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Het basisexamen in het buitenlandPreparing for the MVV basic exam abroad

If you want to come and live in the Netherlands, for example with your partner, you usually have to pass the basisexamen inburgering buitenland first. You take it at a Dutch embassy or consulate, on a computer, at A1 level. This page explains the three parts and lets you practise each one.

  • A1 level
  • Three parts
  • At a Dutch embassy
  • €150 for all three

Drie onderdelenThe three parts of the exam

Everything is done on a computer with headphones and a microphone. You don't have to write anything by hand. In total it takes about two hours.

  • KNS30 questions, 21 to pass

    Kennis van de Nederlandse Samenleving: questions about the Netherlands, such as geography, the government, healthcare, school and daily life. The exam is based on the Naar Nederland study pack.

  • Speaking2 parts, €60

    First you hear questions and answer them out loud. Then you hear the start of a sentence and finish it. People mark your answers, not the computer.

  • Reading42 questions, 35 minutes, €50

    Short words and texts, like signs, notices and simple messages, with multiple-choice questions. This part is marked by the computer.

Where
At the Dutch embassy or consulate in your country
Your result
Within 8 weeks, often sooner
Valid for
1 year. Apply for your MVV within that year.

100 vragen over Nederland100 practice questions for KNS

I wrote these to cover the topics in Naar Nederland. They're for practice and aren't the official exam questions: for those, use the study pack and the Cito app linked below. Pick a set of ten, then read the answers or test yourself with two options per question.

SprekenSpeaking practice

Say your answer out loud first. Recording yourself on your phone helps. Then open the question to see an example answer. At A1, a short, clear answer is exactly what's wanted. These are examples in the exam style, not real exam questions; the official practice exams are on naarnederland.nl.

LezenReading practice

Eight short questions in the style of the exam, with an explanation after each answer. These are my own examples; the official practice exam is on naarnederland.nl.

Meer oefenenOther places to practise

  • Naar NederlandOfficial, free

    The official study pack for the basic exam, with practice exams for all three parts. Explanations are available in many languages.

  • CitoOfficial

    Cito makes the exam. Their page has information about the basic exam and their KNS practice app.

  • NT2 TaalMenuFree

    Exercises for KNS in sets of ten, with extra practice per set.

  • Exercises InburgeringReading

    Timed reading exercises in the same multiple-choice style as the exam.

Samen voorbereiden?Prepare with me, online

I give 1-on-1 lessons for the basic exam on Zoom, so it doesn't matter where you live. We practise speaking a lot, because that's the part you can't really do on your own. The lessons are in Dutch, with a little English where needed. €25 an hour, paid per lesson.

Book a lesson