KNM exam practice: how to prepare

KNM exam practice means training on knowledge questions about life in the Netherlands, not on grammar. According to DUO, you take KNM on a computer, you see different topics (for example wonen, housing, or werk en inkomen, work and income), and the exam takes 45 minutes. Start with the free DUO practice exams, then use short sessions on Inbu with questions in exam format.

Many people think: “I already live here, so this exam can wait.” KNM asks for concrete knowledge: rules, institutions, and everyday situations. You read the question in Dutch and answer it. You are not “winning” a language exam. You need to recognise the situation and work calmly inside the time.

This guide covers what KNM is according to DUO, how to practise, where the free practice exams are, and how Inbu sits next to DUO. Mijn Inburgering is the official portal. It is not a practice app.

What is the KNM exam?

KNM means Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij, Knowledge of Dutch Society. It is a knowledge exam in the civic integration path, next to the language exams (reading, listening, speaking, writing) and, depending on your route, other parts.

According to inburgeren.nl – knowledge exams:

• You take KNM on a computer.
• You get different topics. DUO gives examples such as wonen (housing) or werk en inkomen (work and income). Those are examples, not a full list of themes.
• For each topic you answer questions.
• The exam takes 45 minutes.

Which exams you personally have to take depends on your situation, including the act you fall under. Check that in Mijn Inburgering. Under the Civic Integration Act 2021 it is also in your personal plan (PIP) with the municipality. See which exams on inburgeren.nl. Do not guess your own package.

KNM is not a language exam. The questions are about society. Dutch is how you read them. Practise KNM apart from speaking or writing.

What changed on 1 July 2025?

DUO reported that the content of the KNM exam changed from 1 July 2025. On the practice page you can practise for the updated exam. If you are taking the exam now, use the current practice exams on that page, not older textbooks from an earlier version.

This guide does not invent a theme list. Use DUO’s examples (wonen, werk en inkomen) and what you see in the official practice exams.

Where can you practise KNM for free? (DUO first)

On inburgeren.nl – Practise DUO lists official practice exams, including Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM):

• Oefenexamen KNM 1
• Oefenexamen KNM 2

DUO recommends taking the practice exam on a desktop computer. On a phone or tablet, rotate the screen for a better view.

Do at least one practice exam all the way through, so you feel 45 minutes on a computer with topic questions. Treat the practice score as training feedback, not as an official DUO result and not as a promise that you will pass.

DUO also points, on that same page, to lezenenschrijven.nl, hetbegintmettaal.nl, and the public library. Those links can change. Check oefenen.jsp before you share them.

1. Know the difference: portal vs practice

• Mijn Inburgering is your official DUO overview (which exams, registration, result). It is not a practice app.
• Practise on inburgeren.nl is the official practice exams (the benchmark).
• Inbu is extra repetition: short sessions and feedback next to work and family. See KNM exam practice.

Signing in to Mijn Inburgering is not the same as practising every day. You need both, at different moments.

2. Practise in short blocks

KNM is recognition: rules, situations, words that come back. Ten to fifteen minutes, a few times a week, beats one long session you keep postponing.

A simple rhythm:

1. Pick one topic or one set of questions.
2. Answer calmly. Read the question twice.
3. Note what you missed (a word, a rule, an institution).
4. Repeat those misses later in the week.

3. Read the question before the options

On knowledge questions the trap is recognising too fast and clicking the wrong answer. Train three checks: what is actually being asked, which moment or rule fits, and whether the answer fits the Dutch context rather than “how it worked in my country”.

4. Use DUO as the benchmark and Inbu as the routine

1. First do a free DUO KNM practice exam, on a desktop.
2. Then practise little and often on Inbu – KNM, with questions in exam format and feedback when you miss.
3. Optional: if you want a broader starting point, take the free level check.

Inbu does not offer official DUO exam items. You get questions in exam format, with an explanation when an answer is wrong.

5. Book only once the rhythm feels workable

You register for KNM (and other parts) via Mijn Inburgering. How that works is in Register for the civic integration exam and on DUO’s registration page. You can practise before and after you register.

Common mistakes

Trap	Better
Only memorising a book	Alternate explanation with practice questions (DUO + Inbu)
“Adding” KNM while you are drilling Speaking	Plan separate KNM time
Old materials from before 1 July 2025	Use the current practice exams on inburgeren.nl
One practice score means “I am done”	Repeat weak spots; a practice score is not an official result
Opening Mijn Inburgering instead of practising	The portal is for your overview and registration; practice lives elsewhere

How KNM fits the other parts

For many paths, integration at A2 level means the language exams plus KNM. Each part counts on its own. Practise what you need.

• Reading A2
• Listening A2
• Writing A2
• Speaking
• Overview of the parts: KNM practice on Inbu

Ready to start?

1. Do a free DUO KNM practice exam on oefenen.jsp (KNM 1 or KNM 2, desktop).
2. Then build a short routine on KNM exam practice at Inbu.
3. Check in Mijn Inburgering, or in your PIP, which exams apply to you before you book.

You can look at pricing later if you want to continue. Starting the practice above is free. KNM exam practice is mostly this: calm, regular, and aimed at the right benchmark (DUO).