The B1 exam
Staatsexamen B1: the NT2 Programma I exam, explained
Last updated
Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I is the Dutch state exam at B1 level, which most people search for as the B1 staatsexamen. It has four parts (Lezen, Luisteren, Schrijven and Spreken). The CvTE makes the exam, and DUO handles registration and results. You pass each part at a scaled score of 500, which is equated per sitting rather than fixed as a percentage.
Free · practice questions need no account
How to register for the B1 staatsexamen
NT2 stands for Nederlands als tweede taal, Dutch as a second language. You register per part in Mijn DUO with your DigiD; DUO has a separate route if you have no DigiD. Registration opens about eight weeks before the exam date, and the dates are in the examenrooster on staatsexamensnt2.nl. You can book several parts at once, but not a part you are already booked for or still waiting on a result for.
Each part is a separate appointment, so a full set is four appointments rather than one long day. After registering you choose one of six exam cities: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht or Zwolle. The oproepbrief with the place and time arrives about ten days before the exam.
In Lezen and Schrijven you may use the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal. In Luisteren and Spreken no dictionary is allowed. Results appear in Mijn DUO after about five weeks. Pass all four parts and you receive the diploma Staatsexamen NT2, which does not expire.
Before you start
The four parts
Common questions
Is Staatsexamen NT2 the same as the inburgering exam?
No. The inburgeringsexamen is DUO's exam, usually at A2, and KNM is one of its parts. Staatsexamen NT2 is the CvTE's exam at B1 (Programma I) or B2 (Programma II), with four language parts. Passing it also meets the language requirement of inburgering, which is why some candidates sit it instead.
What score do you need to pass Staatsexamen NT2?
A scaled score of 500 on each part. The pass mark is not a fixed percentage. Raw points are converted to a score, and that conversion is set per sitting, so the raw points you need can move between exams. The most recently published cesuur figures are 24 of 35 on Lezen, 26 of 39 on Luisteren, 25 of 47 on Schrijven and 75 of 128 on Spreken.
Do you have to pass all four parts at once?
No. Each part is sat and passed separately, and you keep a part you have passed. You retake only the ones you did not, and you can spread them across different sittings.
Is there a KNM exam at B1?
KNM is a single exam taken on either route, so there is no separate B1 KNM paper. On the B1 route of the Wet inburgering 2021 you still owe KNM, the MAP (Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie) and the participatieverklaringstraject (PVT) next to the four language parts. A voluntary candidate without an integration duty does not need KNM.
Who marks Schrijven and Spreken?
Trained assessors, two of them independently on every exam. If their totals differ by three points or more a third assessor is brought in and the two closest scores are used. Lezen and Luisteren are computer-scored, one point per correct answer.
Practise the real thing.
Full B1 papers in the Staatsexamen format, timed like the real sitting, with writing and speaking scored against the assessor criteria.
Sitting the A2 exam instead? The A2 inburgering exam, explained · all guides · Staatsexamen NT2 practice
inburgeringprep.com is an independent study platform, not the CvTE, DUO or the Dutch government. Staatsexamen NT2 is set by the College voor Toetsen en Examens, which publishes the exam dates, the official practice environment and the assessment rules. Confirm what applies to your own case there.