Education Route (Onderwijsroute) for Inburgering (Civic Integration): Programme and Exams

The onderwijsroute is the education route under the Civic Integration Act 2021 (Wet inburgering 2021). It is mainly for newcomers who can realistically move on to secondary vocational education (mbo), higher professional education (hbo), or university after a taalschakeltraject (transition programme) for Dutch, study skills, and further education. Your municipality decides this route in your Persoonlijk Plan Inburgering en Participatie (PIP, personal integration and participation plan) after the broad intake. You usually take B1 or B2 language exams and the Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM, knowledge of Dutch society) exam. You also complete the participatieverklaringstraject (PVT, participation declaration process) and the taalschakeltraject diploma.

• The onderwijsroute is one of the three learning routes under the Wet inburgering 2021, next to the B1-route and Z-route.
• It is aimed at progression into Dutch vocational education, higher professional education, or university.
• The taalschakeltraject combines Dutch lessons with study skills and preparation for further education.
• DUO explains that onderwijsroute candidates take B1 or B2 language exams and the KNM knowledge exam. They also complete PVT. Your PIP or Mijn Inburgering shows what applies to you.
• The Wet inburgering 2021 says the Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie (MAP, labour market and participation module) requirement does not apply if you follow or have completed the taalschakeltraject.
• If the route no longer fits your situation, talk to the municipality quickly and ask for a written PIP update.

DUO describes the onderwijsroute as especially for younger newcomers. Age alone does not determine the route. The municipality assesses whether further education is realistic after the taalschakeltraject. During the broad intake, it looks at your previous education, work experience, current Dutch level, learning potential, and practical situation.

The table separates the route decision from the programme, language level, and knowledge parts. Use the last column to check what your PIP or municipality must confirm.

The onderwijsroute remains part of inburgering. It combines preparation for education with your official integration duty.

• Taalschakeltraject: the transition programme that prepares you for Dutch vocational or higher education.
• Dutch language: reading, writing, speaking, and listening at B1 or B2, often through Staatsexamen NT2 exams.
• KNM: Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij, the knowledge of Dutch society exam.
• PVT: Participatieverklaringstraject, the participation declaration process usually arranged with the municipality.
• MAP requirement: the law says MAP does not apply if you follow or have completed the taalschakeltraject.

• Which route is written down: onderwijsroute, B1-route, or Z-route.
• Whether your target is B1 or B2, and which exams you must register for yourself.
• Which school or institution provides the taalschakeltraject and when it starts.
• Whether PVT is already planned with the municipality.
• How your deadline is calculated and what happens if the start of the programme is delayed.
• Who pays for the course or programme, and whether a DUO loan can be used in your situation.

Contact your municipality if the taalschakeltraject is too difficult, its delayed start affects your plans, or it no longer matches your study goals. Ask what decision will change, when it will be updated in your PIP, and whether you need proof from the school. After a phone call, send a short follow-up message to create a written record.

If you have just received a route decision, read the PIP guide and check the route details before your course starts. If you are comparing routes, use the B1-route guide and the Z-route guide. If you are not sure which Dutch exam path applies to you, start with which Dutch exam you need.