New arrivals in the Netherlands with children of school age have two options for continuing with their education. Firstly, study within the Dutch system (in either public or private schools) or study at an international school which may follow an international curriculum (American or British for example).

The Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture & Science (Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap) website has comprehensive information in English.

The Education System

Education is compulsory for all children and consists of either 12 years full-time schooling (age 5 to 17 years) or full-time schooling from age 5 until the end of the school year in which a child attains age 16 followed by a period of part-time compulsory schooling until age 18. This depends on the type of secondary school attended.

Public and private establishments are financed by the government according to the same criteria. Many Dutch children attend private schools at both the primary and secondary level.

Individual schools enjoy a lot of freedom in terms of teaching methods used. However, the subjects to be taught and the attainment targets required are set by the government. There are also rules about the number of teaching periods per year, teacher training and teaching qualifications, the rights of parents and pupils to have a say in school matters, and the planning and reporting obligations of schools.

In the private sector most schools are Roman Catholic or Protestant but other denominations are also catered for. In addition there are also many non-denominational private schools which may be based on specific teaching methods such as Montessori.

• Primary school education begins officially at age five. In practice, however, almost all Dutch children will start school as soon as they are four years old. They then progress through grades (usually age based) covering a number of compulsory subjects. At approximately age twelve they move on to secondary education of which there are various types
• Secondary education continues on either a full-time or part-time basis until approximately age eighteen
• Higher education includes university education as well as higher vocational education and Open University distance learning courses

There is a strong emphasis on language learning (mainly English) throughout all levels and it is common for some subjects to be taught in a language other than Dutch.

The School Year

The school year normally runs from September to July. Pupils will move up to the next level only if they have made sufficient progress and reached a certain level. Failing that they will be asked to repeat a year. Each school determines its own criteria for moving on and follows a system of continuous assessment in all subjects.

School term dates can vary slightly by region. This is most noticeable during the main summer break. It is also common for secondary pupils to have slightly shorter holidays at this time.

Generally the summer holidays start at the end of June or early July and run until late August/early September. Aside from the various public holidays throughout the year, there are further breaks in October (1 week), Christmas (2 weeks), Spring/February (1 week), and Easter/April (1 week).

• For a guide to the national dates: Click here (in Dutch)

Please note, not all international schools will follow this same pattern.

The school day can vary as individual establishments have a degree of freedom. Typically it starts at 08:30. There is a short lunch break around midday and school can finish from 14:30 onwards depending on the school. Older children are usually in school until at least 15:00.

Uniforms are rarely worn.

Pre-School

There is no formal pre-school system in the Netherlands, although there are many private and local-authority playgroups and crèches available. These come under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment.

Primary Education

Primary school (basisonderwijs) lasts for eight years for children aged four to twelve. Those children who haven't already started school must begin from the first school day of the month following their fifth birthday.

Primary education includes those children with learning and behavioural difficulties.

Pupils attending state schools will go to a school in the catchment area set by the local authority. Parents wishing to send their children to private school have the option to do so.

Although tuition is free, (all primary schools are government funded via taxation) parents are asked to pay an amount to cover books, teaching materials and "extras". This amount will vary from school to school. Financial assistance is available for pupils under eighteen in full-time primary or secondary education dependant on parental income.

Compulsory subjects include Dutch, mathematics, art, music, geography, history, science and nature. English is taught as a compulsory subject for the top two groups at primary school.

At the end of the primary school period pupils are given a report summarising their level of achievement and potential. Advice is also given on further studies. Many pupils will take the national tests (known as the Cito tests) as these can help to indicate which type of secondary education would be best suited to their abilities.

Secondary Education

Secondary education (Voortgezet Onderwijs) caters for those aged approximately 12 to 18 on either a full-time or part-time basis.

There are three types of secondary courses known as VWO (Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs), HAVO (Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs), and VMBO (Voorbereidend Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs). All begin with a period of basic education which generally lasts for three years. A set of common subjects including Dutch, sciences, mathematics, geography, history, physical education and the arts as well as other modern languages including English will be studied during this period.

Students will sometimes move between these courses or go to a different type of further education establishment than was originally intended.

Pre-university education (VWO)

Pre-university education (Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs) lasts six years in total and aims to prepare students for academic studies at a higher level (university, for example). VWO courses are provided in three types of school with slightly different specialisation known as the athenaeum, the gymnasium and the lyceum. The VWO offers four study options, for example natural sciences and technology.

