The inburgering exam is predictable. You prepare for it by learning the exact parts DUO tests, in order, and practising the real task types until they feel routine. That is the whole plan. Below we walk through it step by step, so you always know what to do next.
What the inburgering exam actually tests
The exam has four language parts plus one knowledge part. The four language parts are reading, listening, writing and speaking. The fifth is KNM, Knowledge of Dutch Society. Most people sit all of these at B1, the standard level under the current law. Some sit A2, the level under the old 2013 law.
Each part has a fixed shape and a fixed time. Knowing the shape is half of preparing, because you stop being surprised on exam day. The exams exist at three levels, A2, B1 and B2. The times below show A2 and B1 side by side; according to DUO the language parts run a good deal longer at B1.
| Part | How you take it | What you do | Time (A2) | Time (B1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | Computer | Read texts and answer questions | 65 min | 110 min |
| Listening | Computer | Watch short films, listen, answer questions | 45 min | 90 min |
| Writing | Pen and paper | 4 tasks, such as a short letter or a form | 40 min | 100 min |
| Speaking | Computer | Watch short films and answer out loud | 35 min | ±30 min |
| KNM | Computer | Themes like living, work and income | 45 min | 45 min |
The B1 times are those of the Staatsexamen NT2, which the B1 route runs through. KNM sits apart from your language level and takes the same time at both.
None of these ask for essays or grammar drills. They ask for everyday Dutch in everyday situations. That is good news, because it tells you exactly what to practise.
Which level do you need, A2 or B1?
Under the current law, the Wet inburgering 2021, B1 is the standard level, so most people starting now work towards B1. A2 is the level under the old 2013 law, and still an option on the Z-route. At B1 and B2 the same five parts come back, just with harder texts and longer exam times.
Usually you do not pick your level yourself. Your municipality runs an intake and sets your route in your PIP, and a level comes with that route. If you are not sure which applies to you, check Mijn Inburgering or your PIP. We run an inburgering B1 course for the standard route, and a focused inburgering A2 course for anyone under the old law. There is more in our post on inburgering A2 or B1.
A step-by-step plan to prepare
Here is the order we recommend. Each step builds on the one before it.
- Confirm your obligation and deadline. Read the letter from DUO. It tells you which parts you must pass and by when. Everything else plans backwards from that date.
- Find your level. For most people it is B1, the standard level; if you fall under the old law, it is A2. Mijn Inburgering or your PIP shows what has been set for you. Your level decides which practice material you use.
- Learn the task types, one part at a time. Do not study "Dutch" in general. Study the actual tasks DUO uses. Each part rewards a slightly different habit, so it helps to know what to practise for each one. See the per-part tips below.
- Use real practice exams. DUO publishes free practice exams at A2 for every part, and for B1 and B2. Start with those. They are the closest thing to the real exam, because they are made by the same people.
- Practise speaking out loud. Speaking is the part most people skip, because it feels awkward alone. It is also the one that surprises people on the day. Say your answers out loud, record yourself, listen back. A few minutes a day adds up fast.
- Do full, timed runs. Once the task types feel familiar, sit a whole part in one go, on the clock. The time limit is the real test for most people, not the Dutch itself.
What to practise for each part
The four language parts ask for different things. Here is what pays off for each one.
- Reading. Practise skimming first, then reading closely. The texts are everyday ones, a notice, a short letter, an ad. Find the answer the question asks for, do not translate every word. Reading has the longest time, 65 minutes, so the trap is overthinking, not speed.
- Listening. Train your ear with short clips of normal spoken Dutch. The films play once, so the habit to build is catching the main point quickly. Practise answering right after a clip, before you forget the detail.
- Writing. This part is pen and paper, with four short tasks like filling in a form or writing a short letter. Practise the formats, an address block, a polite opening, a clear request. Neat, correct, simple Dutch beats clever sentences here.
- Speaking. You watch a short film and answer out loud, on a computer. Practise speaking in full short sentences, not single words. Record yourself so you hear your own pace and pauses. This is the part that most rewards daily practice.
Practise on a desktop computer, the way the real exam works. You can run timed practice for each part, including speaking, with our inburgering practice exams. They mirror the DUO task types so the real day feels familiar.
What trips people up?
Most people lose marks to the same few things, not to their Dutch. Knowing them in advance is the easiest way to avoid them.
- The clock. The time limit is the real challenge for most people. If you only ever practise untimed, the real exam feels rushed. Practise on the clock early.
- Skipping speaking. It feels awkward to practise out loud, so people leave it. Then it is the part that catches them. Treat it like any other part and practise it daily.
- Studying general Dutch. Months of broad lessons do not match what the exam asks. The exam tests specific task types, so practise those task types.
- Booking too early. A single good practice run is not the same as being ready. Wait for steady, comfortable scores before you pay.
How long does it take to prepare?
Honestly, it depends. The three things that decide it are your starting level of Dutch, how many hours a week you can put in, and the deadline in your DUO letter.
We will not give you a number that sounds reassuring but is wrong. Someone with a head start in Dutch and a few hours a day will be ready far sooner than someone starting from very little. The useful move is to plan backwards from your deadline, then test yourself against real practice exams to see where you actually stand.
How do you know when you are ready to book?
When you pass your practice runs comfortably, under the time limit, on more than one try. Not once by luck, but steadily.
That steadiness is the signal. Each part costs 50 euro, and if you do not pass one you retake just that part, not the whole exam, so a little extra practice beforehand is almost always cheaper than booking too early. You can see the full breakdown of inburgering costs if you want the numbers. When your practice scores are calm and consistent, you register for an exam through Mijn Inburgering and pick your date.
You do not have to prepare alone, and you do not have to pay for a full language school either. We built Inburgeringscursus to train exactly these parts, in this order, so the path stays clear from where you are to exam-ready.