Dutch Language Requirements for BIG Registration (2026)
Since 1 January 2024 there is no AKV test anymore. You submit language certificates with your BIG application instead. Here is exactly which level you need for your profession, which certificates count, and a realistic plan to get there.
The level per profession
The requirement follows the education level of your profession. All four skills count: speaking, listening, writing and reading.
Verpleegkundige (nurse)
Dutch at B1. The standard proof is the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I. No English certificate is required for nurses in individual healthcare (VIG); other nurses do submit English reading proof.
Physiotherapist, midwife, dietician, occupational therapist
Dutch at B2, provable with the Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II. Plus an English reading certificate.
Arts (doctor) and tandarts (dentist)
Dutch at B2+: above B2, just under C1. Only certificates from approved language institutes count at this level. Plus English reading proof.
Which certificates are accepted?
- Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I proves B1. This is the standard route for nurses.
- Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II proves B2, for the higher-vocational professions.
- B2+ certificates come from approved institutes (VU-NT2, Babel and others on the official list), not from the Staatsexamen.
- Testing from abroad? The CNaVT exams (Dutch Language Union) run once a year in May at locations worldwide. If you are still in Manila, Mumbai or Cape Town, this is your option; plan around that single yearly date.
- Dutch diplomas count too. If you completed Dutch-language education (for example in Suriname or the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom), your diploma can serve as proof. Check the official list on bigregister.nl.
The two-year rule: your language certificate may not be older than two years when your application goes in. Do not take the exam years ahead of your move; time it.
Train the exact exam that gets you registered
Dutch Daily is exam-first: 85 Staatsexamen NT2 Programma II exercises and 110 A2 exercises across speaking, listening, writing and reading, with AI feedback on every sentence you write and every conversation you speak. You see the real exam format from day one. Most learners reach B1 or B2 in 4 to 6 months of daily practice, not years.
A realistic timeline to your certificate
Language schools quote 2 years to B2 at classroom pace. Daily practice compresses that. A pattern that works for working professionals:
- Months 1-2: daily speaking habit (15 minutes), the 1,000 most-used words, sentence structure. You stop translating in your head.
- Months 3-4: exam formats. Listening and reading at exam length, writing tasks with per-sentence AI feedback, speaking against the clock.
- Months 5-6: full practice exams, fixing your two weakest skills, then the real Staatsexamen. Certificate in hand, application ready.
Working in care while you learn? Add the Zorg Academy: around 50 standard care routines rebuilt as Dutch training, so your exam prep and your ward vocabulary grow together instead of competing for time.
Enrolling a team?
Recruiters and care employers put whole cohorts on Dutch Daily. The Real-life Scenario Trainer is €199 per license per year, and we set up group access and progress visibility for your candidates. One conversation is enough to get a cohort started.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need to take the AKV test?
No. The AKV test was scrapped on 1 January 2024. You now submit a Dutch language certificate (and for most professions an English reading certificate) directly with your BIG application.
Is B1 really enough for nurses?
B1 is the legal requirement for registration. On the ward, many employers ask for B2 and your daily work is easier at B2. Register at B1, keep training to B2.
Can I take the language exam in my home country?
Yes, via the CNaVT exams of the Dutch Language Union, held once a year in May at test centres worldwide. Most candidates take the Staatsexamen NT2 in the Netherlands because it runs far more often.
My certificate is 3 years old. Does it count?
No. Certificates older than two years at the time of application are not accepted. You will need a fresh one.
How fast can I go from zero to B1?
With daily practice, 4 to 6 months is realistic for A2, and B1 typically follows within another 3 to 6 months depending on your hours and your language background. Afrikaans or German speakers go faster.