The Academic Language Centre offers a free online course 'SPOC Dutch & More':

* for international students

* for international staff members

The courses below are intended for adults with higher levels of education, Leiden University students and staff members who wish to combine them with their university studies or work, as well as other interested parties who are unrelated to Leiden University. The course focuses on everyday conversational Dutch and is also suitable for expats.

Semi-intensive courses (starting in September and February, two lessons per week, usually in the evening) & intensive summer courses

• Dutch 1 (Also offered as intensive summer course)
• Dutch 2 (Also offered as intensive summer course)
• Dutch 3 (Also offered as intensive summer course)
• Dutch 4 (Also offered as intensive summer course)
• Dutch 5
• Dutch 6
• Dutch 1+2 Intensive Summer course

The courses below are meant for international students of the University of Leiden and for participants who wish to follow a non-intensive course.

Late afternoon or evening, one lesson a week

• Dutch 1A (offered in September and February)
• Dutch 1B (offered in September and February) 
• Dutch 2A (offered in September and February)
• Dutch 2B (offered in September and February)
• Dutch 3A (offered in September)
• Dutch 3B (offered in February)
• Dutch 4A (offered in September)
• Dutch 4B (offered in February)
• Dutch 5A (offered in September)
• Dutch 5B (offered in February)
• Dutch 6A (offered in September)
• Dutch 6B (offered in February)
• Nederlands voor vergevorderden A (offered in September)
• Nederlands voor vergevorden B (offered in February)

The course below is meant for international students.

• SPOC Dutch & More

The Academic Language Centre helps new Dutch citizens who wish to learn Dutch in the context of the Integration Act to prepare for the State Examination Programme II. The course focus on all skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking. In order to pass the state examination you must master these skills at B2 level. In addition, since 2015 you are also obliged to complete additional examinations in Knowledge of Dutch Society and Orientation on the Dutch labour market. The materials for these examinations are integrated into the courses we offer.

Target group

These courses are open to highly educated people who have completed at least 14 years of education in their country of origin and whose command of English corresponds to B1 level. To register for this course you must first complete an English test. To find out whether you can take part in the course we will plan an intake interview. You can make an appointment for an intake interview by telephone at 071 527 2332 during the opening hours of the Academic Language Centre.

The course is fast-paced. Course participants are expected to be actively involved in the course and to prepare the lessons thoroughly at home.

DUO loan

The 'Dutch for participants in civic integration programme' course can be financed from your DUO loan. The course costs include the tuition fee, books, and syllabi. Books that are required for more than one course will only be issued once.

Potential commute costs cannot be financed from the loan.

Click here for more information about the DUO loan.

The courses

• Dutch for civic integration 1
• Dutch for civic integration 2
• Dutch for civic integration 3
• Dutch for civic integration 4
• Dutch for civic integration 5
• Dutch for civic integration 6

Under certain conditions the course Nederlands 4 VJL  (July - August 2019) is open for registration. Please contact talencentrum@hum.leidenuniv.nl to ensure you comply with the conditions.

After level 5 you may enroll in the Preparatory Course for the Staatsexamen NT2 Programme II

More information

• About Inburgeren (in English)
• How to 'inburgeren' (in Dutch)
• About getting a loan (in English)
• About the Quality Mark: www.blikopwerk.nl (in Dutch)

Dutch Plus Writing

Dutch Plus Writing is aimed at students who wish to improve their writing skills at an advanced level.

• Dutch Plus Writing

Advanced Dutch

The advanced Dutch courses A and B are intended for people who have lived in the Netherlands for some time and already have a very good knowledge of Dutch.

• Advanced Dutch

Conversation and Literature

During the course, speaking and reading skills are deepened by reading and intensively discussing Dutch literary texts.

• Conversation and Literature

Preparatory course for Staatsexamen

After level 5 you may enroll in the Preparatory Course for the Staatsexamen NT2 Programme II.

Information for prospective students

Prospective students with a non-Dutch secondary educational background must have a good command of Dutch for entry to a bachelor programme at Leiden University. The university provides Dutch courses for these students. Prospective students who already have a command of Dutch can do an entrance exam. 

The Language Centre also organises English courses for prospective students who want to enter a degree programme at Leiden University for which English is a requirement. Students doing a degree for which Dutch is the language of instruction also need a good command of English, since most literature is in English.

Admission Exam TUL Intermediate

Admission Exam TUL Advanced

In addition to the open registration courses, the Academic Language Centre also offers custom-made language training. For more information, please consult the custom-made language training webpage.

Before enrolling, you have to take an entrance test.

• The English test is compulsory for all new participants who wish to register for a Dutch for civic integration course. The English test will take approximately 30 minutes.
• If you have studied Dutch before, you can also take a Dutch entrance test to determine your current level. This test will take approximately 1 hour.
• The test is available at the Academic Language Centre on working days between 9:00 and 15:00 hrs. 

*PLEASE NOTE: If you have taken a Dutch course at the Academic Language Centre and you did not pass the final exam, you cannot register for the next level course on the basis of an intake test.