Where can you learn Dutch?
There are a number of schools and organizations where you can learn Dutch. Each school or organization has its own approach and its own terms of enrolment.
Centrum voor Basiseducatie (CBE) (Basic Education Centre)
You are 18 or over, do not have good reading or writing skills in Latin characters and/or struggle with learning.
You learn Dutch in a small group and at your own pace.
You attend day or evening classes.
You will find a Basic Education Centre in the neighborhood of your HEI.
More info (in Dutch): https://www.ligo.be
Centrum voor Volwassenenonderwijs (CVO) (Adult Education Centre)
You start with a training course at beginner’s level. If you already speak and write Dutch, the training course starts at a higher level.
You learn Dutch in a group. You attend a training course suited to your pace of learning.
You attend day or evening classes.
More info (in Dutch): https://data-onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/onderwijsaanbod/vwo/lijst?hs=317+417
Universitair Talencentrum (UTC) (University Language Centre)
You are 18 or over, hold at least a secondary education qualification and have sufficient experience learning a Western European language.
You learn Dutch in a group at a high pace.
Part of the training courses involves self-tuition.
- Universitair Centrum voor Talen (Ghent)
- Dutch for speakers of other languages (4 courses day/evening).
- The Preparatory Year of Dutch (VJN) is a trajectory for non-Dutch speaking students who want to prepare themselves to academic studies in Dutch. This trajectory takes place in Ghent and consists of six modules Dutch for Speakers of other languages from level 1 (A1 in the CEFR) until 6 (C1 in the CEFR), spread over a period of 9 months. The final test of the level 5 module is the Interuniversity test of Dutch for Speakers of Other Languages (ITNA). By passing the ITNA, you meet the language requirements of higher education and can thus enroll at a Flemish HEI.
- https://uct.ugent.be/en/dutch-for-speakers-of-other-languages?
- Linguapolis (Antwerp):
- Dutch as a foreign language courses
- Preparatory One-Year Programme – Dutch as a Foreign Language in an Academic Context. This one year programme Dutch as a Foreign Language in an Academic Context is aimed at non-Dutch-speaking students who want to prepare to enter higher education in Dutch. The programme (15 hours of daytime classes every week) consists of a combination of language acquisition and three modules designed to deepen participants’ knowledge: Academic Study Skills; Culture of the Low Countries; and Dutch Phonetics and Pronunciation.
Within language acquisition, we start at absolute beginner-level and finish at Level 5, with the Interuniversity Test for Dutch as a Foreign Language serving as the final exam. Passing this exam means students comply with the language requirements for higher education and can enrol to study in Dutch at a Flemish university or university college.
The programme also comprises cultural activities (museum visits, theatre evenings, a Christmas party, a study trip to Ghent, etc.). Students are encouraged to practice their language skills outside the classroom.
- Universitair Talencentrum (Brussels)
- The University Language Centre offers Dutch classes for non-native speakers (NT2) at an academic level. Courses are taught during the day and you can choose between an intensive and a non-intensive programme. They also offer a selection of foreign language courses, such as French (beginners or advanced) and Chinese. You can follow these courses during the day or in the evening
- Several intensive and non-intensive courses and a summer program
- Leuven Language Institute (ILT) (Louvain)
- Dutch as a foreign language (NT2): several on campus, online and blended courses
https://ilt.kuleuven.be/english/cursus/nt2_int_reg.php
- Training sessions for academic Dutch
To help new students prepare for university, ILT is offering two intensive training courses for Academic Dutch in September 2021. The academic skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) will be practiced using authentic materials.
Attention will be given to summarising and note taking for lectures, academic terminology and sentence structure, reading complex academic texts, answering exam questions, academic writing.
The sessions are free of charge for registered KU Leuven students.
https://ilt.kuleuven.be/english/cursus/andere_ac_ned.php
- General information: https://ilt.kuleuven.be/catalogue/index.php#
- All centres offer the possibility to take the ITNA language test to assess your language proficiency in Dutch. The ITNA allows non-native speakers to pursue higher education in Dutch, provided that they pass the test. For more information visit the ITNA website (in Dutch): https://www.itna.be
THEA – If you already have a level B1 in Dutch
Met het Traject Hogere Educatie Antwerpen of THEA-programma kan je als anderstalige ervaring opdoen in het hoger onderwijs:
Je volgt 1 of 2 semesters 2 of 3 vakken aan Universiteit Antwerpen, AP Hogeschool, Karel de Grote Hogeschool of Hogere Zeevaartschool. Zo maak je kennis met de studierichting. Je ervaart of de studierichting beantwoordt aan jouw verwachtingen en competenties.
Je hebt een hoog taalniveau nodig in het hoger onderwijs. Met THEA maak je kennis met het academisch Nederlands van jouw studierichting. Je oefent je Nederlands op een hoog en academisch niveau.
More information (in Dutch): https://www.atlas-antwerpen.be/nl/studeren/thea