Dutch B1 exam cost and schedule: fees, dates and deadlines
Last checked: 29 October 2026
The Dutch B1 exam (Staatsexamen Nt2, Programme I) costs €50 per part, or €200 for all four parts. B2 costs the same. You pay by iDEAL or invoice in Mijn DUO, or from your integration loan. Exams run on weekdays all year in six cities, and each date has its own registration deadline and result date.
| Item | Cost or rule |
|---|---|
| One part (Reading, Listening, Writing or Speaking) | €50 |
| All four parts | €200 |
| Programme II (B2) | Same price |
| Payment | iDEAL or invoice, or from a DUO loan |
| Cancel with a refund | At least 4 weeks before the exam |
| Retake | €50 per part again |
| Registration opens | About 8 weeks before the exam |
| Result | About 5 weeks, online from 15:00 on the listed date |
Sources: DUO: exam fees, DUO: registering, DUO: results, exam schedule Programme I.
More Dutch is not affiliated with DUO or the College voor Toetsen en Examens (CvTE). Fees and dates change. Check the official pages before you book.
What the B1 exam costs in total
If you take all four parts once, you pay €200. Each part you have to retake costs €50 again. So a realistic budget for someone who passes three parts first time and needs one retake is €250.
On the B1 route under the 2021 law you also take KNM, which is €50 and booked separately in Mijn Inburgering. MAP and the participation statement (PVT) are free. That makes €250 for the exams on the B1 route, before any retakes (inburgeren.nl: costs). Courses are extra, and schools set their own prices.
For every inburgering fee, including the A2 exams, see what the inburgering exam costs.
How to pay
You pay when you register in Mijn DUO (DUO):
- iDEAL, straight away online, or
- an invoice by email (or email and post), which explains how to pay.
Paying from abroad usually costs more and can take a few weeks. If DUO does not have your money in time, you cannot sit the exam, so pay early.
Free exams and paying with a loan
Mijn DUO shows automatically whether an exam is free for you or can be paid from your integration loan. You do not have to arrange anything (inburgeren.nl).
- Asylum status holders under the 2021 law: the municipality pays the course and 2 attempts at each exam. The free attempts do not apply if you take an exam at a lower level than your PIP says.
- Others who must integrate: you can borrow from DUO. The amount depends on your income, and you repay it after your integration ends.
- No longer entitled to a free exam or loan payment: you choose an invoice instead and can pay it by iDEAL.
Sources: inburgeren.nl: how much you can borrow, inburgeren.nl: costs.
Refunds, illness and lateness
These rules are stricter than for the A2 exams (DUO: registering):
- Cancelling. Email nt2@duo.nl at least 4 weeks before the exam to get your money back. Later than that, you pay.
- Not showing up. You pay, but you can register again from the day after the exam if there are places.
- Ill, or a death in your close family. Tell DUO by email within 10 days after the exam and send proof. Only then may you get a replacement exam.
- Late. You must be there 30 minutes before the start. If you are late you cannot take part. If public transport or a traffic jam made you late, send DUO proof and you may get a replacement exam.
More on moving or cancelling exams in how to reschedule the inburgering exam.
The B1 exam schedule
The CvTE publishes the full schedule (examenrooster) for Programme I and Programme II, a few months ahead. On 29 October 2026 the schedule ran to February 2027. Every exam date has four columns:
- the date and the part (Lezen I, Luisteren I, Schrijven I, Spreken I),
- when registration opens (Aanmelden vanaf), usually from 9.00 or 10.00 that morning,
- the last day to register (Uiterlijke aanmelddatum), about 3 weeks before the exam,
- the date your result is online, from 15.00 (Uitslag online).
A few dates from the Programme I schedule, as published on 29 October 2026:
| Exam date | Part | Registration opens | Last day to register | Result online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 5 Jan 2027 | Reading | 2 Nov 2026 | 15 Dec 2026 | 26 Jan 2027 |
| Wed 6 Jan 2027 | Speaking | 2 Nov 2026 | 16 Dec 2026 | 2 Feb 2027 |
| Fri 15 Jan 2027 | Listening | 9 Nov 2026 | 25 Dec 2026 | 2 Feb 2027 |
| Fri 22 Jan 2027 | Writing | 16 Nov 2026 | 1 Jan 2027 | 23 Feb 2027 |
Source: staatsexamensnt2.nl. The schedule can change, so look again before you register.
Two things to know. First, popular dates can fill up before the last registration day, so register as soon as registration opens. Second, the schedule shows the plan; DUO's registration page in Mijn DUO shows which dates still have places.
Where you take the exam
DUO runs the Nt2 exams in six cities: Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Rijswijk, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Zwolle. You choose the location when you register. Only candidates may go inside, and you need a valid passport, ID card, residence permit or driving licence (DUO: where and when). About 10 days before the exam you get a letter (oproepbrief) with the time and place.
How to plan your four parts
You do not have to take all four parts on one day, and most people do not. A simple way to plan:
- Do one official practice task for each part on the Nt2 practice environment under time.
- Book your strongest part first. A pass early on is good for your confidence.
- Leave 2 or 3 weeks between parts so you can practise the next one.
- Count back from your deadline. Results take about 5 weeks, and a retake needs a new booking.
How each part works is in the Dutch B1 exam, and how to pass the B1 Dutch exam has a study plan. If you are on the B1 route, the inburgering exam at B1 explains the whole route.
Spend less on retakes
The cheapest exam is the one you pass first time. Writing and Speaking at B1 depend heavily on word order and the past tense. Practise them for free with the sentence builder and the past tense cheat sheet. And do not forget KNM on the B1 route: our free KNM drill helps you pass it in one go.
The full overview of every exam is in the inburgering exam guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Dutch B1 exam cost?
€50 per part and €200 for all four parts. The B2 exam costs the same.
Can I get my money back if I cancel?
Yes, if you cancel by email at least 4 weeks before the exam. Later than that, you pay the fee.
Is the B1 exam free for refugees?
Under the 2021 law, asylum status holders get 2 attempts per exam paid by the municipality, as long as they take the level in their PIP. Mijn DUO shows this when you register.
When are the Dutch B1 exams?
On weekdays throughout the year, in six cities. The full schedule for Programme I is on staatsexamensnt2.nl, a few months ahead.
How early should I register for the B1 exam?
As soon as registration opens, about 8 weeks before. Some dates fill up before the last registration day.
When do I get my B1 result?
After about 5 weeks. The schedule lists the exact date your result goes online, from 15.00.