The Netherlands has done it yet again: the Dutch have been ranked as the best non-native English speakers in the world for the sixth time in a row, according to Education First’s annual English Proficiency Index for 2024.
To determine where the best non-native English speakers live, the ranking compares the scores of over 2,1 million test-takers in 116 countries for the largest English proficiency study in the world. The ranking also looks at towns, cities and regions with over 400 test-takers as part of the study, so comparing states / regions and cities is possible, thanks to the EPI’s data.
Each country’s overall score out of 800 is calculated through an online test, as well as placement tests used by EF for enrolment into English language courses. This means that the test has a slight bias towards those with an interest in learning languages. The median age of respondents in the survey was 26.
It’s not the first, second or even third time that the Netherlands has found itself at the top of the EF EPI ranking. In fact, the 2024 results put the Netherlands at the top for the sixth year running, despite a slightly reduced score of 636.
The EF EPI 2024 categorised the English proficiency of the Netherlands as “very high”, adding that in countries with very high English proficiency, many people can use nuanced language, read advanced texts and negotiate contracts in English. Other countries in the “very high” category behind the Netherlands are Norway, Singapore and Sweden making the top four countries for English proficiency.
While English is taught as a second language in all schools in the Netherlands, there is still some variation in English skills between Dutch cities and provinces. According to EF’s data, the city with the highest English proficiency in the Netherlands is, perhaps unsurprisingly, Amsterdam.
Taking it a step further, people living in the Dutch capital are the best non-native English speakers in the world with the highest score of 657 among global capital cities. Other cities that have the most adept English speakers in the Netherlands are Utrecht, Rotterdam and The Hague.
The regions with the highest English proficiency are Overijssel, Flevoland, Noord-Holland, while the three worst-performing provinces were Noord-Brabant, Friesland and Zeeland. It is important to note that only cities, towns and regions with more than 400 test-takers are included in the report, which is why some Dutch cities are not included.
According to the 2024 edition of the EF EPI, these are the 10 countries with the highest proficiency in the English language:
For more information about the ranking, visit the EF website.
Thumb image credit: Allard One / Shutterstock.com