“Where do I start?” is the first question almost everyone preparing for the exam asks. It is easy to get lost among books, videos, apps and advice. In this article we give you an easy-to-follow study plan of 45–60 minutes a day, split into four weeks.

Who is this plan for? Candidates who already recognize some basic Dutch words and have about a month until the exam. If you are starting completely from zero, do the first two weeks of this plan twice; that gives you a 6-week program in total.

The logic of the plan: a little, but every day

The biggest enemy in language learning is irregularity. Studying 5 hours on Sunday and not at all during the week is far less effective than studying 45 minutes every day. The brain makes new words and patterns stick through repetition.

This plan rests on three principles:

Touch all three parts every day: KNS, Lezen (reading) and Spreken (speaking) feed each other. The words you learn in KNS help you in Lezen, and the patterns you see in Lezen help you in Spreken.
Study out loud: Speaking only improves by speaking. Speak Dutch out loud for at least 10 minutes every day.
Measure and correct: At least once a week, do a timed practice exam and focus on the topic where you are weak.

Daily study template

You can use the template below on every day of the plan:

Time	Activity	How?
10 min	Vocabulary	10–15 new words with the word games + review of yesterday's words
15 min	Focus part of the day	Study the part in the plan (KNS, Lezen or Spreken)
10 min	Speaking out loud	Answer questions out loud, record yourself
10 min	Question practice	Questions on the day's topic from the All questions page
5 min	Short note	Write the 3 sentences you learned today in your notebook

Week 1: Lay the foundation and measure your level

The goal of this week is to see where you stand and to build your basic vocabulary.

Day 1: Do one practice exam for each part. The results may be poor; that is fine. This is your starting point.
Day 2: Learn the sentences for introducing yourself: Ik heet…, Ik kom uit Turkije., Ik woon in…, Ik ben … jaar.
Day 3: Numbers, days, months and clock times. Dates and times come up very often in Lezen.
Day 4: Question words: wat, wie, waar, wanneer, hoe, waarom, hoeveel. These are the key to understanding the question in Spreken.
Day 5: Introduction to KNS: the geography of the Netherlands, the capital, the provinces.
Day 6: Words for family, home and daily routine.
Day 7: Review of the week. Do not learn anything new; just revise.

Tip: To collect the basic words by category, you can use our article on the Dutch words of everyday life.

Week 2: Focus on KNS and vocabulary

The second week concentrates on KNS, the part that requires the most knowledge.

Day 8: Working life: employment contract, tax, employer, UWV.
Day 9: Health: huisarts, zorgverzekering, apotheek, emergencies. (See the healthcare system in the Netherlands)
Day 10: Education: school starting age, compulsory education, school types.
Day 11: Housing and neighbors: rent, municipality, separating waste, relations with neighbors.
Day 12: Structure of government: king, prime minister, parliament, elections, municipality.
Day 13: History and holidays: 4 and 5 May, King's Day, Sinterklaas.
Day 14: KNS practice exam + analysis of your mistakes.

At the end of this week, be sure to read the most confused KNS topics; you will see that most of your mistakes come from the topics in there.

Week 3: Focus on Lezen and Spreken

You now have a vocabulary base. This week we focus on using it.

Day 15: Lezen: read the question first, then scan the text. Try this technique on 5 texts.
Day 16: Spreken: practice giving short answers that fit the question (a single word is enough; what matters is relevance and intelligibility).
Day 17: Lezen: advertisements, signs and forms. Openingstijden, gesloten, korting, uitgang…
Day 18: Spreken: sentence completion practice (omdat, want, dus, als).
Day 19: Lezen practice exam, timed.
Day 20: Spreken practice exam; listen to your recording, note what is missing.
Day 21: Review of the week + pronunciation practice (pronunciation guide).

Week 4: Exam rehearsal

The last week is the week for getting used to real exam conditions.

Day 22: Real exam simulation: all three parts back to back, without help.
Day 23: Analyze your result. Which part is your weakest?
Day 24: Focus on your weakest part (2 practice exams + review of your mistakes).
Day 25: Second real exam rehearsal.
Day 26: The KNS topics you confuse and vocabulary review.
Day 27: Spreken: go over your answers on the most common topics (family, work, home, hobbies, shopping).
Day 28: Third real exam rehearsal.
Day 29: Light review. No new topics. Prepare for exam day (exam day guide).
Day 30: Rest. Sleep well. Trust yourself.

Common mistakes when following the plan

Only reading and never speaking

Many candidates prepare well for KNS and Lezen but neglect Spreken. Speaking requires muscle memory; speaking Dutch out loud for the first time in the exam creates a lot of stress.

Trying to translate every word

In Lezen you do not need to know every word in the text. Finding the information needed to answer the question is enough. If you stop at every word, you will run out of time.

Memorizing the same practice exam

Doing the same practice exam over and over and memorizing the answers gives false confidence. Do different practice exams; and when you repeat one, make sure you can explain why the answer is correct.

Skipping review

Learning a new topic is exciting; review feels boring. But the biggest cause of forgetting is a lack of review. Do not skip the review days in the plan.

How do you keep your motivation?

See your progress: On the My dashboard page you can track your practice exam results, word game scores and the questions you have studied.
Set small goals: Measurable goals like “21 correct on the KNS practice exam this week” are motivating.
Bring Dutch into your life: Switch your phone's language to Dutch for a while, watch simple Dutch videos, speak a few sentences of Dutch with your partner every day.

Frequently asked questions

Is 45 minutes a day really enough?

When done regularly, yes. What matters is not the length of the session but its consistency. If you have time, you can extend it; but avoid studying 3 hours one day and nothing the next.

Which part is the hardest?

It varies from person to person. For most candidates, Spreken is the part that creates the most stress, because it requires thinking and answering on the spot. KNS is the part that requires the most knowledge. That is why the plan gives both parts a place every day.

What should I do if I can't keep up with the plan?

No problem at all. If you miss a day, continue the next day where you left off; do not try to squeeze two days into one. If necessary, plan your exam date for a time when you genuinely feel ready.

Ready? As a first step, do one practice exam for each part today and see your starting point.