Learning Dutch - courses, free options and the NT2 state exam

Dutch courses and exams use the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): A1 and A2 (basic), B1 and B2 (independent), C1 and C2 (proficient). As a rough guide:

• A2 is enough for simple everyday situations.
• B1 lets you handle most daily life and many jobs; it is the level of the civic integration B1 track and of Programme I of the state exam.
• B2 is often required for Dutch-taught higher education and many professional jobs; it is the level of Programme II.

Decide what you need Dutch for, and choose a course that leads to that level.

• City of Amsterdam support. The City offers courses and guidance to help residents learn Dutch, many of them free, though not everyone is eligible. Its Taalwijzer information points in the neighbourhoods give free walk-in advice on your options.
• Library and neighbourhood initiatives. Leef en Leer!, a project of the Amsterdam public library (OBA) and the City, lists Dutch classes at different levels and language cafés (taalcafés), where volunteers chat with learners in Dutch. Jekuntmeer.nl lists neighbourhood language activities too.
• Volunteering. Doing voluntary work in a Dutch-speaking setting is a practical way to use the language; see making friends in Amsterdam.
• Self-study. Popular language apps, grammar websites, podcasts in simple Dutch and the weekly news in easy Dutch are useful between lessons. Children's programmes and books are often easier to follow at the start.

Outside Amsterdam, ask your municipality and public library about local language support.

In Amsterdam you can choose from university language centres (for example at the University of Amsterdam and the Vrije Universiteit, which also prepare for the NT2 exam), adult education centres such as the Volksuniversiteit, and many private language schools offering group, intensive, evening, online and in-company courses. Private tutors are another option, for more flexible or faster learning.

When comparing, check the class size, hours per week, the level you will reach and whether the course prepares for the state exam. Also ask your employer whether it contributes to language lessons. If you must complete civic integration with a DUO loan, check which schools you are allowed to use under those rules.

The Staatsexamen NT2 is the official exam of Dutch for non-native speakers aged 17 and older.

• Programme I is at B1, recommended for work or study at vocational (MBO) level.
• Programme II is at B2, suitable for Dutch-speaking workplaces and for (applied) universities.
• Each programme tests reading, writing, listening and speaking, each on a separate day. You receive a certificate per skill and the Diploma Staatsexamen NT2 when you pass all four. The diploma does not expire.
• Exams take place in person in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle.
• The fee is €50 per exam, or €200 for all four, for both programmes (2026).

You do not have to take a course to sit the exam, but preparation helps. Universities and schools set their own language requirements, so check with them which programme they accept.

Many newcomers from outside the EU must integrate (inburgeren) under the Civic Integration Act 2021. Once you have a BSN, a residence permit and municipal registration, DUO sends you a letter; the municipality then holds an intake and agrees a personal plan (PIP) with a learning track. On the B1 track you usually have three years to pass the language exams at B1 level, which are the same as Programme I of the state exam, plus knowledge exams. The rules depend on your situation, so follow your own plan and Mijn Inburgering. EU citizens are not required to integrate but can still use many of the options above.

For naturalisation you also need to prove your Dutch; see Dutch citizenship.