DUO (Dutch education service) loan for inburgering (civic integration): who can borrow?

Asylum status holders under the 2021 law use municipal funding instead of a DUO loan. The table compares borrowing routes. DUO’s borrowing rules (External site, opens in a new tab) cover Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013) and the 2021 law.

If you are the partner, parent or child of an asylum status holder and must integrate under the 2021 law, you cannot borrow from DUO. Ask your gemeente about funding. This exclusion appears in DUO’s application form (External site, opens in a new tab) (PDF, 165 KB).

For asylum status holders under the 2021 law, the first two attempts at each exam are free. The exam must be at the level in your PIP (personal integration and participation plan) or higher. You pay for further attempts yourself. See DUO’s exam-payment rules (External site, opens in a new tab).

If you are not an asylum status holder, DUO bases your loan amount on income from two years earlier. It checks your income and your partner’s income. The DUO loan calculator (External site, opens in a new tab) gives an estimate. Your decision letter gives the exact amount.

If your income has fallen, DUO can consider your newer income. Follow DUO’s request to use another income year (External site, opens in a new tab). You need to send the request form, evidence and the loan application form.

Under the 2013 law, you can borrow while you still have to integrate. Keep to your participatieverklaring (participation declaration) deadline.

The loan can pay for approved integration courses, materials and exams. DUO’s course-payment page (External site, opens in a new tab) lists the course costs you can pay for:

• A2, B1 or B2 language courses, at school or online.
• Literacy courses.
• A taalschakeltraject (language transition programme), if you fall under the 2021 law.
• Course materials, such as books and course folders.

You pay living costs yourself. DUO also excludes all of these costs from course invoices:

• A laptop or tablet.
• Food and drink.
• Administration, intake and copying costs, and postage.
• Uitschrijfkosten (course deregistration fees) when you stop the course.

For example, a 2026 invoice lists €400 for an approved A2 course, €30 for books and €300 for a laptop. The costs that qualify for loan payment total €430. Ask the school to keep the laptop charge off its DUO invoice. You pay the €300 laptop cost yourself.

For total exam fees and course costs, see the inburgering costs, loans and fees guide.

For a language or literacy course, choose a school on zoekinburgerschool.nl (External site, opens in a new tab). These schools have the Blik op Werk-keurmerk (Blik op Werk quality mark). DUO’s school-choice rules (External site, opens in a new tab) explain which schools qualify for loan funding.

DUO also recognises taalschakeltraject providers separately. Ask DUO to confirm the provider before you sign a contract for that programme.

Before you sign, check the course price. Check which materials the invoice includes. Check what you pay if you stop early. A loan covers only costs DUO approves.

You apply through Mijn Inburgering (External site, opens in a new tab) (My Civic Integration). For online applications, follow these steps:

1. Log in with DigiD (Dutch digital identity), using the DigiD app or a text-message check.
2. Choose ‘Lening aanvragen’ (apply for a loan).

If you cannot log in, post DUO’s loan application form (External site, opens in a new tab) (PDF, 165 KB). DUO says it responds to form applications within eight weeks. Its decision letter tells you how much you may borrow.

Your school sends the invoice to DUO. DUO emails you when it is ready in Mijn Inburgering. Then follow these steps:

1. Log in to Mijn Inburgering.
2. Check the invoice.
3. Choose ‘accepteren’ (accept) if it is correct, or ‘weigeren’ (refuse) if it is wrong.

After you accept, DUO pays the school from your loan. If you refuse, DUO makes no payment for that invoice.

For a correct paper invoice, DUO needs the original with your details and signature. Follow these steps:

1. Check the invoice.
2. Add your burgerservicenummer (BSN, citizen service number) and signature if the invoice is correct.
3. Post the original to DUO Servicecentrum Inburgering, Postbus 764, 9700 AT Groningen.
4. Make sure the school also sends a digital invoice to DUO.

In 2026, DUO accepts up to €2,000 in school invoices per person per quarter. The final quarter can have a higher total if you have passed the inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam). See DUO’s school-invoice limits (External site, opens in a new tab).

When you finish integrating, DUO sends a letter saying your loan stops. Follow that letter’s instructions if you still have invoices to pay. Your school must send the final invoice within four months after you meet your integration duty.

For A2 language exams and knowledge exams, choose loan payment when you register in Mijn Inburgering. If you use a registration form, tick the loan-payment option. For the booking steps, see A2 exam registration in Mijn Inburgering.

For B1 or B2 language exams, the Staatsexamen Nt2 (state exam in Dutch as a second language), you register through Mijn DUO (My DUO). The portal automatically checks whether a free attempt or loan payment is available. See DUO’s exam loan-payment instructions (External site, opens in a new tab).

DUO lists an annual interest rate of 2.29% for 2026. After you finish integrating, your rate stays fixed for five years at a time. Check Mijn Inburgering for your own rate. See DUO’s repayment and interest rules (External site, opens in a new tab).

Asylum status holders never have to repay their integration loan. DUO may cancel all or part of the debt for other borrowers. Your DUO letter tells you whether you must repay and how much.

If you are an asylum status holder under the 2013 law, DUO will refund your earlier loan repayments. Your outstanding loan balance is cancelled. You do not need to apply. Wait for your letter: DUO says it will send letters in autumn 2026. These rules appear in DUO’s 6 July 2026 loan-refund notice (External site, opens in a new tab). Family and other migrants are outside this refund action.

If you still have to integrate, continue with your integration.

If you must repay, payments start six months after you finish integrating. You have ten years to repay, with interest. DUO collects a fixed monthly amount from your bank account.

You can pay extra, start repayment early or repay the whole loan at once. If your income drops, you can ask DUO for a lower monthly payment. DUO decides whether to approve the request.

If you use municipal funding under the 2021 law, ask your gemeente about the course. If you can borrow, check your DUO decision and the approved school before signing. Compare the course price with your loan amount, and budget separately for excluded costs.

If you integrate voluntarily, check the three-year borrowing end date before agreeing to course payments. If you are an asylum status holder under the 2013 law, follow DUO’s letters about cancellation and refunds.

Choose the page that matches your next task:

• How to choose an inburgering school.
• Mijn Inburgering guide.
• Which Dutch exam do you need?.