The KNM exam (Knowledge of Dutch Society): format, themes and how to prepare

KNM — Knowledge of Dutch Society — is 45 minutes on a computer, theme by theme, in Dutch. What DUO says about it, what it does not say, the words each area of daily life runs on, and how to practise with DUO's own exams.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 5 min read

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The Binnenhof in The Hague, seat of the Dutch government, across the Hofvijver — Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized.

KNM (Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij) is the knowledge exam of inburgering. Under the 2021 Act it belongs to the B1 route and the education route; under the 2013 Act it was one of the exams at A2; and it is part of the civic integration exam the IND accepts for naturalisation (IND). It is not a language exam, but it is in Dutch — so the words matter as much as the facts.

In short: on a computer, 45 minutes, €50. You get several themes — DUO's examples are wonen (housing) and werk en inkomen (work and income) — and answer questions on each. You register in Mijn Inburgering, and the result comes by letter within 8 weeks (inburgeren.nl).

What DUO says — and what it does not

DUO's public page describes the format, not a syllabus: themes such as wonen and werk en inkomen, questions per theme, 45 minutes. It does not publish a list of questions — and you sign a confidentiality form on the day, so nobody may share real ones (examination rules). Be wary of anyone selling "the real KNM questions". What DUO does publish are two free KNM practice exams (practice) — the best picture of the question style there is.

KNM is one of five exams of €50 under the 2021 Act — €250 in all — next to the four language exams (reading, listening, writing, speaking). The MAP (labour market and participation) and the participation statement (PVT) are done with the municipality, free; the old ONA exam only applies under the 2013 Act. The routes guide explains all of them.

The areas of daily life to know — with their words

Because KNM questions are about how things work here, the practical way to study is area by area — the situations you meet in your first years anyway. The words below are the ones those situations are written in.

Housing (wonen)

de huur, huren — rent, to rent (huren); de huurder, de verhuurder — tenant, landlord
de huurtoeslag — rent allowance; de toeslag — allowance in general
de buren — the neighbours; de overlast — nuisance; het afval scheiden — sorting the rubbish
verhuizen — to move house (verhuizen); you report a move to the gemeente

Work and income (werk en inkomen)

de werkgever, de werknemer — employer, employee; het contract — contract
het salaris, het loon — pay; verdienen — to earn
solliciteren — to apply for a job (solliciteren); de vacature — vacancy; het sollicitatiegesprek — job interview
de belasting, de Belastingdienst — tax, the tax office; de uitkering — benefit

Health care

de huisarts — GP; de afspraak — appointment (afspreken)
de zorgverzekering — health insurance; het eigen risico — the deductible
de apotheek — pharmacy; het recept — prescription
ziek zijn, zich ziek melden — to be ill, to call in sick (zijn, bellen)

Education and children

de basisschool, de middelbare school — primary school, secondary school
de leerplicht — compulsory education; de ouderavond — parents' evening
de kinderopvang — childcare; de kinderopvangtoeslag — childcare allowance
leren, studeren — to learn, to study (leren, studeren)

The municipality, the state and your rights

de gemeente, het gemeentehuis — municipality, town hall; de BSN — citizen service number; DigiD — your digital ID
de verkiezingen, stemmen — elections, to vote (stemmen, kiezen)
de Grondwet — the Constitution; gelijke rechten — equal rights; de vrijheid van meningsuiting — freedom of expression
de politie, de rechter — police, judge; de wet — the law

Our inburgering vocabulary path has a KNM set of its own, plus sets for housing, work, health, admin and school — 40 in all, sorted by exam value.

How to prepare

Do DUO's two KNM practice exams first, without notes, to see the style and your gaps.
Study one area a week — housing, work, health, education, the state — and learn its words in Dutch, not only the facts in your own language.
Use official sources for facts: inburgeren.nl, netinnederland.nl (videos on exam subjects, recommended by DUO) and government.nl. Not forums.
Learn the verbs questions use: mogen (be allowed), moeten (must), kunnen (can), betalen, aanmelden, invullen.
Book early — it can take more than six weeks to get a date — and plan KNM next to the language exams in your 12-week plan.

KNM words, 16 at a time

16Word's inburgering path drills the words of housing, work, health, school and the state, with audio and a game of Blocks between answers. The first page is free.

Keep learning

All our Dutch exam guides

Frequently asked questions

What is the KNM exam?

Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij — Knowledge of Dutch Society. A 45-minute computer exam with questions per theme, such as housing or work and income. It is part of inburgering and of the civic integration exam accepted for naturalisation.

Is the KNM exam in English?

No. The KNM exam is in Dutch, so you need the words of each theme as well as the facts.

How much does the KNM exam cost?

€50. Asylum status holders under the 2021 Act get their first two attempts free.

Where can I find KNM practice questions?

DUO publishes two free KNM practice exams on inburgeren.nl. Real exam questions are confidential — candidates sign a form promising not to share them.

When do I get my KNM result?

By letter within 8 weeks; you can also see it in Mijn Inburgering.

Do I need the ONA exam as well?

Only under the 2013 Act or if you integrate voluntarily. Under the 2021 Act the labour-market part is the MAP, done with your municipality.