LO HAVO (common core)

The gemeenschappelijk deel is the fixed set of subjects every HAVO candidate must complete for the diploma, independent of profile. You cannot substitute them with profile electives. Which subjects and levels apply to you depends on your profile and school; your school's programme of study (PTA) lists exactly what you sit.

Most common-core subjects have a central written examination set nationally by CvTE, usually combining multiple-choice with open-ended questions that require written answers, source analysis or calculations. CKV and physical education are assessed largely or entirely through the school examination, so their format varies by school. Check your PTA for the precise mix per subject.

Duration and question counts differ per subject and per year, and CvTE revises them, so no single figure applies. The current official syllabus (examenprogramma) and the published timetable on the CvTE and DUO websites give the authoritative details for your sitting. Your school also publishes the exam schedule before the central examination period.

Passing rules involve a combination of your final marks, including a compulsory pass in Dutch and specific rules about compensation between subjects. Because these rules and the normering (score-to-grade conversion) are set and published each year, treat the official CvTE and DUO information as authoritative rather than any fixed number you hear second-hand.

The content is HAVO level, not university level, but the difficulty lies in precision: questions are worded tightly, and marks are lost through vague answers, missing calculation steps or unsupported claims rather than through unknown facts. Candidates who practise past papers and read the marking guidance consistently score higher than those who only reread textbooks.

Dutch secondary education does allow resits in central examination subjects within the rules set nationally, but the conditions, timing and limits change and depend on your situation. Ask your school's examination secretary (examencommissie) early, because resit registration deadlines fall soon after results are released and late requests are usually refused.

Start with subjects where your school-exam marks are weakest, since the final grade combines both components. Then build a past-paper routine: one full paper per subject under timed conditions, followed by careful marking against the official model. Leave Dutch and English reading skills to steady weekly practice rather than last-minute cramming - they improve slowly.

Answering what they think the question means instead of what it says; quoting a source without explaining its relevance; skipping intermediate calculation steps; writing long answers that never state a conclusion; and mismanaging time by over-investing in early questions. Reading the command verb (noem, leg uit, bereken) and matching your answer to it fixes most of these.

The CvTE website publishes the examenprogramma and syllabi per subject, and DUO publishes the central examination timetable and diploma requirements. Your school's PTA and examination secretary are the practical route for anything school-specific. Use these official pages rather than commercial summaries, which are often outdated.

Yes, indirectly. Dutch higher education programmes set entry requirements that include common-core subjects - mathematics and English in particular - and some programmes require specific final marks. A weak common-core grade can therefore close doors even when your profile subjects are strong, so treat these subjects as part of your admission profile.