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If you move to the Netherlands with children, one of the first big questions is: which school? You have three main choices. Your child can go to a normal Dutch school, to a school that teaches partly in English, or to an international school. Normal Dutch schools are free, and children learn Dutch surprisingly fast there. International schools teach in English and make it easier if you move again later, but they can cost anywhere from €4,500 to €30,000 a year. This guide explains, from the start, how Dutch schools work, compares your choices, and shows what to arrange and when.
The idea in simple words
In the Netherlands, children start primary school when they turn 4. From age 5, going to school is required by law.
A normal Dutch school is free and usually close to home. Young children pick up Dutch in a few months. Older children who don't speak Dutch can first go to a special class to learn the language.
International schools teach in English and follow a programme used all over the world. That's handy if you will move again in a few years, but most of them cost money.
The most important facts
- School starts at 4: most children start primary school (basisschool) the day after their 4th birthday. School is required from the first day of the month after they turn 5.
- Dutch schools are free: the government pays public schools and schools run by religious or other groups the same way. Schools only ask parents for a contribution that you don't have to pay (vrijwillige ouderbijdrage).
- International schools with government money cost about €4,500 to €9,000 a year. Private international schools cost about €16,000 to €30,000.
- Classes for newcomers: children who don't speak Dutch yet can start in a language class (taalklas), or from age 12 in an international transition class (Internationale schakelklas: a class for newly arrived teenagers that teaches Dutch plus subjects like maths, to prepare them for a normal Dutch secondary school.).
- Sign up early: you can sign up a child from age 3, and popular schools and international schools fill up fast.
How Dutch schools work
Primary school has eight years, called groups (groepen). Groups 1 and 2 are for 4- and 5-year-olds and are mostly learning through play, like kindergarten. Real reading, writing and maths start in group 3, around age 6. Most children finish primary school at 12.
Secondary school starts at 12. From the very start, children are put in different levels:
| Level | How many years | Leads to |
|---|---|---|
| vmbo (prepares for a trade or job) | 4 years | Training for a trade or job (Middelbaar beroepsonderwijs: practical training for a job, such as nurse, electrician, cook or IT support.) |
| havo (general, higher level) | 5 years | Universities of applied sciences (Hoger beroepsonderwijs: higher education focused on practice and a profession, such as teaching, nursing or engineering.) |
| vwo (prepares for university), including gymnasium (with Latin and Greek) | 6 years | Research universities |
Children can move between levels later, but the starting level matters. It is based on the school advice (schooladvies) your child gets in group 8, the last year of primary school (explained below). Going to school full-time is required from age 5 to 16. After that, young people must keep studying until 18, or until they have a basic diploma (startkwalificatie).
Dutch schools also have different backgrounds. There are public schools, Catholic and Protestant schools, and schools with their own way of teaching, such as Montessori, Dalton or Jenaplan. The government pays them all the same way, they all follow the same main goals, and they are all checked by the same De Inspectie van het Onderwijs: the government office that checks the quality of all Dutch schools.. Many religious schools today welcome all families.
Your three choices compared
| Normal Dutch school | International school with government money | Private international school | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | Dutch, sometimes with English lessons from group 1 | English (some French or German) | English, French, German or others |
| What they teach | The Dutch programme | Usually International programmes used by schools all over the world. IPC: International Primary Curriculum. IB: International Baccalaureate. IGCSE: a British-based exam programme. in primary, IB or IGCSE in secondary | IB, British, American, French and others |
| Cost per year | Free, plus a contribution you don't have to pay | About €4,500 to €9,000 | About €16,000 to €30,000 |
| Who can go | Everyone | Mainly families who move between countries | Everyone who pays the fees |
| Best for | Families staying a long time, and young children | Families staying a few years, or older children | A specific country's programme, or when the employer pays |
Regular Dutch schools
For children under about 8, a Dutch school nearby is often the easiest choice. Young children usually speak Dutch with confidence within a year. They make friends in the neighbourhood, and the school is usually close enough to cycle to. Many expat families are surprised by how relaxed Dutch primary schools are: little homework, lots of play in the first years, and a strong focus on doing things yourself.
Primary school itself is free. Schools ask parents for a voluntary contribution for extras such as trips, parties and the school camp, usually between €25 and €150 a year. It really is your choice: by law, a school may not leave your child out of any activity if you don't pay. You do pay for care after school (BSO), which our childcare guide explains.
Bilingual Dutch schools
More and more Dutch primary schools teach English from group 1, and some teach part of the week in English. In secondary school, more than 100 schools offer bilingual education (tweetalig onderwijs, TTO), mainly at havo and vwo level. There, up to half of the lessons are in English. TTO is free, but schools often ask a higher contribution, usually a few hundred euros a year. It's a good middle way for children who already speak some Dutch. But the final exams are still Dutch exams.
Subsidised international schools
Several dozen primary and secondary schools across the country are part of the Dutch International Schools network. They are often called DIPS (primary) and DISS (secondary). The government pays part of the costs, so the fees are much lower than at private international schools: usually about €4,500 to €9,000 a year, plus a fee to sign up. Many of them are an international part of a Dutch school, which makes it easier to switch later.
