The KNM exam: what it covers and how to practise

Updated September 2026 — reflects the KNM update of 1 July 2025

KNM — Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij — isn't a language test. It checks whether you know how everyday life in the Netherlands works: who to call, what's expected, what your rights are. Most people pass it once they practise the type of question, because the questions are about situations, not trivia.

The format at a glance

What	Computer-based multiple-choice exam at a DUO location
Who	Required under both Wi2013 (A2 route) and Wi2021 (B1 route)
Time	45 minutes
Cost	€50 per attempt
Result	Usually within eight weeks, in Mijn Inburgering

You'll see "40 questions, pass with 26" (or 28) quoted online. Those numbers come from private course providers and don't agree with each other — DUO doesn't publish them. Don't aim for a cut-off; aim to be solid on all eight themes.

The eight KNM themes

1. Work and income — contracts, payslips, UWV, looking for work, benefits, taxes.
2. Manners, norms and values — punctuality, equality, directness, how neighbours interact.
3. Housing — renting, huurtoeslag, the landlord's and tenant's responsibilities, waste rules.
4. Health and healthcare — the huisarts as the first step, insurance, 112 vs. the huisartsenpost.
5. History and geography — key periods, the provinces, water management.
6. Institutions — the gemeente, DUO, IND, Belastingdienst: who does what.
7. Constitution and rule of law — fundamental rights, elections, the police and courts.
8. Education and upbringing — compulsory schooling, the school system, child benefits, parenting norms.

The July 2025 update added extra attention to topics such as self-determination (including for women) and knowledge of the Holocaust — practice material written before mid-2025 may miss these.

How the questions work

Most questions look like this: an everyday situation, three plausible options. The trap is usually an answer that would be normal in another country. Understanding why the Dutch answer is what it is makes the next ten questions easier.

How to practise KNM

• Practise by theme, so you notice which areas you're weak in — most people have one or two.
• Review every wrong answer. Read the explanation, not just the correct letter.
• Do full timed rounds in the last week so 45 minutes feels comfortable.
• Use current material — check it covers the 2025 themes.

RateMyDutch's KNM section has exam-style scenario questions across the themes, with an explanation for every answer.

Written by Youssef Hounat, who passed his own A2 inburgering exams in July 2026 and built RateMyDutch to practise for them. Exam facts checked against inburgeren.nl and staatsexamensnt2.nl — updated September 2026.

RateMyDutch is an independent practice tool. It is not affiliated with DUO or the Dutch government, and no practice result predicts your official exam outcome. Official exam information: inburgeren.nl.