Dutch Lezen (reading) exam: A1, A2, B1 and B2 guide

Your required level depends on your route. DUO (External site, opens in a new tab) (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) lists your integration exams in Mijn Inburgering. If you have a PIP, your gemeente (municipality) records your route and exams in it. You need DigiD (digital identity) to sign in. For help with access, see Get and use DigiD.

Use the case that matches your exam instructions:

• A1 abroad: the basisexamen inburgering buitenland (basic civic integration exam abroad) includes A1 reading. Some applicants need to pass it before applying for an MVV (machtiging tot voorlopig verblijf, provisional residence permit). Check the official exam-abroad requirements (External site, opens in a new tab), including exemptions and dispensation.
• A2: the inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam) has an A2 reading exam. Under the Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013), you need A2 or higher.
• B1 or B2: the B1-route (B1 integration route) requires B1 language exams. If you cannot reach B1 after at least 600 hours of language lessons, ask your municipality whether A2 is possible. For work or study, check which level the employer or school requires.

Staatsexamen NT2 offers Programma I (Programme I) at B1 and Programma II (Programme II) at B2. You can use an NT2 diploma to show your Dutch level for work or study. You receive the diploma after passing all four parts. Use your PIP or the school or employer’s requirement to choose the level.

Find your level in the table to check the exam time and choose texts to practise.

The official A1 reading practice (External site, opens in a new tab) and the real A1 exam both have 19 questions in 35 minutes.

You take A2 reading (External site, opens in a new tab) on a computer.

For NT2 reading (External site, opens in a new tab), you receive a booklet with texts. You answer multiple-choice questions on the computer. The official instruction video describes 35 or 36 questions.

A converted score of 500 or higher (External site, opens in a new tab) is a pass. The number 500 is a converted score, rather than a percentage or a count of correct answers.

For level-specific tasks and examples, use the A1 reading guide, A2 Lezen guide, B1 NT2 reading guide or B2 NT2 reading guide.

Reading questions ask you to find or explain something in the text. For example: What is the purpose? Who is the message for? What must this person do? Which rule applies? What does this paragraph mean? Which sentence gives the conclusion? At B1 and B2, some questions require a whole text or paragraph. Others require one detail.

Try these approaches for the different question types:

• Purpose questions: read the title, first lines and last lines. Ask why the writer wrote the text.
• Detail questions: look for names, dates, times, prices, places, conditions and exceptions.
• Meaning questions: read the sentence before and after the difficult sentence to find its meaning.
• Search questions: use headings, table rows and repeated keywords to find the relevant section.
• Opinion questions: separate the writer’s opinion from examples, quotes and other people’s opinions.

For NT2 reading, you may use only the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal (NT2) (pocket dictionary for Dutch as a second language). Bring your own paper copy if you want to use it. It must contain no inserted notes, texts or annotations. You may not borrow another candidate’s dictionary or use an electronic dictionary.

Choose the answer that the Dutch text supports. If two answers look possible, return to the sentence that decides between them. You can answer many questions without translating every word.

Use these reading habits during practice and the exam:

• Read the question first. Decide whether you need the whole text or one section.
• Identify the words that support the answer: dates, amounts and names. Check verbs such as must, may, can and cannot. Look for but, because, therefore and unless.
• Move past an unknown word if you can still answer the question. For NT2, use the dictionary when the word decides the answer.
• Answer every multiple-choice question. If you are unsure, choose the answer with the most support in the text. Mark it for review if the exam screen allows this.

Practice example: a notice says “Alleen op afspraak” (by appointment only). The answer must include the appointment condition. An answer that repeats a word from the notice but misses that condition is wrong.

Start with official practice to learn the timing and question style. Then use Inburgering.org’s extra practice for more exercises. Keep using the official examples when you practise for the exam.

Check for these mistakes when you review your practice answers:

• Practising at the wrong level. Use the level in your exam instructions so you practise its text types and timing.
• Reading every text before looking at the questions. For search questions, read the question first so you know which detail to find.
• Choosing an answer because it repeats a keyword. Check the whole sentence, including not, only, before, after and unless.
• Using only practice tests. Also read school letters, gemeente pages, work notices, health websites, transport rules and simple news.

Use this order for a practice session:

1. Confirm your required level in your exam instructions, Mijn Inburgering or your PIP.
2. Complete one official practice exam within the exam time, without pausing.
3. Record your score and completion time.
4. Write down the Dutch sentence that supports each correct answer, including answers you got wrong.
5. Practise the text types that caused trouble: schedules, rules, letters, long articles, opinion texts or tables.
6. Repeat a timed set to practise finding answers within the time limit.

If you are unsure about your level, check your exam instructions before choosing practice. If you run out of time, use timed sets and the search-question approach above. If you finish on time but choose wrong answers, practise finding the sentence that proves each answer. Keep your practice at the required level so you prepare for the exam you will take.

• Which Dutch exam do you need?
• Free reading summaries and workbooks
• Free mock exam selector