NT2 State Exam Programme I or II: which one do you need?

Updated on 18 October 2026. Sources: staatsexamensnt2.nl, duo.nl, inburgeren.nl , ind.nl, bigregister.nl (in Dutch) and duo.nl on working as a teacher. Rules can change, so check there before you decide.

The NT2 State Exam (Staatsexamen NT2) has two programmes. Programme I is comparable to language level B1 and is meant for study or work at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level (secondary vocational education). Programme II is comparable to B2 and is meant for study or work at hbo level (university of applied sciences) or university level. So which programme you need depends on what you want to do with the diploma. Below, situation by situation, is what the official sources say.

In short

• mbo programme or work at mbo 3 or 4 level: Programme I. The school sets its own admission requirement.
• hbo or university: Programme II. Here too, the institution sets its own requirement.
• Work: an NT2 diploma is usually not compulsory. An employer may ask for it, though. Programme I fits work at mbo level, Programme II work at hbo or university level.
• Healthcare with a foreign diploma (BIG register): mbo professions such as nurse B1 (Programme I), hbo professions such as physiotherapist B2 (Programme II), doctor, dentist and pharmacist B2+ (higher than the Staatsexamen NT2).
• Primary or special education teacher with a diploma from outside the EEA: B2, for example Programme II.
• Civic integration in the B1 route: language exams at B1, so Programme I.
• Civic integration in the education route (Onderwijsroute): B1 or B2, so Programme I or II. Your PIP says which one.
• Civic integration in the Z route: no Staatsexamen NT2.
• Naturalisation: a diploma of Programme I or II is enough. You do not need Programme II for it.

What is the difference between Programme I and II?

Both programmes have the same four parts: Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking. You take all of them on a computer. The difference is the level and the situations in the tasks.

• Programme I (B1): the tasks are about study, work and daily life at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level.
• Programme II (B2): the tasks are about study, work and daily life of someone with an hbo or university education. Reflective and argumentative texts play an important role.

You do not have to take Programme I first. You may, but it is not required. The Board of Tests and Examinations (CvTE) says: choose the level that suits you.

Costs and registration are the same for both programmes: € 50 per part, registration with DUO. All exam dates are in NT2 state exam dates 2026-2027.

You want to study at mbo level

Programme I is meant for people who want to study at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level. But note: schools decide for themselves what they require from new students. A Staatsexamen NT2 diploma does not admit you automatically. Ask the school which diplomas you need before you register for an exam.

You want to go to an hbo or a university

Programme II is meant for study at hbo or university level. According to the CvTE, a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma is often required to start a degree programme. Here too, the university of applied sciences or university sets its own requirement. Check the programme's website or ask the admissions office.

Are you around B1 now and do you need Programme II? Then plan from the exam schedule and take the parts separately if needed. How that works is in From B1 to B2 in Dutch: how long does it really take?

You want to work

When employers choose a new employee, they mainly look at work experience, professional knowledge and vocational diplomas. A Staatsexamen NT2 diploma is usually not compulsory. An employer may ask for it, and you may also apply without the diploma. Sometimes you agree with your new employer that you will take the exam later.

If you choose a programme for your work, the CvTE rule is: Programme I for work at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level, Programme II for work at hbo or university level. So look at the level of education that goes with your profession in the Netherlands:

• Programme I (B1): professions for which you do an mbo programme in the Netherlands. For example doctor's assistant, pharmacy assistant, care worker, administrative assistant or mechanic.
• Programme II (B2): professions for which you do an hbo or university programme in the Netherlands. For example teacher, physiotherapist, engineer, accountant or lawyer.

For two groups of professions the language requirement is fixed: healthcare professions in the BIG register, and teachers in primary and special education.

Working in healthcare: the BIG register

Do you have a foreign healthcare diploma and do you want to work in the Netherlands in a profession from the BIG register? Then your application must show that you speak, understand, read and write Dutch well enough. The CIBG (which runs the BIG register) links the language level to the education level of your profession (bigregister.nl, in Dutch):

• mbo professions, B1: pharmacy assistant (apothekersassistent), nurse (verpleegkundige) and care worker in individual healthcare (VIG). That fits Programme I.
• hbo professions, B2: among others dietitian, occupational therapist, physiotherapist, skin therapist, speech therapist, dental hygienist, remedial therapist, optometrist, orthoptist, physician assistant, podiatrist, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographer, dental technician and midwife. That fits Programme II.
• university professions, B2+: pharmacist, doctor, healthcare psychologist, clinical physicist, clinical technologist, psychotherapist and dentist. B2+ is higher than B2 and lower than C1. The Staatsexamen NT2 does not go higher than B2, so for these professions Programme II is not enough either. You then need a separate B2+ test from an institution the CIBG accepts. The list is on bigregister.nl.

