Check who chooses before signing
The municipality chooses your school if you are an asielstatushouder (asylum status holder) under Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021) (External site, opens in a new tab). You choose your own school if you are another migrant under this law. You also choose your own school under Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013). A DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) (External site, opens in a new tab) loan covers courses only at approved schools. Ask for the price, lesson hours and contract terms before signing.
Who chooses your school and course?
Under the 2021 law, your gemeente (municipality) sets your leerroute (learning route). Your PIP (persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie, personal integration and participation plan) records the route and exams you need.
The school and course choices depend on your integration law and status. See DUO school-choice rules (External site, opens in a new tab).
You can scroll wide tables sideways.
| Your situation | Who chooses the school? | Who chooses the course? |
|---|---|---|
| Wet inburgering 2021: asylum status holder | The municipality | The municipality chooses your course and records it in your PIP. |
| Wet inburgering 2021: other migrants, including gezinsmigranten (family migrants) | You | You choose a course within the route set by the municipality. |
| Wet inburgering 2013 | You | You choose a course for the exams you need. |
Under the 2013 law, check Mijn Inburgering (My Integration, DUO’s online portal) for the exams you still need. If you have just received your first letter, use the DUO integration-letter guide to check which law applies.
If integration is voluntary and you pay for the course without government funding, you can choose your own school. If you need a DUO loan, choose an approved school. Check DUO’s loan conditions before choosing a course. You can borrow until three years after you register with the municipality.
Which schools can you pay with a DUO loan?
For a loan-funded course, choose a school on zoekinburgerschool.nl (find an integration school) (External site, opens in a new tab). These schools have the Blik op Werk-keurmerk (Blik op Werk quality mark) (External site, opens in a new tab). DUO loans pay for courses only at approved schools.
Blik op Werk checks the quality of integration schools. You still need to compare lesson hours, class size, students’ levels, computers and student reviews. If you pay entirely yourself and use no government funding, you can choose a school without this mark.
Which course fits your route and goal?
Choose the course level before comparing schools. A taalschool (language school) can offer several courses. A cursus (course) is the course you take there. Under the 2021 law, your learning route sets the requirements.
The three course types below come from DUO’s course-choice guidance (External site, opens in a new tab). Under the 2021 law, start with the route in your PIP: B1-route (B1 learning route), Onderwijsroute (education route) or Z-route (self-reliance route).
- B1 or B2 Dutch course: ask about this option if you want to work or study at a higher level.
- A2 integration course: ask about this option if A2 is the level you need for your language exams.
- Alfabetiseringscursus (literacy course): if reading or writing is difficult in every language you use, ask about literacy support before joining a standard A2 group.
In a literacy course, you learn to read and write. You also learn Dutch. You usually need an A2 course and exams afterwards.
Who pays for your course and exams?
For asylum status holders under Wet inburgering 2021, the municipality pays for the course. The first two attempts at each exam are free at the PIP level or higher. You pay for lower-level or extra attempts yourself. You cannot borrow from DUO. These conditions come from DUO’s payment rules (External site, opens in a new tab).
Other people can pay themselves or apply for a DUO loan. Check your eligibility before signing. DUO pays the school or exam provider directly; the amount paid becomes your loan. For eligibility details, see the DUO integration-loan guide.
Asylum status holders never have to repay their integration loan. Other borrowers may receive full or partial cancellation. If you must repay, you also pay interest. Read DUO’s loan and repayment conditions (External site, opens in a new tab) before agreeing to borrow.
Ask the school how it sends invoices and what you must do. For a digital course invoice, check it in Mijn Inburgering. Accept it if it is correct; refuse it if it is wrong. DUO pays the school from your loan after you accept. Follow DUO’s course-invoice instructions (External site, opens in a new tab).
Intake fees, administration fees and cancellation charges fall outside the loan. Ask which costs you must pay from your own money. For example, ask the school to list its intake fee separately from the course price. The integration costs and fees guide explains the other costs to plan for.
What should you check before signing?
If you choose your own school, follow these checks in order:
- Check your DUO letter and, under the 2021 law, your PIP.
- Confirm the course level and who will pay.
- Compare schools. If you need a DUO loan, check that each school is approved.
- Get the full price, lesson hours and contract terms in writing.
- Sign when the course fits your plan and you understand the payment and cancellation terms.
What should you ask each school?
Ask each school all the questions below so you can compare the answers. Request written answers about costs and contract terms.
What will you pay, and when are the lessons?
- What is the full price, including books, intake, tests, online materials and administration fees?
- What is the payment schedule, and which charges fall outside a DUO loan?
- What are the lesson times, weekly lesson hours and expected hours of study at home?
What teaching and support will you get?
- How many people are in the class, and are they at the same Dutch level?
- Does the teacher have experience teaching Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2, Dutch as a second language) and preparing students for integration exams?
- Can I use a computer at school if I do not have one at home?
- Can I try a lesson or speak with a current student before signing?
- What help is available if I fail an exam?
- Does the school help with exam planning and booking?
Ask who books the exams. The A2 exam registration guide explains how to book them yourself.
What happens if you miss lessons or need a change?
- What happens if I miss lessons because of work, childcare, illness or a municipal appointment?
- Can I change groups or the lesson schedule?
- Can I pause or cancel the course, and when can I get money back?
When should you ask for more information?
Pause before signing if any of these applies:
- The school asks you to sign before you have checked your PIP or DUO letter.
- The price is unclear, or the school leaves out books or extra modules from its first quote.
- The school says a DUO loan will pay for the course, but the school is absent from zoekinburgerschool.nl.
- The class mixes beginners with students at much higher levels, without explaining how it will teach both groups.
- Staff cannot explain what happens if you fail an exam, miss lessons or need to change your schedule.
- The school promises that you will pass the exam.
Ask for the missing terms in writing. A promise that you will pass gives you no information about the lessons, costs or support.
Which action fits your situation?
If the municipality chooses your school, ask your contact person about the course in your PIP before making a change. If you choose yourself, compare the level, hours, support and full cost before signing. If you need a DUO loan, confirm the school’s approval and the charges you must pay yourself.
Official Sources
- Inburgeren.nl (DUO's civic integration website): School kiezen (External site, opens in a new tab) - School choice under the 2021 and 2013 laws, the quality-mark requirement for loans, and school-comparison criteria.
- Inburgeren.nl: Cursus kiezen (External site, opens in a new tab) - Who chooses the course and learning route, the role of the personal plan, and B1, B2, A2 and literacy courses.
- Inburgeren.nl: Lenen bij DUO (External site, opens in a new tab) - Loan eligibility, voluntary integration, approved schools, direct payments and repayment exceptions.
- Zoek inburgerschool (External site, opens in a new tab) - Blik op Werk school-search tool listing approved integration schools.
- Blik op Werk: Keurmerk Inburgeren (External site, opens in a new tab) - Quality checks, the mark required for loan-funded courses, and freedom to choose a school when paying entirely yourself.
- Inburgeren.nl: In het kort (External site, opens in a new tab) - The personal integration plan, learning routes, exam requirements and voluntary integration.
- Inburgeren.nl: Hoeveel kost inburgeren? (External site, opens in a new tab) - Who pays for courses and the conditions for two free attempts at each exam under the 2021 law.
- Inburgeren.nl: Cursus betalen met lening (External site, opens in a new tab) - Costs covered or excluded by the loan and how to check and approve a digital course invoice.