Dutch language course

Are you an employee of Maastricht University and would you like to learn or improve your Dutch? If so, you might feel more comfortable in a group without students. That is why the Language Centre has come up with this new course which we offer in September and in February, just for employees! 

Depending on which course you join, there will be lessons once a week from 4pm - 6pm for 14 weeks.

You can register via the registration button. Choose the course (A1/ B1) you want to join and select the 'Professionals only' course.

Costs

• Employees: Euro 475

Would you like to learn Dutch in the summer (end of July / August) or in the winter (January) and you don't speak any Dutch yet? Then the intensive course might be something for you. In three weeks time (fourteen two-hour lessons and two to three hours of homework per day) you can reach level A1 (A2 for German speakers). For a description of levels A1 and A2, please read the information below. If you complete the course successfully, you can take a follow-up module in September or February. The course is designed for anyone who quickly wants to learn the basics of Dutch. Please not; a good command of English is necessary for joining a beginners' course.

Course material NL-A2 for German speakers: In de startblokken (ISBN: 9789046906620)

Course material NL-A1 for speakers of other languages: Taaltalent 1 (2nd edition), Coutinho ISBN: 9789046907559. Textbook for the group lesson,  website for independent study. For sale at the webshop of the publisher: webstore Coutinho. Also available as e-book.

Sign up here

This course is intended for people with no prior knowledge of Dutch. An intake is not necessary. A good command of English is however necessary for joining a beginners' course.

Once you've completed this module you will be able to:

• greet people as well as introduce yourself and others;
• ask for and provide personal details;
• get around in shops and restaurants;
• conduct simple discussions in the present and future tenses;
• talk about daily activities such as work or sports.

Back to top

Course material: Taaltalent 1 (2nd edition), Coutinho Publishers; ISBN: 9789046907559. Textbook for the group lesson, website for independent study. For sale at the webshop of the publisher: Webstore Coutinho. Also available as e-book.

Certificate A1: Upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

This course is for people with a basic knowledge of Dutch and for people who have completed level A1. An intake is necessary when you do not have an A1 certificate. A good command of English is necessary for joining a beginners' course.

Once you've completed this course, you will be able to:

• conduct simple conversations about daily activities;
• share your opinion and talk about the past;
• talk about the weather;
• ask for and give directions;
• make reservations over the phone and rent a room or an apartment.

Course material: Taaltalent 2, Coutinho Publishers; textbook for the group lesson, ISBN: 9789046907566  website for independent study. Or as e-book, ISBN 9789046969991 (2nd edition). For sale at the web shop of the publisher: webstore Coutinho

Certificate A2: upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

Registering for this course is only possible when you have passed the previous course or had an intake with one of our staff members.

In this course you will:

• further develop your vocabulary and your understanding of Dutch grammar and address more complicated topics of conversation;
• pay attention to situations related to your work or study, such as giving advice.

Back to top

Course material: De Sprong ISBN:9789024457656 (note! this is the new edition) textbook and website. 

Certificate B1^minus: Upon completion of course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

In this course you will continue with the second part of the B1 course. An intake is necessary when you do not have a B1 ^minus certificate.

Once you've completed this course, you will be able to:

• prepare and participate in discussions;
• give presentations about a current topic;
• express your feelings and your wishes;
• share your opinion;
• talk about films, books and concerts;
• discuss familiar topics, such as health.

The topics during the course are in line with the learning objectives for this advanced level.

Course material: De Sprong ISBN:9789024457656 (note! this is the new edition) textbook and website. 

Certificate B1: upon completion of course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

To participate in this B2^minus course an intake is required when you do not have a B1 certificate.

Once you've completed this course, you will be able to:

• use different tenses;
• give advice;
• convey and explain your dissatisfaction;
• make complaints, decline offers and express your own needs;
• argue, present and debate;
• hypothesise and speculate;
• rephrase your own words to avoid misunderstanding and correct mistakes;
• letters and e-mails (formal and informal).

Back to top

Course material: De finale, Uitgeverij Boom, ISBN: 9789461055712 website for independent study.

Certificate B2^minus: upon completion of course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

NB Boost your employability and apply for a free Advanced Dutch language course now. Go to UM Language Centre – Scholarships for more information.

To participate in this B2 course an intake is required when you do not have a of B2^minus certificate.

In this course, you will improve your ability to:

• give a clear and well-structured presentation, as well as spontaneously answer questions;
• use grammar correctly;
• make summaries;
• pay attention to intercultural aspects: discuss typical subjects for your country or for a country with which you are familiar.

After B2^minus and B2 you are advanced enough to take the State Exam Dutch as a Second Language, programme II, if you like.

Course material: De Finale, Uitgeverij Boom, ISBN: 9789461055712 website for independent study.

Certificate B2: upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

NB Boost your employability and apply for a free Advanced Dutch language course now. Go to UM Language Centre – Scholarships for more information.

You can join C1min if you have at least level B2. To determine that level, you must first have an intake interview.

C1minus
At C1minus the focus is on expansion of academic vocabulary, idioms and expressions and grammar. Intended for people who speak and write Dutch well, but still occasionally make grammatical mistakes or do not always know the correct word. In this course, the vocabulary is also broadened with words that are used in an academic setting.

C1
At C1 the focus is on professional use of Dutch. Intended for people who already speak Dutch almost perfectly, but still make small mistakes, who need Dutch for their work or study and still feel a bit insecure. With C1 you really dot all the i's and cross all the t's!

In this course, you will improve your:

• speaking, reading, listening and writing skills on an academic level.

Back to top

Course material: Nederlands naar perfectie, Coutinho Publishing; textbook for the group lesson, ISBN: 9789046904527 website for independent study. Or as e-book, ISBN 9789046962992. For sale at the web shop of the publisher: webstore Coutinho

Certificate C1^minus of C1: upon completion of the course requirements, you will receive a participation certificate by mail.

Would you like to meet us for an intake? You can send an e-mail to languages-intake-NL to make an appointment, free of charge. Please already propose in your mail a date and a time when you come to an intake meeting. The appointment will take place at the Maastricht University Language Centre or online. Before your intake, you can also test your level yourself by taking this online test: DIALANG. (currently not working)

Please book your intake well before the course is scheduled to begin. This will make it easier to make the appointment, and more likely that there will still be an available spot in the module that’s right for you. 

Note! These are the new prices for courses starting in 2024.

• UM-Students: € 300 per module,
• UM staff, alumini and MUMC staff:
  € 475 per module
• Non-UM participants: € 605 per module.

The course material is not included in the course fee.