Inburgering Costs, Loans and Fees: What You May Need to Pay

Inburgering costs depend on your route, your law year and your residence situation. As of the May 2026 source check, most DUO exam parts cost EUR 50, the A1 basisexamen abroad costs EUR 150 for the full exam, and NT2 costs EUR 50 per part. Course prices are set by schools, not by DUO. Some people pay themselves, some can borrow from DUO, and asylum status holders under the Wet inburgering 2021 normally have the course and first 2 exam attempts paid through the municipality.

• Check Mijn Inburgering first. It shows which exams DUO expects from you and which law applies.
• A2 language exams and KNM are EUR 50 per part. ONA is EUR 40 when it still applies under the 2013 law.
• A full NT2 Programma I or Programma II exam is EUR 200 because each of the 4 parts costs EUR 50.
• MAP is free under the Wet inburgering 2021. PVT is free under the 2021 law, and under the 2013 law it is free for asylum status holders but EUR 150 for other integrators.
• Wi2021 asylum status holders get the first 2 attempts for each required exam free, unless they choose a lower level than stated in the PIP.
• DUO loans can pay eligible school and exam costs, but DUO pays the provider or exam bill directly. You do not receive the loan as cash.

Use this table as a starting point, then check your own DUO or gemeente letter. Volatile fees were checked against official sources in May 2026.

The biggest difference is not the exam price. It is who receives the bill.

A DUO inburgering loan is not spending money. DUO uses it to pay eligible course invoices or exam costs. You apply in Mijn Inburgering through Lening aanvragen, or with a form if you cannot log in. After you apply, DUO sends a letter saying how much you may borrow.

• DUO can pay A2, B1 or B2 courses, literacy courses, a Wi2021 taalschakeltraject, course materials such as books and exam fees.
• Course borrowing normally requires a school listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl.
• The loan cannot pay for a laptop or tablet, food and drink, administration fees, intake fees, copying, postage or cancellation costs.
• Wi2013 asylum status holders can borrow up to EUR 10,000. Non-asylum borrowers usually receive an income-based decision.
• As of the May 2026 source check, DUO lists 2.29 percent as the 2026 annual interest rate. Your own repayment letter and Mijn Inburgering remain decisive.

If you must repay, DUO sends a letter with the amount. Repayment usually starts 6 months after you finish integrating. You get 10 years to repay, pay interest, and normally repay a fixed monthly amount from your bank account.

Loan forgiveness is specific. It mainly matters for asylum status holders under the Wet inburgering 2013, and sometimes their partner, parent or child. Read the inburgering loan forgiveness guide before assuming that a DUO debt will disappear.

• Ask the school for the full course price, material price and cancellation rules in writing.
• If you want to use a loan, check that the school and course type are eligible before signing.
• Register and cancel exams on time. Late cancellation can mean paying again.
• Keep DUO letters, invoices, payment confirmations and your PIP in one place.
• Ask your gemeente about travel costs, MAP, PVT and local support. DUO notes that travel reimbursement depends on the municipality.
• If childcare makes studying possible, check whether kinderopvangtoeslag may apply through Dienst Toeslagen.

If you are still choosing a course, read how to choose an inburgering school. For the borrowing details, use the DUO loan guide. If you are unsure which exams you need, start with which Dutch exam do you need or the main inburgeringsexamen guide.