Dutch citizenship, but which exam should you choose? You are an expat and you think that the Civic Integration Exam is obligatory for citizenship.
However, 3 exams lead to a permanent residence permit or naturalization: the Civic Integration Exam A2, the Civic Integration Exam B1, and State Exam NT2 Program II, at level B2.
So, let’s consider all the options before you decide! Going for the State exam NT2 program II might be a better stepping stone to a good life in the Netherlands.
Estimated reading time 8 minutes
Author: Margreet Kwakernaak, Author of Dutch for Dummies and 7 other Dutch textbooks
Margreet’s book Dutch for Dummies is a book for a wide audience, but later, Margreet specialized in highly educated people. As a consequence, her students preferred State Exam NT2 Program II over the Civic Integration exam, but why? Up to 2010, this exam at level B2 was mandatory to enter Dutch universities.
After that date, more and more English was spoken in Dutch higher education and white-collar work.
This contributed to the popularity of the Civic Integration Exam at a lower level, either A2 or level B1.
For whom this article has been written
Firstly, let’s specify for whom this article has been written. This blog is aimed at highly educated expats and highly skilled migrants. This article is also interesting for highly educated EU inhabitants who wish to have a Dutch passport. In short: this blog is meant for all those who are not obliged to integrate but would like naturalization.
Secondly, this blog supposes that you carefully checked your situation in IND.
Thirdly, you may know the advantages of Dutch citizenship already. IND summarizes the pros and cons.
This blog is mainly about the available exams, their language levels, and what life offers after you have passed one of them, related to your career and family life.
Finally, this blog has not been written by a lawyer – so no rights can be derived from it.
Did you open this blog to know which level is obligatory? Go to Integration Exam 2024 for expats
What Dutch citizenship brings you
Civil rights
Congratulations, you have passed the exam and you received the Integration Diploma!
However, the Dutch nationality (naturalization), so a Dutch passport, has more requirements. Read about it in IND Dutch citizenship.
Being a Dutch citizen allows you, in the first place, to work wherever you like in the Netherlands, in employment or self-employment. As well you are free not to work.
Secondly, you are entitled to all forms of social assistance
Thirdly, you pay statutory tuition at Dutch universities the same amount as EU citizens. As long as you are a non-EU citizen you pay institutional tuition- different at each educational institution but considerably higher than the statutory tuition.
Besides, you can live 12 months outside Europe and 6 years inside Europe without losing your Dutch rights when you return to the Netherlands.
Which Exam? For now, there are three! However, this may change
Since January 1st 2022, the Civic Integration exam requires language level B1 for refugees and other persons subject to integration requirements. For them, this date is crucial. However, for expats it’s different. If you aim for naturalization, the required language level is A2. However, on the publication date of this blog, the political climate is unfavorable for non-Dutch residents of the Netherlands. Laws and rules may change in 2025.
The pros and cons of the civic integration exam at language level A2
As the end of the Exam at level A2 may be near, we will not dwell on level A2.
In short: the A2 level of the Civic integration exam is not the A2 level that helps you enough in language life. If you take your chance and clear the exam in 2024, it is of great practical importance – as practical as naturalization can be.
But, when we consider the language level only, you’ll probably end up feeling frustrated with this limited language level. Yes, it takes even highly educated people 3-4 months of 6 hours of study per week to reach it. And yes, you must pass this level. Every language student starts with level zero, then goes to A1, then reaches A2, and only then does the student enter the B1 domain.
Does level A2 not help at all?
But, does level A2 not help at all? Sure, it helps you to have a chat with your neighbor, and with Dutch mothers in the schoolyard. Luckily, being a parent of young children gives you the best chances to practice and learn Dutch. Expat parents who take their children to or from school can benefit from schoolyard talk. Moreover, they need helpful colleagues or neighbors to speak Dutch with. If you don’t use your Dutch, you may lose your A2 level within a year.
In other words: the A2 level is too low to give you entrance to any other education than a B1 language course. Language level A2 is even not enough to enter Mbo, intermediate professional education. Nor is it enough when you want to work in healthcare.