Senior general secondary education (HAVO)

Senior general secondary education (Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs) lasts five years and gives students the right to go on to higher vocational education (HBO). Again there are four options as with the VWO.

Pre-vocational secondary education (VMBO)

Pre-vocational secondary education (Voorbereidend Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs) lasts four years and is designed to prepare students for upper secondary vocational education (MBO). It has four sectors with fixed subject combinations such as technology and economics.

Fees and after completion

Pupils must complete the first stage of secondary education (the four years of VMBO or years one to three of HAVO or VWO) within five years.

Government funded secondary schools are paid for via taxation but parents will still be asked to pay for books, some teaching materials and pay a yearly fee (oudersfonds). Financial assistance is available for pupils under eighteen in full-time primary or secondary education dependant on parental income.

Secondary education ends with examinations. It is normal for these to include a compulsory national examination which is the same for all schools and is taken at the same time throughout the country as well as additional tests set by the individual school.

The school's own tests may combine subjects and may be set at different times to the national tests and even prior to the last year. This is now known as the examination file (examendossier).

Marks from both school and national tests are combined to give a final grade.

Pupils successfully completing basic education will be given a certificate (getuigschrift basisvorming).

• Comprehensive information on education (onderwijs) from the Ministry of Education, Culture & Science: Click here 

International Schools

There are both publicly-funded and fee paying international schools at primary and secondary levels. Some follow a British curriculum while others may still teach in English but follow an international curriculum or offer the European Baccalaureate. 

• Information from the Ministry of Education, Culture & Science: Click here 
• Information on international primary and secondary education in the Netherlands from the website of International Education in the Netherlands (IGO). 
• Information on the availability of schools and entrance requirements from the European Council for International Schools (ECIS)

Further Education

Higher or further education caters for students aged 18 and over. Both full-time and part-time courses are available in many subjects.

University education (Wetenschappelijke Onderwijs, WO) usually means a first degree course of at least four years. Some courses are longer for example medicine and dentistry.

Higher vocational education (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs, HBO) provides practical and theoretical training for certain occupations.

A more recent development is the introduction of combined bachelor-masters degree programmes. Both universities and HBOs can offer these courses.

The academic year lasts 42 weeks with courses usually starting the first week in September. Tuition fees are payable by all students.

The Netherlands recognises entry qualifications from other European countries according to several bilateral agreements. However, EU citizens will also need to pass an English-language examination to ensure they are able to read and write the language well before being offered a place.

For more information on further education opportunities in the Netherlands consult:

• Study in Holland (information on study programmes – many in English)
• NUFFIC – Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education

Finding a School

Although central government is responsible for setting broad policy for education and standards, the day-to-day running of schools is increasingly decentralised with each municipality appointing a school board to oversee the publicly run schools in its area.

The equivalent authority of a private school is the board of the association or foundation which established it. The education minister (or representative) holds regular consultations with the municipalities and with the boards of the private schools.

Municipalities must provide an adequate number and range of publicly run educational institutions in their areas. In the unlikely event of there being a shortage of places or no school at all, funding and help is available for travel to an alternative location.

Private schools set their own admissions policy and have the right to refuse entry, although in practice this seldom happens.

Each municipality also coordinates the provision of minority language teaching and can receive and allocate funds directly to schools to combat educational disadvantages.

It is the responsibility of each municipal authority to check that children below school-leaving age who are registered as resident in the area are enrolled as pupils at a school – private or public. 

Registration with the municipal authority on arrival in the Netherlands will involve providing information regarding any school age children and arranging enrolment in any school.

Application

When enrolling a child in any school, it is necessary to supply evidence of their identity (passport, birth certificate). Most schools will also ask for passport photos for their own internal administration, as well as school reports for at least the previous academic year.

International and private schools will normally require the completion of an application form and an interview prior to the offer of a place. Their requirements with regard to evidence of educational history to date are also more stringent. They will normally ask for a deposit to be paid to secure a place if one is offered.

Further Information

• AngloINFO INFOrmation page on Special Needs Education in the Netherlands
• PLOTEUS is the official EU website with specific reference to education and learning opportunities
• Study in Holland provides information on international study programmes – many in English
• NUFFIC (Netherlands Organisation for International Co-operation in Higher Education). The site also has a useful glossary of educational terms and translations.
• European Council for International Schools (ECIS)
• Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Foundation for International Education in the Netherlands

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