The full list of professions per level is on bigregister.nl. Also important:

• Diploma from outside Europe (procedure Verklaring van vakbekwaamheid): a language certificate at B1 or B2 must be a Staatsexamen NT2, with all four parts passed. The CIBG also asks for proof of English reading skills, except for VIG.
• No older than 2 years: a language certificate only counts if you obtained it no more than two years ago. So do not plan your exam too early.
• A civic integration diploma does not count: it is A2, which the CIBG considers too low (bigregister.nl).
• Allow time: according to the CIBG, a complete application for a Verklaring van vakbekwaamheid takes 6 to 18 months on average.

Working as a teacher

Do you have a diploma from outside the EEA or Switzerland and do you want to work as a teacher or subject teacher in primary or special education? Then DUO asks for proof that you master Dutch at B2 level, for example a Staatsexamen NT2 Programme II diploma (duo.nl). For other teaching jobs DUO does not mention this extra language requirement.

You have to integrate (Civic Integration Act 2021)

Did you become subject to civic integration (inburgeringsplichtig) on or after 1 January 2022? Then the Wet inburgering 2021 applies. The municipality draws up a personal plan with you, the persoonlijk plan inburgering en participatie (PIP). It states your learning route and the exams you have to take. The PIP always takes precedence.

• B1 route: within 3 years you take the language exams at level B1. That is Staatsexamen NT2 Programme I. You also take knowledge exams. Have you followed at least 600 hours of language classes and B1 is not working out? Then discuss with the municipality whether stepping down to A2 is possible.
• Education route (Onderwijsroute): mainly for young people who want to go to mbo, hbo or university. Within 3 years you take the language exams at B1 or B2, so Programme I or II. You also do the participation statement process (PVT) and the Knowledge of Dutch Society exam (KNM).
• Z route: you learn Dutch at level A1. You do not take the Staatsexamen NT2. Language exams at A2 are allowed, but not required.

Have you already passed one or more parts of the Staatsexamen NT2 at the level in your PIP or higher? Then you do not have to take those parts again. According to inburgeren.nl, under the 2021 Act you do not have to apply for this yourself.

Everything about the three routes and about when A2 is still allowed is in Civic integration Act 2021: B1 route, education route, Z route and when A2 applies.

You have to integrate (Civic Integration Act 2013)

Did you become subject to civic integration before 1 January 2022? Then the Wet inburgering 2013 applies. You take the language exams at A2 or higher. The Staatsexamen NT2 is then not required. Have you already passed parts of the Staatsexamen NT2? Then you no longer have to take those exams, but under the 2013 Act you have to apply to DUO for an exemption yourself.

You want to naturalise

To naturalise, you have to meet the civic integration requirement. Usually that means passing the civic integration exam at language level A2. According to the IND, you are exempt from that exam if you have a Staatsexamen NT2 diploma, of Programme I or of Programme II. So Programme I is enough for naturalisation.

Two things to know:

• A diploma means all four parts passed. The IND does not list separate certificates as an exemption.
• There is a draft Naturalisation Test Decree (concept Besluit naturalisatietoets) that would raise the required language level for naturalisation from A2 to B1. This is mentioned in an IND impact assessment of February 2026 (in Dutch). Until it takes effect, the rules on ind.nl apply.

Still not sure?

1. First check what the organisation asks for. A school, employer, municipality or the IND sets the requirement, not the exam itself.
2. Do the official practice exams. They are free, in the NT2 practice environment, for Programme I and II. Then you see per part where you stand.
3. Choose the programme you actually need. A Programme II diploma is not a requirement when Programme I is enough. And the other way round, Programme I does not count as proof of B2.

Want to know how the Staatsexamen NT2 relates to the civic integration exam? Read the difference between the NT2 state exam and the civic integration exam.

At Braials you prepare for Programme I or II in private lessons, part by part and with the real exam tasks. Read more on the NT2 exam training page.