How to study for the KNM exam: a method and the best free resources
Last checked: 29 October 2026
To study for the KNM exam, work theme by theme through the 8 official exam themes. Read one theme, then test yourself on it straight away, and write down every question you get wrong. Learn the Dutch words for each theme as you go, because the exam is in Dutch. End with DUO's free practice exams under a 45-minute timer.
| Step | What you do | Free resource |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Measure | Take one official practice exam before you study | DUO practice exams (2 for KNM) |
| 2. Learn | Read one theme at a time | KNM chapter guides |
| 3. Test | Answer questions on that theme the same day | KNM practice exam |
| 4. Review | Go back to your mistake list every few days | A notebook |
| 5. Rehearse | Full exam under time, 40 questions in 45 minutes | DUO's second practice exam |
More Dutch is not affiliated with DUO. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions.
If you want a day-by-day schedule, use the 4-week plan in how to pass the KNM exam. This page is about how to study, so the hours you put in actually stick.
Use the official exam goals as your checklist
Most people study from whatever they find online. There is a better starting point. The government publishes exactly what KNM tests, in a document called the eindtermen (exam goals). The current version has been in force since 1 July 2025 (Staatscourant 2024, 15802).
It has 8 themes:
- Work and income (werk en inkomen)
- Manners, values and norms (omgangsvormen, waarden en normen)
- Housing (wonen)
- Health and health care (gezondheid en gezondheidszorg)
- History and geography (geschiedenis en geografie)
- Government bodies and services (instanties)
- The state and the rule of law (staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat)
- Education and raising children (onderwijs en opvoeding)
For each theme, the document lists the situations you must handle and what you need to know for them. It is in Dutch and long, so you do not have to read all of it. Use the theme list to make sure you cover everything, and skim the theme you find hardest. Our KNM chapter guides follow the same subjects in English.
Learn, then test the same day
Reading alone feels productive, but most of it is gone in a week. What works better:
- Read one theme for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Close the page and answer 10 to 15 questions on that theme.
- For every wrong answer, write one line: the question in short, the right answer, and why it is right.
That last step is the one people skip, and it is the one that helps most. "The huisarts first, the hospital only in an emergency" is something you will remember. "Answer B" is not.
You can do steps 2 and 3 with the KNM practice exam on More Dutch, which lets you drill short sets for free. Each of our chapter guides, like housing, also ends with sample questions.
Keep a mistake list and come back to it
Your mistake list is your real study material. Go through it every 3 or 4 days. When you answer an item right three times in a row, cross it out. By exam week you should have a short list of things you still mix up. Read that list the evening before the exam.
Learn the Dutch words for each theme
KNM is a knowledge exam, but you read it in Dutch. The questions are written at A2 level with pictures (Staatscourant 2024, 15802), yet one unknown key word can still cost you the question. Make a word list per theme. Some examples:
| Theme | Words worth knowing |
|---|---|
| Housing | huurcontract (rental contract), huurtoeslag (rent benefit), huurcommissie (rent tribunal) |
| Health | huisarts (GP), huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service), zorgverzekering (health insurance), eigen risico (insurance excess) |
| Work and income | arbeidscontract (employment contract), ziek melden (call in sick), loonstrook (payslip), UWV (benefits agency) |
| Government | gemeente (municipality), Belastingdienst (tax office), DigiD (government login) |
| Education | basisschool (primary school), leerplicht (compulsory education), consultatiebureau (child health clinic) |
| The state | Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives), gemeenteraad (municipal council), grondwet (constitution) |
If general reading is your problem rather than these words, spend a week on the 594 most common Dutch words first. Review them with flashcards.
Do not skip the "boring" themes
History, geography and how the state works feel less useful than housing or health, so people leave them for last and run out of time. They are full themes on the exam. Since July 2025 the exam also puts more weight on women's right to make their own choices and on knowledge of the Holocaust (rijksoverheid.nl). Give Dutch history, politics and the state and norms and values their own study days.
Free resources worth your time
- DUO practice exams. Two for KNM, free, on inburgeren.nl (inburgeren.nl). Save one for the last week.
- Net in Nederland. A platform by the Dutch public broadcaster NPO for newcomers, with short videos about life in the Netherlands. inburgeren.nl links to it for videos on exam subjects (netinnederland.nl).
- Oefenen.nl. Free lessons on language, work, health and money, also linked from inburgeren.nl (oefenen.nl).
- More Dutch. Free KNM chapter guides, free KNM drills and a weekly practice question by email.
Be careful with books, apps and PDFs made before July 2025. They follow the old exam goals.
How to know you are ready
- You score well above half on a DUO practice exam, with the timer on.
- You finish 40 questions in 45 minutes without rushing the last ten.
- Your mistake list is short, and you know why each right answer is right.
If that is you, book your date in Mijn Inburgering. Dates can take more than 6 weeks to come up (inburgeren.nl), so you can keep practising while you wait.
Start now
Try a free 15-question KNM drill to get your first mistake list. If you would like a nudge every week, sign up for one KNM question a week. Not sure whether KNM is hard for you? Read is the KNM exam difficult. For the whole set of exams, see the inburgering exam guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for the KNM exam?
It depends on your Dutch. With basic Dutch, a few weeks of short daily sessions is often enough. Take a practice exam first and let the score decide.
What is the best way to prepare for KNM?
Study one theme at a time, test yourself on it the same day, and keep a list of every mistake with the reason the right answer is right.
Can I study for KNM without a course?
Yes. KNM is a good exam to prepare on your own, with the official practice exams, free guides and practice questions.
Should I study KNM in English or in Dutch?
Both. Understand the topic in English if that helps, but learn the key Dutch words for each theme, because the exam is in Dutch.
Is there an official list of KNM topics?
Yes. The exam goals (eindtermen) are published in the Staatscourant. The current version has 8 themes and applies from 1 July 2025.
Are old KNM books still useful?
Partly. Most facts about daily life still hold, but material from before July 2025 follows the old exam goals. Check the new subjects separately.