Can you pass the B2 NT2 Spreken exam without a course?
The registration steps in the fact sheet contain no course step. What the sources do fix is the format of the B2 speaking module: 4 short tasks, 8 medium tasks and one two-minute long task after preparation time. Self-study can only be judged against that format, so this page sets out what it has to cover, using only the official figures.
Practise the Spreken format before you decide on a course
The Dutch B2 Speaking Trainer gives you spoken prompts to answer out loud, with a countdown timer. It trains the answer-out-loud part of the exam. It does not teach the language. Free, no signup needed.
Try the free trainer →Do you need a course to register?
The fact sheet records these registration steps. You register through DUO, about eight weeks before the exam, via MijnDUO, and you need a DigiD (you can also register without one). You choose a place and a date. Registration opens at 9:00 or 10:00 on the day listed in the exam timetable. None of these steps is a course enrolment.
B1 vs B2: this page covers Programma II (B2). For Programma I (B1), see Can you pass Staatsexamen NT2 Spreken without a course?.
What the B2 speaking module tests
Programma II is for people who want to study or work at hbo or university level, which corresponds to CEFR B2. All exams are taken on the computer. The speaking module has three parts.
Programma II Spreken — three parts
Programma II has 4 short tasks, 8 medium tasks and 1 long task, 13 in total. Programma I has 8 short and 8 medium tasks and no long task, and no preparation time. The long task is the part with no Programma I equivalent.
The official sources confirm that the long task has preparation time, but they do not give its length. This page gives no figure for it.
What self-study has to cover
Before you decide on a course, check these two lists against your own level.
What to cover — and a check before you decide
Self-study has to cover
Check before you decide
What the exam costs
The fee is €50 per exam part, and a complete exam of all four parts (Lezen, Luisteren, Spreken, Schrijven) costs €200. The same fees apply to Programma I and Programma II.
This page gives no course prices. The fact sheet does not cover them, so none are quoted here.
Exam fees — Programma I and II alike
How the speaking module is assessed, and how long it lasts
Speaking is not scored by the computer. Every exam is assessed by two assessors. You can receive one or more points per question or task. To pass the Staatsexamen NT2 you need a score of at least 500. For the B2 assessment breakdown, see how NT2 Spreken is scored at B2.
Plan for roughly 25 to 30 minutes. staatsexamensnt2.nl gives about 25 minutes for Programma I and II together, and DUO gives about 30 minutes for the B1 and B2 speaking exams together.
FAQ
Do I need a course to register for the B2 exam?
The registration steps in the fact sheet (DUO, MijnDUO, DigiD or registration without one, a place and a date) contain no course enrolment.
Is the Spreken exam the same for Programma I and Programma II?
No. Programma II has 4 short, 8 medium and 1 long speaking task. Programma I has 8 short and 8 medium tasks and no long task.
Does the B2 exam cost more?
No. The fee is €50 per exam part and €200 for the complete exam, for Programma I and Programma II alike.
Sources
- DUO — how the Staatsexamen NT2 works (accessed 2026-10-11)
- DUO — exam fees (accessed 2026-10-11)
- staatsexamensnt2.nl — registration with DUO (accessed 2026-10-11)
- staatsexamensnt2.nl — how the exam is structured (accessed 2026-10-11)
- staatsexamensnt2.nl — assessment and pass mark (accessed 2026-10-11)
- inburgeren.nl — exam content and duration (accessed 2026-10-11)