International schools in the Netherlands

Search for the best international schools in the Netherlands; you can find a list of selected schools at the bottom of this page. Use the search filters to select only girls' or boys' schools, prep schools, senior schools or sixth forms; or you can search for schools that offer a particular curriculum, such as the International Baccalaureate, the UK national curriculum, a US-style model or the International Primary Curriculum. 

Liberal, tolerant and highly developed, the Netherlands has a world-leading export economy with many international corporations. Its government has actively fostered a strong international school sector to promote diversity in education and cater for expatriate families.

The densely-populated country has a wide range of schools offering the curriculums of Britain, the US, France, Germany, Japan, Indonesia and the International Baccalaureate. There is a school for the children of European Union officials, one belonging to the United World College movement and a Montessori high school. 

The Netherlands has 22 IB World Schools, which all teach in English. Of these, 19 are authorised to teach the International Baccalaureate Diploma and three – the International School of Amsterdam, International School Hilversum Alberdingk Thijm and International School Utrecht – offer three IB programmes.

The large, through-train American School of The Hague offers the IB Diploma in combination with an American curriculum and Advanced Placement courses, while the International School Eerde provides day and boarding education that emphasises holistic learning and individual attention, leading  to IGCSEs and the IB Diploma

The Dutch International Schools group operates 27 English-medium international schools across 15 towns and cities, including International School Eindhoven. DIS schools, which are funded by the Dutch government and linked to state schools, charge relatively low fees.

Education is compulsory from age five to 16 and free at Dutch-medium state schools and state-funded religious schools. In practice, children start school at age four. Elementary school has eight grades and lasts to age 12, when pupils’ attainment is tested.

Secondary education is highly specialised with students allocated to three types of school. Selective VWO schools, which include atheneums and gymnasiums, offer six-year academic programmes that prepare students to enter university.  

Selective HAVO schools follow five-year programmes that lead to applied universities. VMBO schools, which enrol 60 per cent of students, offer four-year vocational programmes that lead to vocational tertiary education or employment. In 2012, gross tertiary enrolment was equal to 79 per cent of the age group.

If you are looking specifically for International Baccalaureate World Schools in the Netherlands, you can find selected schools on our sister website: www.ibyb.org.