email to a manager or HR (English or Dutch) and one invoice. - [Kora in Claude and ChatGPT](https://mykora.nl/ai-assistants): Kora is now in Claude. How to add the free connector, what you can ask and what its tools do. - [Exam locations and booking](https://mykora.nl/exam-info): The six DUO exam locations and how to book in Mijn Inburgering with DigiD. ## Guides (English, with official sources and a check date) - [The inburgering exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/inburgering-exam): A2 or B1, the exam parts, the computer speaking exam, KNM, booking, costs, pass marks and retakes. Also in [Dutch, Arabic, Turkish and more](https://mykora.nl/blog). - [Which inburgering exam do I have to take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam): The exam route for each common situation: [family migrant 2022 or later](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/family-migrant-2022-or-later), [asylum status holder 2022 or later](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/asylum-status-holder-2022-or-later), [permit before 2022](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permit-before-2022), [downscaled from B1 to A2](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/downscaled-to-a2), [naturalisation](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation), [permanent residence](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permanent-residence), [still abroad (basisexamen)](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/still-abroad). - KNM topic guides, one per official KNM theme: [healthcare](https://mykora.nl/knm/healthcare), [work and income](https://mykora.nl/knm/work-and-income), [housing](https://mykora.nl/knm/housing), [education and parenting](https://mykora.nl/knm/education-and-parenting), [history and geography](https://mykora.nl/knm/history-and-geography), [institutions](https://mykora.nl/knm/institutions), [the state and the rule of law](https://mykora.nl/knm/state-and-rule-of-law), [manners, values and norms](https://mykora.nl/knm/norms-and-values). - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam): Mijn Inburgering, DigiD, locations, B1 dates. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day): Arrival, ID, lockers, the explanation before the exam. - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) and [the new KNM exam (2025)](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-changes-2025). - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route): The 2021 B1 route, the 2013 rules and switching from B1 to A2. - [Exam results](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) and [retakes and costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs). - [Not finished with inburgering in time?](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-fine-late): Fines (never more than €1,000 under the 2021 law), who never gets a fine, and extra time, per DUO's rules. - [How long does inburgering take?](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) and [a study plan when you work full time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan). - [Inburgering for partners and spouses](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partners-spouses): The exam abroad, the law and level after arrival, the DUO loan. - A2 parts: [Spreken](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained), [Schrijven](https://mykora.nl/blog/schrijven-a2-explained), [Lezen](https://mykora.nl/blog/lezen-a2-explained), [Luisteren](https://mykora.nl/blog/luisteren-a2-explained), [the exam screen](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen), [practicing speaking at home](https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home), [why you failed the speaking exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/failed-speaking-exam-what-next). - B1 Staatsexamen: [practicing each part](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part), [Schrijven task types](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-schrijven-explained), [how Spreken is marked](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-spreken-scoring), [2025 pass rates](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-pass-rates), [booking Spreken B1](https://mykora.nl/blog/staatsexamen-spreken-places). - Dutch grammar: [de or het](https://mykora.nl/blog/de-of-het), [word order](https://mykora.nl/blog/dutch-word-order), [hebben or zijn](https://mykora.nl/blog/hebben-of-zijn). - [Who does what in the Netherlands?](https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands): DUO, gemeente, Belastingdienst, UWV, SVB, IND, huisarts, GGD. - [All guides](https://mykora.nl/blog): in English and up to nine other languages (Arabic, Turkish, Tigrinya, Farsi, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian). ## Plain text versions - [llms-full.txt](https://mykora.nl/llms-full.txt): this file followed by the full text of every English guide. - Every English guide is also published as markdown with its sources and check date: [inburgering-exam.md](https://mykora.nl/inburgering-exam.md), https://mykora.nl/knm/.md and https://mykora.nl/blog/.md (for example [book-inburgering-exam.md](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam.md)). ## Trust and policies - [Editorial policy](https://mykora.nl/editorial-policy): Who writes the guides, which official sources the facts come from, how AI is used, how to report a mistake. - [Refund policy](https://mykora.nl/refund-policy): The free week, the €29 monthly price, cancelling, and the 14-day right to withdraw. - [Privacy Policy](https://mykora.nl/privacy): What Kora stores and what it does not, EU hosting, sub-processors, retention, user rights. Spoken audio is not stored on Kora's servers. - [Terms of Service](https://mykora.nl/terms): What Kora is and is not, acceptable use, liability, governing law. ## Official sources for exam rules Kora's guides are checked against these. For rules, dates, costs and exemptions that apply to a specific person, the official sources and the person's own letters from DUO or the municipality decide. - [inburgeren.nl](https://www.inburgeren.nl) (DUO): the official site for the inburgering exams, booking and free practice exams. - [duo.nl](https://duo.nl): DUO, which runs the inburgering exams and the DUO loan. - [staatsexamensnt2.nl](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl) (CvTE): the Staatsexamen NT2, its format and its practice exams. - [ind.nl](https://ind.nl): residence permits, naturalisation and permanent residence. --- # Full text of Kora's English guides --- # The Dutch inburgering exam (integration exam), explained Source: https://mykora.nl/inburgering-exam · Sources checked 2026-11-07 The inburgering exam is the civic integration exam you take in the Netherlands: Dutch language exams plus KNM, knowledge of Dutch society. Which exams you sit, and at which level, depends on the law that applies to you. Below are the short answers first, then each part in more detail. Every fact links to the official source. ## Short answers ### Is the inburgering exam A2 or B1? It depends on the law you integrate under. Under the Wet inburgering 2013 (integration duty that started before 2022) the language exams are at A2. Under the Wet inburgering 2021 (residence right announced on or after 1 January 2022) most people are on the B1 route, where the language exam is the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I at B1. That is a different exam from the A2 exam, not a harder version of it. Mijn Inburgering shows which exams and which level apply to you. - [Find your route in 2 minutes](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam) ### What level will the Dutch inburgering exam be in 2026? The year you sit the exam does not decide the level. The date your integration duty started does. If you were already required to integrate on 31 December 2021, you stay under the 2013 law and sit A2. If your residence right was announced from 1 January 2022, you fall under the 2021 law: on the B1 route that means B1, and your municipality can move some skills down to A2 after at least 600 hours of lessons. For naturalisation, the IND's published requirement is the inburgering exam at A2 as a minimum. Reports of a move to B1 are not in force until they appear in the Staatsblad, so check ind.nl for your own case. - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [Which exam for naturalisation?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation) ### What is the passing score for the inburgering exam? For the A2 exams and KNM, DUO gives a result of pass or fail and does not publish a pass mark. Be careful with percentages you see online: we could not trace them to an official source. For the B1 Staatsexamen NT2, CvTE publishes the rule: you need a score of at least 500 on each part. Each part has its own scale (Lezen 200 to 700, Luisteren and Spreken 100 to 800, Schrijven 250 to 750). - [How your results arrive](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) ### Which is the easiest inburgering exam? There is no official answer: DUO does not rank the parts, and what feels hard is personal. What is true: for the A2 exams and KNM, every part is booked separately, so you can start with the part you feel closest to. KNM is a knowledge exam, not a language exam. Its questions are in simple Dutch at A2 level, with pictures and audio. Many people find speaking the scariest part, because you answer out loud into a microphone, which is why practicing it aloud early helps. - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) ### How much does the inburgering exam cost? On inburgeren.nl (checked 7 November 2026) each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro, and ONA (2013 law only) costs 40 euro. Each part of the Staatsexamen NT2 costs 50 euro, or 200 euro for all four (DUO). If you are an asylum status holder under the 2021 law, your first 2 attempts at each exam are free, unless you sit it at a lower level than your integration plan (PIP) says. Fees can change, so check the costs page on inburgeren.nl before you book. - [inburgeren.nl: how much does inburgering cost?](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) ### Can I retake a part I did not pass? Yes. You retake only the part you did not pass, and each new attempt is a new booking (and a new fee, unless your attempts are free). For the Staatsexamen NT2 you can register again only after you have your result. Staatsexamen certificates for the parts you pass do not expire. ### Do I talk to a person in the speaking exam? No. The A2 speaking exam (Spreken) is on a computer at a DUO exam location. You wear headphones, watch short videos or look at pictures, and answer out loud into a microphone. It takes 35 minutes, after 15 minutes of explanation. Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) ### How hard is the inburgering exam? There is no official answer for the A2 exams: DUO does not publish pass rates for them. For the B1 Staatsexamen NT2 there is. In 2025, CvTE reported that on average 51% of Programma I exams were passed, from 62% for Schrijven to 43% for Luisteren. A2 tests short, everyday Dutch. B1 asks more: longer texts and conversations about work and daily life. At either level the format itself can catch you out, so practice with questions that look like the real exam before you book. - [B1 Staatsexamen pass rates, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-pass-rates) ### How long do I have to finish inburgering? If you have to integrate, you have 3 years. This is your inburgeringstermijn, and Mijn Inburgering always shows from which date it runs. Under the Wet inburgering 2021, your municipality first makes a personal plan with you (the PIP), and DUO then sends a letter with the date your 3 years start. If you finish late and have no right to an extension, DUO can give you a fine. For not finishing your learning route on time it is never more than 1,000 euro, and you still have to finish, with extra time. Asylum status holders never get a fine. - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: fines](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) ### Can I borrow money from DUO for my course and exams? Often, yes. You apply in Mijn Inburgering, and DUO pays the school or the exam fee directly: the money does not go to your bank account. You can borrow for a course at an approved school and for the exam, so a DUO loan cannot pay for apps like Kora. Asylum status holders under the 2021 law cannot borrow, because the municipality pays the course and 2 exam attempts. Asylum status holders under the 2013 law can borrow up to 10,000 euro and never have to pay it back. For everyone else, DUO decides how much you can borrow based on your income. You start paying back 6 months after you finish inburgering, over 10 years, with interest (2.29% for 2026 on inburgeren.nl, checked 8 November 2026). If you integrate voluntarily, you can borrow until 3 years after you registered with your municipality. - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: paying the loan back](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lening-terugbetalen.jsp) ### What happens after I pass all my exams? You get your inburgeringsdiploma. Download the digital diploma for free in Mijn Diploma's (in Mijn Inburgering, go to 'Diploma'). You can also ask once for a free paper diploma, which arrives within 8 weeks. If you did the Z-route, you get a certificate from your municipality instead. If you passed all four parts of the B1 Staatsexamen, the diploma arrives by post within 4 weeks. With your diploma you can apply to the IND for a stronger residence permit, or for naturalisation through your municipality, if you also meet the IND's other conditions. The digital diploma counts as a certified copy, so you can use it for naturalisation. - [inburgeren.nl: your diploma](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/diploma.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/naturaliseren.jsp) ### Is Kora part of DUO? No. Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND, it cannot book exams for you, and it cannot tell you that you will pass. The official information is on inburgeren.nl, and your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. ## A2 or B1: which law applies to you There are two integration laws, and they lead to different exams. Which one applies depends on when your integration duty started, not on when you take the exam. Mijn Inburgering on inburgeren.nl shows which exams you must do. - Wet inburgering 2013: for people who were already required to integrate on 31 December 2021. The language exams are at A2 (Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken), plus KNM. Depending on your start date, ONA (from 1 January 2015) and the participation statement PVT (from 1 October 2017) are part of it too. The obligation does not expire. You may also choose the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2 instead of the A2 language exams. - Wet inburgering 2021: for people whose residence right was announced on or after 1 January 2022. Your municipality makes a personal plan with you (the PIP) and places you on a learning route. On the B1 route you sit the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I in four skills, plus KNM, plus MAP and PVT through your municipality. The education route ends in the Staatsexamen at B1 or B2. The self-reliance route (Z-route) has no central language exam. - Downscaling: on the B1 route, your municipality can decide that some or all language skills are examined at A2 instead, but only after at least 600 hours of lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. It is decided skill by skill. - [Which inburgering exam do I have to take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam) - [Downscaling from B1 to A2](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/downscaled-to-a2) ## The parts of the exam The A2 exams and KNM are run by DUO. You book them one at a time and take them at a DUO exam location. Every part starts with 15 minutes of explanation. - The Staatsexamen NT2 is set by CvTE and run by DUO. It takes place on fixed dates from an exam schedule, and you register through DUO, not through Mijn Inburgering. - Under the 2013 law, ONA (orientation on the Dutch labour market) can also be required. It is a portfolio plus a 64-hour course or a final interview. | Part | A2 inburgering exam (DUO) | B1 Staatsexamen NT2 (CvTE) | |---|---|---| | Lezen (reading) | 65 minutes on a computer, multiple choice | 110 minutes, 6 texts, answers on a computer, paper Van Dale NT2 pocket dictionary allowed | | Luisteren (listening) | 45 minutes on a computer, with headphones and short video clips | 90 minutes, around 40 questions, each recording plays once | | Schrijven (writing) | At most 40 minutes, on paper, 4 tasks such as a form or a short message | 100 minutes on a computer, 12 tasks, dictionary allowed | | Spreken (speaking) | 35 minutes on a computer, answers into a microphone | About 25 to 30 minutes on a computer, 16 spoken tasks | | KNM | 45 minutes on a computer, multiple choice with video clips | The same DUO KNM exam: it is not part of the Staatsexamen | - [The A2 reading exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/lezen-a2-explained) - [The A2 listening exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/luisteren-a2-explained) - [The A2 writing exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/schrijven-a2-explained) - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [A2 inburgering exam: all five parts](https://mykora.nl/a2-inburgering-exam) - [B1 Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I](https://mykora.nl/b1-staatsexamen-nt2) ## How the speaking exam works on a computer At A2, you sit Spreken at a computer with headphones and a microphone. You watch short videos or look at pictures, hear a question, and answer out loud. Nobody sits across from you. Since 1 March 2025 the A2 speaking exam is spoken answers only: the multiple-choice section was removed. It takes 35 minutes and is marked partly by a computer and partly by people. inburgeren.nl currently says marking for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 takes about 16 weeks. If that makes you late for your integration deadline, DUO extends your term by 6 months automatically. At B1, Spreken has sixteen tasks: eight short ones with 20 seconds of speaking time and eight longer ones with 30 seconds. You cannot go back to a task. Two trained assessors judge every answer against a marking scheme. - Listen to the whole question. Many questions have two parts: answer both. - Use short, full sentences. Simple and complete beats long and unfinished. - If you forget a word, say it another way and keep talking. - Practice with headphones and a microphone, so the setup feels normal on the day. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [How B1 Spreken is scored](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-spreken-scoring) ## KNM: knowledge of Dutch society KNM (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij) is a knowledge exam, not a language exam. It is part of both the A2 route and the B1 route, and on both it is the same DUO exam. You take it on a computer: 45 minutes of multiple-choice questions with short video clips, and you also hear the questions through headphones. A computer marks it. The official exam standards group the questions into eight themes: work and income; manners, values and norms; housing; health and healthcare; history and geography; institutions; the state and the rule of law; and education and parenting. Since 1 July 2025 there are new standards, with more attention for women's right to make their own choices and for knowledge of the Holocaust. KNM questions are situations, so learning which organisation does what helps more than memorising practice questions word for word. - [Try a KNM practice question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) - [Who does what in the Netherlands?](https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands) ## How to register in Mijn Inburgering You book the A2 exams, KNM and ONA in Mijn Inburgering, your personal page on inburgeren.nl. You log in with DigiD. If you do not have DigiD yet, apply on digid.nl in time: the activation code arrives by post. - Log in to Mijn Inburgering with DigiD. - Choose the exam part, then the location, date and time. You can book one part or several on the same day. - You get a confirmation by email and by letter, and DUO sends a letter with the place, date and time about 1 week before the exam. - Book well ahead: inburgeren.nl says it can take more than 6 weeks before you can sit the exam. - You can change or cancel in Mijn Inburgering up to 1 week before the exam. Cancel at least 1 week ahead and you get your money back. - The A2 exams and KNM take place at DUO locations in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle, open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 16:30. - For the B1 Staatsexamen NT2 you register through DUO on fixed dates. DUO sends an invitation letter about 12 days before the exam. Bring it, with a valid ID. - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) - [Exam locations and booking](https://mykora.nl/exam-info) - [What happens on exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Results, retakes and costs A2 and KNM results arrive by letter and in Mijn Inburgering. For KNM and the other A2 parts this is usually within 8 weeks; for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 inburgeren.nl currently says about 16 weeks. The result is pass or fail. Staatsexamen results appear in Mijn DUO on the date in the exam schedule. Each part you pass gets a certificate, and when you pass all four, DUO sends the diploma automatically. You retake only the parts you did not pass. Each attempt is a separate booking with its own fee: 50 euro per A2 exam or KNM, 40 euro for ONA, 50 euro per Staatsexamen part (as published on inburgeren.nl and duo.nl when we checked on 7 November 2026). Asylum status holders under the 2021 law get their first 2 attempts at each exam free, at the level in their plan. - [Your exam results and what comes next](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) - [inburgeren.nl: costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) ## How to practice Start with the official material. DUO publishes free A2 practice exams on inburgeren.nl for Schrijven, Spreken, Luisteren, Lezen and KNM, and there are official practice exams for the B1 and B2 Staatsexamen. Practicing in the exam format makes the screens familiar, which takes away a lot of exam-day stress. Kora is a practice app for these exams: exam-style questions for every part, speaking practice that listens and tells you what to fix, KNM questions that come back in new words, and every explanation in your own language. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise you will pass. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part) ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: which exams (2013 and 2021 law)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: the language exams at A2, B1 and B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM, MAP, ONA, PVT)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering for an exam](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: exam locations](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/examenplaatsen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: fines for finishing late](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much you can borrow](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/hoeveel-geld-mag-u-lenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: paying the loan back](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lening-terugbetalen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: your diploma](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/diploma.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/naturaliseren.jsp) - [CvTE annual report 2025 (pass rates, table 9)](https://www.cvte.nl/site/binaries/site-content/collections/documents/2026/04/13/jaarverslag-2025/jaarverslag-college-voor-toetsen-en-examens.pdf) - [inburgeren.nl: DUO exam regulations (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [DUO: exams under the Wet inburgering 2021](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/wet-inburgering-2021/examens-wi2021/examen-doen-wi2021.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2 (CvTE): what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) - [Staatsexamens NT2 (CvTE): how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) - [Wet inburgering 2021 (legal text)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0044770/) - [Besluit inburgering 2021 (legal text)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045555) - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/nl/inburgering-voor-naturalisatie) - [Rijksoverheid: renewed KNM exam, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM healthcare: the huisarts, 112 and health insurance Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/healthcare · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Health is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about who you go to when you are ill, what you must arrange yourself, and what the insurance pays. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about health and healthcare KNM questions are short situations. Someone is ill, pregnant or has toothache, and you choose who they go to first. Often two answers are real organisations, but only one fits the situation. The most important idea: in the Netherlands the huisarts (family doctor) is your first stop. You do not go straight to the hospital. ## Who does what - Huisarts (family doctor): your first contact for almost every health problem. The huisarts treats you or refers you to a specialist. - Huisartsenpost: for urgent care in the evening, at night and at the weekend, when it is not life-threatening. Call first. - 112: only when a life is in danger right now. It is free and works from any phone. - Apotheek (pharmacy): you collect medicines on prescription here. A drogist only sells medicines without a prescription. - Tandarts (dentist): for problems with your teeth. - Verloskundige (midwife): checks during a normal pregnancy, and the birth. - Consultatiebureau: growth checks and vaccinations for young children. ## What you must arrange yourself - Health insurance. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have standard health insurance (basisverzekering). You choose the insurer yourself. - A huisarts. Nobody does this for you. Call a practice near your home and ask to register. If you cannot find one, your health insurer can help. - A referral letter (verwijsbrief). For a hospital or specialist you usually need one from your huisarts. Without it, you may have to pay yourself. - Zorgtoeslag. On a low income you can get help with the cost of insurance. You apply yourself, online with DigiD, at Dienst Toeslagen. ## Money: what the insurance pays The standard insurance pays for the huisarts, the hospital and medicines on prescription. Visits to the huisarts do not count towards your eigen risico. The eigen risico is the amount you pay yourself each year for other care, such as the hospital. The amount can change, so check it with your insurer. Dental care for adults and most physiotherapy are usually not in the standard package. You pay yourself or take extra insurance (aanvullende verzekering). Children under 18 pay no premium. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Amina is net verhuisd naar Eindhoven en heeft nog geen huisarts. Wat moet ze doen? - Answer: Zelf een huisartsenpraktijk in de buurt bellen om zich in te schrijven. - Why: You choose and call a huisarts yourself. The municipality and the insurer do not do it for you. 2. Sara is ziek in het weekend en heeft snel een dokter nodig, maar het is geen levensgevaar. Wat doet ze? - Answer: Ze belt de huisartsenpost. - Why: Not life-threatening, outside office hours: the huisartsenpost. Call first. 3. De buurvrouw van Leila is gevallen en reageert niet meer. Welk nummer belt Leila? - Answer: 112, het landelijke alarmnummer. - Why: Someone does not react: a life may be in danger. That is 112. 4. Karim wil een afspraak in het ziekenhuis maken voor zijn schouder. Wat heeft hij meestal nodig? - Answer: Een verwijzing (verwijsbrief) van de huisarts. - Why: For the hospital you usually need a referral letter from the huisarts. 5. Is een basiszorgverzekering verplicht voor iemand die in Nederland woont? - Answer: Ja, iedereen die in Nederland woont of werkt, is verplicht een basisverzekering te hebben. - Why: Standard health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives or works here. 6. Fatima heeft een laag inkomen en betaalt elke maand haar zorgverzekering. Ze hoort dat ze hulp kan krijgen. Wat kan ze aanvragen? - Answer: Zorgtoeslag van de Belastingdienst. - Why: Zorgtoeslag helps people on a low income pay for health insurance. Huurtoeslag is for rent. 7. Mira is zwanger en wil de gewone controles tijdens haar zwangerschap. Naar wie gaat ze meestal? - Answer: Naar een verloskundige. - Why: In a normal pregnancy the midwife does the checks. The consultatiebureau comes after the birth. 8. Karim is 30 jaar en moet naar de tandarts. Hoe zit het meestal met de kosten voor volwassenen? - Answer: De tandarts zit meestal niet in de basisverzekering, dus je betaalt zelf of neemt een aanvullende verzekering. - Why: For adults, the dentist is usually not in the standard package. - [Practice all healthcare questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=healthcare) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### Do I go to the hospital when I am ill? Usually not straight away. You go to your huisarts first. The huisarts treats you or gives you a referral letter for the hospital. Only in a life-threatening situation do you call 112. ### What is the difference between the huisartsenpost and 112? The huisartsenpost is for urgent care outside office hours when it is not life-threatening. You call first. 