Staatsexamen NT2 (Dutch B1/B2 state exam)

How the exam works

• 4 separate partsReading, listening, writing and speaking, all on a computer
• Reading6 texts with about 36 multiple-choice questions, 110 minutes (Programme I) or 100 minutes (Programme II)
• ListeningAbout 40 multiple-choice questions, each fragment played once, up to 90 minutes
• Writing100 minutes, typed, without a spellchecker
• SpeakingAbout 25 minutes, recorded through a headset, with no examiner
• Fee€50 per part, €200 for all four

• You pass a part with a score of 500 or higher

Programme I or Programme II?

Programme I (B1) suits vocational education (mbo) at level 3 or 4 and work at that level. Programme II (B2) is meant for higher education (hbo or university) and for middle and senior jobs; reflective and argumentative texts play a big role. You do not have to take Programme I first. For civic integration (inburgering) through the B1 route or the education route, a Programme I or II diploma counts.

The four parts

• Reading: 6 texts in a paper booklet, with the questions on screen. Each question has one correct answer. You may use the Van Dale Pocketwoordenboek NT2 dictionary.
• Listening: audio fragments and a few video clips with real speakers, accents and background noise. You get 25 seconds to read each question first, and you hear each fragment once.
• Writing: sentence tasks and short writing tasks, and in Programme II also medium-length tasks, such as describing a problem and proposing a solution. You type on a QWERTY keyboard; the dictionary is allowed here too.
• Speaking: you record short and medium-length answers, and in Programme II also one long answer of two minutes. There is no examiner: a beep marks the start and end, and you cannot go back.

Results and diploma

Reading and listening are marked by computer. Writing and speaking are each rated by two independent raters. Your points are converted to a scale score; with 500 or higher you pass that part. The number of points needed differs from exam to exam. You get a certificate for each part you pass and a diploma once you have all four. Certificates and the diploma never expire. You see your result in Mijn DUO.

Registration and fees

You register through Mijn DUO, usually with DigiD. There are at least 3 weeks between registration and the exam, and you can cancel for free up to 4 weeks before. One part costs €50, the whole exam €200. People who are obliged to integrate get 2 free attempts. The exam is held in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle, not online and not abroad. If you fail a part, you register again for that part.

How to prepare

The CvTE offers a free practice environment with full practice exams for every part; it works only on a computer or laptop. FreeExamPath's exercises are original, written in the exam format, and also work on a phone. They are not official exam material, and FreeExamPath is not affiliated with the College voor Toetsen en Examens (CvTE) or DUO.

Official information

• Staatsexamens NT2: what the exam looks like (in Dutch)
• Staatsexamens NT2: practising for the exam (in Dutch)
• Staatsexamens NT2: how the exam is marked (in Dutch)
• DUO: registering for the Staatsexamen NT2 (in Dutch)

Questions about the Staatsexamen NT2