The Dutch are the best non-native English speakers in the world - again!

For the seventh year in a row, the Dutch have been named the best non-native English speakers in the world!

Education First English Proficiency Index 2025

The Education First English Proficiency Index is the largest English proficiency study in the world, calculated on 2,2 million non-native English speakers’ language test results (for instance, when enrolling in English courses). In previous editions, the index included just reading and listening comprehension; this year, it looks at speaking assessments as well for the first time. 

Once again, the Netherlands found itself on top of the global ranking, with a “very high” score. It was followed by Croatia, Austria, Germany (which climbed into the top five for the first time) and Norway. 

English proficiency actually falling in the Netherlands

The Netherlands’ score showed trends that are reflected across the index: firstly, English proficiency among test takers remains lower than before the pandemic; second, reading is the strongest skill among non-native English speakers in the Netherlands and almost 80 percent of other countries; third, speaking was the Netherlands’ weakest language skill, as it was in other countries around the world. 

However, the Netherlands bucked the trend in one key way: its score had fallen since last year and indeed has fallen every year since 2021. Globally, scores dipped between 2021 and 2024, but this year have begun to rise again. If English proficiency in the Netherlands continues to fall, that could see another country unseating the lowlands at the top of the ranking next year. 

Groningen has best English language skills

When broken down by city, the index crowned Groningen as home to the best non-native English speakers in the Netherlands, followed by Utrecht and Eindhoven. Amsterdam ranked in fourth place, followed by The Hague and Rotterdam. 

Head to the EF website for the full report and country breakdowns.