Key facts
- Dutch courses use the European CEFR levels: A1 and A2 are beginner, B1 and B2 are intermediate, C1 is advanced.
- Volksuniversiteit regio Eindhoven teaches Dutch from beginner up to C1, with lessons in Eindhoven and Veldhoven. Most language courses start at the end of September.
- TU/e Dutch courses (A1 to C1) are only open to TU/e students and staff.
- Bibliotheek Eindhoven runs a free language café at De Witte Dame (Emmasingel 22) on Thursday mornings, plus sessions in other branches.
- If you have to do civic integration under the 2021 law, the usual target is level B1 within 3 years.
What to do
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Daily life, work, a state exam or civic integration all point to different courses. If DUO has sent you a civic integration letter, start with your municipality and inburgeren.nl before choosing a school.
Absolute beginners start at A1. If you have studied before, most schools offer an intake or a level test. TU/e uses an intake appointment for students with earlier Dutch lessons.
Choose between group lessons, private lessons and online classes. Group classes are cheaper per hour and give you people to practise with. Check prices and start dates on the school's own site, as they change each term.
Go to a language café, use a free app daily and ask friends and colleagues to keep speaking Dutch with you. Short, regular practice helps more than one long session.
Each level usually takes one or more terms. If you need an official certificate, check whether the course prepares for the state exam (Staatsexamen NT2) or the civic integration exams.
Dutch schools and courses in Eindhoven
These providers confirm on their own or partner pages that they teach Dutch in Eindhoven. None of them list fixed prices on the pages we checked, so ask for a quote or check the course page before you sign up.
- Volksuniversiteit regio Eindhoven (vu-eindhoven.nl): Dutch for non-native speakers in five levels from beginner to C1, plus conversation classes. Levels 1 and 2 use English as a support language, so you need good English. Lessons once or twice a week in Eindhoven and Veldhoven.
- Basten Trainingen (bastentrainingen.nl, Daumierstraat 5): Basic Dutch A1, civic integration A2, Staatsexamen NT2 B1 and B2 preparation, conversation training, workplace Dutch and medical Dutch.
- easyNL (easynl.nl): online group classes with five start moments a year, one-to-one lessons online or in person at any level, and in-company training.
- Dutch Academy Eindhoven: group, private and online classes from A1 to B2 for highly educated learners, taught with English at the first levels. It runs its sessions through the Expats Eindhoven Meetup group.
- TU/e Language and Writing Center: Dutch from beginner to C1 for TU/e students and staff only. Students who studied Dutch before book an intake to check their level.
- Expat Spouses Initiative (ESI): a community for international partners focused on careers and networking. Check their events page for Dutch conversation activities.
Free ways to practise
Bibliotheek Regio Eindhoven runs a free Taalcafé (language café) where small groups practise everyday Dutch with a volunteer. There is no lesson programme and it is for adults. In Eindhoven it meets at De Witte Dame on Thursdays from 10:30 to 12:00. Other sessions run at Bibliotoop Woensel-Noord (Monday evening), Gestel and Tongelre (Thursday) and in Best and Waalre. Check the library agenda for current dates.
Holland Expat Center South gives out free 'Praat Nederlands Met Me!' (Speak Dutch with me) buttons at its office on Stadhuisplein 10 and at its events. Wearing one tells people you want them to reply in Dutch, not English.
Maatje040 matches residents with volunteer buddies, and Dutch practice is one of the things a buddy can help with. Free apps such as Duolingo are a good daily habit, but they do not replace speaking practice.
Civic integration (inburgering)
Some newcomers are required to do civic integration. Under the Civic Integration Act 2021, DUO sends you a letter once you have a residence permit, a BSN and are registered with the municipality. Most people on the B1 route must pass exams at level B1 within 3 years. Under the older 2013 Act, the level is A2.
You can also integrate voluntarily, for example because you want to naturalise or apply for a permanent residence permit. Whether you are required to integrate depends on your nationality and residence permit, so check your situation in Mijn Inburgering or with DUO rather than relying on what friends tell you.
For naturalisation (becoming a Dutch citizen) the IND asks you to pass the civic integration exam at language level A2, or the state exam Dutch as a second language (NT2) at B1 or B2. The government has announced plans to raise the naturalisation level to B1, but in October 2026 the IND and inburgeren.nl pages still say A2 and give no date for a change. Check the IND page before you plan your exams.
Mistakes to avoid
- Signing up for a course level that is too high; most schools offer an intake, so use it.
- Waiting until you 'have time'; most language courses start once a year in late September, with registration opening in summer.
- Assuming you are exempt from civic integration without checking with DUO.
- Only using an app and never speaking; language cafés are free and low-pressure.
- Giving up when people answer in English; ask them kindly to continue in Dutch.
Useful links
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More official sources
Other useful links
Providers and community groups we found useful. We don't get paid for these links.
Sources we checked
Coming up
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Thu 15 Oct · 19:30-23:00
Eindhoven International Quiz Night
Grandcafé Centraal
A pub quiz in English on the Markt. Easy way to meet other internationals.
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Thu 15 Oct · 17:30-19:30
Innovation Café
Kazerne
Free talks and debates on tech and design in English, with drinks and a chance to meet the speakers.
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Thu 15 Oct · 19:30-23:00
Mix & Mingle
Changes weekly (posted on Meetup)
A relaxed drinks evening where people from all over the world meet. Good if you are new in town.
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Wed 21 Oct · 13:00-17:30
Anchored, Drifting: kite-making workshop for migrants
CKE Eindhoven
A free creative afternoon where people who moved to the Netherlands make and fly kites while sharing stories about migration and belonging.
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We checked this guide against its sources on 12 October 2026. Rules change: the official source always wins. Spotted something out of date? DM @gone.with.us or email contact@gonewithus.nl.