Because the government pays part, not everyone can go. They are mainly for children of families who are in the Netherlands for a limited time, parents who work for an international organisation or company, and Dutch children coming back from abroad. Each school has its own rules for who may join, so ask for them before you count on a place. In The Hague, Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Utrecht, places in popular years can be gone months in advance.
Private international schools
Private international schools get no money from the government. Fees are usually about €16,000 to €22,000 a year in primary school, and up to €30,000 a year for the last years of secondary school (the IB Diploma), plus fees to sign up and for the building. They make sense when your child must stay in a specific country's school system (British, American, French, German, Japanese and others), when the other schools are full, or when your employer pays.
Tip for expats with the 30% ruling
The 30% ruling is a tax benefit for some expats hired from abroad. If you have it, your employer can pay the fees of an international school (or the international part of a Dutch school) tax-free, on top of the 30% allowance. Your employer doesn't have to do this, so ask for it in your contract or moving package before you sign.
Children who don't speak Dutch yet
Every child of school age has the right to go to school in the Netherlands. There is extra help for children who just arrived and don't speak Dutch yet:
- Ages 4 to 6: most children go straight into a normal class and learn Dutch by playing. Many schools give extra language help.
- Ages 6 to 12: your child can start in a class for newcomers or a language class (nieuwkomersklas or taalklas), usually for about a year. Or they can go into a normal class with extra Dutch lessons. Some cities have separate schools for newcomers.
- Ages 12 to 18: the international transition class (internationale schakelklas, ISK) teaches Dutch together with subjects like maths. It prepares pupils for a normal secondary school or job training. Most pupils stay one to two years.
Your The local government of your town or city. In Dutch: gemeente. or the nearest school can tell you where the newcomer classes are near you. Older children who arrive without Dutch often find the change hard. That's one reason why families with teenagers choose an international school more often.
Enrolling at a Dutch school
- Register your child at your address with the municipality and get a BSN (personal Dutch ID number). Schools need it to sign your child up.
- Visit a few schools. Most schools have open days and are happy to show you around if you make an appointment. The school guide (schoolgids) and the inspection report on scholenopdekaart.nl help you compare.
- Sign up from age 3. You can sign up at several schools at once. Popular schools fill up, so don't wait until your child is almost 4.
- Check your city's rules. Amsterdam and some other cities use one central system for signing up, with fixed deadlines and priority for schools close to home. Moving in the middle of the year? Contact the school directly, because these systems are mostly for 3-year-olds.
Children who arrive at age 5 or older can usually start within a few weeks. If your first choice is full, the school will help you find another school nearby.
The school advice in group 8
In group 8, the last year of primary school, every child gets a school advice. It decides at which level they can start secondary school. For the 2026–2027 school year, this is when things happen:
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| 10 to 31 January 2027 | Your child gets a first advice from the primary school |
| 25 January to 12 February 2027 | Your child takes the national test at the end of primary school (doorstroomtoets) |
| By 24 March 2027 | The final advice. If the test result is higher, the school must think again and usually raises the advice |
| Late March 2027 | You sign up at a secondary school |
The advice is mostly based on what the teacher has seen of your child over several years. For children who arrived recently and are still learning Dutch, schools look carefully at what the child can do in other subjects. The advice can be changed later. If you think the advice is too low, ask for a meeting with the teacher.
No holidays outside the school holidays
From age 5, the rules about going to school are strict. You can't take your child out of school for a trip home or an early flight without permission from the head teacher. They only allow it in special cases, for example when your work makes it impossible to travel in any school holiday. If your child misses school without permission, the school tells the municipality's school attendance officer (leerplichtambtenaar), and you can get a fine. The dates of the school holidays are on rijksoverheid.nl. The summer, spring and autumn holidays are different for the north, middle and south of the country.
Which choice suits your family?
- Staying a long time, with children under 8: a Dutch school nearby, with a newcomer class if your child is 6 or older.
- Staying two to five years: an international school with government money, so your child can move to another international school later without losing a year.
- Teenagers who arrive without Dutch: usually an international school. Or, if you are staying, an ISK followed by a bilingual (TTO) secondary school.
- Your child must stay in a specific country's school system, for example to take British, American or French exams: a private international school, ideally paid for by your employer.
Your school checklist
- Decide how long you expect to stay, and ask your employer if they pay school fees.
- Contact international schools as soon as your move is certain. They often have waiting lists.
- Register your child with the municipality and get their BSN.
- Visit Dutch schools near your new home, and sign up from age 3.
- Ask about newcomer classes if your child is 6 or older and doesn't speak Dutch.
- Arrange care after school if both parents work.
Official sources and useful links
- Rijksoverheid: when can my child start primary school? (Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: education for newcomers (Dutch)
- Rijksoverheid: do I have to pay the voluntary parental contribution? (Dutch)
- VO-raad: 2026–2027 dates for the doorstroomtoets and signing up for secondary school (Dutch)
- Scholen op de kaart: compare schools near you
This is general information based on the rules for the 2026–2027 school year. Each international school sets its own fees and changes them every year, so check the school's own website before you plan your budget.
