Education is compulsory (leerplicht) in the Netherlands from the ages of five to 16. However, most children start to attend primary school at age four. While the structure of primary education in the Netherlands is straightforward, the structure of the Dutch secondary education system often seems confusing because of the multiple paths and graduation ages in high school. This page provides an overview of the Dutch school system.
Simply put, all schoolchildren in the Netherlands attend similar primary schools, but secondary schools are divided into three separate streams. This is similar to the education system in other countries, with one stream to prepare students for vocational training (VMBO), and another to prepare students for university (VWO).
The main difference in the Netherlands is that there is a third, middle stream in high schools that prepares students to study at universities of applied sciences (HAVO).
Until the age of five, infants and young children in the Netherlands can attend a variety of non-compulsory daycare educational options such as daycare, preschool or playgroups - known as early childhood education. Parents or relatives can also look after them.
Elementary or primary school in the Netherlands (lagere school) has eight grades, known as groepen, ranging from Groep 1 (4-year-olds) to Groep 8 (12-year-olds). It is not compulsory to attend primary school until Groep 2, at age five, but most children begin in Groep 1 at the age of four.
Students attend primary school for eight years, until they reach the age of 12, and during this time they gain basic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic. They will also start studying English by the time they reach Group 7, if not before then.
You can register your child with a primary school once they reach the age of three. The extent to which families can choose or are allocated schools varies from place to place. Usually, if your child already has an older sibling at a certain primary school, they will have priority for a place at the same school. In some municipalities, you must live within a certain catchment area in order to send your child to a certain school.
If you are unsure of the rules in your area, speak to your municipality or your preferred school.
When they start secondary school (middelbare school) at age 12, children enter one of three different streams for their secondary education. The different streams represent different educational paths, based on a student’s academic level and interests:
The VMBO is a four-year vocationally-orientated stream focussed on practical knowledge, which leads to vocational training (MBO). It has two qualification levels and students complete the track at the age of 16.
The HAVO is a five-year middle stream that prepares students to study higher professional education at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen), where they can undertake a bachelor’s degree in applied sciences (HBO). Students complete the HAVO around the age of 17.
The VWO is a six-year education stream with a focus on theoretical knowledge that prepares students to follow a bachelor’s degree (WO) at a research university. Students study the VWO at schools known as atheneum and gymnasium and complete the stream around the age of 18.
You and your child are free to choose a secondary school, based on their primary school's recommendation of whether a VMBO, HAVO or VWO would be most suitable for them. At the end of January and beginning of Februrary, students can also take a so-called transition test (doorstroomtoets) to see if the school's recommendation needs to be adjusted.
Each year in January and February, most secondary schools in the Netherlands hold open days for prospective students to come and visit, see the facilities, and meet teachers and current students. This can help you decide if the school would be a good fit for your child.
In late March each year, there is a central registration week for all secondary schools. Students put down their top preferences for secondary schools. They then receive a decision within six weeks as to whether they have been accepted. Exactly how places are allocated varies from municipality to municipality: in some, it is determined by the schoolboards, while in others places are allocated by a random lottery.