Inburgering · Updated 2026-10-19

How to prepare for the KNM exam: a 4-week study plan

Test yourself: take our free KNM practice quiz, 20 Dutch + English questions across all 8 themes with instant scoring and explanations. Ready for a full run? Try the free KNM mock exam: 40 questions, 45-minute timer.

The Knowledge of Dutch Society exam (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij, KNM) is one part of the Dutch civic integration exam. It isn't a trick exam, but it does expect you to know how everyday life in the Netherlands works: housing, healthcare, work, schools, government and history, all asked in simple Dutch. This guide gives you a realistic four-week plan, plus the practical steps for booking, exam day and results. Every practical fact below comes from DUO's official site, inburgeren.nl, linked at the bottom.

Lotus & Tulip is an independent studio, not affiliated with DUO. Rules and prices can change, so always check inburgeren.nl and your own Mijn Inburgering page before you book. Lees deze pagina in het Nederlands.

First, the basics

Format: you take the KNM exam on a computer. It's split into themes, such as "wonen" (housing) or "werk en inkomen" (work and income), with questions for each theme. It lasts 45 minutes.^[1]
Which exams you need: this depends on whether you fall under the 2013 or the 2021 civic integration law. Mijn Inburgering, DUO's personal portal (you log in with DigiD), shows exactly which exams you have to take.^[1]
The exam changed on 1 July 2025. It now follows new exam objectives, with more knowledge questions and some new topics. If your exam is after that date, practise with the new material. Our guide to the KNM exam 2025 changes explains what's different.

Book early: it can take more than six weeks

DUO advises registering well ahead, because it can take more than six weeks before you can sit the exam.^[2] So book first, then use the waiting time to study. A fixed date is also the best motivation there is.

Log in to Mijn Inburgering with DigiD.
Choose the date and the location of your exam.
You'll get a confirmation by email and by letter. About a week before the exam, DUO also sends a letter with the place, date and time.^[2]

Can't log in? DUO has a paper registration form (Aanmelding inburgeringsexamen) on the same page. If you register on paper, you'll get a letter with your exam details within three weeks of paying.^[2]

Changing your mind: you can change the date or location in Mijn Inburgering up to one week before the exam. If you cancel at least one week before, you get your money back.^[2]

What it costs

The KNM exam costs €50 per attempt.^[3] How you pay depends on your situation:

Asylum status holders under the 2021 law: the first two attempts at each exam are free, unless you take an exam at a lower level than your PIP (your personal integration plan from the municipality). If you need more than two attempts, you pay for the extra ones and can't borrow from DUO for them.^[3]
Everyone else (for example, family migrants): you can pay for the course and exam yourself, or borrow from DUO. A DUO loan only works with an approved school.^[3]

Because a retake costs real money, it's worth practising until you feel genuinely ready, rather than booking a "test run".

KNM study loop: answer questions in Dutch, check the answer key, read the explanations, record your score in a tracker — A simple loop to repeat each week.

The 4-week study plan

This plan assumes about 30 to 45 minutes a day, five days a week. If your exam is further away, stretch each week. If your Dutch is still basic, add ten minutes of vocabulary every day. It's easy to lose points by misreading a single Dutch word, even when you know the fact.

Week 1: find your starting point

Day 1: take DUO's first official KNM practice exam (Oefenexamen A2 KNM 1) under real conditions: one sitting, timed to 45 minutes like the real exam, no phone.^[4] DUO recommends practising on a desktop computer; on a phone or tablet, turn it sideways.^[4]
Day 2: go through every wrong answer. Write down the theme each one belongs to, and every Dutch word you didn't know.
Days 3-5: make a vocabulary list per theme (start with the words below) and review it daily. Note your two weakest themes.

Week 2: your weakest themes

Spend two or three days on each of your two weakest themes.
Watch the matching videos on Netinnederland.nl, which DUO itself recommends for exam subjects.^[4] Watch once for meaning, then again with the Dutch subtitles on and pause to note new words.
Finish each theme by answering 15 to 20 practice questions on it, then re-read the explanations for anything you got wrong.

Week 3: the remaining themes

Cover the other six themes, roughly one per day, with a short practice set on each.
Keep a running "mistakes page". Each wrong answer gets one line: the fact, in your own words, in Dutch and in your own language.
Use oefenen.nl for extra free lessons if you want more reading practice.^[4]

Week 4: exam conditions

Day 1: take the second official practice exam (Oefenexamen A2 KNM 2), timed.^[4] Compare your score with week 1.
Days 2-4: work only from your mistakes page and the themes where you still drop points.
Day 5: light review, check your ID and your DUO letter, and rest. Cramming the night before rarely helps on a knowledge exam.

Book firstDUO slots can take more than six weeks, so book before you start the plan.

Dutch words worth knowing for each theme

These are everyday terms that come up again and again when you study these themes. It's a starting list, not a prediction of exam questions. Learn what each word means and which organisation or situation it belongs to.

Werk en inkomen (work and income): arbeidscontract (employment contract), loonstrook (payslip), bruto / netto (gross / net), vakantiegeld (holiday allowance), UWV (employee insurance agency), Belastingdienst (Tax Administration), cao (collective labour agreement).
Omgangsvormen, waarden en normen (manners, values and norms): gelijkheid (equality), discriminatie (discrimination), vrijheid van meningsuiting (freedom of expression), afspraak (appointment), op tijd (on time).
Wonen (housing): huurcontract (rental contract), huurtoeslag (rent allowance), woningcorporatie (housing association), buren (neighbours), afval scheiden (separating waste).
Gezondheid en gezondheidszorg (health and healthcare): huisarts (GP), zorgverzekering (health insurance), eigen risico (deductible), apotheek (pharmacy), huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service), 112 (emergency number).
Geschiedenis en geografie (history and geography): provincie (province), Tweede Wereldoorlog (Second World War), Holocaust, bezetting (occupation), dijk (dike).
Instanties (public authorities): gemeente (municipality), DUO, IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service), DigiD (your government login), BSN (citizen service number).
Staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat (government and rule of law): Grondwet (Constitution), Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives), gemeenteraad (municipal council), verkiezingen (elections), rechter (judge).
Onderwijs en opvoeding (education and parenting): leerplicht (compulsory education), basisschool (primary school), consultatiebureau (child health clinic), ouderavond (parents' evening), kinderopvang (childcare).

