Questions about the Civic Integration Examination?

The date that is mentioned on the practice test paper is (almost) expired. Can I still use the TIN?
Often, a TIN is valid longer than is displayed on the practice test paper. A practice test gets a validity of 5 years when it is ‘created’. The first practice tests were created in 2006. This means that all TINs for practice tests are valid at least until 2011. Due to the system it is not possible to display a longer validity date. To prevent further misunderstandings in the near future no date will be displayed on new practice test papers.

You can still use your TINs until 2011, although it might be displayed differently.
If the TINs do not work or you have a question about the exact validity of your TINs, you can always contact the Helpdesk Naar Nederland: naarnederland@cinop.nl. The validity of your TINs will be extended if necessary so that you will still be able to use the practice tests.

Has the pass mark for the civic integration examination abroad been changed?
Yes, as of 15th March 2008 the pass mark for the civic integration examination abroad has been raised. This means that candidates have to answer more questions correctly in order to pass the spoken Dutch component of the civic integration examination. The minimum level required to pass the spoken Dutch test will however remain the same: A1 minus for candidates abroad.

Is the DVD suitable for all types of DVD players and VCD players in each country?
Yes, the DVDs in the education pack can be used throughout the world. Each education pack contains several DVDs that can be used on both the NTSC and the PAL/SECAM system.
You can select the DVD that is suitable for you or your partner.
The manual for your appliance contains more information on the system requirements. You can also consult the country list.

Do I need a computer to use the practise tests in the education pack?
No, you will not need a computer to be able to practise but you will need a telephone. You connect with the computer via the telephone line. More information can be found in the manual for the pack.
You will need a computer with an Internet connection to request the score of your practice tests. If you do not have a computer, you can use a computer in public facilities, an Internet cafe or at the home of family or acquaintances.

After entering my TIN on the telephone, I was asked to enter it again. Why is this?
The problem could be that you have a ‘pulse’ telephone rather than a ‘tone’ telephone. If you have a pulse telephone then the computer cannot process your TIN. To check whether you have a pulse or tone telephone, press a couple of buttons. If you hear a sound when you press the buttons then you have a tone telephone. If you hear nothing when you press the buttons then you have a pulse telephone. To change the setting of your telephone from pulse to tone, look on the side or back of the telephone for a switch. Turn the switch from pulse to tone. If this does not help it could be that the telephone service does not have a digitalized network. This means that you have a tone telephone but your signal cannot be processed by the main computer. If switching your telephone to pulse does not help then you can try using a cellular phone. However, beware that using a cellular phone could negatively influence your score on the practice test.

How much can the use of a cellular phone affect my practice test results?
Giving a simple answer to your question is not possible because many factors, such as sound distortion, can affect the results of your practice test. It is recommended that you do not use a cellular phone to take the practice test because of the potential inconsistency in sound quality.
However, should you decide to use a cellular phone to take the practice test be sure to do the following:

• Check the sound quality of your cellular phone before taking the practice test.
• Limit your movements while taking the practice test. This will help ensure that the telephone signals remain constant.

Note: Beware that if contact is broken during the practice test you will need a new TIN and a new test.

Do the test items on the practice test appear on the language test?
No, the test items on the practice test do not appear on the language test of the civic integration exam.
The goal of the practice test is to help you:

• Experience what it is like to do a language test on the telephone,
• Practice doing the different components of the language test,
• Practice listening to the different voices, accents and speech rates that will be on the language test,
• Receive an indication of your chance of passing the language test.

I have taken the practice test a number of times. Every time I have received a different score but the chance of passing the language test has always been the same. Why?
Your chance of passing the language test (as expressed in a percentage) is based on the pass rate. That is why, for example, a score of 39 or 80 can result in a 95% chance of passing because both scores are above the pass rate.
The chance of passing the language test cannot, however, be higher than 95% because there is no guarantee (chance of 100%) that the test taker will pass the language test of the civic integration exam.

The time stated on the practice test results is not what time it was when I took the practice test. Why is this?
The computer that recorded your practice test is from the American company Ordinate. Ordinate is programmed according to PDT (Pacific Daylight Time). This means, for example, that there is an 8-hour time difference between Amsterdam and PDT. By visiting www.timeanddate.com you can calculate the time difference between PDT and the location where you took the practice test.

The preparation pack is available in thirteen languages. Some candidates do not speak one of these languages. How can they prepare themselves for the basic civic integration examination abroad?
Persons that do not speak one of these languages can also prepare themselves with the examination package “Naar Nederland”. The relative(s) in the Netherlands or in your country of origin can help the candidate by watching the film together and by translating (parts of) the film in the native language of the candidate. In a similar way the candidate can study the booklet containing images from the film and practice with the questions that correspond with the basic civic integration examination abroad. These questions are also on audio cd. In order to prepare for the language test candidates can use additional teachting materials. Various books to learn Dutch can be bought through the internet and in bookshops. In some countries private institutions offer Dutch courses or courses that particularly focus on the basic civic integration examination abroad. Another option is to follow a short integration course or a Dutch language course in the Netherlands. When candidates have the possibility to visit the Netherlands for a short stay they could follow such a course and/or prepare for the examination with their relative in the Netherlands.
When candidates think they have prepared themselves sufficiently they can practice with the three practice tests from the examination package. This way a candidate can experience what it is like to do a language test on the telephone and can also get an indication of their chance of passing the language test.