A2 integration exam or Staatsexamen NT2 — what is the difference?
2 min read
Two different Dutch exams are often confused: the A2 integration exam and the Staatsexamen NT2. They belong to different goals and sit at different levels.
The difference in brief
| A2 integration exam | Staatsexamen NT2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Level | A2 | Programme I: B1 · Programme II: B2 |
| Language parts | Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking | Reading, Listening, Writing, Speaking |
| Knowledge part | KNM (separate exam) | none |
| Delivery | computer (Writing on paper) | computer |
| Marking | per part | scaled score per part, 500 to pass |
| Dictionary | not allowed | allowed for some parts |
| Commonly used for | the integration requirement | work, study, a higher language level |
What that means in practice
The level gap is large. A2 is the language of daily life: making an appointment, filling in a form, describing your home. B1 (Programme I) expects you to support an opinion and follow longer texts; B2 (Programme II) sits above that. It is not "a few more words" — it is a different exam.
NT2 has no KNM. Knowledge of Dutch Society belongs to the integration exam, not to NT2.
NT2 is marked differently. You get a scaled score per part, with 500 as the threshold to pass that part. Reading and Listening are machine-marked; Writing and Speaking are assessed by two independent raters whose scores are then averaged.
NT2 allows a dictionary for some parts. That sounds like an advantage, but it is mostly a skill: looking things up costs time, and anyone learning to flip pages during the exam loses.
Which exam applies to me?
That depends on your personal situation: your residence permit, when you received it, and the pathway set for you. It is recorded in your own file, and you are notified about it.
Do not go by what applies to acquaintances. The rules have changed in recent years and differ per person and per date. If in doubt, check the official source or ask your case contact — sitting the wrong exam costs money and months.
About this site
This platform focuses on the integration exam at level A2: the five parts, practice exams, and writing and speaking practice at that level. If you are preparing for NT2, you would be practising below your target level here — useful as a base, but not enough for B1 or B2.
What to do next
- Read what the five A2 parts look like
- See the frequently asked questions
- Take an A2 practice exam
Official sources: content of the language exams · what the NT2 exam looks like · NT2 marking.