Do you need a certificate to demonstrate that you speak Dutch sufficiently to successfully follow a degree programme? And are you a native Dutch speaker? Then you may take the C-test at the Language Centre. If you pass, you will be issued with a certificate stating that your Dutch is sufficient to successfully follow a degree programme in the coming academic year at a Dutch university or university of applied sciences.
This test is intended for prospective students who, for instance, fully or partially grew up abroad in a Dutch family or who have a secondary school diploma admitting them to university but who did not take Dutch as an exam subject. You may only take this test once. The test assesses whether you are proficient in Dutch as a native speaker. It is therefore a one-off, abridged route for native speakers.
C-test stands for Cloze test and tests your language proficiency level. The C-test is not directly related to the CEFR levels C1 and C2. This test is conducted only on location (in Groningen).
Organization of the test
Before you are permitted to take the test, you must make an appointment to have a short conversation with a teacher. Make an appointment by sending an email to Jeroen van Engen via j.van.engen@rug.nl. Mention explicitly that you would like to make an appointment to discuss the C-test.
The teacher will contact you to initiate a short conversation on your linguistic background. During this conversation, the teacher will determine whether you are eligible for the C-test. If this does not appear to be the case, the teacher will refer you to the State Examination in Dutch as a Second Language (NT2) or to the Certificate for Dutch as a Foreign Language (CNaVT) tests. If you are eligible for the C-test, the teacher will make an appointment with you regarding the test date. After the conversation, you will receive an email stating the teacher’s official recommendation and a code. You can use this to register and pay online.
The test lasts around one hour, including the introduction and closing. In the introduction, the teacher will explain how the test works and what is expected of you. You will then take the test, which lasts around 30 minutes. The test will be marked immediately afterwards while you wait for the result. Finally, you will discuss the subsequent administrative steps with the teacher.
See here for more information on how to prepare for the tests and the test results.
C-test
For prospective students
Certificate stating you are proficient in Dutch as a native speaker