The KNM exam at a glance
- 40 multiple-choice questions
- 45 minutes
- on a computer at a DUO exam location
- three answer options per question: A, B or C
- you pass with at least 28 correct answers
- the questions are in simple Dutch and grouped by theme
What you see on screen
Each question has its own screen. On it you see:
- one photo, or sometimes a symbol or a choice of places on a map
- sometimes a few short Dutch sentences that describe a situation
- one question in Dutch
- three answer options: A, B and C
One image always goes with one question, and because the photo shows the situation rather than the answer, you still need to know how Dutch society works.
Between blocks, a screen says De volgende vragen gaan over het thema ... ("The next questions are about the theme ..."). A read-aloud button can read the Dutch text on screen to you. It does not play by itself and adds nothing new, and there are no videos or listening tasks in the exam.
Example KNM questions
A short fact question:
Waarom zijn de Deltawerken gebouwd?
- A. Om vis te vangen
- B. Om Nederland te beschermen tegen de zee
- C. Om steden te bouwen
Why were the Delta Works built? The answer is B: to protect the Netherlands from the sea.
A question with a short situation:
Erik woont in een sociale huurwoning. Wat is dat?
- A. Een woning met een maximum huurprijs
- B. Een woning zonder huurcontract
- C. Een woning die je altijd kunt kopen
Erik lives in social housing. The answer is A: a home with a maximum rent.
A rule question with a yes / only if / no pattern:
Mag een werkgever eisen dat je goed Nederlands kunt schrijven?
- A. Ja, dat mag altijd
- B. Alleen als het nodig is voor de baan
- C. Nee, dat mag nooit
Can an employer require you to write Dutch well? The answer is B: only if the job needs it.
The eight KNM themes
The questions come from eight official themes:
- Werk en inkomen (work and income)
- Omgangsvormen, waarden en normen (social customs, values and norms)
- Wonen (housing)
- Gezondheid en gezondheidszorg (health and healthcare)
- Geschiedenis en geografie (history and geography)
- Instanties (institutions)
- Staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat (government and the rule of law)
- Onderwijs en opvoeding (education and raising children)
Since 1 July 2025 the themes include new topics. Examples are the Second World War and the Holocaust, women's right to make their own choices and LGBTI rights, and logging in safely with DigiD. The questions ask what the rule or the custom is in the Netherlands, not what you personally would do.
KNM A2 or B1: which exam do you take?
There is one KNM exam. It is the same whether you follow the A2 route or the B1 route for the language exams. The questions use simple Dutch at about the level of the A2 exam. Mijn Inburgering on the DUO website shows which exams you must take.
Pass mark and result
You pass the KNM exam (KNM examen) with at least 28 of the 40 questions correct, which is 70%. DUO's own practice exam states this mark. Each question has one correct answer, and there is no partial credit.
You get the result by letter within 8 weeks, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering. The exam costs €50.
Tips to pass the inburgering KNM exam
- Read the Dutch text first, then look at the photo for context.
- Wrong options often name the wrong institution, the wrong time or the wrong rule.
- In rule questions with Ja, Alleen als ... and Nee, you need to know exactly when the rule applies.
- Study all eight themes, not only the ones you like.
- Practise with photos and Dutch text, the same format as the real exam.
Our KNM practice questions and the full mock exams in the exam simulator use the same question format. For more examples, see our KNM sample questions and DUO's official practice exams.