KNM practice score tracker with three tries per theme for a 4-week study plan — Track your score per theme each week.

Study tips that actually help

Read the whole question twice. Words like niet (not) and eerst (first) change the answer completely.
Learn the "who does what". Many questions come down to knowing which organisation handles something: the municipality, the GP, UWV, the Tax Administration or DUO. A one-page table of organisations is one of the most useful things you can make.
Study in both languages. Understanding a fact in English or your own language first, then reading it again in Dutch, makes it stick better than memorising Dutch sentences you don't understand.
Use your library. DUO points to your local public library for help, and many libraries run a free Taalhuis for language support.^[4]
Don't study from leaked or "real" exam questions. The exam is confidential. Candidates sign a promise not to share questions, take photos or copy them down.^[5] Anything claiming to be the real exam is either fake or shouldn't exist.

Exam day: what to bring and what happens

A valid ID document. Without one, or with a damaged one, you're not allowed to take the exam and have to register again.^[5] DUO accepts, among others, a passport, a Dutch ID card, a Dutch or EU/EEA driving licence, a Dutch residence document (residence permit types I to IV), a W-document, and refugee or alien travel documents. Check the full list on the rules page.^[5]
A cup, if you want a drink during the exam.^[5]
Come alone. Other people have to wait outside.^[5]
Expect a short wait. You may wait in a waiting room until a staff member lets you in. In the room, staff explain the rules, and then you start.^[5]
Read your invitation letter. For A2-level exams, the most important rules are in that letter, and the full rules are in DUO's exam regulations (examenreglement).^[5]

If illness or a disability makes the standard exam hard for you, DUO offers an adjusted exam. Look for the page "Aangepast examen bij ziekte of beperking" on inburgeren.nl and arrange it well before you book.

Results, and what to do if you don't pass

For the KNM exam, you get your result by letter within eight weeks, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering.^[6]

If you don't pass, you can register again in Mijn Inburgering. Before you do, take the practice exams again and look at which themes cost you points. Remember that an extra attempt costs €50, and for asylum status holders under the 2021 law, attempts after the first two have to be paid for.^[3] For the pass mark, how long a pass stays valid, and what a fail means for your deadline, see KNM exam results: pass mark and what to do if you fail.

FAQ

How long should I study for the KNM exam?

For most people, about four weeks of 30 to 45 minutes a day, five days a week, is a realistic plan. If your exam is further away, stretch each week; if your Dutch is still basic, add ten minutes of vocabulary a day. Take DUO's first practice exam on day one to see where you stand.

How long is the KNM exam and what is the format?

You take it on a computer. It is split into themes such as housing (wonen) and work and income (werk en inkomen), with questions for each theme, all in simple Dutch. It lasts 45 minutes.

How far ahead should I book the KNM exam?

Book early: DUO says it can take more than six weeks before you can sit the exam. You register in Mijn Inburgering with DigiD, and you can change the date or location up to one week before. If you cancel at least one week before, you get your money back.

How much does the KNM exam cost?

€50 per attempt. Asylum status holders under the 2021 law get their first two attempts at each exam free, unless they take an exam at a lower level than their PIP; extra attempts must be paid for. Check inburgeren.nl for your own situation, because prices and rules can change.

Are there official KNM practice exams?

Yes. DUO publishes two free official practice exams (Oefenexamen A2 KNM 1 and KNM 2) on the practising page of inburgeren.nl. DUO recommends doing them on a desktop computer; on a phone or tablet, turn it sideways.

What do I need to bring on exam day?

A valid, undamaged ID document such as a passport, Dutch ID card or Dutch residence document. Without one you are not allowed to sit the exam and have to register again. You may bring a cup if you want a drink, and you should come alone; other people wait outside.

When do I get my KNM result?

You get your result by letter within eight weeks, and you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering. If you don't pass, you can register again there, and each extra attempt costs €50.

Free practice to start with

DUO's two official KNM practice exams, on the practising page of inburgeren.nl.^[4]
12 free KNM practice questions with answers in Dutch and English on this blog.
Our free online KNM practice quiz: 20 Dutch + English questions with instant scoring, handy as a quick check at the end of each week.
Our free KNM mock exam: 40 new questions with a 45-minute timer and a score per theme, a good dress rehearsal between DUO's two practice exams.
Our free 20-question KNM sampler (PDF).

Want a full question bank for weeks 2 and 3? The KNM Practice Pack has 160 original multiple-choice questions across all 8 official themes, updated for the July 2025 objectives. Every question is in Dutch with an English support line, and there's an answer key with short explanations and a score tracker. It's a printable A4 PDF and an unofficial study aid, not a copy of any real exam. Prefer direct checkout? Buy on Payhip.

Sources

Checked against the sources above on 13 October 2026. This is general study guidance, not legal advice. Related reading: KNM exam 2025 changes · KNM exam themes · KNM exam cost & booking · DUO KNM practice exam walkthrough · KNM practice questions · free KNM quiz · KNM vocabulary list · KNM exam results & resits.