112 is for emergencies where a life is in danger right now. ### Is health insurance compulsory in the Netherlands? Yes. Everyone who lives or works in the Netherlands must have standard health insurance. Children under 18 pay no premium. Extra insurance, for example for the dentist, is your own choice. ## Sources - [Government.nl: standard health insurance](https://www.government.nl/themes/family-health-and-care/health-insurance/standard-health-insurance) - [Government.nl: applying for healthcare benefit](https://www.government.nl/themes/family-health-and-care/health-insurance/applying-for-healthcare-benefit) - [Rijksoverheid: huisartsenpost or emergency department?](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/familie-zorg-en-gezondheid/eerstelijnszorg/vraag-en-antwoord/eerstelijnszorg/huisartsenpost-spoedeisende-hulp) - [Rijksoverheid: when you need a referral letter](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/familie-zorg-en-gezondheid/eerstelijnszorg/vraag-en-antwoord/eerstelijnszorg/wanneer-heb-ik-een-verwijsbrief-van-mijn-huisarts-nodig-en-wanneer-mag-hij-deze-weigeren) - [Rijksoverheid: choosing and changing your huisarts](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/familie-zorg-en-gezondheid/eerstelijnszorg/vraag-en-antwoord/eerstelijnszorg/ben-ik-vrij-om-zelf-een-huisarts-te-kiezen-en-hoe-verander-ik-van-huisarts) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM work and income (werk en inkomen), explained Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/work-and-income · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Work and income is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam, and one of the biggest. The questions are about your contract, your rights at work, and who pays which benefit. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about work and income Many questions describe a moment in working life: applying for a job, a new contract, being ill, losing your job. You choose what the person should do, or which organisation helps. The other big group is about money: who collects tax, who pays which benefit, and what you must report yourself. ## Your work: contract and rights - Arbeidsovereenkomst: your own work contract, with your pay, hours and tasks. A contract with an end date is a temporary contract. A permanent contract has no end date. - Cao: agreements for a whole sector or company, about pay, working hours and days off. - Minimumloon: the legal minimum wage for workers from 21. An employer may never pay less, also not during the proeftijd (trial period). - Loonstrook (payslip): shows your gross pay, what was taken off for tax and premiums, and your net pay. - Ill? Call your own employer as soon as possible. While you are ill, the employer keeps paying your wage. - Discrimination at work is forbidden. Men and women get equal pay for equal work. - Paid too little, or unsafe work? Talk to your employer first. If that does not help, report it to the Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie. ## Who pays what: the money map - UWV: unemployment benefit (WW). Apply in time, with DigiD. With WW you must actively look for work and show this to UWV. - Gemeente (municipality): bijstand, when you have no other income and no right to WW. Also help with debts (schuldhulpverlening). - SVB: child benefit (kinderbijslag) and the state pension (AOW) from the state pension age. - Belastingdienst: national taxes. You usually file your tax return in March or April, online with DigiD. - Dienst Toeslagen: allowances such as zorgtoeslag and huurtoeslag. If your income changes, report it, or you pay back later. - KvK (Chamber of Commerce): you register here when you start your own business. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Iris is haar baan kwijt en wil een WW-uitkering. Welke instantie regelt dit? - Answer: Het UWV. - Why: WW (unemployment benefit) comes from UWV. Bijstand from the municipality comes later, only without WW. 2. Faysal heeft geen werk en te weinig geld om van te leven. Hij heeft geen recht op WW. Waar vraagt hij hulp? - Answer: Bij de gemeente (bijstandsuitkering). - Why: No WW and too little money to live on: bijstand from the municipality. 3. Een werkgever biedt minder dan het wettelijk minimumloon. Mag dat? - Answer: Nee, de werkgever moet zich altijd aan het wettelijk minimumloon houden. - Why: The minimum wage is a legal floor. Paying less is never allowed, even with your consent. 4. Sanne is ziek en kan niet werken. Wat kan ze het beste als eerste doen? - Answer: Zo snel mogelijk haar eigen werkgever bellen om zich ziek te melden. - Why: You call in sick with your own employer first, as early as possible. 5. Een cao (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst) bevat afspraken over werk. Waar gaan die vooral over? - Answer: Salaris, werktijden en vrije dagen. - Why: A cao has agreements for a sector: pay, working hours and days off. 6. Het contract van Daan eindigt op 31 december. Wat voor contract is dit? - Answer: Een tijdelijk contract (contract voor bepaalde tijd). - Why: A contract with an end date is a temporary contract. 7. Mohammed krijgt te weinig loon en werkt in een onveilige situatie. Bij welke organisatie kan hij dit melden? - Answer: Bij de Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie. - Why: Too little pay or unsafe work: report it to the Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie. 8. Ingrid moet haar belastingaangifte doen. Wanneer en hoe gebeurt dat meestal? - Answer: In maart of april, online met je DigiD - Why: The tax return is usually in March or April, online with DigiD. - [Practice all work and income questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=work-and-income) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### Who pays unemployment benefit in the Netherlands? UWV pays WW, if you lose your job and meet the conditions. If you have no right to WW and too little income, you can ask your municipality for bijstand. ### What is the difference between a cao and an arbeidsovereenkomst? The arbeidsovereenkomst is your own contract with your employer. A cao is a set of agreements for a whole sector or company. Both can say something about pay, hours and days off. ### Does the KNM exam ask about amounts, like the minimum wage? Kora does not learn amounts by heart for KNM, because they change every year. Our questions test the rule: who pays, who decides, what is allowed. For current amounts, check rijksoverheid.nl or uwv.nl. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: minimum wage, and what to do if you are paid less](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/werk/minimumloon/vraag-en-antwoord/minimumloon/wat-kan-ik-doen-als-ik-minder-loon-krijg-dan-het-wettelijk-minimumloon) - [Rijksoverheid: the minimum wage](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/werk/minimumloon) - [Rijksoverheid: being ill from work](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/werk/ziekteverzuim-van-het-werk) - [Rijksoverheid: WW unemployment benefit](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/werk/ww-uitkering) - [UWV: applying for WW](https://www.uwv.nl/nl/ww/ww-aanvragen) - [Rijksoverheid: when you have a right to bijstand](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/belastingen-uitkeringen-en-toeslagen/bijstand/vraag-en-antwoord/bijstand/wanneer-heb-ik-recht-op-bijstand) - [Dienst Toeslagen: allowances (zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag)](https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/nl/toeslagen/toeslagen) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM housing (wonen): renting, moving and your neighbours Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/housing · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Housing is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about finding a home, your rights as a tenant, what you must arrange when you move, and living with neighbours. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about housing Most housing questions are a small problem at home: a leak, a high rent, noisy neighbours, a move. You choose the first step, or the right organisation. Watch for the word "eerst" (first). Often every answer is something you could do one day, but only one is the right first step. ## Renting a home - Sociale huurwoning (social housing): you register with a woningcorporatie (housing association). There is often a long waiting list. Your municipality can tell you which associations to use. - Borg (deposit): you pay it at the start. You get it back when you leave the home clean and without damage. - Something broken, like a leak? Report it to your landlord or housing association first, in writing. They are responsible for repairs. - Rent too high, or a conflict with your landlord about the rent? The Huurcommissie gives an official judgement. - Huurbescherming (rent protection): a landlord may not simply put you out of your home. - Huurtoeslag: help with the rent on a low income. You apply yourself at Dienst Toeslagen. ## Moving house: what you arrange yourself - Report your new address to your new municipality, no later than 5 days after you move. They update your address in the BRP (the personal records database). - Arrange your own contracts for gas, water and electricity. The municipality does not do this. - Meterstand: the number on your gas or electricity meter. Your energy company sometimes asks you for it. - Buying a home? You usually borrow from a bank: a hypotheek (mortgage). A notaris makes the official deed. ## Living with neighbours Noise from the neighbours? First talk to them yourself, calmly. Often they do not know it bothers you. The landlord or the police come later, if talking does not help. You separate your waste (plastic, paper, gft for food and garden waste, and restafval) by the rules and collection days of your own municipality. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Fatou wil een sociale huurwoning met een lagere huur. Wat moet ze meestal doen? - Answer: Zich inschrijven bij een woningcorporatie en op de wachtlijst wachten. - Why: For social housing you register with a woningcorporatie and wait on the list. 2. Er lekt water uit het plafond van Karims huurwoning. Wat doet hij het beste als eerste? - Answer: Het zo snel mogelijk melden bij de verhuurder of woningcorporatie. - Why: A defect in a rented home: report it to the landlord first. They arrange the repair. 3. Ahmed vindt dat hij te veel huur betaalt. Waar kan hij de huurprijs officieel laten controleren? - Answer: Bij de Huurcommissie. - Why: The Huurcommissie gives an official judgement about the rent. 4. Karim gaat naar een nieuwe woning verhuizen. Wat moet hij zeker zelf regelen? - Answer: Zijn nieuwe adres doorgeven aan de gemeente en zelf gas, water en licht regelen. - Why: When you move, you report your address and arrange gas, water and electricity yourself. 5. Wat is huurtoeslag? - Answer: Een bijdrage van de overheid voor mensen met een laag inkomen om de huur te betalen. - Why: Huurtoeslag is money from the government to help pay the rent on a low income. 6. Youssef huurt een appartement en betaalt bij de start een borg (waarborgsom). Wanneer krijgt hij die borg terug? - Answer: Als hij de woning netjes en zonder schade achterlaat bij het verhuizen. - Why: You get the deposit back when you leave the home clean and without damage. 7. De buren van Sanne maken 's avonds vaak veel lawaai. Wat kan ze het beste als eerste doen? - Answer: Eerst zelf rustig met de buren gaan praten over de overlast. - Why: Noisy neighbours: first talk to them calmly yourself. 8. Ahmed wil zijn afval weggooien. Hij heeft plastic, papier, gft en restafval. Wat is de goede regel? - Answer: Hij scheidt het afval volgens de regels en ophaaldagen van zijn gemeente. - Why: You separate your waste by the rules and collection days of your municipality. - [Practice all housing questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=housing) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### How do I get a social rented home in the Netherlands? You register with a woningcorporatie (housing association). They can set rules about your income and the size of your household, and the waiting time differs per region. Your municipality can tell you which associations work in your area. ### Who pays for repairs in a rented home? The landlord or housing association is responsible for repairs to the home. Report the problem to them first. If you call a repair person yourself without asking, you may not get the money back. ### When do I report a move? To the municipality where you are going to live, no later than 5 days after the move. You can do it up to 4 weeks before. You can do it by post, at the desk or online. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: when you can get a social rented home](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/bouwen-en-wonen/huurwoning-zoeken/vraag-en-antwoord/huurwoning-zoeken/wanneer-kom-ik-in-aanmerking-voor-een-sociale-huurwoning) - [Rijksoverheid: what to arrange when you rent a home](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/bouwen-en-wonen/huurwoning-zoeken/vraag-en-antwoord/huurwoning-zoeken/wat-moet-ik-regelen-als-ik-een-woning-ga-huren) - [Rijksoverheid: reporting a move to the municipality](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/gemeenten/vraag-en-antwoord/gemeenten/hoe-kan-ik-mijn-verhuizing-doorgeven-aan-de-gemeente) - [Dienst Toeslagen: allowances (zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag)](https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/nl/toeslagen/toeslagen) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM education and parenting: school, leerplicht and childcare Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/education-and-parenting · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Education and parenting is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about the school system, the rules for school-age children, and the help parents can get. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about education and parenting Many questions give a child's age and ask what applies: may the child go to school, must the child go, may the family go on holiday now? Learn the ages, because the wrong answers are often one year off. Other questions ask which school comes next, or which organisation helps with the costs. ## Ages and rules - From 4: a child may go to the basisschool (primary school). - From 5: a child must go to school. This is leerplicht (compulsory education). It starts on the first day of the month after the fifth birthday. - Until 18: a young person without a basic diploma (startkwalificatie) must keep learning. This is the kwalificatieplicht. - School holidays are fixed. Taking a school-age child out of school outside the holidays is usually not allowed and can lead to a fine. Only the head teacher can give permission, in special cases. - Public primary education is free. A school may ask for a voluntary parental contribution (ouderbijdrage). ## The school system - Basisschool: 8 years, from groep 1 to groep 8. At the end, the child gets a schooladvies (school advice) for secondary school. - Voortgezet onderwijs (secondary school): vmbo, havo or vwo. - After vmbo: mbo (vocational training). After havo: hbo. After vwo: university or hbo. - Freedom of education: you choose a school yourself, public or special (bijzonder), such as a religious school. ## Parents: help and having a say - Kinderopvang (childcare): for young children while the parents work or study. Working or studying parents can get kinderopvangtoeslag from Dienst Toeslagen. - Kinderbijslag (child benefit) comes from the SVB. It is for all children, not for childcare costs. - Ouderavond: you talk with the teacher about how your child is doing. Parents can have a say through the ouderraad or the medezeggenschapsraad (MR). - Studiefinanciering (student finance) for mbo, hbo and university: DUO. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. De dochter van Amina wordt binnenkort 4 jaar. Wat geldt er dan voor haar? - Answer: Ze mag vanaf 4 jaar naar de basisschool. - Why: From 4 a child may go to the basisschool. It is only compulsory from 5. 2. Vanaf welke leeftijd is een kind in Nederland leerplichtig (verplicht naar school)? - Answer: Vanaf 5 jaar. - Why: Leerplicht starts at 5. At 4 school is allowed but not yet compulsory. 3. De zoon van Layla is 17 jaar en heeft nog geen diploma. Wat geldt er voor hem? - Answer: Hij moet doorleren tot hij een startkwalificatie heeft of tot hij 18 wordt. - Why: Without a basic diploma, a young person keeps learning until 18. 4. Nadia wil met haar schoolgaande kinderen op vakantie in een goedkope week midden in het schooljaar. Mag dat zomaar? - Answer: Nee, kinderen hebben vaste schoolvakanties; daarbuiten vrij mag alleen in bijzondere gevallen met toestemming van de school. - Why: Holidays outside the school holidays need permission from the school, and only in special cases. 5. De zoon van Omar zit in het laatste jaar van de basisschool. Wat krijgt hij aan het eind? - Answer: Een schooladvies voor het voortgezet onderwijs. - Why: At the end of the basisschool, every child gets a schooladvies. 6. Nadia (19) wil in Nederland studeren maar heeft weinig geld. Waar vraagt ze studiefinanciering aan? - Answer: Bij DUO. - Why: Student finance for mbo, hbo and university is arranged by DUO. 7. Sara en haar man werken allebei en brengen hun kind naar de kinderopvang. De opvang is duur. Waar kunnen ze hulp krijgen met de kosten? - Answer: Kinderopvangtoeslag van de Belastingdienst. - Why: Working parents get help with childcare costs through kinderopvangtoeslag. Kinderbijslag is something else. 8. Hassan wil graag meepraten over dingen op de school van zijn kinderen. Hoe kan dat? - Answer: Via de ouderraad of de medezeggenschapsraad (MR). - Why: Parents have a say at school through the ouderraad or the MR. - [Practice all education questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=education-and-parenting) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### At what age must a child go to school in the Netherlands? At 5. A child may start the basisschool at 4, but leerplicht starts on the first day of the month after the fifth birthday. ### Can we go on holiday during the school year? Usually not. Children of school age go on holiday in the school holidays. Only in special cases, for example because of the kind of work a parent does, can the head teacher give permission. You ask well in advance. ### Who pays child benefit, and who helps with childcare costs? Kinderbijslag (child benefit) comes from the SVB, for all children. Kinderopvangtoeslag, for childcare costs while you work or study, comes from Dienst Toeslagen. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: when your child may go to the basisschool](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/onderwijs/leerplicht/vraag-en-antwoord/basisonderwijs/wanneer-mag-mijn-kind-naar-de-basisschool) - [Rijksoverheid: leerplicht and school holidays](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/onderwijs/leerplicht/vraag-en-antwoord/leerplicht/leerplicht-schoolvakanties) - [Rijksoverheid: kinderopvangtoeslag](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/belastingen-uitkeringen-en-toeslagen/kinderopvangtoeslag) - [DUO: how student finance works](https://duo.nl/particulier/studiefinanciering/) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM history and geography: the facts the exam asks about Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/history-and-geography · Sources checked 2026-11-08 History and geography is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about the map of the Netherlands, life with water, and important moments in Dutch history. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about history and geography These questions are more often plain facts than situations: a year, a date, a place. The wrong answers are usually close, such as the right month with the wrong day. Since 1 July 2025 the exam standards ask more about the Holocaust. You should know what the Holocaust was, that many Dutch Jews were killed, and that antisemitism and discrimination are forbidden. ## Geography - Amsterdam is the capital. The government and parliament sit in The Hague (Den Haag). Rotterdam has the big port. - The Netherlands has 12 provinces, such as Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland, Utrecht, Groningen and Limburg. Maastricht is in Limburg, in the south. - The Netherlands shares a land border with two countries: Germany in the east and Belgium in the south. In the west is the North Sea. - The Randstad is the busy west, with Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. - A large part of the country is below sea level. Dikes and polders keep the land dry. The waterschap (water board) looks after dikes and water, and you can vote for it. ## History - Willem van Oranje led the fight for independence. The colour orange and the royal house come from him. - From 1940 to 1945 Germany occupied the Netherlands in World War II. Many Dutch Jews were killed in the Holocaust. - 4 May: Dodenherdenking. The country remembers the victims of war, with two minutes of silence at 20:00. - 5 May: Bevrijdingsdag (Liberation Day). The Netherlands celebrates that it became free in 1945. - Indonesia (then the Dutch East Indies) was a Dutch colony for a long time. Suriname and the Antilles also have a colonial history with the Netherlands. - After the flood of 1953, the Netherlands built the Delta Works: dams and dikes that protect the south-west against the sea. - In 2001 the Netherlands was the first country in the world where people of the same sex could marry. - 27 April is Koningsdag (King's Day), the birthday of King Willem-Alexander. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Wat is de hoofdstad van Nederland? - Answer: Amsterdam. - Why: Amsterdam is the capital. The Hague is where the government sits. 2. Tijdens de les vraagt de docent hoeveel provincies Nederland heeft. Wat is het juiste antwoord? - Answer: Nederland heeft 12 provincies. - Why: The Netherlands has exactly 12 provinces. 3. Met welke twee landen deelt Nederland een landgrens? - Answer: Duitsland en België. - Why: Germany in the east, Belgium in the south. Luxembourg does not border the Netherlands. 4. Nederland wordt soms een waterland genoemd. Waarom zijn er zo veel dijken en polders? - Answer: Omdat een groot deel van het land onder de zeespiegel ligt en beschermd moet worden. - Why: Much of the land is below sea level, so dikes and polders protect it. 5. Na een grote overstroming in 1953 bouwde Nederland iets belangrijks. Wat was dat? - Answer: De Deltawerken, om het land tegen het water van de zee te beschermen. - Why: After the 1953 flood came the Delta Works. The Afsluitdijk is older (1932). 6. In welke jaren was Nederland bezet tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog? - Answer: 1940 tot 1945. - Why: The occupation lasted from May 1940 to 1945. 7. Wat wordt er herdacht op 4 mei? - Answer: De slachtoffers van oorlogen, met twee minuten stilte. - Why: 4 May is for remembering the victims. 5 May is for celebrating freedom. 8. Welk land was vroeger een kolonie van Nederland? - Answer: Indonesië. - Why: Indonesia was a Dutch colony. India was British. - [Practice all history and geography questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=history-and-geography) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### What is the difference between 4 May and 5 May? On 4 May (Dodenherdenking) the Netherlands remembers the victims of war, with two minutes of silence at 20:00. On 5 May (Bevrijdingsdag) the country celebrates its freedom since 1945. ### Is Amsterdam or The Hague the capital? Amsterdam is the capital. The government and the parliament sit in The Hague. This is a classic KNM trap. ### Does the KNM exam ask about the Holocaust? Yes, since the new exam standards of 1 July 2025. The exam checks that you know what the Holocaust was, that many Dutch Jews were killed, and that antisemitism and discrimination are forbidden. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: renewed KNM exam standards, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) - [Rijksoverheid: Liberation Day, 5 May](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/tweede-wereldoorlog/vraag-en-antwoord/arbeidsovereenkomst-en-cao/bevrijdingsdag-5-mei-vrije-dag) - [Rijksoverheid: water boards (waterschappen)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/klimaat-milieu-en-natuur/waterschappen) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM institutions (instanties): who does what in the Netherlands Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/institutions · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Institutions is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. Almost every question has the same shape: something happens in your life, and you choose which organisation to contact. Here is who does what, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about institutions The wrong answers are almost always real organisations. They just do something else. So learn each organisation together with a situation, not as a list of names. This theme overlaps with the others: the huisarts is a health question, UWV a work question. This page collects the organisations you meet everywhere. ## Who does what - Gemeente (municipality): your address (BRP), passport and ID card, your BSN, bijstand and help with debts. Most municipalities work by appointment. - DigiD: your personal login for government websites. You apply at digid.nl. Never share it. - BSN (burgerservicenummer): your personal government number. You get it when you register with the municipality. - DUO: the inburgering exams and student finance. In Mijn Inburgering you see which exams you still need to do. - IND: residence permits and naturalisation. You hand in a naturalisation request at the municipality, but the IND decides. - UWV: unemployment benefit (WW). SVB: child benefit and AOW. - Belastingdienst: taxes. Dienst Toeslagen: allowances. If your income changes, report it, or you pay back later. - KvK (Chamber of Commerce): register your business here. - Notaris: makes the official deed when you buy a house. - Juridisch Loket: free legal advice, for example about rent, work or debts. - Bibliotheek (library): books, but also computers, courses and help with government websites. ## Two police numbers - 112: emergencies only. Fire, a serious accident, violence, or a life in danger right now. - 0900-8844: the police when it is not urgent, for example to report a stolen bike. You can also report many things online. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Ravi verhuist naar een andere gemeente. Waar geeft hij zijn nieuwe adres door? - Answer: Bij de gemeente. - Why: You report a move to the municipality. Other organisations then get your address from the BRP. 2. Wat is een BSN (burgerservicenummer) en waar krijg je het? - Answer: Je persoonlijke overheidsnummer, dat je krijgt bij inschrijving bij de gemeente. - Why: You get your BSN when you register with the municipality. 3. Wat is DigiD? - Answer: Je persoonlijke inlogcode voor websites van de overheid. - Why: DigiD is your login for government websites. It is not an ID document. 4. Waar kan Hana zien welke inburgeringsexamens ze nog moet doen? - Answer: In 'Mijn Inburgering' bij DUO. - Why: Mijn Inburgering (DUO) shows which exams you still need. The IND is about your permit. 5. Ouders kunnen kinderbijslag krijgen. Welke instantie regelt dit? - Answer: De Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB). - Why: Kinderbijslag comes from the SVB. 6. Fatima woont een paar jaar in Nederland en wil Nederlander worden. Welke instantie beoordeelt haar aanvraag en beslist over de naturalisatie? - Answer: De IND, de Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst - Why: You apply at the municipality, but the IND decides about naturalisation. 7. Ahmed heeft een probleem met zijn verhuurder, maar weinig geld voor een advocaat. Waar kan hij gratis juridisch advies krijgen? - Answer: Bij het Juridisch Loket, dat gratis juridisch advies geeft - Why: The Juridisch Loket gives free legal advice. 8. De fiets van Sara is gestolen. Er is geen spoed. Wat doet zij? - Answer: Zij doet aangifte bij de politie via 0900-8844 of online - Why: A stolen bike is not an emergency: 0900-8844 or online, not 112. - [Practice all institutions questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=institutions) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### Which organisation do I contact when I move? The municipality where you are going to live. It updates your address in the BRP, and other government organisations get your new address from there. ### Does the municipality or the IND decide about naturalisation? The IND decides. You hand in the request at your municipality, which sends it to the IND. For naturalisation you usually need your inburgeringsdiploma. ### When do I call 112 and when 0900-8844? 112 is for emergencies: a life in danger, fire, violence happening now. 0900-8844 is the police for everything that can wait, such as reporting a stolen bike. ### Is Kora part of DUO? No. Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. The official information about your exams is on inburgeren.nl. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: reporting a move to the municipality](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/gemeenten/vraag-en-antwoord/gemeenten/hoe-kan-ik-mijn-verhuizing-doorgeven-aan-de-gemeente) - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/nl/nederlanderschap/inburgering-voor-naturalisatie) - [Government.nl: immigration to the Netherlands](https://www.government.nl/themes/migration-and-travel/immigration-to-the-netherlands) - [Dienst Toeslagen: allowances (zorgtoeslag, huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag)](https://www.belastingdienst.nl/wps/wcm/connect/nl/toeslagen/toeslagen) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM politics and the rule of law (staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat) Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/state-and-rule-of-law · Sources checked 2026-11-08 The state and the rule of law is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about how the country is governed, who makes the laws, who you can vote for, and the rights everyone has. