vmbo havo vwo
Which calculator for the exam
Quick answer (CE 2027)
A graphing calculator is allowed only for the central exams in mathematics A, B and C on havo and vwo, in Dutch exam mode. On vmbo and for other subjects you use an ordinary calculator. Wiskundehulp is not an exam authority: for your year, check Examenblad (the Dutch exam-body site for allowed aids and syllabi).
What is allowed by level and subject
Dutch secondary tracks are named once here: vmbo (practical), havo (middle), vwo (pre-university). The College for Tests and Exams (CvTE) sets the aids in the Regulation on permitted aids for the central exams in secondary education 2027. That regulation expires on 31 December 2027. A new exam year gets a new list.
This page is about physical devices you may bring into the centraal examen (central exam, often shortened CE). It is not a how-to for online plotting. For practice graphs, use the separate graphing calculator tool.
| Level and subject | Allowed on the CE |
|---|---|
| vmbo mathematics bb | No graphing calculator. Ordinary calculator: besides + − × ÷ also x² and square root. |
| vmbo mathematics kb and gl/tl | No graphing calculator. Additionally π, x to the power y, x², 1/x and sin/cos/tan (and their inverses). The same applies to nask 1 kb/gl/tl and nask 2 gl/tl. |
| havo/vwo mathematics A, B, C | Only a graphing calculator. You may not have an ordinary calculator with you for those subjects. |
| havo/vwo physics and chemistry | No graphing calculator. Ordinary calculator with among others x², square root, 1/x, xy, sin/cos/tan, π, 10log and ln. |
| havo/vwo economics | No graphing calculator. Yes to x², square root, 1/x and xy next to the basic operations. |
| Other havo/vwo subjects | Basic operations + − × ÷ are enough. No graphs, no alphanumeric display, no transmit function. |
The regulation gives examples of machines with all basic operations: Casio fx-82MS, HP10S+ and TI30XB(S). Casio fx-991EX and TI-30XPro are, according to the same paragraph, not permitted in any case, because they take over skills that sit in the syllabus. That is CvTE text, not a Wiskundehulp endorsement.
Read the row for your subject carefully. “Mathematics A on havo” is not the same rule as “physics on havo”, and vmbo never uses the graphing-calculator row. If your school program uses Dutch subject names (wiskunde, natuurkunde, scheikunde, economie, nask), the table above matches those CvTE annexes.
What exam mode means
On the central exam a graphing calculator is allowed only when memory and extra functions are blocked by the correct Dutch exam mode (examenstand). At every moment during the exam it must be possible to check that the device is in that mode, without disturbing the candidate.
Examenblad points to the manufacturers for the button sequences. We do not publish per-brand key sequences here: those belong in the manual, and how you recognize the mode (border, bar, LED) is in the table on Aids for central exams 2027.
Further rules that travel with the device: not on mains power, no second machine, no other candidate’s machine, and no card may sit in an SD slot during the CE.
Common mistakes before the CE: leaving apps or files unlocked, confusing “press-to-clear” habits from homework with the official exam mode, or assuming a spare ordinary calculator is fine next to a graphing device for mathematics A, B or C. The regulation forbids having two (graphing) calculators available at once; for those math subjects the ordinary machine is not an allowed backup on the CE.
Which types the 2027 regulation names
The full, current list of types and operating systems is on Examenblad. For 2027 the regulation names Casio fx-CG50, HP Prime G2, TI-84 Plus CE-T (also Python Edition), TI-Nspire CX II-T (with and without CAS), TI-Nspire CX without CAS, and NumWorks with model number N0110 or higher on the back (N0115, N0120, …). That NumWorks rule applies to both havo and vwo.
Older types than these are not allowed. Wiskundehulp does not approve models. The CvTE does that, per exam year.
What is different from 2026
NumWorks on vwo: in 2026 the rule “model number N0110 or higher” applied to havo only. From 2027 it applies to vwo as well. If you have an older NumWorks, check the model number on the back.
vmbo bb and kb, flexible and digital exams: you may use your own calculator if it meets the same guidelines as above.
Every type allowed in 2026 is also allowed in 2027. The rules per level and subject in the table are the same in 2027 as in 2026.
If your device is not on the current list, do not rely on a shop label or an older school handout. Check Examenblad for the exam year you sit, and ask your teacher which model your school actually uses in practice.
The school exam is a different rule
The aids regulation applies to the central exam. For school exams (schoolexamen) the school decides. There a graphing calculator may be banned, or something may be allowed that is not allowed on the CE. Check the school guide or ask your teacher.
That split matters for revision planning: you may practice on a graphing device all year and still need a different rule for a school test week. The CE list on this page does not override your school’s SE policy.
Checklist before exam day
Use this as a short check, not as a substitute for Examenblad:
- Confirm the exam year on Examenblad matches the year you sit (this guide summarizes 2027).
- Find your level and subject row in the table above — vmbo never uses the graphing-calculator row for the CE.
- If you need a graphing device (havo/vwo mathematics A, B or C), confirm the type is on the current Examenblad list and that Dutch exam mode works and is visible.
- Bring only one allowed machine; leave SD cards out of the slot; do not plan on a second device or a classmate’s calculator.
- For school exams, ask your teacher — SE rules can differ from the CE list on this page.
If anything on a shop sticker, an old handout or a forum post conflicts with Examenblad for your year, trust Examenblad and your school’s instruction.
Practice is different from the exam
Our graphing calculator is a plotter in the browser. The scientific calculator and the online calculator are practice tools. None of the three is exam hardware, and none replaces the device your school requires.
Use the tools to check algebra, order of operations or a sketch of f(x). Use this guide — and Examenblad — when the question is which physical aid may enter the exam room.
Frequently asked questions
May I bring a graphing calculator on vmbo?
No. Annex 1 of the 2027 regulation does not list a graphing calculator for vmbo. You bring an ordinary calculator, with the extra keys that belong to your pathway (bb: x² and square root; kb/gl/tl: π, powers, 1/x and trigonometry).
May I bring an ordinary calculator for mathematics A?
Not on the central exam. For mathematics A, B and C on havo and vwo only a graphing calculator is allowed.
What is exam mode?
Dutch exam mode (examenstand) blocks memory and functions that the syllabus expects you to handle yourself. During the exam it must be visible that the device is in that mode, without disturbing you. How each model shows that status is on Examenblad.
May I bring two calculators?
No. You may not have two (graphing) calculators available at the same time, and you may not use another candidate’s device.
Where is the official list?
On Examenblad: Aids for central exams 2027, and in the Regulation on permitted aids for the central exams in secondary education 2027 (CvTE). Wiskundehulp is not an exam authority.
Is the online plotter the same as exam hardware?
No. Our graphing calculator page is a practice plotter in the browser. Do not confuse it with the allowed graphing device on the CE.