Inburgering (civic integration): prepare for A2 or B1 exams

Your law and route affect which exams you need. Under Wet inburgering 2021 (Civic Integration Act 2021), your PIP names your route and required exams. Your gemeente (municipality) makes this plan with you. Under Wet inburgering 2013 (Civic Integration Act 2013), the required parts depend on when your integration duty began.

DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) (External site, opens in a new tab) says that Mijn Inburgering (My Integration) shows your law and required exams. Check the portal and your official letter before choosing books, apps or a course. If you are unsure, read which Dutch exam you need. For an overview of the parts, see the inburgeringsexamen (civic integration exam) guide.

Some situations, such as illness or an existing diploma, may mean fewer exams or no exams. Check the inburgering exemptions guide before adding parts to your study plan.

If you are preparing outside the Netherlands for the basisexamen inburgering buitenland (basic civic integration exam abroad), use its A1 materials. It has three parts: Kennis van de Nederlandse Samenleving (KNS, knowledge of Dutch society), Lezen (reading) and Spreken (speaking). Naar Nederland (To the Netherlands) (External site, opens in a new tab) explains these parts and its self-study package.

One official practice session shows which tasks you need to work on. For A2, use DUO’s official practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) for Schrijven (writing), Spreken, Luisteren (listening), Lezen and Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij (KNM, knowledge of Dutch society). DUO recommends a desktop computer. Use a browser other than Safari for A2 speaking practice.

For B1, use the Staatsexamen NT2 (Dutch as a second language state exam) practice environment (External site, opens in a new tab). It also has B2 practice. The site says the environment works properly only on a computer or laptop. Practise the screen controls, instructions and timing as well as the Dutch.

For A2 Lezen and Luisteren, you need about 18 of 25 correct to pass each part. For KNM, you need about 28 of 40 correct. For A2 Schrijven, you need about 65% of the points. Review why each answer was wrong. Ask someone to check your speaking and writing answers too.

After official practice, you can use the Inburgering.org free mock exam selector for extra practice. These are our practice tasks.

Choose the tasks you found hardest and give each one a place in your weekly plan. For example, if you missed appointment times in listening, practise a short recording on Monday. Write down the time you heard, then check the transcript. Review the same words later in the week.

Practise using Dutch for the tasks in your exam. Find an answer in a notice, understand a voicemail, complete a form or write a short message. In B1 speaking, give your answer after the beep. Use sentences you can finish within the task’s time limit.

Use these practice methods for the exam parts you need:

• Reading: mark the words that prove your answer in a printed practice text, or write them in your notes.
• Listening: listen for names, times, places, reasons and changes of plan.
• Writing: give the requested information, with a beginning and closing for a message.
• Speaking: start with one or two clear sentences, followed by any other points from the task.
• KNM: connect each theme to daily life in the Netherlands, and practise the Dutch words in the questions.

Match your writing practice to the exam. A2 Schrijven uses pen and paper (External site, opens in a new tab). In NT2 Schrijven, you type your answers (External site, opens in a new tab).

Save words from questions you missed and use them in short sentences. Choose situations involving work, health, housing, school, transport, government or appointments. For example: “Ik wil mijn afspraak verzetten” (I want to change my appointment). Write your own sentence, then check its meaning and word order.

For words you can use at a medical appointment, read about finding and using a huisarts (general practitioner). Save the words you need to explain why you are calling.

Practise speaking to a computer before exam day. Set a timer and record yourself on your phone without pausing the recording. Listen once for clarity, once for grammar and once for missing information. Check that your answer covers every point in the task.

For example: “Where do you buy groceries? What do you buy?” Answer both parts: “Ik koop bij de supermarkt. Ik koop brood en melk” (I shop at the supermarket. I buy bread and milk). In exam practice, follow the task’s instructions and time limit.

For real conversations, practise “Kunt u dat herhalen?” (Could you repeat that?).

Another reader can identify writing mistakes you missed. Ask a teacher, taalmaatje (language buddy), school or Dutch speaker to check a few short texts. Ask all three questions:

• Which requested points, if any, are missing from my answer?
• Which information should come earlier or later?
• Which mistake appears more than once?

Use the answers to choose what to practise next week. If you missed a reason in an email, rewrite it with the reason included. For a form, check each field rather than adding an email-style greeting or closing.

Your oproepbrief (call letter) gives instructions for your exam day. For A2, DUO says the letter contains the main rules and the exam regulations contain all the rules. A week before your appointment, read the A2 exam-day rules guide and check DUO’s official A2 exam rules (External site, opens in a new tab).

Bring a valid, undamaged legitimatiebewijs (identity document). DUO says that a missing, invalid or damaged document means you cannot take the A2 exam and need to register again.

For B1, read the official NT2 exam-day rules (External site, opens in a new tab). Bring your valid identity document and call letter. The letter states when you need to arrive; if you arrive late, you cannot enter the exam room. Confirm the location and plan your travel before the day.

Check your study routine for these four mistakes:

• Studying B1 material when your next required exam is A2, or studying only A2 when your route requires Staatsexamen NT2.
• Learning KNM facts in your own language without practising the Dutch words in the questions.
• Waiting to feel confident before speaking aloud.
• Booking another attempt before fixing the reason you failed the previous one.

If you are unsure which exams apply, check your letter, plan and Mijn Inburgering first. If you know your required level, try official practice and build the next week around your mistakes. If you have failed a part, review those mistakes and get feedback before booking another attempt. If your exam is already booked, check your call letter, identity document and travel route now.

For your next study session, choose one of these resources:

• Official practice tests for A1, A2, B1 and B2
• A route-based exam study plan
• A2 and B1 exam levels compared