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about the state and the rule of law Many questions ask who does something: who makes laws, who decides on a punishment, who is chosen directly. The wrong answers are often other real parts of government. Other questions are about basic rights, such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion and equal treatment. These rights have limits, and the exam asks about those limits too. ## How the country is governed - The Netherlands is a democracy: the people choose who governs, in free elections. - The parliament (Staten-Generaal) has two chambers. You vote for the Tweede Kamer directly. The members of the Provinciale Staten choose the Eerste Kamer. - Laws are made by the government and the parliament together. The Eerste Kamer can accept or reject a bill, but cannot change it. - The kabinet is the ministers and the prime minister (minister-president). Usually several parties govern together in a coalition. - The King is head of state. His role is mostly ceremonial and he signs laws, but he does not govern. The throne passes within the royal family. - Three levels of government: the gemeente (municipality), the provincie (12 provinces) and the national government. There are also water boards (waterschappen). ## Elections - Elections for the Tweede Kamer, Eerste Kamer, provinces, water boards and municipal councils are every 4 years. The Tweede Kamer election can come earlier if the government falls. - The European Parliament election is every 5 years. - EU citizens who live in the Netherlands may vote for the municipal council. For the Tweede Kamer you need Dutch nationality. ## The rule of law and your rights - Article 1 of the Constitution: everyone is treated equally in equal cases. Discrimination is forbidden. - Separation of powers: parliament makes laws, the government carries them out, and independent judges decide. - The police investigate. A judge decides if someone is guilty and what the punishment is. You are innocent until a judge proves you guilty. - A suspect has the right to a lawyer and a fair trial. - Freedom of speech: you may give your opinion, also criticism. Discriminating against or threatening someone is not allowed. - Freedom of religion: you choose what you believe, or nothing. The state is neutral. You may also demonstrate peacefully. - Men and women have equal rights. Women decide for themselves about work, study and their own life. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. De Eerste en Tweede Kamer vormen samen het parlement. Welke Kamer wordt direct door de burgers gekozen? - Answer: De Tweede Kamer, rechtstreeks door de kiezers - Why: You vote for the Tweede Kamer directly. The Eerste Kamer is chosen by the Provinciale Staten. 2. Hoe vaak zijn er normaal verkiezingen voor de Tweede Kamer? - Answer: Elke vier jaar. - Why: Normally every 4 years, sooner if the government falls. 3. Wie maakt in Nederland de landelijke wetten? - Answer: De regering en het parlement samen. - Why: Laws are made by the government and parliament together. Judges apply laws. 4. Wat is de rol van de Koning in Nederland? - Answer: Hij heeft vooral een ceremoniële rol en tekent wetten; hij regeert niet zelf. - Why: The King has a mostly ceremonial role and signs laws. He does not govern. 5. De politie verdenkt iemand van diefstal. Wie bepaalt uiteindelijk welke straf de verdachte krijgt? - Answer: De rechter. - Why: An independent judge decides the punishment, not the police. 6. Karim wordt beschuldigd van diefstal, maar de rechter heeft nog niets bewezen. Wat geldt er dan? - Answer: Hij is onschuldig totdat de rechter zijn schuld bewijst - Why: You are innocent until a judge proves you guilty. 7. Wat staat er in Artikel 1 van de Grondwet? - Answer: Iedereen wordt in gelijke gevallen gelijk behandeld; discriminatie is verboden. - Why: Article 1: equal treatment in equal cases. Discrimination is forbidden. 8. Elena komt uit Spanje en woont in Nederland. Waarvoor mag zij stemmen? - Answer: Voor de gemeenteraad: EU-burgers die in Nederland wonen mogen dat. - Why: EU citizens may vote for the municipal council. The Tweede Kamer needs Dutch nationality. - [Practice all state and rule of law questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=state-and-rule-of-law) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### Who makes the laws in the Netherlands? The government and the parliament together. First the Tweede Kamer votes on a bill, then the Eerste Kamer accepts or rejects it. The King signs laws, but does not make them. Judges apply the laws. ### How often are there elections in the Netherlands? Most elections are every 4 years: Tweede Kamer, Eerste Kamer, provinces, water boards and municipal councils. The European Parliament is every 5 years. A Tweede Kamer election can come earlier if the government falls. ### Does freedom of speech mean I can say anything? No. You may give your opinion, including criticism of the government. But discrimination and threats are forbidden. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: which elections there are](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/verkiezingen/vraag-en-antwoord/verkiezingen/welke-verkiezingen-zijn-er) - [Rijksoverheid: the tasks of the Tweede Kamer](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/parlement/vraag-en-antwoord/parlement/welke-taken-heeft-de-tweede-kamer) - [Rijksoverheid: the Constitution (Grondwet)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/overheid-en-democratie/grondwet-en-statuut) - [Rijksoverheid: renewed KNM exam standards, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # KNM norms and values (normen en waarden): Dutch manners, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/knm/norms-and-values · Sources checked 2026-11-08 Manners, values and norms is one of the eight themes of the KNM exam. The questions are about what is normal and polite in daily life, and about values that the law protects. Here are the key facts, with real practice questions from Kora. ## What the KNM exam asks about manners, values and norms Some questions are about manners: a birthday, a visit, a job interview, a neighbour. Others are about values that are also law, such as equal rights and the ban on violence against children. Since 1 July 2025 the exam asks more about knowledge and less about behaviour. It also pays more attention to women's right to make their own choices. ## Manners in daily life - Be on time. If you are going to be late, let people know in advance. - Visiting friends? Make an appointment first, by phone or message. Dropping by without warning is often seen as rude. - In a formal situation, like a job interview, you shake hands, look the person in the eye and say your name. - Many Dutch people are direct. A colleague who says they disagree is giving an opinion, not attacking you. - Birthdays: you congratulate the person, and also their family. At work, the person whose birthday it is often brings the cake. - Problems with neighbours? First talk to them yourself, calmly. ## Values the law protects - Men and women have equal rights. In many homes, partners share tasks and decisions. A woman decides for herself whether she works or studies. - People of the same sex have equal rights and may marry. - Hitting children is not allowed. Violence against children is forbidden, also a light slap, also by parents. - You treat everyone with respect, also people with another religion or background, and also when you disagree. - Alcohol and tobacco: you may only buy them from 18. ## Traditions - Sinterklaas, around 5 December: children put a shoe by the door, with a carrot for the horse. - Christmas and Easter are Christian holidays and national days off, for everyone. - Koningsdag on 27 April: orange clothes, parties and street markets. ## Practice questions from Kora 1. Niels is uitgenodigd voor een verjaardag om 20:00 uur. Wat is beleefd in Nederland? - Answer: Rond 20:00 komen, of even laten weten als hij later is. - Why: Be on time, or let people know in advance if you will be late. 2. Je wilt bij een Nederlandse vriend op bezoek. Wat is hier het meest gebruikelijk? - Answer: Eerst even bellen of appen om een afspraak te maken. - Why: In the Netherlands you usually make an appointment before a visit. 3. Hoe begroet je een onbekende in een formele situatie, zoals een sollicitatie? - Answer: Je geeft een hand, kijkt de ander aan en noemt je naam. - Why: Formal: a handshake, eye contact and your name. 4. Op het werk zegt een Nederlandse collega direct dat hij het niet met je eens is. Hoe kun je dit het beste zien? - Answer: Als normale Nederlandse directheid; je mening geven is niet persoonlijk bedoeld. - Why: Dutch directness is normal. Giving your opinion is not meant personally. 5. Hoe gaan man en vrouw in veel Nederlandse huishoudens met taken en beslissingen om? - Answer: Ze verdelen de taken en beslissingen vaak samen - Why: In many Dutch homes, partners share tasks and decisions. 6. Mogen twee mannen of twee vrouwen in Nederland met elkaar trouwen? - Answer: Ja, mensen van hetzelfde geslacht hebben gelijke rechten en mogen trouwen. - Why: People of the same sex have equal rights and may marry, since 2001. 7. Je nieuwe buurman heeft een ander geloof en een andere afkomst dan jij. Hoe ga je in Nederland met hem om? - Answer: Je behandelt hem met respect, ook als je het niet met hem eens bent. - Why: You treat everyone with respect, also when you disagree. - [Practice all norms and values questions](https://mykora.nl/app/practice/knm?topic=norms-and-values) - [Try one KNM question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) ## Questions people ask ### Is it rude to visit Dutch friends without an appointment? Often, yes. Most people expect you to call or send a message first. Arriving around dinner time without warning is especially unusual. ### Are Dutch people rude because they are direct? Usually not. Saying openly what you think is normal in the Netherlands. It is not meant as a personal attack. ### Does the KNM exam ask about women's rights? Yes. Since the new exam standards of 1 July 2025, the exam pays more attention to women's right to make their own choices, for example about work and their own life. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: renewed KNM exam standards, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) - [inburgeren.nl: the knowledge exams (KNM)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # How to book your inburgering exam Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam · Sources checked 2026-10-25 You book every A2 exam part and KNM yourself, online, in Mijn Inburgering. Here is what you need and how it works. ## What you need before you start You book your exams in Mijn Inburgering, the personal page on inburgeren.nl. To log in, you need a DigiD. DigiD is the Dutch government login. You use it with text-message verification or with the DigiD app. If you do not have one yet, apply for it on digid.nl. The activation code arrives by post, so apply in time. - A DigiD, with text-message verification or the DigiD app - Your phone, for the verification - An idea of which exam part you want to book first ## Booking an A2 exam or KNM, step by step Every part is a separate booking: Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken and KNM. You can book one part at a time, or several parts on the same day if you want. - Go to inburgeren.nl and log in to Mijn Inburgering with your DigiD. - Choose the exam part you want to book. - Choose an exam location, a date and a time. - Confirm the booking and keep the confirmation. ## Where the exams take place The A2 exams and KNM take place at DUO exam locations in six cities: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle. The locations are open Monday to Friday, from 9:00 to 16:30. Addresses can change. Always check the current address on the official locations page of inburgeren.nl before your exam day. - [Inburgering in Amsterdam: the municipality, your plan and the exam location](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-amsterdam) ## The B1 Staatsexamen works differently The Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I (B1) is set by CvTE and run by DUO. It takes place on fixed dates from an exam schedule, so you cannot pick any day you like. About 12 days before your exam, DUO sends you an invitation letter. Bring that letter and a valid photo ID to every part of the exam. ## Before you book: practice the format Each part has its own format and its own time limit. Knowing what the screens and the tasks look like makes the day less stressful. DUO publishes free practice exams on inburgeren.nl, and Kora lets you practice every part with explanations in your own language. ## Questions ### Can I book more than one exam part on the same day? Yes. For the A2 exams and KNM you can take several parts on one day if you want. ### I do not have a DigiD. What now? Apply for one on digid.nl. The activation code comes by post, so do this well before you want to book. ### Do I choose the date for the B1 Staatsexamen myself? No. The Staatsexamen has fixed dates in an exam schedule. DUO sends an invitation letter about 12 days before the exam. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: exam locations](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/examenplaatsen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [DigiD](https://www.digid.nl) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # What happens on your exam day Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day · Sources checked 2026-10-25 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. ## 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. - [Inburgering in Amsterdam: the municipality, your plan and the exam location](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-amsterdam) ## 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. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The KNM exam, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained · Sources checked 2026-10-25 KNM tests what you know about life in the Netherlands. What it covers, how it works, and what changed in July 2025. ## What KNM is KNM stands for Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij: knowledge of Dutch society. It is a knowledge exam, not a language exam. The questions are written in simple Dutch, at A2 level, and supported by pictures. KNM is part of both the A2 route and the B1 route. On the B1 route it is still a DUO exam, separate from the Staatsexamen. ## How the exam works You take KNM on a computer at a DUO exam location. You watch short video clips, read the questions on screen and also hear them through headphones. Every question is multiple choice: you click the right answer. The exam takes 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes of explanation first. A computer marks it. ## The 8 official themes The questions are grouped by theme. The official exam standards list eight: - Work and income - Manners, values and norms - Housing - Health and healthcare - History and geography - Institutions - The state and the rule of law - Education and parenting ## What changed on 1 July 2025 Since 1 July 2025 there are new exam standards. There is more attention for women's right to make their own choices and for knowledge of the Holocaust. The questions are also aimed more at knowledge than at behavior. ## Why memorizing questions does not work Many people learn practice questions by heart. Then the real exam asks the same fact in other words, and the memorized sentence does not help. It works better to learn the fact itself. That is why every KNM question in Kora comes back in new words, with new names and the answers in a new order. ## Questions ### Is KNM a language exam? No. It tests knowledge of Dutch society. The questions are in simple Dutch at A2 level, with pictures and audio. ### Do I take KNM on the B1 route too? Yes. KNM is part of the B1 route as well. It is the same DUO exam, not part of the Staatsexamen. ### How long does the KNM exam take? 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes of explanation before it starts. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: knowledge exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) - [Rijksoverheid: renewed exam, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) - [Regeling inburgering 2021](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # A2 or B1: which route are you on? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route · Sources checked 2026-10-25 Which exams you take depends on the law that applies to you and your route. A plain overview of A2, B1 and the Staatsexamen. ## Who runs which exam DUO runs all inburgering exams. The A2 language exams and KNM fall under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. The Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 and B2 is set by CvTE (College voor Toetsen en Examens). ## The B1 route (Wet inburgering 2021) Under the Wet inburgering 2021, the B1 route has these parts: - Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven and Spreken at B1 or B2 - KNM - MAP (through your municipality) - PVT ## Switching from B1 to A2 On the B1 route, some people cannot reach B1. They may switch to A2 after at least 600 hours of language lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. Your municipality checks this. ## The 2013 rules Under the Wet inburgering 2013, people take Lezen, Schrijven, Spreken and Luisteren at A2 or higher, plus KNM. Depending on your start date, ONA and PVT can be part of it too. You can also choose B1 or B2. Then you take the Staatsexamen NT2 instead of the A2 language parts. ## Not sure? Check your own situation Your route depends on when your inburgering started and what your municipality decided. Our exam finder walks you through the most common situations, with an official source for every answer. - [Do expats have to do inburgering?](https://mykora.nl/blog/do-expats-need-inburgering) - [Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences](https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation) ## Questions ### Is the Staatsexamen the same as the B1 inburgering exam? The Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I is the B1 language exam. It is set by CvTE and run by DUO. KNM is a separate DUO exam. ### Can I switch from B1 to A2? On the B1 route, after at least 600 hours of language lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. Your municipality checks this. ### Who decides my route? It depends on the law that applies to you and on your municipality. Check your letters from the municipality and DUO. ## Sources - [DUO: exams under the Wet inburgering 2021](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/wet-inburgering-2021/examens-wi2021/examen-doen-wi2021.jsp) - [DUO: exams under the Wet inburgering 2013](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/wet-inburgering-2013/examen-wi2013.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Your exam results: when they arrive and what comes next Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results · Sources checked 2026-10-25 How long you wait for your result, why Spreken and Schrijven A2 take longer right now, and how retakes and diplomas work. ## A2 exams and KNM Results for the A2 parts and KNM normally arrive by letter within 8 weeks. You can also see them in Mijn Inburgering. The result is pass or fail. ## Why Spreken and Schrijven A2 take longer now Since 31 July 2026, DUO says results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 can take up to 16 weeks, because of high demand. These two parts are marked by people, not only by a computer. If you risk missing your deadline because of this, DUO gives you an automatic extension of 6 months. ## B1 Staatsexamen results Lezen and Luisteren are marked by computer. Schrijven and Spreken are always marked by two trained assessors. Your result appears in Mijn DUO from 15:00 on the date in the exam schedule. You also get it by email and by post. ## Certificates, diploma and retakes For the Staatsexamen, every part you pass gets a certificate. When you pass all four parts, DUO sends the diploma automatically. Certificates and the diploma never expire. You can retake a part you did not pass. For the Staatsexamen, you can only register again after you have your result. ## Using the waiting time Waiting for a result is stressful. Many people use the time to practice the parts they still have to take, so their next exam day feels familiar. ## Questions ### How long does it take to get my A2 result? Normally within 8 weeks. Since 31 July 2026, Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 can take up to 16 weeks. ### What if the delay makes me miss my deadline? DUO gives an automatic 6-month extension to people who risk missing their deadline because of the delay. ### When can I register for a Staatsexamen retake? Only after you have received your result for that part. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [DUO: results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 delayed](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/nieuwsartikelen/uitslag-examen-spreken-a2-en-schrijven-a2-vertraagd.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2: results through DUO](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/uitslag-via-duo) - [Staatsexamens NT2: retakes](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/herkansen) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # B1 Staatsexamen pass rates: what the 2025 numbers show Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-pass-rates · Sources checked 2026-10-25 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. ## The numbers for 2025 CvTE, the board that sets the Staatsexamen NT2, publishes pass rates every year in its annual report. For Programma I (B1), these were the pass rates in 2025: - Schrijven: 62% - Spreken: 53% - Lezen: 44% - Luisteren: 43% - Average: 51% ## Lower than the year before, in every part In 2024 the pass rates were 70% for Schrijven, 57% for Spreken, 53% for Lezen and 52% for Luisteren. So in 2025 all four parts went down. CvTE writes that it has no explanation for this yet. It does see that the share of people retaking a part went up, and it says it will have the pass rates researched. ## Many more people took the exam The number of Programma I exams grew from 39,380 in 2024 to 73,374 in 2025. That is almost twice as many. CvTE links the strong growth to the Wet inburgering 2021, in which B1 is the goal level. ## Spreken and Schrijven over the years Between 2021 and 2025, the pass rate for Spreken was 9 to 13 points lower than for Schrijven every year. Lezen and Luisteren moved more from year to year, and in 2025 they had the lowest pass rates of all four parts. - 2021: Spreken 56%, Schrijven 65% - 2022: Spreken 57%, Schrijven 66% - 2023: Spreken 54%, Schrijven 66% - 2024: Spreken 57%, Schrijven 70% - 2025: Spreken 53%, Schrijven 62% ## What this means for you These are averages for everyone who took the exam. They say nothing about your own result. What the numbers do show: every part needs its own preparation. Each part has its own format and time limit, so it helps to know exactly what each part looks like before your exam day. ## Questions ### Where do these numbers come from? From the CvTE annual report 2025 (table 9, pass rates for Programma I). The links are at the bottom of this page. ### Why did the pass rates go down in 2025? CvTE says it has no explanation yet. It noticed more retakers and will have the pass rates researched. ### Which part has the lowest pass rate? In 2025 it was Luisteren (43%), followed by Lezen (44%). Spreken was 53% and Schrijven 62%. ## Sources - [CvTE annual report 2025 (tables 8 and 9)](https://www.cvte.nl/site/binaries/site-content/collections/documents/2026/04/13/jaarverslag-2025/jaarverslag-college-voor-toetsen-en-examens.pdf) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Can't book the Spreken B1 exam? What is going on Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/staatsexamen-spreken-places · Sources checked 2026-10-25 In 2026 there were too few places for the Spreken exam. Here is why, and who gets extra time for their inburgering automatically. ## Too few places for Spreken In February 2026, Staatsexamens NT2 announced that it was hard to register for the Spreken exam: there were too few places for everyone who wanted to take it. In April 2026 it announced more Spreken exams, but registering can still be hard because many people want to take the exam. When you register, you see which location has a place. ## Why there are fewer Spreken exams In August 2025, fraud was found at the B1 Spreken exam. Exam questions had been shared in a WhatsApp group with hundreds of people. The afternoon Spreken exams that day were cancelled. Because of this, CvTE temporarily holds fewer Spreken exams, so that people who take the exam in the morning cannot pass questions on to people in the afternoon. ## Who gets extra time Some people get more time for their inburgering because of the problems with registering for Spreken. This is called an extension of the inburgering deadline. According to the official page, you have the right to an extension if all of these apply: - You only have to do the Spreken exam at B1 level (Staatsexamen NT2) - Your inburgering deadline is almost over - You are an inburgeraar to whom the extension rules apply (the official page lists who) ## You don't need to apply People who have the right to an extension automatically get a letter from DUO. You don't have to do anything yourself. Always follow your own letters from DUO. ## Never share or use exam questions Sharing questions from the real exam is fraud, and it is the reason there are fewer Spreken exams now. If someone offers you questions from a real exam, don't use them. Practice with the official practice exams and with practice tasks written for practice. ## Costs and results Each part of the Staatsexamen costs €50, and a complete exam costs €200. You can see your result in Mijn DUO after about 5 weeks. ## Questions ### Do I have to apply for the extension myself? No. If you have the right to it, DUO sends you a letter automatically. ### Why are there fewer Spreken exams? After fraud in August 2025, when exam questions were shared in a WhatsApp group, CvTE temporarily holds fewer Spreken exams. ### How much does a retake cost? Each part costs €50. A complete exam with all four parts costs €200. ## Sources - [Staatsexamens NT2: problems registering for Spreken (19 Feb 2026)](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/actueel/nieuws/2026/02/19/problemen-bij-het-aanmelden-voor-het-examen-spreken) - [Staatsexamens NT2: more Spreken exams (23 Apr 2026)](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/actueel/nieuws/2026/04/23/meer-examens-spreken) - [CvTE annual report 2025 (fraud case Spreken)](https://www.cvte.nl/site/binaries/site-content/collections/documents/2026/04/13/jaarverslag-2025/jaarverslag-college-voor-toetsen-en-examens.pdf) - [DUO: exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [DUO: results](https://www.duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/uitslag.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part · Sources checked 2026-10-25 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. ## Four parts, four different exams The B1 Staatsexamen NT2 (Programma I) has four parts: Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven and Spreken. You can pass one part and fail another, and you can retake a single part. In 2025, according to the CvTE annual report, the pass rates were: Schrijven 62%, Spreken 53%, Lezen 44% and Luisteren 43%. All four were lower than in 2024. CvTE says it does not have an explanation yet. These are averages. They say nothing about your own result. But they show one thing clearly: every part needs its own practice. ## Lezen: 110 minutes, 35 or 36 questions You get a paper booklet with 6 texts and answer multiple-choice questions on the computer. Some questions are about the whole text, others ask you to find one piece of information. The Van Dale NT2 pocket dictionary is allowed. How to practice: read texts about work, study and daily life, and practice with a timer, so you know how long you can spend per text. ## Luisteren: 90 minutes, about 40 questions You listen through headphones. You get 25 seconds to read each question first, and every recording plays only once. You cannot pause or replay. No dictionary. How to practice: practice with recordings that you hear only once, and read the question before you listen. ## Schrijven: 100 minutes, 12 tasks You type your answers. There are three kinds of tasks: 8 short tasks where you finish one sentence, 2 tasks where you fill in a form or complete a message, and 2 short emails. The assessors look at whether you wrote what the task asks, and at grammar, spelling, word choice and how your sentences connect. In the emails, every point the task asks for counts. There is no spell-check, but the Van Dale NT2 pocket dictionary is allowed. How to practice: check every task for the points you must cover, write short and clear sentences, and practice typing Dutch letters like ë. ## Spreken: about 25 minutes, 16 tasks You speak into a microphone. There are 8 short tasks with 20 seconds to answer, and 8 longer tasks with 30 seconds after 15 seconds to prepare. A beep starts and ends each answer, and you cannot go back. No dictionary. The assessors first check that your answer is understandable Dutch that fits the situation. Then they look at content, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and speed. Reading the task text aloud, or doing a different kind of answer than asked (for example describing when the task asks you to give advice), costs points. How to practice: answer out loud with a timer, start right after the beep, and do exactly what the task asks: advise, explain, describe or ask. ## How Kora helps Kora is a practice app for the inburgering exams. For B1 you can practice today: - Lezen: 216 B1 reading questions, and a mock exam in the official format: 110 minutes, 36 questions - Luisteren: 204 B1 listening questions with Dutch audio - KNM: every KNM question comes back in new words, so you learn the fact and not the sentence - Explanations in your own language, in 10 languages - Schrijven: 118 B1 writing tasks, marked on the official criteria - Spreken: 128 B1 speaking tasks, answered out loud on the clock ## Never use real exam questions Sharing or using questions from the real exam is fraud. On 13 August 2025, questions from the Spreken exam were shared in a WhatsApp group with hundreds of people. CvTE then declared that day's exam invalid for all 898 candidates, also for the people who did nothing wrong. Practice with the official practice exams and with practice tasks written for practice. ## Questions ### Which part of the B1 Staatsexamen is the hardest? It depends on the person. In 2025 Luisteren (43%) and Lezen (44%) had the lowest pass rates, and Schrijven the highest (62%). ### Can I retake one part? Yes. Each part has its own result. For the Staatsexamen you can register again after you have received your result for that part. Each part costs €50. ### Can Kora tell me if I will pass? No. Nobody can see the real exam in advance. Kora shows what you practiced and what you got right, so you can decide when to book your exam. ## Sources - [CvTE annual report 2025 (pass rates, fraud case)](https://www.cvte.nl/site/binaries/site-content/collections/documents/2026/04/13/jaarverslag-2025/jaarverslag-college-voor-toetsen-en-examens.pdf) - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) - [Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) - [Staatsexamens NT2: retakes](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/herkansen) - [DUO: exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The A2 speaking exam, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained · Sources checked 2026-10-26 In the speaking exam you talk to a computer, not to a person. Here is how it works, and what helps. ## How it works You take Spreken A2 on a computer at a DUO exam location. You wear headphones and watch short videos or look at pictures. Then you answer the questions out loud, into a microphone. You speak to the computer, not to a person. ## Time and marking The exam takes 35 minutes. Before it starts, there are 15 minutes of explanation. Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people. The result is pass or fail. ## Tips that help These tips are about how you answer, not about the content of the real exam. - Listen to the whole question. Many questions have two parts: answer both. - Use short, full sentences. Simple and complete is better than long and unfinished. - If you forget a word, say it in another way. Keep talking. - When there are pictures, talk about what you see, and say why if the question asks for it. - Practice with headphones and a microphone, so the setup feels normal on the day. ## Results Results normally arrive within 8 weeks. Since 31 July 2026, DUO says results for Spreken A2 can take up to 16 weeks because of high demand. ## Questions ### Do I talk to a person in the A2 speaking exam? No. You answer into a microphone at a computer. ### How long is the A2 speaking exam? 35 minutes, plus 15 minutes of explanation before it starts. ### Who marks my answers? Partly a computer and partly people. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [DUO: results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 delayed](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/nieuwsartikelen/uitslag-examen-spreken-a2-en-schrijven-a2-vertraagd.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # B1 Schrijven: the three task types and how they are marked Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-schrijven-explained · Sources checked 2026-10-26 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. ## The exam You type your answers on a computer. There are 12 tasks and you have 100 minutes. You can do them in any order and go back to change an answer. There is no spell-check, but you may use the paper Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2. A warning appears 15 minutes before the end. ## The three task types The tasks are about work, study and daily life. - 8 sentence tasks: you finish one sentence in an email or message. Often the task asks for a specific construction, like a sentence with omdat, a sentence that starts with a given word, or te + infinitive. - 2 partial writing tasks: you fill in a form or finish a short message. - 2 short writing tasks: you write a short email that covers all the points the task asks for. ## What the assessors look for Two trained assessors mark your writing. For a sentence task, they look at two things: does your sentence do what the task asks, and is it grammatically correct, including the required construction. For the longer tasks they look at content, grammar, spelling, coherence and word choice. Content counts most: if every point the task asks for is in your text, that is the starting point for a good content score. ## Mistakes that cost points According to the official marking rules, these cost points: - Leaving out a point the task asks for. - Copying full sentences from the task. Copied sentences get no points. - Ignoring the required construction in a sentence task. - Missing articles. Mistakes with de or het are not counted in the writing exam, but a missing article is. - Extra sentences full of mistakes. Extra text without mistakes does not hurt. ## Your content does not have to be true The assessors don't check whether what you write is true. It only has to fit the task. You can invent a reason or a name. ## Questions ### How many tasks are in B1 Schrijven? 12 tasks in 100 minutes: 8 sentence tasks, 2 partial writing tasks and 2 short writing tasks. ### Do de/het mistakes count in the writing exam? No, mistakes with de or het are not counted in the writing exam. A missing article is counted. ### Can I use a dictionary? Yes, only the paper Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2, for Lezen and Schrijven. ## Sources - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) - [Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) - [Staatsexamens NT2: practice exams and scoring models](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/examens-oefenen) - [Regeling beoordelingsnormen Staatsexamens Nt2](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0042052/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # How B1 Spreken is marked Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-spreken-scoring · Sources checked 2026-10-26 The B1 speaking exam has 16 tasks. Here is how assessors mark your answers, and which mistakes limit your score. ## The exam You speak into a microphone. There are 8 short tasks with 20 seconds to speak, and 8 medium tasks with 30 seconds after 15 seconds to prepare. A beep starts and ends each answer. You can't go back. ## First: does your answer fit? Assessors first check whether your answer is understandable Dutch that fits the situation. If it is not, the task scores nothing. Silence scores nothing too. ## What is marked Two trained assessors mark every answer. - Short tasks: content, grammar, and word choice. - Medium tasks: content, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and speed. ## What limits your score According to the official marking rules: - Reading the task text aloud. It limits your points for content and grammar. - Doing a different kind of answer than asked, for example describing when the task asks you to give advice. - Using only one of the pictures, or giving one reason and stopping early, when the task asks for more. - Speaking very slowly, or using very vague words. ## What helps - Start right after the beep. - Do exactly what the task asks: advise, explain, describe, ask or choose. - Use the whole time. A short, clear answer that uses the time well is good. - Your content doesn't have to be true. It only has to fit the task. ## Questions ### What happens if I read the task text aloud? It limits your points for content and grammar. Answer in your own words. ### Does my answer have to be true? No. Assessors don't judge whether it is true, only whether it fits the task. ### How many tasks are in B1 Spreken? 16 tasks: 8 short tasks of 20 seconds and 8 medium tasks of 30 seconds. ## Sources - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) - [Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) - [Staatsexamens NT2: practice exams and scoring models](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/examens-oefenen) - [Regeling beoordelingsnormen Staatsexamens Nt2](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0042052/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # De or het? Simple rules for Dutch articles Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/de-of-het · Sources checked 2026-10-26 Dutch has two words for 'the': de and het. There is no logic you can hear, but a few rules make it much easier. ## Two words for 'the' Every Dutch noun takes de or het. Which one is part of the word, like its spelling. That's why Dutch children also learn it word by word. The good news: most nouns take de. When you really don't know, de is the safer guess. ## Rules that always work - All plurals take de: het boek, de boeken. - Words ending in -je (small things) take het: het huisje, het meisje. - 'A' or 'an' is always een, for every noun: een man, een huis. ## Rules that usually work - People are usually de: de vader, de dokter, de buurman. - Words ending in -ing are de: de woning, de vergadering. - Words starting with ge- or be- and many words ending in -ment are often het: het gesprek, het bezoek, het document. ## The best habit Learn every new noun together with its article, as one word: not 'huis' but 'het huis'. Flashcards help with this. ## What it means for the exam In the writing part of the B1 Staatsexamen, mistakes with de or het are not counted. A missing article is. In the speaking part, de/het mistakes count as small mistakes. So: always use an article, and don't freeze over de or het. ## Questions ### Is there a rule for de or het? Not one rule, but some help: all plurals take de, words ending in -je take het, and most nouns take de. ### Do de/het mistakes cost points in the exam? In B1 Schrijven they are not counted, but a missing article is. In B1 Spreken they count as small mistakes. ### What is the best way to learn de and het? Learn each noun together with its article, as one word. ## Sources - [Onze Taal: Taalloket (Dutch language advice)](https://onzetaal.nl/taalloket) - [Regeling beoordelingsnormen Staatsexamens Nt2 (de/het in writing)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0042052/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Dutch word order: where does the verb go? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/dutch-word-order · Sources checked 2026-10-26 Dutch word order follows a few clear rules. Learn where the verb goes, and many sentences become easier. ## Rule 1: the verb is in second place In a normal Dutch sentence, the verb is the second part of the sentence. - Ik werk in Utrecht. - Mijn zus woont in Amsterdam. ## Rule 2: start with time or place? The subject moves If you start with something else, like a time or a place, the verb stays in second place and the subject comes after it. This is called inversion. - Morgen werk ik thuis. - In de zomer gaan wij naar Spanje. ## Rule 3: after omdat, dat, als, the verb goes to the end Words like omdat, dat, als, wanneer and zodat start a subordinate clause. In that part of the sentence, the verb goes to the end. - Ik kom niet, omdat ik ziek ben. - Ik denk dat de winkel morgen open is. ## Linking words that change nothing En, maar, want and dus connect two normal sentences without changing the word order. - Ik woon in Utrecht en ik werk in Amsterdam. - Ik kom niet, want ik ben ziek. ## Why it matters for B1 In the B1 Staatsexamen writing exam, many sentence tasks ask for a specific construction, like a sentence with omdat or a sentence that starts with a given word. Correct word order is part of the grammar mark. ## Questions ### Where does the verb go in a Dutch sentence? In a normal sentence, in second place. After omdat, dat or als, at the end. ### What is inversion? When you start a sentence with something other than the subject, like a time, the verb stays second and the subject comes after it: Morgen werk ik. ### Do want and omdat work the same? No. After want the word order stays normal. After omdat the verb goes to the end. ## Sources - [Onze Taal: Taalloket (Dutch language advice)](https://onzetaal.nl/taalloket) - [Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Who does what in the Netherlands? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands · Sources checked 2026-10-26 Many KNM questions ask which organization you contact in a situation. Here is a simple overview. ## Daily life and government - Gemeente (your municipality): you register your address there, apply for a passport or ID card, and ask for social support. It is your first stop for most life admin. - DUO: runs the inburgering exams and student finance. Your exam results and inburgering deadline are there too. - Belastingdienst: taxes and tax returns, plus allowances (toeslagen) like healthcare allowance and housing allowance. - IND: residence permits, extensions and naturalisation. - Rijksoverheid: the national government. It makes national laws and policy. ## Work and income - UWV: unemployment benefit (WW), work disability benefits, and help finding work. - SVB: child benefit (kinderbijslag) and the state pension (AOW). ## Health and safety - Huisarts (general practitioner): always your first medical contact. The huisarts treats you or refers you to a specialist. - GGD: public health, like vaccinations and health checks for children. - Politie: crime, safety and emergencies. Call 112 only when it is urgent. - Juridisch Loket: free first advice about legal problems, for example about work or housing. ## How to learn this for KNM KNM questions usually describe a situation and ask who you contact. Learn the situations, not only the names: 'I move house' means gemeente, 'I lose my job' means UWV. ## Questions ### Where do I register my new address? At the gemeente (your municipality). ### Who pays child benefit? The SVB (Sociale Verzekeringsbank). ### Who do I contact first when I'm sick but it's not an emergency? Your huisarts (general practitioner). ## Sources - [Government.nl: municipalities](https://www.government.nl/topics/municipalities) - [DUO](https://www.duo.nl) - [Belastingdienst](https://www.belastingdienst.nl) - [UWV](https://www.uwv.nl) - [SVB](https://www.svb.nl) - [IND](https://ind.nl) - [GGD GHOR Nederland](https://www.ggdghor.nl) - [Juridisch Loket](https://www.juridischloket.nl) - [Rijksoverheid](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # How long does it take to pass the inburgering exam? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## The honest answer first There is no official answer to this question. DUO does not say how many weeks or months it takes to pass. It depends on two things: how much Dutch you know when you start, and how many hours you can study each week. Be careful with numbers you see online. You may read that A2 means a certain number of words, or that it takes a fixed number of hours. We could not trace those numbers to an official source, so we do not use them. What we can give you is the time frame that is official. That is: your deadline, the letters that start it, how long booking and results take, and the rules for people who cannot reach B1. ## Your deadline: 3 years If you have to integrate, you have 3 years. This is your inburgeringstermijn. Mijn Inburgering on inburgeren.nl always shows from which date your 3 years run, and what you have to do. Your 3 years do not start on the day you arrive. They start with a letter from DUO. - Under the Wet inburgering 2021: DUO sends a first letter once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a registration with your municipality. That letter can take up to 8 weeks after all three are arranged. - After that letter, your municipality invites you for an intake with a learnability test. Then you make a personal plan together, the PIP. It says which learning route you follow and which exams you take. - When your PIP is ready, DUO sends a second letter. That letter says the date your 3 years start. - Under the Wet inburgering 2013: DUO sends a letter with the date your integration starts. You take the language exams at A2 or higher, plus the knowledge exams, within 3 years. - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/index.jsp) - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [Do expats have to do inburgering?](https://mykora.nl/blog/do-expats-need-inburgering) - [Moving to the Netherlands for your partner: inburgering step by step](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partner-step-by-step) ## Waiting times you should plan for Some of your time goes to waiting, not studying. It helps to know these waits before you make a plan. - Booking: inburgeren.nl says it can take more than 6 weeks before you can sit an A2 exam or KNM after you register. So look at dates early. - The B1 Staatsexamen NT2 has fixed dates in an exam schedule. You cannot choose any day you like. - Results for KNM and most A2 parts usually arrive within 8 weeks. - Results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 take about 16 weeks right now. DUO announced this on 31 July 2026, because there are many exams to mark. - For the Staatsexamen, you can only register for a retake after you have your result. - [Your exam results: when they arrive](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) ## What changes how long it takes for you These are not official rules. They are the things that make a real difference when people plan their study. Your starting level. Someone who already speaks some Dutch at work needs less time than someone who is just starting. If you are not sure, a school or a practice test can show you where you stand. Your hours per week. Short practice every day often works better than one long session on Sunday. Thirty minutes a day is about three and a half hours a week. Your route. On the A2 route you take five separate exams: Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken and KNM. On the B1 route the language exam is the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I, which asks more. Which one applies to you depends on your law and your PIP, not on your own choice. Your weakest part. Each part has its own result. If you pass four parts and not the fifth, you only retake that one part. So the part you find hardest often decides your total time. ## If B1 is out of reach: the 600-hour rule On the B1 route under the 2021 law, some people cannot reach B1 in one or more skills. Then your municipality can decide that you take those skills at A2 instead. This is only possible after at least 600 hours of language lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. Your municipality checks this, and it can be decided skill by skill. Talk to your municipality about it, not to DUO. - [Downscaling from B1 to A2](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/downscaled-to-a2) ## If you get close to your deadline If you risk missing your deadline because Spreken A2 or Schrijven A2 results take longer, DUO gives you 6 months of extra time automatically. You do not have to ask for it, and DUO sends you a letter. Since May 2026, DUO also gives some people extra time when there are not enough exam places. This is for people who only have Spreken A2 or Schrijven A2 (or both) left and whose term is almost over. DUO decides per person and sends a letter. No letter means no extra time. If you finish late and have no extension, DUO can give you a fine. Asylum status holders never get a fine. Read the fines page on inburgeren.nl for the rules that apply to you. - [Not finished in time? Fines and extra time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-fine-late) - [inburgeren.nl: fines](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) ## A simple way to plan Start from your deadline in Mijn Inburgering and work backwards. Leave room for booking waits, for result times, and for at least one retake. Then pick the part you feel closest to and start there. Practice in the exam format, so you can see which part needs more work. Kora lets you practice every part, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you how long it will take you, and nobody can promise a result. - [A study plan when you work full time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) ## Questions ### How many months does it take to pass the inburgering exam? There is no official number. It depends on your starting level and how many hours you study. What is official is the deadline: you have 3 years from the date in your DUO letter. ### When do my 3 years start? On the date DUO gives you by letter. Under the 2021 law this is the second letter, after your municipality has made your PIP with you. Mijn Inburgering shows the date. ### How many words do I need for A2? We could not find an official word count for A2, so we do not give one. DUO tests whether you can do everyday tasks in Dutch, not whether you know a certain number of words. ### Can I switch from B1 to A2 to finish faster? Only on the B1 route, after at least 600 hours of lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. Your municipality decides, and it can be skill by skill. ### What if the result delay makes me late? If the longer marking time for Spreken A2 or Schrijven A2 puts you near your deadline, DUO gives 6 months of extra time automatically and sends you a letter. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate, letters, PIP and the 600-hour rule](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering for an exam (more than 6 weeks)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [DUO: results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 delayed (31 July 2026)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/nieuwsartikelen/uitslag-examen-spreken-a2-en-schrijven-a2-vertraagd.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl news: possible extra time for Spreken and Schrijven A2 (18 May 2026)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/nieuwsberichten/artikel.jsp?cid=tcm:94-240376-16) - [DUO: exams under the Wet inburgering 2021 (downscaling to A2)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/wet-inburgering-2021/examens-wi2021/examen-doen-wi2021.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: fines](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # A study plan for the inburgering exam when you work full time Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## Before you start: what this plan is This plan is for the A2 exams and KNM, for someone who works full time and can study 30 to 45 minutes a day. It is a way to organise your time. It is not an official DUO plan, and it does not promise a result. Some people need longer, and that is normal. Check two things first in Mijn Inburgering: which exams you have to do, and your deadline. If you are on the B1 route, the language exam is the Staatsexamen NT2 with fixed dates. You can still use the weekly rhythm below, but the exam formats are different. - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part) ## Three rules that make a short day work One. Every part is a separate exam. Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven, Spreken and KNM are booked one at a time, and each has its own result. So you do not have to be ready for everything at once. Two. Speak out loud from the first week. Spreken is the part where silent study helps least. In the exam you answer into a microphone, so your mouth needs practice, not only your eyes. Three. Book only when practice shows you what to fix. A practice exam tells you more than a feeling. But look at the dates early, because booking can take more than 6 weeks. ## Weeks 1 and 2: find your level, start speaking Start with one official practice exam for each part, from inburgeren.nl. Do not worry about the score. You want to see what each part looks like and which one feels hardest. Then make speaking a daily habit. Ten minutes a day is enough to start. - Day 1 to 3: one official practice exam per evening (Lezen, Luisteren, KNM). Write down which questions felt hard. - Day 4 and 5: the Spreken and Schrijven practice exams. Speak your answers out loud, even if you feel silly. - Every other day: 10 minutes of speaking. Describe your day, your work, your home, in short full sentences. - End of week 2: pick your first exam part. Many people pick the part they feel closest to. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## Weeks 3 and 4: KNM as a quick win KNM is a knowledge exam, not a language exam. The questions are in simple Dutch at A2 level, with pictures and audio. Many people start here, because it is knowledge you can learn in short blocks. Learn the facts, not the sentences. The real exam asks the same fact in other words. Short daily sessions work well: 15 minutes of KNM, then 10 minutes of speaking. - Study one KNM theme per evening: work and income, housing, health, education, and so on. - Learn which organisation does what: the municipality, DUO, the Belastingdienst, UWV. - Keep your 10 minutes of speaking every day. - End of week 4: one full KNM practice exam on a timer. - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) - [Who does what in the Netherlands?](https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands) ## Weeks 5 and 6: the language parts Now spend most of your time on the language part you chose. Keep one short block for the others, so nothing gets cold. Results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 take about 16 weeks right now. If one of these is your weak part, it can make sense to start working on it early, so the wait does not push you close to your deadline. - Lezen: one or two short texts a day, with a timer. Read the question first, then look for the answer in the text. - Luisteren: listen with headphones to short Dutch clips. Practice hearing the answer the first time. - Schrijven: write one short message or fill in one form a day, by hand. The A2 exam is on paper. - Spreken: answer exam-style questions out loud and record yourself. Listen back once a week. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [Practicing the speaking exam at home](https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home) ## Weeks 7 and 8: mock exams and booking Use these two weeks for full mock exams, in the real time and without help. One mock exam per part is enough. On a work day, a full mock is long, so do them on a day off or split the week. - Do a full mock of the part you want to book first, on a timer, without pausing. - Look at what went wrong. Was it the time, the words, or the type of question? Fix that one thing. - Book in Mijn Inburgering when your practice results are steady. You can change or cancel up to 1 week before the exam, and you get your money back if you cancel in time. - Keep practicing the other parts while you wait for your exam day. - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## On busy weeks Some weeks work takes everything. On those days, do 10 minutes of speaking and nothing else. A short habit you keep is better than a long plan you drop. If you are behind after 8 weeks, that is fine. Repeat weeks 5 to 8 for the part that still needs work. Check your deadline in Mijn Inburgering, and remember each part can be booked on its own. ## Where Kora fits Kora is a practice app for these exams. It has exam-style questions for every part, speaking practice that listens and tells you what to fix, and explanations in your own language. It fits in a 30-minute evening. It shows what you practiced and what you got right, so you can decide when to book. It cannot promise a result. - [Using AI to practice Dutch for the inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/ai-practice-dutch-inburgering) ## Questions ### Is 30 minutes a day enough to study for inburgering? There is no official answer. It depends on your starting level. Short daily practice is easier to keep up with a full-time job than long weekend sessions, and you can spread the parts over time because each part is booked separately. ### Which part of the inburgering exam should I do first? DUO does not say. Each part is booked on its own, so you can start with the part you feel closest to. Many people start with KNM, because it is a knowledge exam in simple Dutch. ### When should I book my exam? When practice shows your results are steady. Look at dates early, because inburgeren.nl says it can take more than 6 weeks before you can sit the exam. You can change or cancel up to 1 week before. ### Can I take more than one part on the same day? Yes. For the A2 exams and KNM you can book several parts on one day. With a full-time job, some people prefer one part per day off. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering, changing and cancelling an exam](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: knowledge exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Inburgering for partners and spouses Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partners-spouses · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## Before you read: this is general information This guide explains the common rules for people who move to the Netherlands to live with a partner. It is not advice about your own case, and we never ask about your residence status. