Online 1-on-1 training for all four parts of Programme I, at level B1: reading, listening, writing and speaking.
Programme I
Programme I of the NT2 state exam (Staatsexamen NT2) is comparable to language level B1. It is meant for people who want to work or study at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level (secondary vocational education). It is also the language exam for civic integration: if you follow the B1 route under the Civic Integration Act 2021, you take the language exams at B1, and that is Programme I. In the Education route it is Programme I or II. Your PIP (personal integration plan) says which exam applies to you.
According to the IND, a Programme I diploma also exempts you from the civic integration exam if you want to naturalise. In the 1-on-1 lessons we look at where you stand now and train specifically for the parts where you can gain the most.
The exam
You take all parts on a computer, at an exam location in the Netherlands. You may take them on different days and retake them separately. For Programme I they look like this:
| Part | What you do | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | 36 multiple-choice questions on 6 texts about work, study and daily life. You may bring a Van Dale Pocket Dictionary NT2. | 110 minutes |
| Listening | About 40 multiple-choice questions on 5 or more audio texts and 1 to 3 short videos. You get 25 seconds to read each question, and you hear each text only once. | 90 minutes |
| Writing | Writing or completing a sentence 8 times, 2 short messages, forms or texts to complete, and 2 short texts such as a note or short letter. The dictionary is allowed here too. | 100 minutes |
| Speaking | 8 short tasks (20 seconds speaking time) and 8 medium tasks (30 seconds). A beep tells you when to start and stop. You record your answers on the computer. | About 25 minutes |
Each part costs €50 at DUO, all four together €200. You register per part; registration opens about 8 weeks in advance and closes 3 weeks before the exam date. The result arrives 3 to 9 weeks later. You receive the diploma once you have passed all four parts.
What the exam looks like (staatsexamensnt2.nl, in Dutch)Exam dates 2026-2027
Pass rates
In 2025 the average pass rate per part of Programme I was 51%, lower than in earlier years. According to the CvTE all four parts went down. The CvTE has no explanation yet and is having this investigated. The number of exams rose in 2025 from just over 39,000 to just over 73,000, mainly because of civic integration candidates under the Civic Integration Act 2021.
| Part | Passed in 2025 |
|---|---|
| Writing | 62% |
| Speaking | 53% |
| Reading | 44% |
| Listening | 43% |
Source: 2025 annual report of the Board of Tests and Examinations (CvTE).
Your teacher
I teach 1-on-1 online Dutch lessons and prepare students for the NT2 state exam, Programme I and II. I can explain in Dutch, English or Russian.
Pricing
Private 1-on-1 lessons cost EUR 40 per 50-minute lesson, and you start with a free trial lesson.
Try a free trial lessonPrefer a small group? The A2→B1 group course ties in with Programme I: €360 per 8-week block, which is €15 per lesson hour.
View the group coursesQuestions
Programme I is level B1, for work or study at mbo 3 or mbo 4 level. Programme II is level B2, for hbo or university. In Reading, Programme I lasts 110 minutes instead of 100, and in Speaking Programme I has no long 2-minute task. You do not have to take Programme I first: choose the programme that fits your goal.
Yes. In the B1 route you take the language exams at B1, and that is the NT2 state exam Programme I. You register for it at DUO, not in Mijn Inburgering. KNM, the PVT and the MAP come on top of it separately. Check your PIP to see which exam applies to you.
Yes. According to the IND, a diploma for the NT2 state exam Programme I or II exempts you from the civic integration exam, so also from KNM.
If you are in the B1 route and have followed at least 600 hours of language classes, you can discuss with your municipality whether scaling down to A2 is possible. You then take DUO's civic integration exams at A2 instead of the state exam. According to the government this still happens only rarely.
A private lesson costs €40 per 50-minute lesson, and you start with a free trial lesson. A small group is cheaper: the A2→B1 group course costs €360 per 8-week block (€15 per lesson hour). You pay for the exam at DUO: €50 per part, so €200 for all four parts.
For Reading and Writing you may bring the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek Nederlands als tweede taal, without notes inside. Other dictionaries and tools such as Google Translate are not allowed. For Listening and Speaking you may not use a dictionary.
Yes. You register per part and may take the parts on different days. If you fail one, you only retake that part. You receive the diploma as soon as you have passed all four.
The lessons are in Dutch. Where needed I can also explain in English or Russian.
Updated on 2 November 2026.