Free A2 practice for inburgering is available, but it is spread across official portals, school intake materials and app free tiers. The most reliable starting points are inburgeren.nl and DUO - Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, because they reflect the current exam format and rules. Everything else is useful for daily practice, not for confirming what the exam actually asks.
Start with the official sources
inburgeren.nl is the DUO portal for civic integration. It publishes test information, study materials and exam booking, and it is free. If you are unsure whether your obligation is A2 or B1, read the official pages there and check the official source for your municipality's decision.
DUO - Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs handles exam registration, integration paperwork and loans. It is not a practice platform, but it is where you confirm dates, rules and your personal route. Do not rely on third party summaries for rules; rules change and only DUO and inburgeren.nl are authoritative.
Inburgeringsexamen (DUO) describes the exam itself: reading, listening, writing and speaking plus KNM, with ONA as a separate part. It is the exam you are practising for, so use it to understand the parts before you choose materials.
What free practice actually looks like
Official portals give you format, sample questions and study pointers. They do not give you a full free course. For volume practice you need one of three things: a school that includes free intake and trial materials, an app with a usable free tier, or self study with free online exercises.
StroopTaal is an AI powered app with real life scenarios and a focus on inburgering and NT2 preparation. The free tier is enough to test whether the format suits you. It fits self starters who want short daily sessions. It does not fit people who need a teacher to correct speaking and writing, because an app cannot replace that feedback.
TopTaal NT2 Expert BV is a Blik op Werk certified school with locations in Amsterdam and other cities, and online options. It fits candidates who want a structured A2 or B1 trajectory and are willing to pay for it. It does not fit people who only want free materials, though an intake conversation is often free and useful even if you do not enrol. Check current prices with the school.
Hamrah Taalschool Rotterdam is a Rotterdam based school with A1 to B2 levels, online and in person, and strong NT2 preparation. It suits candidates in Rotterdam who want classroom practice alongside self study. It is less convenient if you are outside the region and need in person lessons.
Agentschap Integratie en Inburgering is the Flemish agency for integration, with around 70 locations across Flanders and Brussels. It fits people in Flanders who need routing to NT2 courses and inburgering trajectories. It does not fit candidates in the Netherlands, because it serves Flanders and Brussels.
Blik op Werk Quality Mark is the independent Dutch quality certification. All government funded schools must be Blik op Werk certified. Use it to check whether a school is legitimate before you pay. It is a quality check, not a practice resource.
Comparing the main options
| Option | Type | Levels | Format | Best for | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| inburgeren.nl | Government portal | A1, A2, B1 | Online | Official exam info and study materials | 85/100 |
| Inburgeringsexamen (DUO) | Exam | A2, B1 | In person | Understanding the exam parts | 88/100 |
| StroopTaal | App | A0, A1, A2, B1 | Online | Daily self study and scenarios | 81/100 |
| TopTaal NT2 Expert BV | School | A1, A2, B1, B2 | Online and in person | Structured courses with certification | 84/100 |
| Hamrah Taalschool Rotterdam | School | A1, A2, B1, B2 | Online and in person | Rotterdam based classroom practice | 82/100 |
A practical free study plan at A2
Use the official portal to learn the exam parts. Then practise each part separately. Reading and listening can be practised with free news in simple Dutch and with app exercises. Writing and speaking need correction, which is where a school or a tutor earns its place.
If you want a tutor, our tutor directory lists options. A Verified Pro on this site means a tutor with 3,000 or more lessons and a 4.9 or higher rating on their platform. That is a useful signal, but it is not a guarantee for your specific exam.
If you are still deciding between A2 and B1, use the path finder and read our inburgering section. For exam specific practice, see NT2 prep. If you want to compare cities and local options, start at cities.
Common mistakes with free materials
Using old A2 materials from before the 2021 Act. The standard route is now B1, with A2 possible after substantial effort. Older obligations used A2, so old PDFs may not match your exam.
Treating an app as a full course. Apps are good for vocabulary and listening. They rarely prepare you for the writing and speaking parts at exam level.
Ignoring the official source. Rules on routes, exemptions and naturalisation change. Naturalisation requires A2 in 2026, and a move to B1 is planned without a confirmed start date. Check the official source before you plan around any of this.
Paying before checking certification. Use Blik op Werk to confirm a school is certified, and ask the school directly about prices, schedules and trial lessons. We do not list prices because they change and depend on your situation.
Bottom line
Free A2 practice is realistic if you anchor yourself in the official portals and add one structured practice habit. Use inburgeren.nl and DUO - Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs for rules and format, use an app or free exercises for volume, and use a certified school or tutor only where you need feedback. Check the official source for anything about your obligation, and check each provider for current prices.
How we know this: the options come from The Dutch Directory listings checked on 2026-10-05, and fit scores are editorial, not user ratings.