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. Mijn Inburgering on inburgeren.nl shows which exams you must do and your deadline. ## Step 1, before you move: the exam abroad Many partners must pass an exam before they travel. It is called the Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland (BIB), the basic civic integration exam abroad. Rijksoverheid says your integration starts in your own country if you will live with your partner in the Netherlands and you need a provisional residence permit, the mvv. You need to pass this exam before you apply for the mvv. You take it at a Dutch embassy or consulate, or at an external provider. It has three parts: Lezen, Spreken and KNS (knowledge of Dutch society). It is at A1 level, one level below A2. - You register with DUO first, then make an appointment with the Dutch embassy or consulate. - A full exam costs 150 euro, according to naarnederland.nl. - The result comes from DUO within 8 weeks, by email, as a PDF. - If you fail a part, you register and pay again for that part. Parts you passed stay valid until you pass the whole exam. - The result is valid for 1 year. Apply for the mvv within that year. - Some people are exempt, for example because of their nationality or a Dutch diploma. The IND decides this. - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) - [naarnederland.nl: self-study package and practice](https://www.naarnederland.nl) - [You are still abroad: what to expect](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/still-abroad) - [Moving to the Netherlands for your partner: inburgering step by step](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partner-step-by-step) ## Step 2, after you arrive: integration in the Netherlands Passing the exam abroad does not finish your integration. The IND says that once you live here with your mvv and residence permit, you need to integrate further. That is a different exam, at a higher level. DUO sends you a letter when you have to integrate. Under the 2021 law, that letter comes once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a registration with your municipality. It can take up to 8 weeks after all three are arranged. You then have 3 years. - [How long inburgering takes, and your 3 years](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) ## Which law and which level There are two integration laws. Which one applies depends on when your integration duty started, not on when you take the exam. - Wet inburgering 2021: if your residence right was announced on or after 1 January 2022. Your municipality makes a personal plan with you (the PIP) and places you on a learning route. Most family migrants are on the B1 route: the language exam is the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I at B1, plus KNM, MAP and PVT. - Wet inburgering 2013: if you already had to integrate on 31 December 2021. The language exams are at A2 or higher, plus KNM, and depending on your start date ONA and PVT. - On the B1 route, your municipality can move some skills down to A2, but only after at least 600 hours of lessons at a school with a Blik op Werk quality mark. - [Which exam do family migrants take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/family-migrant-2022-or-later) - [My residence permit is from before 2022](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permit-before-2022) - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) ## Paying for it: the DUO loan Partners and other family migrants usually pay for their course and exams themselves. Rijksoverheid says family migrants pay the costs fully or partly. You can often borrow the money from DUO. - You apply in Mijn Inburgering. DUO pays the school or the exam fee directly. The money does not go to your bank account. - You can only borrow for a course at an approved school, and for the exams. So the loan cannot pay for books, private tutors or apps like Kora. - How much you can borrow depends on your income. DUO looks at your income from 2 years ago. If your income went down, you can ask DUO to look at your new income. - You get a letter that says exactly how much you can borrow. - You start paying back 6 months after you finish inburgering, over 10 years, with interest. Sometimes part of the loan is cancelled. - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much you can borrow](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/hoeveel-geld-mag-u-lenen.jsp) ## What the exams cost On inburgeren.nl (checked 8 November 2026), each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro. Each part of the Staatsexamen NT2 costs 50 euro, or 200 euro for all four, according to DUO. The course price differs per school, so ask the school. Fees can change, so check before you book. - [Retakes and costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) ## What your diploma is used for later When you pass all your exams, you get your inburgeringsdiploma. Since 1 January 2026 it is digital. You download it in Mijn Diploma's, through Mijn Inburgering. You can also ask once for a free paper diploma. The diploma matters later, for two common steps: - A stronger residence permit. The IND says you usually need a civic integration diploma at A2 level to apply for a permanent residence permit. The IND decides on your application. - Naturalisation, becoming a Dutch citizen. inburgeren.nl says you first need the inburgering exam at A2, or the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2. You apply at your municipality, and the IND decides. The IND and municipalities accept the digital diploma. - Both have other conditions too, such as how long you have lived here. Those are set by the IND, so check ind.nl for your own case. - [Which exam do you need for naturalisation?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation) - [Permanent residence and the exam](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permanent-residence) - [Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences](https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation) ## Practicing for the exams in the Netherlands Kora prepares people for the exams taken in the Netherlands, at A2 and B1. It is not built for the exam abroad: for that one, use the official self-study package on naarnederland.nl. Once you live here, Kora lets you practice every part, with explanations in your own language. It is practice, not an official result. ## Questions ### Do I have to integrate if I came for my partner? Often, yes, but not always. DUO decides and sends you a letter if you have to integrate. Mijn Inburgering shows which exams apply to you. ### Is the exam abroad the same as the inburgering exam in the Netherlands? No. The exam abroad (BIB) is at A1 and is taken before you get your mvv. After you arrive, you still have to integrate here, at A2 or B1 depending on your law and route. ### Can my partner pay for my course with a DUO loan? The loan is in your name and DUO pays an approved school or the exam fee directly. How much you can borrow depends on income. It cannot be used for apps or private lessons. ### Do I need the diploma to become Dutch? For naturalisation, inburgeren.nl says you first need the inburgering exam at A2, or the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2. The IND checks this and the other conditions. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: when integration starts in your home country](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/immigratie-naar-nederland/vraag-en-antwoord/moet-ik-al-met-mijn-inburgering-beginnen-in-het-land-van-herkomst) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) - [Naar Nederland (DUO): the Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland](https://www.naarnederland.nl) - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much you can borrow](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/hoeveel-geld-mag-u-lenen.jsp) - [Rijksoverheid: family migrants pay the costs (fully or partly) themselves](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/immigratie-naar-nederland/vraag-en-antwoord/inburgeren-turkse-nationaliteit) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: your diploma](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/diploma.jsp) - [IND: civic integration for a more secure residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/civic-integration-for-more-secure-residence-permit) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/naturaliseren.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Retakes and costs: what to do after a failed exam Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## 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. - [Your exam results and what comes next](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) ## 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. - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) ## 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. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## 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. - [DUO: results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 delayed (31 July 2026)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/nieuwsartikelen/uitslag-examen-spreken-a2-en-schrijven-a2-vertraagd.jsp) ## 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. - [Not finished in time? Fines and extra time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-fine-late) ## 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. - [Why did I fail the speaking exam?](https://mykora.nl/blog/failed-speaking-exam-what-next) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## 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. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs (fees, free attempts)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): cancelling, free attempts, paying again](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [inburgeren.nl: registering, changing and cancelling an exam](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [DUO: results for Spreken A2 and Schrijven A2 delayed (31 July 2026)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/nieuwsartikelen/uitslag-examen-spreken-a2-en-schrijven-a2-vertraagd.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl news: possible extra time for Spreken and Schrijven A2 (18 May 2026)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/nieuwsberichten/artikel.jsp?cid=tcm:94-240376-16) - [Staatsexamens NT2: retakes](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/herkansen) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Why did I fail the speaking exam? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/failed-speaking-exam-what-next · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## What your result tells you For Spreken A2, your result comes by letter from DUO, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering. The result is pass or fail. DUO's exam regulations say you also get a mark (a cijfer) for the language exams and KNM. Right now, the result for Spreken A2 takes about 16 weeks. DUO announced this on 31 July 2026, because there are many exams to mark. - [Your exam results: when they arrive](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) ## What DUO does not tell you You do not get feedback per answer. And you cannot look at your marked exam. DUO's exam regulations say this directly: the exam you took and the marking cannot be inspected by the candidate. The only part where DUO gives feedback on request is the final interview of ONA, under the 2013 law. Not Spreken. DUO also does not publish the pass mark for the A2 exams. The regulations say the line between pass and fail is set by the Minister. They also say that not every answer has to be right to pass. Be careful with percentages you see online: we could not trace them to an official source. So if you want to know what went wrong, you have to find out yourself. That is hard, but it is possible. ## What is known about the marking DUO publishes only a little about how Spreken A2 is marked. This is what the official sources say: - Spreken A2 is taken on a computer. You watch short videos or look at pictures, hear a question and answer out loud into a microphone. It takes 35 minutes, after 15 minutes of explanation. - Since 1 March 2025 the exam is spoken answers only. The multiple-choice section was removed. - Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people. - The people who mark it are certified assessors. They must have finished an exam training for Spreken A2. - DUO publishes marking models for Schrijven A2 for schools and partners. We did not find a published marking model for Spreken A2. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) ## Common reasons answers go wrong These are not DUO's marking rules. They are the things that often go wrong in spoken answers, and they are worth checking first. Answering only half. Many questions have two parts, for example what and why. If you answer only one, part of the answer is missing. Too short or unfinished. One word, or a sentence that stops halfway, says little. A short full sentence says more. Stopping when a word is missing. In the exam there is no one to help you. If you stop, the time runs out. Answering a different question. If the question asks what you would do, describing the picture is not enough. Nerves. Talking to a computer feels strange. Many people speak too quietly or too fast, or freeze at the start. ## How to find your own weak points You cannot see your exam, but you can recreate it. The official practice exams on inburgeren.nl have the same kinds of tasks. Use them like a test, not like a lesson. - Do an official Spreken practice exam with headphones and a microphone, on a timer. Note that the Spreken practice exam does not work in Safari. - Record your answers on your phone at the same time. - Listen back the next day. For each answer ask: did I answer every part of the question? Did I finish my sentences? Did I stop or go silent? - Write down the two or three problems you hear most. Those are your weak points. - Practice one task type at a time: describing a picture, saying what you would do, giving a reason. Ten minutes a day is enough. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [Practicing the speaking exam out loud at home](https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home) ## Rebooking You only retake Spreken, not the parts you already passed. You book it again in Mijn Inburgering, and it is a new booking with a new fee of 50 euro (inburgeren.nl, checked 8 November 2026). Asylum status holders under the 2021 law get their first 2 attempts free, at the level in their PIP. Before you book, check your deadline in Mijn Inburgering. Count the booking wait, which can be more than 6 weeks, and the result wait of about 16 weeks. If the longer result time puts you near your deadline, DUO gives you 6 months of extra time automatically and sends a letter. Book when your practice answers sound complete and steady to you, not on the day the letter arrives. - [Retakes and costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) ## If you are on the B1 route B1 Spreken is part of the Staatsexamen NT2. It works differently: sixteen tasks, two trained assessors per exam, and a score where 500 or higher is a pass. CvTE publishes how it is marked. Read our guide on B1 Spreken scoring for the details. - [How B1 Spreken is scored](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-spreken-scoring) ## Practicing with feedback The hard part of practicing alone is that nobody tells you what you missed. Kora's speaking practice listens to your spoken answer and tells you what to fix, in your own language. It is practice, not an official mark, and it cannot predict your result. ## Questions ### Can I see why I failed the A2 speaking exam? No. DUO's exam regulations say the candidate cannot inspect the exam or the marking. You get a pass or fail and a mark, but no feedback per answer. ### What is the pass mark for Spreken A2? DUO does not publish it. The regulations say the Minister sets the line between pass and fail, and that not every answer has to be right to pass. ### Who marks the A2 speaking exam? Partly a computer and partly certified assessors who have finished an exam training for Spreken A2. ### Do I have to retake the other parts too? No. You only retake Spreken. The parts you passed stay passed. ## Sources - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): results, marking, no inspection (art. 10, 14, 16)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (art. 3.8 and 3.9: marking and assessors)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [DUO: marking models for Schrijven A2 (for partners)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/examens/inburgeringsexamen/beoordelingsmodellen-en-eindtermen.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/examen-doen-en-uitslag/beoordeling) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Practicing the A2 speaking exam out loud at home Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## Why talking to a computer feels hard Many people say Spreken is the part they fear most. Part of it is the language. But part of it is the setup: you sit alone with headphones, you hear a question, and you speak into a microphone. Nobody nods or smiles. You hear your own voice. The good news: the setup is something you can practice. If you have answered into a microphone a hundred times at home, the exam room feels less new. ## What the exam looks like This is the format as DUO publishes it: - You take Spreken A2 on a computer at a DUO exam location. - You wear headphones. You watch short videos or look at pictures, and hear a question. - You answer out loud, into a microphone. You speak to the computer, not to a person. - The exam takes 35 minutes. Before it starts, there are 15 minutes of explanation. - Since 1 March 2025 it is spoken answers only. The multiple-choice section was removed. - Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [What the exam screen looks like](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen) ## Set up your practice corner You do not need special equipment. You need to copy the feeling of the exam. - Headphones with a microphone. The cheap ones that came with your phone are fine. - A quiet place where you can speak at normal volume. If you whisper at home, you will whisper in the exam. - A computer if you have one. DUO says its practice exams work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways. - Not Safari: the official Spreken practice exam does not work in that browser. - Your phone, to record yourself. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## A 15-minute daily routine Do this on most days. It is short on purpose, so it fits after work or after the children are in bed. - Minute 1 to 3: warm up. Say five sentences about your day out loud. Today I... Then I... Tomorrow I... - Minute 3 to 10: answer five exam-style questions, with headphones on. Answer straight away, in full sentences. Do not stop to correct yourself. - Minute 10 to 13: listen back to one or two answers. Did you answer every part of the question? - Minute 13 to 15: say one of those answers again, better. Add a reason with omdat (because). ## What to practice in your answers These tips are about how you answer, not about the content of the real exam. - Listen to the whole question. Many questions have two parts: answer both. - Use short, full sentences. Simple and complete is better than long and unfinished. - If you forget a word, say it another way and keep talking. Nobody will help you in the exam. - When there are pictures, talk about what you see, and say why if the question asks for it. - Speak at a normal volume and a calm speed. Practice not rushing. ## Build answers you can reuse At A2 you do not need long or clever answers. You need short, complete answers that fit the question. A few simple patterns help you answer almost anything: Say each pattern out loud with your own words, many times, until it comes without thinking. These are practice patterns, not questions from the real exam. - Saying what you see: Ik zie een man in de winkel. (I see a man in the shop.) - Saying what you would do: Ik ga naar de huisarts. (I go to the GP.) - Giving a reason: ... omdat ik ziek ben. (... because I am ill.) - Saying what you like: Ik vind ... leuk, want ... (I like ..., because ...) - Asking for something: Mag ik ...? Kunt u ...? (May I ...? Can you ...?) ## A weekly check Once a week, do one full official Spreken practice exam from inburgeren.nl, in one go, with headphones and a timer. There are three. Do not pause and do not repeat answers. Record it and listen back the next day, not straight away. With a little distance you hear more. Write down what you notice most, for example: I stop when I miss a word, or I only answer half. That is what you practice next week. ## When nerves get in the way Feeling nervous is normal. A few things help many people: - Start speaking quickly. The longer the silence, the harder it gets. - Have one or two safe openings ready, like: Op de foto zie ik... (In the picture I see...). - Practice in the clothes you will wear and at the time of day of your exam, at least once. - Read what happens on exam day in advance, so nothing surprises you. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Practicing with feedback Recording yourself shows you a lot, but not everything. Kora's speaking practice listens to your spoken answer and tells you what to fix, with the explanation in your own language. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result. - [A study plan when you work full time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) - [Using AI to practice Dutch for the inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/ai-practice-dutch-inburgering) ## Questions ### Do I talk to a person in the A2 speaking exam? No. You answer into a microphone at a computer. You watch short videos or look at pictures and hear the questions through headphones. ### How long should I practice speaking each day? There is no official answer. A short daily routine, for example 15 minutes, is easier to keep up than one long session a week, and it trains the habit of speaking out loud. ### Can I do the official speaking practice exam on my phone? DUO says its practice exams work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways. The Spreken practice exam does not work in Safari. ### Is there still a multiple-choice part in Spreken A2? No. Since 1 March 2025 the A2 speaking exam is spoken answers only. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The new KNM exam (2025): what changed Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-changes-2025 · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## What happened KNM is the exam about knowledge of Dutch society (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij). What KNM tests is written down in exam standards, called eindtermen. On 30 June 2025, the Dutch government (Rijksoverheid) announced that these standards were renewed. Since 1 July 2025, the KNM exams are taken according to the new standards. The government says the standards are renewed every 5 to 10 years, so the exam keeps up with changes in society and in the law. The previous revision was from 2015. - [Rijksoverheid: renewed exam, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) ## What changed, according to the government The Rijksoverheid announcement names these changes: - More attention for women's right to self-determination (zelfbeschikking). People must show they know what this right means for women in the Netherlands. - More attention for knowledge of the Holocaust. For example, people must know what the Holocaust was, that many Dutch Jews were killed, and that antisemitism and discrimination are forbidden. - The questions are aimed more at knowledge than at behaviour. ## More knowledge, less behaviour: what that means The new standards are published in the Regeling inburgering 2021, on wetten.overheid.nl. The explanation there says the old standards were more about how a newcomer should behave. Some of them described social norms that not everyone in the Netherlands shares. The new standards focus on the knowledge you need in a situation. For example: which organisation to go to, what a rule says, or what your rights are. They put less weight on what you are expected to think about something. The explanation also says the Ministry of Social Affairs added one standard on purpose: knowing that women in the Netherlands have the right to self-determination, and what that means. - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (exam standards in Annex 2)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) ## What stayed the same A lot did not change. According to the explanation in the Regeling, the eight themes are the same as before: - Work and income - Manners, values and norms - Housing - Health and healthcare - History and geography - Institutions - The state and the rule of law - Education and parenting ## Four everyday situations The Regeling also keeps the four situations from the old standards. The idea is that KNM tests what you need to know to manage in these parts of life: For each theme, the standards describe the knowledge you need and how you can tell that someone manages a situation well. That knowledge is the guide for what is in the exam. The standards also say some skills count everywhere, for example finding and using information, asking for help, and acting in time so a deadline does not pass. - Working and finding work in the Netherlands - Living in your own neighbourhood - Contact with organisations and the government - Taking part as a citizen ## The exam itself The format is the same exam you read about in our KNM guide. You take KNM on a computer at a DUO exam location. It takes 45 minutes, plus 15 minutes of explanation first. The questions are multiple choice, with short video clips, and a computer marks them. The Regeling says the questions and answers are supported by pictures, to make them easier to follow. KNM is the same DUO exam on the A2 route and on the B1 route. It is not part of the Staatsexamen NT2. The new exams were made by Cito, for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. DUO runs the exams. - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) ## Which practice exams to use DUO said before the change: if you took KNM before 1 July 2025, nothing changed for you. If you take KNM after 1 July 2025, practice with the new practice exams. You find them on the practice page of inburgeren.nl. Be careful with old books and old question lists from before July 2025. They were written for the old standards. Some facts are still useful, but they miss the new focus. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## How to practice for the new KNM Because the exam asks more about knowledge, learning facts works better than learning answers by heart. The real exam asks the same fact in other words, with other names, so a memorised sentence does not help. Practice by theme, and ask yourself for each one: who do I go to, what does the rule say, what are my rights? Learning who does what in the Netherlands helps across many themes. Kora's free KNM practice question shows the exam style, explained in your own language. In the app, every KNM question comes back in new words, so you learn the fact and not the sentence. It is practice, and it cannot predict your result. - [Try a KNM practice question free](https://mykora.nl/knm-practice) - [Who does what in the Netherlands?](https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands) ## Questions ### When did the KNM exam change? On 1 July 2025. Since then, KNM exams are taken according to the new exam standards, as announced by Rijksoverheid on 30 June 2025. ### What is new in the KNM exam? More attention for women's right to self-determination and for knowledge of the Holocaust, and questions aimed more at knowledge than at behaviour, according to Rijksoverheid. ### Are the KNM themes different now? No. The eight themes stayed the same, such as work and income, housing, health and the state and the rule of law. What is asked within them changed. ### Can I still use old KNM practice exams? For an exam after 1 July 2025, DUO points to the new practice exams on inburgeren.nl. Old material was written for the old standards. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: renewed exam, 30 June 2025](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2025/06/30/inburgeringsexamen-vernieuwd-extra-aandacht-voor-zelfbeschikking-vrouwen-en-kennis-holocaust) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (Annex 2: KNM exam standards)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [inburgeren.nl news: practicing KNM before and after 1 July](https://www.inburgeren.nl/nieuwsberichten/artikel.jsp?cid=tcm:94-221387-16) - [inburgeren.nl: knowledge exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-kennisexamens.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # What the inburgering exam screen looks like Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen · Sources checked 2026-11-08 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. ## The best way to see the screens: DUO's own practice exams We do not show pictures of DUO's exam screens. The exam is secret, and DUO's practice exams are the official way to see what it looks like. They are free on inburgeren.nl, for Lezen, Luisteren, Spreken and KNM on a computer, and for Schrijven as a paper PDF. DUO says the practice exams work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways. The Spreken practice exam does not work in Safari. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## Before the screen: in the exam room You arrive 30 minutes early and show a valid ID. Your phone, watch, coat, pens and paper go into a locker. In the room, a DUO staff member explains the rules. After the explanation you can start. Every A2 part and KNM starts with 15 minutes of explanation. Then the exam time begins. You may go to the toilet during the exam, but only after you ask. A staff member walks with you. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Which parts are on the computer DUO's exam regulations describe how each A2 part is taken: - Lezen (reading): on the computer, with texts on the screen. At most 65 minutes. You answer multiple-choice questions. - Luisteren (listening): on the computer, with audio and video. 45 minutes. You wear headphones, get questions about short films and listen to texts. - Spreken (speaking): on the computer. At most 35 minutes. You answer out loud into a microphone. - KNM: on the computer, with audio and video. At most 45 minutes. Multiple choice. - Schrijven (writing): not on the computer. It is on paper, in a booklet, for at most 40 minutes. ## Lezen on screen The texts are on the screen, and so are the questions. inburgeren.nl says you read texts and answer questions about them. You click your answer. A tip from practice: read the question first, then look for the answer in the text. With 65 minutes you have time, but not time to read every text twice. ## Luisteren and KNM: headphones and video For Luisteren you wear headphones. inburgeren.nl says you get questions about films, and you listen to texts. The topics are work, study and daily life. For KNM you watch short video clips, read the questions on the screen and also hear them through headphones. Every question is multiple choice: you click the answer. The official exam standards say questions and answers are supported by pictures. A computer marks both parts. - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) ## Spreken: headphones and a microphone For Spreken you wear a headset with a microphone. You watch short videos or look at pictures, hear a question, and answer out loud. Nobody sits across from you: you speak to the computer. Since 1 March 2025 the A2 speaking exam is spoken answers only. The multiple-choice section was removed. Your answers are marked partly by a computer and partly by people. - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [Practicing the speaking exam at home](https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home) ## Schrijven: paper, not a screen Schrijven A2 is the only part on paper. You get 4 writing tasks, for example a short letter or a form to fill in. You write by hand in a booklet. If you are used to typing, practice writing by hand. The three official Schrijven practice exams are PDFs you can print. ## Rules that matter at the computer A few rules from DUO's exam regulations affect what you do at your screen. Breaking them can make your exam invalid. Because the exam is secret, nobody can show you the real questions in advance. Anyone who offers you real exam questions is offering fraud. Practice with DUO's official practice exams and with practice questions written for practice. - The exam is secret. You may not take photos or videos, or copy the questions. - You may not bring your own paper, pens, books, watch or phone into the room. - You may not disturb other candidates. After a warning, you can be sent out. - You may only leave the room after you ask. ## The B1 Staatsexamen is different If you take the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1, all four parts are on a computer, also Schrijven. CvTE, which sets this exam, describes its screens in more detail on staatsexamensnt2.nl: - You log in first. Then you see a screen with information about the exam and wait until the exam leader starts it. Each exam begins with an example. - A clock at the top right shows how much time you have left. 15 minutes before the end, a warning appears on the screen. - In Luisteren, numbers at the bottom of the screen show which task you are on. A task you have done changes colour, and you can mark a task to look at it again later. - A magnifier (loep) makes the text bigger. Small pictures open larger when you click them. - Lezen: the texts come in a paper booklet. The questions and answer options are on the computer, always multiple choice. - Luisteren: you get 25 seconds to read each question and its answers. The audio starts by itself and plays only once. You can go back to change an answer, but you cannot listen again. - Spreken: you listen through headphones and read along on the screen. After a beep, you speak into the microphone. - When you are done, you click 'Overzicht' (overview) and then 'Inleveren' (hand in). - [How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part) ## Make the screens familiar Many people are nervous because they do not know what the exam looks like. Doing DUO's practice exams once or twice takes a lot of that away. After that, practice the questions themselves. Kora's mock exams copy the format and the timer of each part, with explanations in your own language. They are practice, not the real DUO screens, and they cannot predict your result. ## Questions ### Is the whole inburgering exam on a computer? Not at A2. Lezen, Luisteren, Spreken and KNM are on a computer. Schrijven A2 is on paper. At the B1 Staatsexamen, all four parts are on a computer. ### Where can I see what the exam screens look like? In DUO's free practice exams on inburgeren.nl. They work best on a desktop computer, and the Spreken practice exam does not work in Safari. ### Do I use headphones in the exam? Yes, for Luisteren, KNM and Spreken. For Spreken you also use a microphone to answer out loud. ### Is there an explanation before the exam starts? Yes. Every A2 part and KNM starts with 15 minutes of explanation before the exam time begins. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): how each part is taken](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (computer exams, KNM pictures)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The A2 reading exam, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/lezen-a2-explained · Sources checked 2026-11-10 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. ## How it works You take Lezen A2 on a computer at a DUO exam location. You read texts on the screen and answer questions about them. Every question is multiple choice: you click the right answer with the mouse. Lezen is one of the four A2 language exams, next to Luisteren, Schrijven and Spreken. You book each part on its own in Mijn Inburgering, so you can take Lezen on a different day from the others. - [What the inburgering exam looks like on the computer](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen) - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) ## Time First a DUO staff member gives 15 minutes of explanation. Then you have at most 65 minutes for the exam itself. inburgeren.nl does not say how many questions there are. DUO's official practice exams show you the length and the pace, so do at least one with a timer. ## How it is marked A computer marks Lezen. You get a grade, and the result is pass (geslaagd) or fail (niet geslaagd). DUO's exam rules say that not all your answers have to be right to pass. The pass mark is set by the minister, and DUO does not publish it as a number. Be careful with percentages you read online: we could not trace them to an official source. ## What you may bring Bring a valid ID and arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts. Your coat, bag, watch, phone and other things go into a locker. You may not take paper, pens or study books into the exam room. The A2 rules do not list a dictionary or any other aid that you may use. If you want something to drink during the exam, bring a cup. The exam is secret: you may not take photos or copy the questions. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Tips that help These tips are about how you read, not about the content of the real exam. - Read the question first. Then look for the answer in the text. You often do not need to understand every word. - Use what you can see quickly: the title, names, dates, times and amounts. - Read all the answer options before you click. Two options can look almost the same. - Do not get stuck on one hard question. Keep an eye on the time. - Practice reading on a screen, not only on paper, so it feels normal on the day. ## How to practice Start with DUO's free practice exams on inburgeren.nl. There are four for Lezen. DUO says they work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways. Between practice exams, read a little Dutch every day: letters, emails, notices and ads. Short and often works better than long and once a week. Kora has reading practice in the exam style. After every answer you see why it is right or wrong, explained in your own language. There is also a mock exam with the same time limit as the real part. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [A study plan when you work full time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) ## Results and retakes The result comes by letter, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering. DUO's exam rules say you get it within 8 weeks. If you do not pass, you only take Lezen again, not the other parts. A new attempt is a new booking, and usually a new fee. - [Your exam results and what comes next](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) - [What a retake costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) ## The B1 Staatsexamen is different If you are on the B1 route, your reading exam is part of the Staatsexamen NT2. That is a different exam, set by CvTE. inburgeren.nl says Lezen at B1 takes 110 minutes. - [How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part) ## Questions ### How long is the A2 reading exam? At most 65 minutes, after 15 minutes of explanation. ### Is Lezen A2 multiple choice? Yes. You read texts on the screen and click the right answer. ### Can I use a dictionary in Lezen A2? The A2 rules do not list a dictionary as an aid you may use, and you may not take books or other things into the exam room. ### What score do I need to pass Lezen A2? DUO does not publish a pass mark. The result is pass or fail, and not every answer has to be right. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): times, marking, results, what you may bring](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (how each A2 part is taken and marked)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The A2 listening exam, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/luisteren-a2-explained · Sources checked 2026-11-10 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. ## How it works You take Luisteren A2 on a computer at a DUO exam location. You wear headphones. You get questions about short films, and you listen to spoken texts. The questions and the answer options are on the screen. Every question is multiple choice: you click the right answer with the mouse. The texts and questions are about work, education and daily life. - [What the inburgering exam looks like on the computer](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen) ## Time First a DUO staff member gives 15 minutes of explanation. Then the exam takes 45 minutes. inburgeren.nl does not say how many questions there are. DUO's official practice exams show you the length and the pace. ## How it is marked A computer marks Luisteren. You get a grade, and the result is pass (geslaagd) or fail (niet geslaagd). DUO's exam rules say that not all your answers have to be right to pass. The pass mark is set by the minister, and DUO does not publish it as a number. ## Can you listen twice? inburgeren.nl and DUO's exam rules do not say how often you can play a fragment in the A2 exam. Because there is no official rule to quote, we do not guess. A safe habit: read the question before you listen, and listen as if you hear the fragment only once. For the B1 Staatsexamen the rule is published: CvTE says you can listen to each text only once. ## What you may bring Bring a valid ID and arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts. Your coat, bag, watch, phone and other things go into a locker. You may not take paper, pens or study books into the exam room. If you want something to drink, bring a cup. The exam is secret: you may not take photos or copy the questions. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Tips that help These tips are about how you listen, not about the content of the real exam. - Read the question carefully. Then you know what to listen for. - Listen for the key facts: who, where, when, what time, how much. - Watch the video too. Where people are and what they do can help you. - You do not need to understand every word. Keep listening for the part the question asks about. - Practice with headphones, so the sound feels normal on the day. ## How to practice Start with DUO's free practice exams on inburgeren.nl. There are three for Luisteren. DUO says they work best on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, turn it sideways. inburgeren.nl also points to netinnederland.nl, with short videos about topics that also come up in the exam. Listening to everyday Dutch for a few minutes a day helps your ear: the radio, the news in simple Dutch, people at the shop. Kora has listening practice with spoken Dutch fragments and questions in the exam style. After every answer you see the explanation in your own language. Kora's fragments are audio, not video. There is also a mock exam with the same time limit as the real part. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [A study plan when you work full time](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) ## Results and retakes The result comes by letter, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering. DUO's exam rules say you get it within 8 weeks. If you do not pass, you only take Luisteren again, not the other parts. A new attempt is a new booking, and usually a new fee. - [Your exam results and what comes next](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) - [What a retake costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) ## The B1 Staatsexamen is different If you are on the B1 route, your listening exam is part of the Staatsexamen NT2, set by CvTE. inburgeren.nl says Luisteren at B1 takes 90 minutes. - [How to practice each part of the B1 Staatsexamen](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-staatsexamen-practice-each-part) ## Questions ### How long is the A2 listening exam? 45 minutes, after 15 minutes of explanation. ### Are there videos in Luisteren A2? Yes. inburgeren.nl says you get questions about films, and you also listen to texts. You wear headphones. ### Can I listen to a fragment twice in Luisteren A2? DUO does not publish a rule about this for A2. At the B1 Staatsexamen you can listen to each text only once. ### What score do I need to pass Luisteren A2? DUO does not publish a pass mark. The result is pass or fail, and not every answer has to be right. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): times, marking, results, what you may bring](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (how each A2 part is taken and marked)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like (B1 Luisteren: listen once)](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/hoe-ziet-het-examen-eruit) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # The A2 writing exam, explained Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/schrijven-a2-explained · Sources checked 2026-11-10 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. ## How it works You take Schrijven A2 at a DUO exam location, with pen and paper. At the start you get a booklet with the tasks, and you write your answers in the same booklet. It is the only A2 language exam that is not on a computer. You get 4 writing tasks. inburgeren.nl gives two examples: you write a short letter, or you fill in a form. - [What the inburgering exam looks like on the computer](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen) ## Time First a DUO staff member gives 15 minutes of explanation. Then you have at most 40 minutes for all 4 tasks. If you split the time evenly, that is about 10 minutes per task. ## The kinds of tasks The official Regeling inburgering says the exam tests writing with forms and short writing tasks. DUO's three practice exams show what that can look like: - An email, for example to a teacher, a boss or a colleague. The task gives you points to write about, like why you write and what you want. - A form, for example to sign up for a course. Some details you make up yourself. - A short text for a neighborhood newspaper (wijkkrant), of at least three sentences. - In one practice exam: a short note for a colleague, based on pictures. ## Greetings, closings and full sentences In DUO's practice exams, the email page often already shows the greeting and the closing. To a teacher or a boss it says something like Beste meneer Jansen and Vriendelijke groet. To a colleague it says Hallo and Groetjes. You write the part in between. If a task leaves the greeting open, choose one that fits the person. DUO's published marking models do not give separate points for the greeting. What counts most is that you do what the task asks. The practice exams also say: Schrijf in hele zinnen (write in full sentences). Useful greetings and closings: - To someone you know well: Hallo Sara, ... Groetjes, - To a teacher, a boss or a neighbor you do not know well: Beste meneer Jansen, or Beste mevrouw De Vries, ... Vriendelijke groet, - Very formal, for example to an organization when you do not know a name: Geachte heer of mevrouw, ... Met vriendelijke groet, - Use u for a teacher or a boss, and je for a colleague or a friend. Keep it the same in the whole email. ## How it is marked People mark Schrijven, not a computer. DUO calls them certified assessors. You get a grade, and the result is pass (geslaagd) or fail (niet geslaagd). DUO's rules say not every answer has to be right to pass, and DUO does not publish the pass mark. DUO publishes its marking models (beoordelingsmodellen) for Schrijven A2. One rule in them matters a lot: if a text cannot be recognized as an answer to the task, every other point gets 0 too. So first make sure you write about every point the task asks for. The models score each answer on a few points: - Does the text do what the task asks, and is it clear? - Spelling. On a form, your own details must be spelled correctly. - Word use. Simple words are fine, but use your own words, not only the words from the task. - For emails and free writing also: grammar, and whether the sentences hang together, for example with en, maar, want and omdat. ## Rules on the day Bring a valid ID and arrive 30 minutes before the exam starts. Your coat, bag, watch, phone and other things go into a locker. You may not take your own paper, pens or study books into the exam room. The exam is secret: you may not take photos or copy the tasks. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Tips that help These tips are about how you write, not about the content of the real exam. - Read the task twice. Tick off each point in your head when you have written about it. - Write short, full sentences. One or two sentences per point is a good start. - When a task says Bedenk zelf (make it up yourself), invent a simple reason, day or date. Do not lose time looking for the perfect one. - Join sentences with en, maar, want and omdat. - Write clearly. Someone has to read your handwriting. - Leave a minute at the end to check verbs and spelling, like ik ben gegaan, not ik heb gegaan. - [Ik ben gegaan or ik heb gegaan? Hebben or zijn](https://mykora.nl/blog/hebben-of-zijn) - [Dutch word order: where does the verb go?](https://mykora.nl/blog/dutch-word-order) ## How to practice DUO has three free Schrijven practice exams on inburgeren.nl, as PDFs you can print. Print one, set a timer for 40 minutes and write by hand, like on the day. Kora's writing practice has the same four kinds of tasks. You type your answer, and Kora checks it against the points the task asks for, with feedback in your own language. Because the real exam is on paper, also practice writing by hand. It is practice, not an official result, and it cannot promise a result. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## Results and retakes inburgeren.nl says marking Schrijven A2 takes about 16 weeks, and the result comes by letter. If that makes you nearly late for your integration deadline, DUO gives you 6 months extra. You do not have to do anything for this. If you do not pass, you only take Schrijven again, not the other parts. A new attempt is a new booking, and usually a new fee. - [Your exam results and what comes next](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-results) - [What a retake costs](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) ## The B1 Staatsexamen is different If you are on the B1 route, your writing exam is part of the Staatsexamen NT2, set by CvTE. inburgeren.nl says Schrijven at B1 takes 100 minutes. - [The B1 writing exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/b1-schrijven-explained) ## Questions ### Is the A2 writing exam on a computer? No. It is on paper. You write by hand in a booklet. ### How many tasks are in Schrijven A2? 4 tasks, in at most 40 minutes. ### Do I have to write Geachte heer of mevrouw? Not always. In DUO's practice exams the greeting is often already printed, and DUO's marking models do not give separate points for it. Doing what the task asks matters most. ### How long do Schrijven A2 results take? About 16 weeks, says inburgeren.nl. If that makes you nearly late, DUO extends your deadline by 6 months automatically. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): times, marking, results, what you may bring](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [Regeling inburgering 2021 (how Schrijven A2 is taken and marked)](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/) - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams (Schrijven 1 to 3, PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [DUO: marking models for Schrijven A2 (forms; free writing and correspondence)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/examens/inburgeringsexamen/beoordelingsmodellen-en-eindtermen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: results (about 16 weeks, 6 months extension)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/uitslag.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Ik ben gegaan or ik heb gegaan? Hebben or zijn in the perfect tense Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/hebben-of-zijn · Sources checked 2026-11-10 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. ## The short answer It is ik ben gegaan. Gaan always takes zijn. Ik heb gegaan is wrong. The Dutch perfect tense (voltooide tijd) has two parts: a form of hebben or zijn, and a past participle like gewerkt or gekomen. Most verbs take hebben. A smaller group takes zijn. - Ik heb gewerkt. (I worked.) - Ik ben gekomen. (I came.) ## Hebben: most verbs Most verbs take hebben. That includes almost every verb that can have an object, like kopen, zien, lezen, maken and eten. Verbs with zich or me also take hebben. The forms: ik heb, jij hebt, hij or zij heeft, wij hebben, jullie hebben, zij hebben. - Ik heb brood gekocht. - Wij hebben een film gezien. - Zij heeft de brief gelezen. - Hij heeft lang gewerkt. - Het heeft vannacht geregend. - Ik heb me vergist. ## Zijn: a change of place or state Zijn is for verbs that say someone goes to another place or changes, and for a few special verbs. Most of them have no object. The forms: ik ben, jij bent, hij or zij is, wij zijn, jullie zijn, zij zijn. - gaan, komen, vertrekken, aankomen: Ik ben naar de markt gegaan. Ze is gisteren aangekomen. - verhuizen: Wij zijn vorig jaar verhuisd. - worden, groeien: Hij is vader geworden. Wat ben je gegroeid! - sterven, vallen: Mijn opa is in 2020 gestorven. Het kind is gevallen. - blijven: Wij zijn thuis gebleven. - gebeuren, lukken: Wat is er gebeurd? Het is gelukt! - beginnen, also with an object: De les is om negen uur begonnen. Ik ben een nieuwe cursus begonnen. - tegenkomen: Ik ben mijn buurman tegengekomen. ## Moving verbs: hebben or zijn? Verbs like fietsen, lopen, rijden, zwemmen and vliegen can take both. Ask yourself: is it about the activity, or about going somewhere? Only the activity: hebben. A destination or a direction, like naar huis or naar Utrecht: zijn. - Ik heb gefietst. (The activity.) - Ik ben naar huis gefietst. (A destination: home.) - Wij hebben een uur gelopen. - Wij zijn naar het station gelopen. - Ik heb lang gereden. - Ik ben naar Rotterdam gereden. - Zij heeft gezwommen. - Zij is naar de overkant gezwommen. ## The perfect tense of hebben and zijn Hebben and zijn have a perfect tense of their own. Zijn takes zijn: ik ben geweest. Hebben takes hebben: ik heb gehad. - Ik ben in Rotterdam geweest. - Ik ben ziek geweest. - Ik heb griep gehad. ## Where the words go In a normal sentence, heb or ben is in second place, and the past participle goes to the end. - Ik heb vorige week een nieuwe fiets gekocht. - Gisteren ben ik naar de dokter gegaan. - [Dutch word order: where does the verb go?](https://mykora.nl/blog/dutch-word-order) ## When you are not sure Language advisers say no short set of rules covers every verb. A good dictionary shows for each verb whether it takes hebben or zijn. A quick test: did someone go somewhere, or change? Then try zijn. If not, hebben is the safer guess, because most verbs take hebben. Learn the zijn verbs as a group. Learn the moving verbs with one short pair each: ik heb gefietst, ik ben naar huis gefietst. ## Why it matters for the exam When you talk or write about something that already happened, like your weekend, a party or a move, you usually use the perfect tense. So hebben and zijn come up a lot in speaking and writing. DUO's marking models for Schrijven A2 score grammar in emails and free writing, by how many grammar mistakes a text has. Getting common forms like ik ben gegaan right helps. Kora's speaking and writing practice tells you what to fix, with the explanation in your own language, and Kora's grammar lessons cover the perfect tense too. - [The A2 writing exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/schrijven-a2-explained) - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [De or het? Simple rules for Dutch articles](https://mykora.nl/blog/de-of-het) ## Questions ### Is it ik ben gegaan or ik heb gegaan? Ik ben gegaan. Gaan always takes zijn. ### Is it ik heb gefietst or ik ben gefietst? Ik heb gefietst when you talk about the activity. Ik ben naar huis gefietst when you say where you went. ### Which verbs take zijn? Verbs for a change of place or state, like gaan, komen, vertrekken, verhuizen, worden and sterven. Also blijven, zijn, gebeuren and lukken, and beginnen and tegenkomen. ### What is the perfect tense of zijn and hebben? Zijn: ik ben geweest. Hebben: ik heb gehad. ## Sources - [Taaladvies.net (Nederlandse Taalunie): perfect tense with hebben or zijn](https://taaladvies.net/vorming-van-voltooide-tijden-met-hebben-of-zijn-algemeen/) - [Vlaanderen.be Taaladvies: past participles with hebben or zijn](https://www.vlaanderen.be/taaladvies/taaladviezen/hebben-zijn-voltooid-deelwoord) - [DUO: marking models for Schrijven A2 (grammar in free writing)](https://duo.nl/zakelijk/inburgering-ketenpartners/examens/inburgeringsexamen/beoordelingsmodellen-en-eindtermen.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Not finished with inburgering in time? Fines, extra time and who never gets a fine Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-fine-late · Sources checked 2026-11-14 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. ## The short answer Being late with inburgering is stressful. The rules are clear, though, and DUO always sends you letters first. Here is the short version, from DUO's fines page on inburgeren.nl. This guide explains DUO's public rules, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal advice. The letters DUO sends you decide what applies to you. - Asylum status holders never get a fine for being late. - DUO can only fine you if you are late and you have no right to an extension. - Under the Wet inburgering 2021, the fine for not finishing your learning route on time is never more than 1,000 euro. It can be lower. - Finishing the PVT or the MAP late each has a fine of 340 euro. - Under the Wet inburgering 2013, the fine is never more than 1,250 euro. - A fine does not end your inburgering. You still have to integrate, and you get extra time to do it. ## Asylum status holders: no fine If you are an asylum status holder, DUO never gives you a fine for taking too long. This is true under the Wet inburgering 2021 and the Wet inburgering 2013. The Dutch court (Raad van State) ruled that DUO may not fine asylum status holders for taking too long. DUO also may not ask them to pay back a loan for inburgering. DUO announced this on 6 July 2026. You do not have to do anything. If you still have to integrate, keep going with your inburgering. DUO sends you a personal letter if something changes for you. Under the 2013 law: if you already paid a DUO fine, or paid back (part of) a loan for inburgering, DUO pays that money back. Amounts you still owe on the fine or the loan are cancelled. DUO sends a letter in autumn 2026 to the people this applies to. Please wait for that letter. Under the 2021 law: DUO does not fine asylum status holders, and the municipality pays for their inburgering, not a DUO loan. So there is no money to pay back. This part is only for asylum status holders. If you came as a family migrant or another kind of migrant, the rules below are for you. - [inburgeren.nl news: no fines and no loan repayments for asylum status holders (6 July 2026)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/nieuwsberichten/artikel.jsp?cid=tcm:94-242530) ## The letters you get first (2021 law) This part is for people under the Wet inburgering 2021 who are not asylum status holders. A fine never comes as a surprise. DUO writes to you first. - 2 months before the end of your term (your inburgeringstermijn), you get a letter. It shows the information DUO has about you. - After your term has ended, you get another letter. It is called 'Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding' (advance notice that your term has passed). It says that DUO can give you a fine, and how much. - That letter is not the fine yet. DUO still has to decide if you really get a fine. The amount can also still change. - If DUO decides to fine you, you get a letter with the amount and how to pay. ## Check your information: it changes the amount The amount of the fine depends on the information DUO has about you. For example, the number of course hours you followed. If DUO does not have all your information yet, send it right away. Only course hours at a school listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl count. Did you go to school, but DUO does not know? Take the form 'Verklaring Deelname Cursus' to your school. You got this form with the 'Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding' letter. Your school fills in the form. Then you send it to DUO, and DUO looks at the hours. - [zoekinburgerschool.nl: find a school whose hours count](https://www.zoekinburgerschool.nl/) ## How much the fine is (2021 law) There are three fines under the Wet inburgering 2021. - Not finishing your learning route on time: never more than 1,000 euro. - Not finishing the PVT (participatieverklaringstraject) on time: 340 euro. - Not finishing the MAP (Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie) on time: 340 euro. ## What makes the learning route fine higher or lower DUO looks at four things when it works out this fine: - Which learning route you follow: the B1 route, the education route (O-route) or the Z route. - How many course hours you followed. Only hours at a school on zoekinburgerschool.nl count. - How often you tried to pass all parts of the exam. - How many parts of the exam you already passed. - [Regeling inburgering 2021, Annex 6a: how the fine is worked out](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/2024-01-01/#Bijlage6a) - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) ## An example: the B1 route for family migrants inburgeren.nl links to the full tables in the Regeling inburgering 2021. Here is one of them: the B1 route for family migrants and other migrants. It shows that every course hour and every exam attempt counts. Other routes have their own tables, and your letter shows your own amount. - You did not try every exam part at least once: 1,000 euro with 0 to 249 course hours, 800 euro with 250 to 399 hours, and 400 euro with 400 hours or more. - You tried every part at least once: 800, 640 or 320 euro, for the same hours. - You tried the parts you did not pass at least twice: 600, 450 or 225 euro, for the same hours. - Then the fine goes down for each part you passed: 20% less for 1 part, 40% for 2 parts, 60% for 3 parts and 80% for 4 parts. - Example: 400 hours or more, every part tried at least once, and 2 parts passed. That is 320 euro minus 40%, so 192 euro. ## After a fine: extra time to finish (2021 law) A fine does not end your inburgering. You still have to integrate, and DUO gives you extra time for it. How much depends on your situation. - B1 route or O-route, no exams passed yet: 2 years. - B1 route or O-route, 1 exam passed: 1.5 years. - B1 route or O-route, 2 exams passed: 1 year. - B1 route or O-route, 3 or 4 exams passed: 6 months. - Z route, 200 course hours or less: 2 years. - Z route, between 200 and 400 course hours: 1.5 years. - Z route, between 400 and 600 course hours: 1 year. - Z route, between 600 and 800 course hours: 6 months. - PVT late: 6 months. MAP late: 6 months. Both late: 1 year. - More than one fine: the longest extra time counts. The extra times are not added up. ## Under the Wet inburgering 2013 If you integrate under the 2013 law and you are not an asylum status holder, the rules are a little different. - You get a letter called 'Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding'. It says you are late with inburgering and that you get a fine. - If you do not react to that letter, you get another letter. It says how much your fine is and how to pay. - The fine for not getting your inburgering diploma on time is never more than 1,250 euro. - DUO looks at your course hours (inburgering course, literacy course and Dutch as a second language), how often you tried exam parts, and how many parts you passed. Only a course at a school on zoekinburgerschool.nl counts. - Finishing the PVT late: a fine of 340 euro. After that you can no longer borrow money from DUO. - After a fine you get 2 years extra to get your inburgering diploma. ## Paying, a new bank account, or moving abroad Some practical things from the same DUO page: - Do you pay the fine in instalments and your bank account number changes? Tell DUO in Mijn Inburgering. Log in, go to 'Gegevens' and then to 'Persoon'. - Cannot log in to Mijn Inburgering? Use the form 'Wijziging terugbetalen lening en/of boete'. - Moving abroad? Tell DUO. You have to give DUO your foreign address yourself, with the form 'Doorgeven buitenlands adres'. - [Mijn Inburgering: log in with DigiD](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inloggen-mijn-inburgering/index.jsp) - [Form: Wijziging terugbetalen lening en/of boete (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/wijziging-terugbetalen-lening-en-of-boete.pdf) - [Form: Doorgeven buitenlands adres (PDF)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/doorgeven-buitenlands-adres.pdf) ## What you can do now Check your deadline in Mijn Inburgering. Check that DUO has all your course hours, and send what is missing. DUO only fines you if you have no right to an extension. If you are close to your deadline, read how extra time works first. Keep going with your exams. Under the 2021 law, every part you pass lowers a possible fine. Kora lets you practice every exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO. - [How long does inburgering take? Deadlines and extra time](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) - [Failed an exam? Retake costs and next steps](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) - [inburgeren.nl: fines](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) ## Questions ### How much is the inburgering fine? Under the Wet inburgering 2021, the fine for not finishing your learning route on time is never more than 1,000 euro. Finishing the PVT or the MAP late is 340 euro each. Under the 2013 law, the maximum is 1,250 euro. Checked 14 November 2026. ### Do asylum status holders get a fine? No. Asylum status holders never get a fine for being late. The Raad van State ruled that DUO may not fine them, and may not ask them to pay back a loan for inburgering. ### Do I still have to integrate after a fine? Yes. You get extra time: 6 months to 2 years under the 2021 law, depending on your route and progress, and 2 years under the 2013 law. ### Can the amount in the 'Vooraankondiging termijnoverschrijding' letter change? Yes. Under the 2021 law that letter is not the fine yet. DUO still decides, and the amount can change. Send DUO any missing information, like your course hours, right away. ### I got more than one fine. Is the extra time added up? No. The longest extra time counts. The extra times are not added up. