Exam tip: the ONA portfolio and eindgesprek

ONA is one part of the inburgering. For how it fits in with the other exams, read our guide How the Dutch inburgeringsexamen works.

ONA or MAP? Check your letters from DUO and your PIP or Mijn Inburgering.

• Wet inburgering 2013 (most permits from before 2022) → ONA is part of your exam, unless you had to start before 1 January 2015.
• Wet inburgering 2021 (permits from 2022) → no ONA. You do the MAP with your gemeente; it is not an exam at DUO.
• Voluntary integration (for example for naturalisation): ONA is part of the exam. People who have reached AOW (state pension) age don't need ONA for naturalisation.

The 8 result cards (each is a set of questions about your chosen job):

1. Beroepenoriëntatie: which jobs suit you, and which one you choose.
2. Realistisch beroepsbeeld: what the work really is: tasks, hours, conditions, and whether it fits your life.
3. Je eigenschappen kennen: your qualities and skills, with examples.
4. Beroepskansen: where you find vacancies and how many there are; you add real job adverts.
5. Beroepscompetenties: which training or diploma you need, what it costs, and your plan.
6. Netwerk opbouwen: who can help you find work, and how you will meet more people.
7. Werk vinden: how you look for work; you add a CV, a cover letter and application forms in Dutch.
8. Werkcultuur: how work is different in the Netherlands and in your country.

How to build the portfolio. Choose a job you really want and can reach. Do the research yourself: websites of the UWV, mbo schools and job sites, and talk to people who do the job. Write short, honest answers in your own words. Keep a list of your sources.

How to prepare the eindgesprek. The examiners ask about your cards: Why this job? What are your strengths? Where did you find vacancies? Who is in your network? What is different at work in the Netherlands? What is your next step? Practise each answer out loud in two or three sentences, with one real example. Small grammar mistakes are no problem; they want to see that you understand your own plan. Bring your portfolio, and ask "Kunt u de vraag herhalen?" if you don't understand.

Prompt: Prepare your own eindgesprek. Record a short answer (30–60 seconds) to each question, about *your** chosen job. Then compare with the model answers (for Rosa, who wants to be a hairdresser) and tick the checklist. Pro students send the recordings to their teacher.*

1. Welk beroep heeft u gekozen? En waarom?

Model: Ik heb gekozen voor het beroep kapper. In Brazilië heb ik tien jaar in een kapsalon gewerkt. Ik vind het mooi werk, omdat je mensen blij maakt.

1. Welke eigenschappen heeft u voor dit beroep?

Model: Ik ben punctueel en ik werk netjes. Ik kan ook goed met klanten praten, bijvoorbeeld als een klant niet tevreden is.

1. Waar vindt u vacatures? Hoeveel vacatures zijn er?

Model: Ik vind vacatures op internet, bijvoorbeeld bij het UWV, en op de websites van kapsalons. In Tilburg zijn er nu ongeveer tien vacatures voor kapper. Twee vacatures zitten in mijn portfolio.

1. Wat is anders aan het werk in Nederland en in uw land?

Model: In Nederland maken klanten altijd een afspraak. In Brazilië komen klanten vaak zonder afspraak. Hier zeg je ook "je" tegen je baas. Dat is nieuw voor mij.

1. Wat is uw volgende stap?

Model: Ik wil eerst een stage doen in een kapsalon. Ik heb ook mijn diploma laten waarderen. Als ik een baan heb, wil ik een cursus Nederlands voor werk volgen.

Checklist (yes/no)

1. Did I name my job clearly in the first sentence?
2. Did I give a reason with omdat or want?
3. Did I give at least one real example from my own life or research?
4. Does my answer match what I wrote on the card (same job, same facts)?
5. Did I answer every question in 2–3 full sentences?
6. Did I keep talking, and ask for a repeat when I didn't understand?

Component: ONA. Task types: the portfolio (8 resultaatkaarten + bewijzen) and the eindgesprek.

• What the real thing looks like (inburgeren.nl, checked October 2026):
• Part 1, the portfolio: 8 result cards (resultaatkaarten), all about the same job, plus the proof (bewijzen) some cards ask for, such as job adverts, a CV, a cover letter and application forms. You upload them in Mijn Inburgering (or send them by post). DUO checks the portfolio; this can take up to 6 weeks.
• Part 2, one of two: a final interview (eindgesprek) of about 30 minutes about your cards, or a 64-hour ONA course at an approved inburgering school. The course option is only available if you submit online.
• The interview usually takes place within about 6 weeks after you register; you get the result by letter within 8 weeks.
• Who needs it: people with an inburgeringsplicht under the Wet inburgering 2013 (who had to start on or after 1 January 2015) and people who integrate voluntarily (vrijwillig inburgeren). Under the Wet inburgering 2021 you don't do ONA: you do the MAP (Module Arbeidsmarkt en Participatie) at your gemeente.

Most common mistakes

1. Cards about different jobs. All 8 cards must be about one and the same job.
2. Missing proof: no job adverts, no CV or cover letter in Dutch, no application forms.
3. Copying answers from the internet or a friend, and then not being able to explain them in the interview.
4. Choosing an unrealistic job without checking the requirements (diploma, language level, working hours).
5. Not practising to talk about the cards: the interview is a conversation, not a reading test.