With the Delft method: e-learning with online conversation classes, the A2 exam can be passed within 4 months – if you are willing to study 6 hours per week.
In conclusion: all the mentioned reasons made the Dutch government make the 2021 law requiring level B1 for those who are obliged to integrate. Read in the next section what to expect from level B1.
What to expect from the Integration Exam at level B1
Again, this exam brings you citizenship- exactly like the Civic Integration Exam at level A2 (for expats only) or the State Exam NT2 at level B1. NT2 means Dutch as a second language.
Consequently, you just need one of the three possible exams. B1 and B2 each entail Dutch citizenship or naturalization, A2 is for naturalization only. Please note that at any level, you also must clear KNM, Knowledge of Dutch society, to get the Integration Diploma.
IND Dutch citizenship gives you all the details. You need the Diploma A2 to apply for naturalization, OR the Diploma B1 OR B2 for either your permanent residence permit or naturalization.
Luckily, language level B1 facilitates a neighbor chat about other topics than just the weather. You’ll read a detailed description of B1 skills in the Common European Framework of Reference CEFR.
Additionally, you can socialize with your Dutch colleagues – though you will not always understand their jokes.
However, when you, as a highly educated person, want to do work at your level in Dutch, you need level B2. To tell the truth, even that level requires extra professional or academic vocabulary. Life-long learning applies to every highly educated person, working on your language skills included.
Citizenship, but which exam? Life with State Exam NT2 Program II – at level B2
Citizenship, but which exam should you choose? Not many people know, but passing the State exam NT2, full name Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II entails Dutch citizenship, including freedom of work, all social assistance, EU-citizen tuition fees, and not losing your civil rights after having stayed 12 months outside the EU or 6 years in another EU country.
Most importantly this exam on Level B2 offers you educational and career options, which are not included in the lower language level exams.
With level B2, you can study in Dutch in higher professional education and Dutch universities. But, beware! In Dutch higher professional education and universities, many kinds of studies are in English, and in those cases, the State exam NT2 program II is not required. When you are not a native English speaker, universities require proof of your English. The Toefl test can be done online.
On the other hand, the speaking part of the IELTS language exam must be done with a native speaker.
However, even if you study in English, speaking Dutch well will help you to socialize with Dutch students, the majority of university students. Making Dutch friends may be the first step in your career! ‘Old boys networks’ are everywhere, in the Netherlands as well. Dutch friends may help you to find your way in Dutch society – whilst limiting yourself to friends of your own country or international friends, may add a lot to an interesting life, but less in your Dutch career.
The B2 level boosts your career
When you are living in Amsterdam, Maastricht, and Groningen, with the largest number of international inhabitants, you might assume that speaking Dutch on a working level is not necessary for a career in the Netherlands. However, you‘ll know better when you find a job in the east or the north of the Netherlands, where life is in the Dutch language.
You miss a lot when your colleagues are socializing in Dutch. You may also feel ashamed and frustrated when your Dutch colleagues do the meeting in English for you only. As to job requirements: speaking Dutch at the work level, improves your chances.
Additionally, speaking proper Dutch will help you when you leave Randstad for an affordable house. There is a growing number of foreigner-unfriendly Dutch. However, when you show that you do your utmost to speak their language – you improve your chances of acceptance. And how about your children? They will speak Dutch better than you!
Would not it be great to understand them fully and to help them to be happy in the Netherlands?
In conclusion
All three exams are civic integration exams
- Level A2 is a base, but not enough for everyday life
- The (Civic Integration Exam at) level B1 is good for socializing and simple work
- The State Exam NT2 at level B2 boosts your career.
Interested?
Suitcase talen offers 12 modules for full-time working and other busy people.
Moreover, we made our Dutch Courses as flexible as possible by dividing them into modules of 5 weeks each.
We use The Delft method: e-learning with online conversation classes
This successful method requires a study investment of 6 hours per week.
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