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: fines (2021 and 2013 law, extra time, forms)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/u-gaat-inburgeren/boete.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl news: no fines and no loan repayments for asylum status holders (6 July 2026)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/nieuwsberichten/artikel.jsp?cid=tcm:94-242530) - [Regeling inburgering 2021, Annex 6: how the fine is worked out](https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0045574/2024-01-01/#Bijlage6a) - [zoekinburgerschool.nl: schools whose course hours count](https://www.zoekinburgerschool.nl/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Do expats have to do inburgering? Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/do-expats-need-inburgering · Sources checked 2026-11-14 Not everyone who moves to the Netherlands has to integrate. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens don't, and people who come for a temporary purpose, like study or highly skilled work, usually don't either. Many people still take the exam later, by choice, for permanent residence or a Dutch passport. Your letter from DUO decides what applies to you. ## The short answer Inburgering (civic integration) is not for everyone who lives in the Netherlands. Whether you have to do it depends mostly on your nationality and on why you live here. Here is the short version, from Rijksoverheid and the IND. This guide explains the official public rules, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice. Your own letters from DUO, the IND or your municipality decide what applies to you. - You do not have to integrate if you have the nationality of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland. - You also do not have to integrate if you come to the Netherlands for a temporary purpose, like study or work as an expat. - The IND counts work as a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant) and the European Blue Card as temporary purposes under the integration law. - In all other cases you have to integrate. DUO sends you a letter about it automatically. - Even if you do not have to, you can integrate by choice. Permanent residence and Dutch citizenship usually need the inburgering exam at A2 level. ## Who does not have to integrate Rijksoverheid lists who does not have to integrate. You are not required to if you have the nationality of: - a country of the European Union (EU) - Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland - Switzerland - [Rijksoverheid: Moet ik als nieuwkomer inburgeren? (in Dutch)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/vraag-en-antwoord/immigratie-naar-nederland/moet-ik-als-nieuwkomer-inburgeren) ## Other people who do not have to integrate On the same page, Rijksoverheid says you also do not have to integrate if one of these applies to you: - You are younger than 18. - You are older than the state pension age. - You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more while you were of school age. - You have Dutch diplomas, certificates or proof of certain education in the Dutch language. - You come to the Netherlands for a temporary purpose, for study or work (as an expat, for example). ## Highly skilled migrants and other temporary purposes Your residence permit has a purpose, like study, work or living with a partner. The IND publishes which purposes count as temporary under the integration law (Wet inburgering). Some of them: - Study and exchange. - Work in paid employment, and work as a self-employed person. - Work as a highly skilled migrant (kennismigrant), and the European Blue Card. - Researcher, intra-corporate transfer and the orientation year for highly educated persons. - Living with a family member whose own residence purpose is temporary. This can include the partner of a highly skilled migrant. - [IND: temporary residence purposes under the Civic Integration Act](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-residence-purposes-under-the-civic-integration-act) ## The part that surprises many expats The IND uses a second list for a different question: can you get a more secure right to stay? On that list, highly skilled migrant, European Blue Card, paid employment and self-employment count as non-temporary. With a residence permit for a non-temporary purpose, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. The IND says that permit usually needs the civic integration diploma at A2 level. So you may never get a letter that says you must integrate, and still need the exam later, if you want to stay for good or become Dutch. - [IND: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-and-non-temporary-purposes-of-residence) - [Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences](https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation) ## Partners of Dutch citizens Being the partner of a Dutch citizen is not on the official list of people who do not have to integrate. Rijksoverheid says that for partners of Dutch citizens who need a provisional residence permit (mvv), integration starts in their own country, with the exam abroad. The IND has its own list of nationalities that do not need the exam abroad. That list is longer: it also has, for example, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan. That list is only for the exam abroad. For integrating in the Netherlands, Rijksoverheid's nationality list only has the EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Your letter from DUO decides. If you came for your partner, read our step-by-step guide. - [Moving to the Netherlands for your partner: inburgering step by step](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partner-step-by-step) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (and who is exempt)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) ## The 2013 law or the 2021 law If you do have to integrate, there are two laws. Which one applies depends on when your duty to integrate started. - Wet inburgering 2021: you had to integrate from 1 January 2022. Your municipality guides you. It does a broad intake with you and makes a personal plan, the PIP. - Wet inburgering 2013: you already had to integrate before 1 January 2022. You arrange your integration yourself. The language exams are at A2 level. - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [Which inburgering exam do I have to take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam) ## Integrating by choice (the voluntary route) inburgeren.nl says you can also integrate voluntarily. That means you do not have to, but you want to. For example to naturalise, or to apply for a stronger residence permit. Here is what the official pages say about this route: - Permanent residence: the IND usually asks for the civic integration diploma at A2 level. - Naturalisation: inburgeren.nl says you first need the inburgering exam at A2 level, or the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 or B2. - If you never had to integrate, the IND says you do not have to do the PVT (participation statement) for naturalisation. - You register for KNM and the A2 language exams in Mijn Inburgering, with DigiD. For the Staatsexamen NT2 (B1 or B2), you register through DUO's Staatsexamen pages. - Each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro, according to inburgeren.nl. Fees can change, so check before you book. - DUO says that if you integrate by choice, you can borrow money for a course and exams until 3 years after you registered with your municipality. This also counts for people from an EU or EEA country or Switzerland. The course must be at an approved school. - [inburgeren.nl: integration in the Netherlands (voluntary integration)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [Which exam do you need for naturalisation?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation) ## How to check your own situation Nobody needs to guess. These are the official ways to find out: - The letter from DUO. Under the 2021 law, DUO writes to you once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a registration with your municipality. It can take up to 8 weeks after that. - Mijn Inburgering. Log in with DigiD on inburgeren.nl. It shows what you have to do, and from when. - No letter after 8 weeks, and you think you have to integrate? Contact DUO. - The step-by-step plans on inburgeren.nl show the steps for different situations, in several languages. - For permanent residence or naturalisation, the IND decides. Check the IND pages for your own case. - [Mijn Inburgering: log in with DigiD](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/log-in-to-mijn-inburgering/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: step-by-step plans in several languages](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/step-by-step-plans-several-languages.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: contact DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/contact/contacting-duo.jsp) ## What you can do now If you do not have to integrate but plan to stay, it helps to know the A2 exam early. You can start learning Dutch at your own pace. Kora lets you practice every A2 exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO. - [How long does inburgering take?](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) - [A study plan for the inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-study-plan) ## Questions ### Do highly skilled migrants (kennismigranten) have to do inburgering? Usually not. The IND counts work as a highly skilled migrant as a temporary purpose under the integration law. But if you later want permanent residence or Dutch citizenship, you usually need the inburgering exam at A2. ### Do EU citizens have to integrate in the Netherlands? No. Rijksoverheid says people with the nationality of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland do not have to integrate. They can still do it by choice. ### I am married to a Dutch citizen. Do I have to integrate? Often, yes. Being the partner of a Dutch citizen is not on the official list of people who do not have to. Your letter from DUO and Mijn Inburgering show what applies to you. ### Can I take the inburgering exam if I do not have to? Yes. inburgeren.nl calls this voluntary integration. People often do it for naturalisation or a permanent residence permit. You register in Mijn Inburgering with DigiD. ### Is there an official check to see if I have to integrate? The official answer comes from DUO. Under the 2021 law, DUO sends a letter once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a municipal registration. Mijn Inburgering shows what applies to you. If 8 weeks pass without a letter, contact DUO. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: who does not have to integrate](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten/vraag-en-antwoord/immigratie-naar-nederland/moet-ik-als-nieuwkomer-inburgeren) - [IND: temporary residence purposes under the Civic Integration Act](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-residence-purposes-under-the-civic-integration-act) - [IND: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-and-non-temporary-purposes-of-residence) - [IND: civic integration for a more secure residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/civic-integration-for-more-secure-residence-permit) - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation (PVT exemption)](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/civic-integration-for-naturalisation) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (exempt nationalities)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) - [Rijksoverheid: when integration starts in your home country](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/immigratie-naar-nederland/vraag-en-antwoord/moet-ik-al-met-mijn-inburgering-beginnen-in-het-land-van-herkomst) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2021](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/nieuwe-wet-inburgering) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2013](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/wet-inburgering-2013) - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate, letters, voluntary integration](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation (A2, or Staatsexamen NT2 B1 or B2)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/naturalisation.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering for an exam](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO (also when integrating by choice)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: step-by-step plans in several languages](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/step-by-step-plans-several-languages.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Inburgering in Amsterdam: the municipality, your plan and the exam location Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-amsterdam · Sources checked 2026-11-14 If you live in Amsterdam and integrate under the 2021 law, the gemeente Amsterdam gives you a contact person, a broad intake and a personal plan (PIP). DUO runs the exams. DUO's Amsterdam exam location is at Joan Muyskenweg 25A, near metro station Overamstel. ## The short answer Inburgering works the same way in every Dutch municipality, but each one organises its own part. Here is how it works in Amsterdam, from the pages of the gemeente Amsterdam and DUO. This guide explains official public information, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal advice. Your letters from DUO and the gemeente Amsterdam decide what applies to you. - DUO decides if you have to integrate, and sends you a letter. - Under the Wet inburgering 2021, the gemeente Amsterdam guides you: a contact person, a broad intake and a personal plan (PIP). - If you came as a family migrant, you choose your own language school and pay for lessons and exams yourself. You can often borrow the money from DUO. - If you are an asylum status holder, the municipality pays for your course and your first 2 exam attempts. - You take KNM and the A2 exams at DUO's exam location in Amsterdam, Joan Muyskenweg 25A. The Staatsexamen NT2 (B1 and B2) is at the same address. ## Who does what Several organisations are part of your inburgering. Knowing who does what saves time when you have a question. - DUO: decides that you have to integrate, sends the letters, runs the exams and gives you the diploma. You log in to Mijn Inburgering with DigiD. - Gemeente Amsterdam: under the 2021 law, does the broad intake, makes the PIP with you and guides you during your inburgering. - Your language school: teaches the course. Only schools listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl count for a DUO loan. - IND: decides on residence permits and naturalisation. You apply for naturalisation at your municipality, and the IND decides. - [Who does what in the Netherlands](https://mykora.nl/blog/who-does-what-netherlands) ## Family migrants: the 4 steps in Amsterdam The gemeente Amsterdam describes inburgering for family migrants under the 2021 law in 4 steps: - Step 1, meeting your contact person: you get a contact person at the municipality and an invitation for a conversation. You also do a short online learnability test. It shows how you learn best and which route suits you. It is not a language test. - Step 2, your personal plan: together with your contact person you make your Personal Integration and Participation Plan (PIP). It has your learning route and the agreements about your inburgering. The routes take 1 to 3 years, depending on what you need. - Step 3, starting: you learn Dutch at a language school or in another way. You also get information about working in the Netherlands and a course about standards and values in the Netherlands. - Step 4, finishing: you finish with an exam or a final conversation. Then you get a diploma or a certificate. - [gemeente Amsterdam: integration for family migrants](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/education/integration-family-migrants/) - [gemeente Amsterdam: step 2, creating a personal plan](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/education/integration-family-migrants/step-2-creating-personal-plan/) ## Choosing a school and paying As a family migrant in Amsterdam, you choose your own language school. Your contact person can help you choose. You pay for the lessons and exams yourself. Kora does not recommend schools. - You can often borrow from DUO for the course and the exams. DUO pays the school or the exam directly. The money does not go to your bank account. - You can only borrow for a course at an approved school. You can find them on zoekinburgerschool.nl. - Each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro, according to inburgeren.nl. Each part of the Staatsexamen NT2 costs 50 euro, or 200 euro for all four, according to DUO. - Under the 2021 law, the PVT (participation statement) is free. You do the MAP (labour market module) at the municipality, also for free. - [zoekinburgerschool.nl: approved schools](https://www.zoekinburgerschool.nl/) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [Failed an exam? Retake costs and next steps](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-retake-costs) ## Asylum status holders in Amsterdam For asylum status holders who have to integrate under the 2021 law, the gemeente Amsterdam describes a different start: - The municipality invites you for a conversation, when you still live in the asylum centre (azc) or shortly after you move to Amsterdam. That starts the broad intake, a period of 10 weeks. - During that time you follow Taalstart, an intensive language course of 6 weeks. Your language level and how you learn are looked at. - You do a learnability test (leerbaarheidstoets). You do not need to practice for it. - At the end you get a report and advice about the route that suits you best. Then the PIP is made with you. - The municipality pays your course. The first 2 attempts at each exam are free, according to inburgeren.nl. - [gemeente Amsterdam: integration for status holders from 2022](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/refugees/assistance-asylum-status-holders/integration-from-2022/) ## After your PIP: the second letter from DUO inburgeren.nl explains what happens next, in every municipality. Once your PIP is ready, DUO sends you another letter. It says from which date you have to integrate. From then on you have 3 years. Mijn Inburgering and your PIP show which exams you need to take. - [How long does inburgering take? Deadlines and extra time](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) ## Under the 2013 law Did you already have to integrate before 1 January 2022? Then the Wet inburgering 2013 applies to you. Rijksoverheid says you arrange your inburgering yourself under that law. Municipalities can help this group, for example with personal guidance. Your exams are at A2 level or higher. - [My residence permit is from before 2022](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permit-before-2022) ## Where you take the exam in Amsterdam DUO has exam locations in six cities. In Amsterdam, KNM and the A2 language exams are here: - Address: Joan Muyskenweg 25A, 1096 CJ Amsterdam. - Open Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 16.30. - By public transport: metro station Overamstel is across the road. Take metro 50 or 51, and use the exit 'Joan Muyskenweg'. - You cannot always park there by car. DUO has no parking spaces of its own. All locations are accessible by wheelchair. - The Staatsexamen NT2 (B1 and B2) is at the same address, according to DUO. - The other DUO locations are in Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle. You choose the date and place yourself in Mijn Inburgering. - Register early. DUO says it can take more than 6 weeks before you can take the exam. - [inburgeren.nl: exam locations](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/examenplaatsen.jsp) - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) ## Where to get help Not sure who to ask? These are the official contacts and the free help that inburgeren.nl points to. - Questions about your intake, your PIP or your contact person: the gemeente Amsterdam. Its general phone number is 14 020, and there is a contact form on amsterdam.nl. - Questions about your letter, your deadline, exams or a loan: DUO, through the contact page on inburgeren.nl. - Extra practice and free help: inburgeren.nl points to the public library, oefenen.nl, netinnederland.nl, hetbegintmettaal.nl and lezenenschrijven.nl. - [inburgeren.nl: contact DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/contact/contacting-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: practicing for the exams (and more help)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) ## What you can do now Check Mijn Inburgering for your exams and your deadline. Keep your PIP close: it says which route you are on. If you have to take exams, register early. Kora lets you practice every exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO or the gemeente Amsterdam. ## Questions ### Where is the inburgering exam in Amsterdam? At DUO's exam location, Joan Muyskenweg 25A, 1096 CJ Amsterdam, across from metro station Overamstel (metro 50 and 51). It is open Monday to Friday, 9.00 to 16.30. The Staatsexamen NT2 is at the same address. ### Who makes my PIP in Amsterdam? Under the 2021 law, you make your PIP together with your contact person at the gemeente Amsterdam, after the broad intake. The PIP sets your learning route and the agreements about your inburgering. ### Does the gemeente Amsterdam pay for my course? For asylum status holders under the 2021 law, the municipality pays the course and the first 2 attempts at each exam. Family migrants pay for lessons and exams themselves, and can often borrow from DUO. ### Can I choose my own language school in Amsterdam? As a family migrant, yes. The gemeente Amsterdam says you choose your own school, and your contact person can help. For a DUO loan, the school must be on zoekinburgerschool.nl. ### Who do I call with questions? For your intake and PIP, the gemeente Amsterdam (14 020). For your letter, deadline, exams or loan, DUO through inburgeren.nl. ## Sources - [gemeente Amsterdam: integration for family migrants](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/education/integration-family-migrants/) - [gemeente Amsterdam: step 2, creating a personal plan](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/education/integration-family-migrants/step-2-creating-personal-plan/) - [gemeente Amsterdam: integration for status holders from 2022](https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/refugees/assistance-asylum-status-holders/integration-from-2022/) - [inburgeren.nl: exam locations (Amsterdam, opening hours, metro)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/examenplaatsen.jsp) - [DUO: where and when the Staatsexamen NT2 is held](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/waar-en-wanneer.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: broad intake, PIP and learning routes](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: registering for an exam (more than 6 weeks)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/aanmelden-examen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: practicing and free help](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2021 (municipalities guide newcomers)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/nieuwe-wet-inburgering) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2013](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/wet-inburgering-2013) - [zoekinburgerschool.nl: approved schools](https://www.zoekinburgerschool.nl/) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Moving to the Netherlands for your partner: inburgering step by step Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partner-step-by-step · Sources checked 2026-11-14 Moving to live with your partner usually means steps in a set order. Often an exam abroad first. Then the mvv and residence permit from the IND, registering at your municipality, DUO's letter and 3 years to integrate. Here is the order, with official sources. ## The short answer Here are the usual steps for someone who moves to the Netherlands to live with a partner, in order. Not every step applies to everyone. Some people are exempt from the exam abroad, for example. This guide explains official public rules, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice, and we never ask about your residence status. Your own letters from DUO, the IND and your municipality decide what applies to you. - 1. Check if you need the exam abroad (Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland). - 2. If you do, pass it before you apply for the mvv. - 3. Apply for the mvv and the residence permit at the IND, at the same time. In most cases your partner does this. - 4. Arrive and register at your municipality within 5 days. You get a BSN. - 5. Wait for the letter from DUO. You then have 3 years to integrate. - 6. Under the 2021 law: the broad intake and your personal plan (PIP) with the municipality, then your route and exams. - 7. Pay for your course and exams, or borrow from DUO. - 8. After your diploma: later steps like permanent residence or naturalisation. ## Step 1: do you need the exam abroad? Rijksoverheid says your integration starts in the country where you live now if you will live with your partner in the Netherlands and you need an mvv. The mvv (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf) is a special visa to enter the Netherlands. The IND lists who does not need the exam abroad. Some examples: - You are under 18, or you have reached the state pension age. - You have the nationality of an EU or EEA country, Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican City, the United Kingdom, the United States, South Korea or Switzerland. - You lived in the Netherlands for over 8 years when you were of school age. - You have certain diplomas, for example a civic integration diploma, a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma, or a Dutch school diploma from education in Dutch. - There is also a dispensation, for example for medical reasons. The IND decides on it. - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (exemptions)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) ## Step 2: pass the exam abroad The exam abroad is at A1 level, one level below A2. It has three parts: Lezen (reading), Spreken (speaking) and KNS (knowledge of Dutch society). - Register with DUO first. Then make an appointment at the Dutch embassy or consulate, or the external provider, where you will take the exam. - A complete exam costs 150 euro, according to naarnederland.nl. - You get the result from DUO within 8 weeks, by email, as a PDF. - Did you fail a part? Register and pay again for that part. The parts you passed stay valid until you pass the whole exam. - The result is valid for 1 year. Apply for the mvv within that year. - DUO's site naarnederland.nl has a self-study package and practice exams. - [naarnederland.nl: the exam abroad, self-study package and practice](https://english.naarnederland.nl/) - [Inburgering for partners and spouses: what applies to you](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-partners-spouses) ## Step 3: the mvv and residence permit (IND) The IND decides on the mvv and your residence permit. You apply for both at the same time. naarnederland.nl says that in most cases your sponsor, your partner in the Netherlands, applies for your mvv at the IND. With your application you include the PDF with your exam result, or proof of your exemption. The IND's fee list shows 254 euro for a first application to stay with a family member, including a partner. The IND changes its fees every year on 1 January, so check the fee page before you apply. There are requirements for this permit. The IND's partner page asks a few questions and then shows the requirements for your situation. - [IND: residence permit for a partner](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/family-and-partner/residence-permit-for-partner) - [IND: fees, the costs of an application](https://ind.nl/en/fees-costs-of-an-application) ## Step 4: arrive and register at your municipality Government.nl says: if you will live in the Netherlands for longer than 4 months, you must register with your municipality in the Personal Records Database (BRP). Do this within 5 days of arriving. You get your citizen service number (BSN) when you register. The IND says you need a legalised and translated birth certificate to register. Bring it with you, and ask your municipality which other documents you need. - [Government.nl: when to register with the BRP](https://www.government.nl/themes/government-and-democracy/personal-data/question-and-answer/when-should-i-register-with-the-personal-records-database-as-a-resident) - [IND: living in the Netherlands (registering, documents)](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/living-in-the-netherlands) ## Step 5: the letter from DUO and your 3 years Passing the exam abroad does not finish your inburgering. The IND says that once you live here with your mvv and residence permit, you need to integrate further. Under the 2021 law, DUO sends you a letter once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a registration with your municipality. It can take up to 8 weeks after all three are arranged. No letter after 8 weeks? Contact DUO. You have 3 years to integrate. Mijn Inburgering shows what you have to do, and from when. - [How long does inburgering take? Deadlines and extra time](https://mykora.nl/blog/how-long-inburgering-takes) ## Step 6: the intake, your PIP, your route and exams If you move now, the Wet inburgering 2021 applies to you. inburgeren.nl explains the next steps: - The municipality invites you for a conversation and a learnability test (leerbaarheidstoets). Together this is the broad intake. - Then you make your personal plan with the municipality: the PIP. It says which learning route you follow and which exams you take. - Once the PIP is ready, DUO sends another letter with the date your inburgering starts. - The B1 route: language exams at B1 (the Staatsexamen NT2), plus KNM, the MAP (labour market module) and the PVT (participation statement). - On the B1 route, after at least 600 hours of language lessons, you can talk to your municipality about moving down to A2. - The Z route is for people for whom the B1 route and the education route are too hard. It ends with a conversation with the municipality and a certificate. - [Which exam do family migrants take?