Dutch Language Courses 2026: Online & In-Person

Quick Comparison Table

Online Language Apps

Apps are an accessible starting point. They work as a foundation or as a supplement to interactive learning.

Babbel

Babbel offers a Dutch course within a subscription that includes all 14 languages. Babbel’s prices page (read 31 October 2026) lists:

Babbel’s page says every plan includes interactive speaking practice, grammar explanations, bite-sized lessons and personalised review exercises. The 12-month price is shown as a saving against a recurring 3-month subscription, so the 3-month plan costs more per month. Prices and promotions change, so check the current price before you subscribe.

For a comparison with Duolingo, see our Babbel vs Duolingo for Learning Dutch guide.

Duolingo

Duolingo has a Dutch course for English speakers, and its website describes learning as free. It uses short lessons in which you earn points and unlock new levels; Duolingo also offers paid plans such as Super Duolingo, so check the app for what is included. For a deeper comparison, see our Babbel vs Duolingo for Learning Dutch article. For other apps, including Mondly, check our 7 Best Apps to Learn Dutch in 2026 guide.

Online Tutoring Platforms

One-to-one tutoring gives you live speaking practice.

Preply

Preply is a tutoring marketplace. On 31 October 2026 its Dutch page listed 493 tutors, with a price filter from EUR 2 to EUR 36+ and the first ten listings at EUR 27 to EUR 70 per 50-minute lesson. Tutors set their own prices, and you can book a trial lesson. Compare tutors’ profiles and reviews yourself.

Find a Dutch tutor on Preply →

italki

italki is a language tutoring marketplace with professional teachers and community tutors. On 31 October 2026 its Dutch page said 142 Dutch tutors were available, and most listings showed a trial-lesson price; among the first twenty listings these ranged from USD 5 to USD 30. Prices differ per teacher. See our Preply vs iTalki comparison if you are weighing both platforms.

In-Person and Group Courses

Taalhuis in the library

The Bibliotheek offers a Taalhuis, where you can get help with learning the Dutch language and with preparing for the inburgering exam. The Bibliotheek states that this help is free and that you do not have to be a member (bibliotheek.nl, read 31 October 2026). Check your local library for what it offers.

UvA Talen

UvA Talen is the language centre of the University of Amsterdam. Its Dutch page (read 31 October 2026) lists general level courses at eight levels, from complete beginners to advanced, each completed with a final exam on reading, listening, speaking and writing, specialised courses for speaking, writing and other skills, and courses that prepare for the NT2 state exam. Courses are available as group courses, intensive courses, e-learning and individual courses, online or in Amsterdam. Check uvatalen.nl for current prices and start dates.

Direct Dutch

Direct Dutch is a language institute in The Hague that says it has taught Dutch since 1985, with classroom and online courses from beginners A1 to advanced B2, including intensive courses and courses for writing and speaking (directdutch.nl, read 31 October 2026). Check the site for current prices and start dates.

NT2 State Exam

The Staatsexamen NT2 (Dutch as a second language) is a national exam for adults who learn Dutch as a second language. DUO runs it on behalf of the College voor Toetsen en Examens (DUO).

• Programme I (level B1): for mbo study or work at mbo 3 or 4 level.
• Programme II (level B2): for hbo or university study or work at that level.

Both programmes consist of four parts: reading, listening, speaking and writing, and you take all exams on a computer. Information about content, preparation and practice exams is on staatsexamensnt2.nl and oefenexamensnt2.nl. For the civic integration exam, see inburgeren.nl.

For a complete guide to the civic integration process, read our Inburgeringsexamen Preparation Guide 2026. Unsure which learning route applies to your visa and situation? Our inburgering route builder helps you identify the right path.

A Suggested Learning Plan

This plan combines the options above. Adapt it to your schedule; we give no timeline for reaching a level, because that depends on you.

First months: build a foundation. Use an app such as Babbel or Duolingo for regular short sessions, add weekly conversation practice with a tutor on italki or Preply, and set your phone to Dutch.

Next: add speaking. Add a group course at a language school, use the free help at the library Taalhuis, and practise in daily situations: at the supermarket, with neighbours, with colleagues.

Later: refine and specialise. Prepare for the NT2 state exam if you need it, and join a Dutch club or community group where Dutch is spoken. The making friends in the Netherlands guide explains why language matters for integration.

Civic Integration and the DUO Loan

Who has to integrate

Whether you must comply with the civic integration requirement depends on your nationality and situation (Government.nl, read 31 October 2026). You do not have to if you are a national of an EU country, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland or Türkiye, if you are under 18 or have reached retirement age, if you lived in the Netherlands for at least 8 years while of compulsory school age, if you have certain Dutch-taught qualifications, or if you come to the Netherlands temporarily, for example for work or study. In all other cases you must integrate: DUO sends you a letter, and you have 3 years from arrival. You can follow a classroom course or prepare independently, and you finish with an exam.

The Civic Integration Act 2021 came into force on 1 January 2022 and has three learning routes (Government.nl; inburgeren.nl):

• B1 route: aimed at paid or voluntary work; language exams at level B1 and knowledge exams. If you have had at least 600 hours of language lessons and B1 does not work out, you can discuss with the municipality whether lowering to A2 is possible.
• Education route: mainly for young people, preparing for mbo, hbo or university; language exams at level B1 or B2 plus knowledge exams.
• Z route (self-reliance): for people for whom the other routes are too difficult; Dutch at level A1, language exams at A2 optional, knowledge exams (the participation statement process and the Labour Market and Participation module) required, finishing with a conversation at the municipality.

Check your own situation with DUO and the municipality before you choose a course.

Borrowing from DUO

Some people who have to integrate can borrow from DUO for a course at level B1 or B2, an A2 course, a literacy course and the exam. The course must be at a school listed on zoekinburgerschool.nl. DUO pays the course or exam directly; you do not receive the money. Asylum status holders under the 2021 law cannot borrow because the municipality pays. The loan is sometimes forgiven fully or in part; otherwise you repay it with interest, which is 2.29% in 2026 (inburgeren.nl, read 28 and 31 October 2026). If you are not an asylum status holder, how much you can borrow depends on your income, and DUO decides. Check the conditions before you start an expensive course.

Dutch at Work

Dutch can matter more as you work with Dutch clients, teams and documents. Check what your employer expects. If you want to study Dutch for work, ask your employer whether it pays for training. Contracts and HR documents may be in Dutch, so these words help: arbeidsovereenkomst (employment contract), loonstrook (pay slip), vakantiedagen (holiday days), ziekteverlof (sick leave).

Related Guides

• Babbel vs Duolingo for Learning Dutch 2026
• 7 Best Apps to Learn Dutch in 2026
• Inburgeringsexamen Preparation Guide 2026
• Complete Guide to Moving to the Netherlands in 2026

Final Advice

The best course is the one you will use consistently. A few pointers:

• For structured self-study, look at Babbel.
• For a free start, use Duolingo or the library Taalhuis.
• For live speaking practice, look at Preply or italki.
• For classroom courses, look at UvA Talen or Direct Dutch; for free help, go to your local library’s Taalhuis.
• Start using Dutch early, even imperfectly, instead of waiting until you feel ready.