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/family-migrant-2022-or-later) - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [The KNM exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/knm-exam-explained) ## If you already had to integrate before 2022 This guide is about moving now. If your duty to integrate started before 1 January 2022, the Wet inburgering 2013 applies. Then you arrange your inburgering yourself. The language exams are at A2 level or higher, plus KNM, and depending on your start date ONA and the PVT. - [My residence permit is from before 2022](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/permit-before-2022) ## Step 7: paying for your course and exams Rijksoverheid says family migrants always pay for their inburgering themselves. You can often borrow the money from DUO. - You apply for the loan in Mijn Inburgering. DUO pays the school or the exam directly. The money does not go to your bank account. - You can borrow for a course at an approved school (listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl), and for the exam. - You pay interest while you have a debt with DUO. Sometimes part of the loan is cancelled. - Each part of the Staatsexamen NT2 costs 50 euro, or 200 euro for all four, according to DUO. Each A2 language exam and KNM costs 50 euro, according to inburgeren.nl. - Under the 2021 law, the PVT is free, and the MAP at the municipality is free too. - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) ## Step 8: after your diploma When you pass all your exams, you get your inburgeringsdiploma. It is digital, in Mijn Diploma's, through Mijn Inburgering. Later, two steps often come up: - Permanent residence: the IND usually asks for at least 5 years with a valid residence permit and the civic integration diploma at A2 level or higher, among other conditions. - Naturalisation (becoming Dutch): the IND usually asks for 5 years, but there is an exception after 3 years of living together in the Kingdom with the same Dutch partner. You apply at your municipality, and the IND decides. - If you are married to a Dutch citizen, or their registered partner, on the day the Royal Decree is signed, the IND says you do not have to give up your other nationality. - [Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences](https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation) - [IND: exceptions to the 5-year term for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/exceptions-to-the-5-year-term-for-naturalisation-in-the-netherlands) ## What you can do now Keep your letters from DUO, the IND and your municipality together. They decide your steps and deadlines. Kora is for the exams you take in the Netherlands, at A2 and B1, not the exam abroad. For the exam abroad, use the official self-study package on naarnederland.nl. Once you live here, Kora lets you practice every exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO. ## Questions ### Do I have to pass an exam before I move to my partner? Often, yes. If you need an mvv to live with your partner, you usually pass the Basisexamen Inburgering Buitenland first. Some people are exempt, for example because of their nationality or a diploma. The IND decides. ### Is the exam abroad enough for inburgering? No. The exam abroad is at A1. After you arrive, you still have to integrate here. DUO sends you a letter, and you have 3 years. ### When does DUO's letter come after I arrive? Under the 2021 law, DUO writes once you have a BSN, a residence permit and a municipal registration. That can take up to 8 weeks after all three are arranged. ### Who pays for inburgering when you come for a partner? You pay for the course and exams yourself, according to Rijksoverheid. You can often borrow from DUO for an approved school and for the exams. ### Can I become Dutch sooner because my partner is Dutch? The IND has an exception to the 5-year term: after 3 years of living together in the Kingdom with the same Dutch partner. The other conditions, like the integration requirement, still apply. ## Sources - [Rijksoverheid: when integration starts in your home country](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/immigratie-naar-nederland/vraag-en-antwoord/moet-ik-al-met-mijn-inburgering-beginnen-in-het-land-van-herkomst) - [IND: the civic integration exam abroad (exemptions, result, validity)](https://ind.nl/en/civic-integration-exam-abroad) - [Naar Nederland (DUO): the exam abroad, 150 euro, results within 8 weeks](https://english.naarnederland.nl/) - [IND: residence permit for a partner](https://ind.nl/en/residence-permits/family-and-partner/residence-permit-for-partner) - [IND: fees, the costs of an application](https://ind.nl/en/fees-costs-of-an-application) - [Government.nl: registering with the BRP within 5 days](https://www.government.nl/themes/government-and-democracy/personal-data/question-and-answer/when-should-i-register-with-the-personal-records-database-as-a-resident) - [IND: living in the Netherlands (registering, birth certificate)](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/living-in-the-netherlands) - [inburgeren.nl: 3 years to integrate, letters, broad intake, PIP and routes](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/index.jsp) - [Rijksoverheid: Wet inburgering 2021 (family migrants pay themselves)](https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/themas/migratie-en-reizen/inburgeren-in-nederland/nieuwe-wet-inburgering) - [inburgeren.nl: how much inburgering costs](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/index.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: borrowing from DUO](https://www.inburgeren.nl/inburgeren-betalen/lenen-bij-duo.jsp) - [DUO: Staatsexamen NT2 exam fees](https://duo.nl/particulier/staatsexamen-nt2/examengeld.jsp) - [IND: permanent residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/replace-extend-renew-and-change/permanent-residency/permanent-residence-permit) - [IND: exceptions to the 5-year term for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/exceptions-to-the-5-year-term-for-naturalisation-in-the-netherlands) - [IND: renouncing your nationality (exceptions)](https://ind.nl/en/renouncing-your-nationality) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Using AI to practice Dutch for the inburgering exam Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/ai-practice-dutch-inburgering · Sources checked 2026-11-14 AI chat assistants can explain Dutch in your own language, play a role in a conversation and give feedback on your writing. They can also be wrong, especially about rules, dates and fees. Here is how to use them well, with prompts you can copy and tips to keep your data safe. ## The short answer An AI chat assistant can be a patient practice partner. It is available at any time, and it never gets tired of the same question. But it is not DUO, and it is not the exam. This guide is general advice about practicing, written on 14 November 2026. Exam facts come from inburgeren.nl, DUO and our own checked guides. Your letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. - Good for: explanations in your own language, speaking practice, feedback on your writing, and role-play. - Not good for: rules, dates, deadlines and fees. AI can be wrong, and still sound sure. - Not the real exam: practice in the exam format too, with DUO's free practice exams. - Keep your data safe: never share your BSN, DigiD login or passport details. ## What AI is good for Used well, an AI assistant helps with the parts of learning where you need many tries and quick answers. - Explanations in your own language. Ask why a Dutch sentence is built the way it is, and ask for the answer in your language. - Speaking practice. If your assistant has a voice mode, you can answer questions out loud and hear Dutch back. - Feedback on writing. Write a short message in Dutch and ask what is wrong, and why. - Role-play. Ask the assistant to be a doctor's assistant, a neighbour or a shop worker, and answer in Dutch. - Easier texts. Ask for a short text at A2 level about a daily topic, then questions about it. - Word lists. Ask for words you need for a topic, like work, health or housing. ## Where AI goes wrong AI assistants write fluent text. That does not mean it is correct. Be careful with these: - Rules, dates and fees. These change. The IND, for example, changes its fees every year on 1 January. AI may give old or invented information. Always check inburgeren.nl, duo.nl or ind.nl. - Your own situation. Which exams you take and your deadline are in your letters and in Mijn Inburgering. An AI cannot see them, and it should not guess. - Real exam questions. The exam is secret. Anyone, or any tool, that offers you real exam questions is offering fraud. Use practice questions written for practice. - Marking. An AI cannot tell you what DUO or the Staatsexamen would give you, or whether you will pass. - Dutch mistakes. AI usually writes good Dutch, but it can still make mistakes, for example with de or het. If something looks strange, check it in a dictionary or ask your teacher. - [De or het? How to choose](https://mykora.nl/blog/de-of-het) ## Practice in the exam format too Chatting with an AI is not the same as the exam. The exam has a fixed format, and it helps to know it well. Some facts about the A2 exams, from DUO and our checked guides: - Spreken A2: on a computer, with headphones. You watch short videos or look at pictures, hear a question, and answer out loud into a microphone. At most 35 minutes. Since 1 March 2025 it is spoken answers only. - Schrijven A2: on paper, in a booklet, with 4 writing tasks, for at most 40 minutes. - Lezen A2: on the computer, with multiple-choice questions. Luisteren A2: on the computer, with headphones, audio and video. - KNM: on the computer, with short video clips and multiple-choice questions. - DUO has free practice exams for all A2 parts and KNM on inburgeren.nl. They work best on a desktop computer. The Spreken practice exam does not work in Safari. - For the Staatsexamen NT2 (B1 and B2), there are official practice exams too. - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [The A2 speaking exam, explained](https://mykora.nl/blog/spreken-a2-explained) - [Practicing the A2 speaking exam out loud at home](https://mykora.nl/blog/practise-speaking-exam-at-home) ## Prompts you can copy Copy one of these into your AI assistant. Change the words in brackets. Ask for explanations in your own language, and ask the assistant to keep the Dutch at A2 (or B1) level. - "Explain in [your language] why the verb goes to the end in this Dutch sentence: [sentence]. Keep it short and simple." - "Ask me 5 short questions in Dutch at A2 level about my daily life. Wait for my answer each time. Then tell me in [your language] what I can say better." - "You are a doctor's assistant on the phone. I want to make an appointment. Speak simple Dutch at A2 level. Correct me after each answer." - "Here is a short message I wrote in Dutch to my neighbour: [your text]. List my mistakes, explain each one in [your language], and give a corrected version." - "Write a short Dutch text at A2 level about [topic], then 4 questions about it. Do not give the answers until I have tried." - "Give me 15 Dutch words for [topic] with de or het, and an example sentence for each." - "Do not tell me rules, dates or fees for the inburgering exam. If I ask, tell me to check inburgeren.nl." ## Keep your personal data safe What you type into an AI assistant may be stored. Treat it like a message to a stranger. - Never share your BSN, V-number, DigiD username or password, or passport details. - Do not upload photos of your letters, residence permit or passport. If you want help with a letter, type only the sentence you do not understand, without your name, address or numbers. - Use made-up names and places in role-play and writing practice. - Check the privacy settings of the assistant you use. ## On exam day: no AI, no phone AI is for practice at home. On exam day your phone and watch go into a locker before you enter the exam room. You may not take photos of the exam, or share its content afterwards. - [What happens on your exam day](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-day) - [What the inburgering exam looks like on the computer](https://mykora.nl/blog/inburgering-exam-computer-screen) ## Kora as one option If you use Claude, you can add Kora as a free connector. Then Claude can answer questions about the inburgering exams with Kora's checked guides, and give you KNM practice questions. The Kora app lets you practice every exam part in the exam format, with explanations in 12 languages. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO. - [Use Kora in your AI assistant](https://mykora.nl/ai-assistants) - [How Kora uses AI](https://mykora.nl/how-kora-uses-ai) ## Questions ### Can I prepare for the inburgering exam with AI only? AI helps with explanations, speaking and writing practice. But it is not the exam format, and it can be wrong about rules. Also practice with DUO's free practice exams on inburgeren.nl, and check facts on official sites. ### Can AI tell me if I will pass? No. Your result comes from the official exam marking. An AI cannot predict it, and neither can Kora. ### Is it safe to share my DUO letter with an AI? Do not upload the whole letter. Type only the sentence you do not understand, without your name, address, BSN or other numbers. ### Can I practice Spreken with AI? Yes, especially with a voice mode. Also practice in the real format: on a computer, with headphones, answering out loud. DUO has free Spreken practice exams on inburgeren.nl. ### Can AI give me the real exam questions? No. The exam is secret. Anyone who offers real exam questions is offering fraud. Use practice questions written for practice. ## Sources - [inburgeren.nl: official practice exams (A2, KNM, B1 and B2)](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/oefenen.jsp) - [inburgeren.nl: language exams A2, B1, B2](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/inhoud-taalexamens-a2-b1-b2.jsp) - [DUO exam regulations (PDF): how each part is taken](https://www.inburgeren.nl/images/examenreglement.pdf) - [inburgeren.nl: exam rules](https://www.inburgeren.nl/examen-doen/regels-voor-het-examen.jsp) - [Staatsexamens NT2: practice exams](https://www.staatsexamensnt2.nl/voorbereiden/examens-oefenen) - [IND: fees change every year on 1 January](https://ind.nl/en/fees-costs-of-an-application) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you. --- # Permanent residence or Dutch citizenship: the differences Source: https://mykora.nl/blog/permanent-residence-vs-naturalisation · Sources checked 2026-11-14 A permanent residence permit lets you stay in the Netherlands without an end date. Naturalisation makes you a Dutch citizen, with a Dutch passport. Both usually need 5 years and the inburgering exam at A2. Naturalisation usually also means giving up your other nationality. The IND decides each case. ## The short answer Both are ways to stay in the Netherlands for good. They are not the same. Here is the short version, from the IND. This guide explains the IND's public rules, checked on 14 November 2026. It is not legal or immigration advice. The IND looks at each application on its own and decides. - Permanent residence: you keep your nationality and get a residence permit with no end date. The card itself is valid for 5 years and you renew it. - Naturalisation: you become a Dutch citizen and can get a Dutch passport. You usually have to give up your other nationality. - Both usually need at least 5 years of living here with a valid residence permit. - Both usually need the inburgering exam at language level A2. - You apply for permanent residence at the IND. You apply for naturalisation at your municipality. The IND decides both. ## Side by side The main points next to each other. These are the usual rules. There are exceptions, and the IND decides. | Topic | Permanent residence permit | Naturalisation (Dutch citizenship) | | --- | --- | --- | | What you get | A residence permit with no end date. You keep your nationality. You may work freely. | Dutch nationality. You can apply for a Dutch passport or ID card. | | Years of living here | At least 5 years in a row with a valid Dutch residence permit, with your main home in the Netherlands. | At least 5 years in a row with a valid residence permit. There are exceptions, for example after 3 years with a Dutch partner. | | Current permit | A valid permit for a non-temporary purpose. | For example a permanent permit, a long-term EU resident permit, or a temporary permit with a non-temporary purpose. | | Income | You must meet the IND's income requirements. | Not in the IND's list of naturalisation requirements. | | Inburgering | The civic integration exam at A2 or higher, or an exemption. | The civic integration exam at A2 or higher, or the Staatsexamen NT2. Or an exemption. | | Your other nationality | You keep it. | You usually have to give it up. There are exceptions. | | Ceremony | No ceremony. You make an appointment to collect your card at an IND desk. | Required. You only become Dutch at the naturalisation ceremony. | | Where you apply | At the IND, online or by post. | At the town hall of your municipality. | | Who decides | The IND, within 6 months. | The IND, within 12 months. Then the King signs a Royal Decree. | | Fee (2026) | 254 euro. | 1,139 euro for 1 person, 1,454 euro together with a partner. | ## Permanent residence: the main conditions The IND lists these requirements for a permanent residence permit, among others: - You have had a valid Dutch residence permit for at least 5 years in a row. Only years from age 8 count. - Your main home was in the Netherlands during those 5 years. - You always extended your permit on time, and you met its requirements. - You now have a valid residence permit for a non-temporary purpose. - You meet the income requirements. - You are registered in the Personal Records Database (BRP) of your municipality. - You passed the civic integration exam at level A2 or higher, or you have an exemption. - The IND first checks if you can get the residence permit for long-term EU residents. You do not have to do anything for that yourself. - [IND: permanent residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/replace-extend-renew-and-change/permanent-residency/permanent-residence-permit) - [IND: civic integration for a more secure residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/civic-integration-for-more-secure-residence-permit) ## Naturalisation: the main conditions The IND lists these requirements for naturalisation, among others: - You are 18 or older, and you can prove your identity and nationality. - You have lived in the Kingdom of the Netherlands for at least 5 years in a row with a valid residence permit. There are exceptions to the 5 years. - You have the right kind of residence permit during the whole procedure, up to the ceremony. - You meet the integration requirement: the civic integration exam at A2 or higher, unless you are exempt. - You are not a danger to public order or national security. - You give up your current nationality, unless an exception applies. - You are willing to make the declaration of solidarity at the ceremony. - [IND: becoming a Dutch national through naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/becoming-a-dutch-national-through-naturalisation) - [IND: exceptions to the 5-year term for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/exceptions-to-the-5-year-term-for-naturalisation-in-the-netherlands) ## The language level: A2, B1 and the 2013 or 2021 law For both permanent residence and naturalisation, the IND asks for the civic integration exam at language level A2 as a minimum. That is the requirement on the IND's pages, checked on 14 November 2026. It does not matter which integration law you integrated under. The IND accepts a civic integration diploma at A2 or higher under the Wet inburgering 2013 and under the Wet inburgering 2021. A Staatsexamen NT2 diploma (Programma I or II, B1 or B2) also counts for naturalisation. If you are on the B1 route now, your B1 Staatsexamen diploma is above the A2 minimum. You do not need to take the A2 exam as well. You may read news about plans to change the rules for naturalisation. A plan is not a rule. Until the IND's own pages change, check ind.nl and follow what it says. - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation (exemptions)](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/civic-integration-for-naturalisation) - [A2 or B1: which route are you on?](https://mykora.nl/blog/a2-or-b1-route) - [Which exam do you need for naturalisation?](https://mykora.nl/which-inburgering-exam/naturalisation) ## Exemptions from the integration requirement Sometimes you do not need the diploma. The IND gives exemptions and dispensations. For permanent residence, examples are: - You have Belgian or Luxembourg nationality. - You are under 18, or of state pension age or older. - You lived in the Netherlands for 8 years or more during your school age. - You have a Z route certificate, or the civic integration certificate of the Wet inburgering 2021. - You cannot take the exam for medical reasons, and you can prove it. - For naturalisation, the IND keeps its own list. For example, a Dutch diploma from education in Dutch, or a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma. A Z route certificate alone is not enough for naturalisation: you also need advice from DUO. ## Giving up your other nationality If you naturalise at 18 or older, the IND says you usually have to give up your other nationality. With permanent residence you keep it. The IND lists exceptions. You do not have to give up your nationality if, for example: - You are married to a Dutch citizen, or their registered partner, on the day the Royal Decree is signed. - You have an asylum residence permit. - You were born in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and you live here now. - The law of your country does not allow you to give up your nationality. - You can also ask to keep your nationality if giving it up has serious consequences. For example, a very high cost, or losing the right to inherit. - After the ceremony, the IND sends you a letter. From then you have 3 months to send proof that you asked to give up your nationality. If you do not, you can lose your Dutch nationality. - [IND: renouncing your nationality (exceptions and country list)](https://ind.nl/en/renouncing-your-nationality) ## The naturalisation ceremony A positive decision from the IND does not make you Dutch yet. The King first signs a Royal Decree. Then your municipality invites you to the naturalisation ceremony. You must go to the ceremony within 1 year after the positive decision. There you make the declaration of solidarity: you declare that you know the laws of the Kingdom of the Netherlands also apply to you. You get the naturalisation decision, and then you can apply for a Dutch passport or ID card. If you do not go, you do not become Dutch, and you have to apply again. ## Costs: check the IND fee page On the IND's fee page (checked 14 November 2026), a permanent residence permit costs 254 euro. Naturalisation costs 1,139 euro for 1 person, or 1,454 euro together with a partner. A child under 18 who becomes Dutch together with a parent costs 168 euro. The IND says its fees change every year on 1 January, so check the fee page before you apply. The IND also has a faster and cheaper way to become Dutch for some people, called option. With option you usually keep your nationality and you do not need the integration exam. Check on ind.nl if you can use it. - [IND: fees, the costs of an application](https://ind.nl/en/fees-costs-of-an-application) - [IND: becoming a Dutch national through option](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/becoming-a-dutch-national-through-option) ## Who decides The IND decides both, case by case. It looks at your own documents and situation. Kora cannot tell you which one you can get. DUO runs the inburgering exams and gives you the diploma. Your municipality takes your naturalisation application, organises the ceremony and gives you your Dutch passport. ## What you can do now If you do not have your inburgering diploma yet, that is often the first step for both. Check Mijn Inburgering to see which exams you already passed. Kora lets you practice every A2 exam part in the exam format, with explanations in your own language. It shows what you practiced and what you got right. It cannot tell you if you will pass. Kora is independent and not part of DUO or the IND. - [Do expats have to do inburgering?](https://mykora.nl/blog/do-expats-need-inburgering) - [How to book your inburgering exam](https://mykora.nl/blog/book-inburgering-exam) ## Questions ### What is the difference between permanent residence and naturalisation? With permanent residence you keep your nationality and can stay without an end date. With naturalisation you become a Dutch citizen and get a Dutch passport, but you usually have to give up your other nationality. ### Which language level do I need for naturalisation? The IND asks for the civic integration exam at A2 as a minimum (checked 14 November 2026). A Staatsexamen NT2 diploma at B1 or B2 also counts. ### How many years do I need to live here? Usually at least 5 years in a row with a valid residence permit, for both. For naturalisation there are exceptions, for example after 3 years with a Dutch partner. ### Do I have to give up my nationality? For permanent residence, no. For naturalisation, usually yes, if you are 18 or older. There are exceptions, for example if you are married to a Dutch citizen on the day the Royal Decree is signed. ### How much does naturalisation cost? On the IND fee page in 2026: 1,139 euro for 1 person, 1,454 euro with a partner. Permanent residence costs 254 euro. Fees change every year on 1 January. ## Sources - [IND: permanent residence permit (requirements, 254 euro, 6 months)](https://ind.nl/en/replace-extend-renew-and-change/permanent-residency/permanent-residence-permit) - [IND: becoming a Dutch national through naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/becoming-a-dutch-national-through-naturalisation) - [IND: exceptions to the 5-year term for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/exceptions-to-the-5-year-term-for-naturalisation-in-the-netherlands) - [IND: civic integration for a more secure residence permit](https://ind.nl/en/living-in-the-netherlands-with-a-residence-permit/civic-integration-for-more-secure-residence-permit) - [IND: civic integration for naturalisation](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/civic-integration-for-naturalisation) - [IND: renouncing your nationality](https://ind.nl/en/renouncing-your-nationality) - [IND: fees, the costs of an application](https://ind.nl/en/fees-costs-of-an-application) - [IND: becoming a Dutch national through option](https://ind.nl/en/dutch-citizenship/becoming-a-dutch-national-through-option) - [IND: temporary and non-temporary purposes of residence](https://ind.nl/en/temporary-and-non-temporary-purposes-of-residence) - [inburgeren.nl: naturalisation](https://www.inburgeren.nl/en/integration-in-the-netherlands/naturalisation.jsp) Kora is an independent practice app. It is not connected to DUO, CvTE or the IND. Your own letters from DUO and your municipality decide what applies to you.