Studenten

Education system

The philosophy behind education in the Netherlands reflects Dutch society and aims to encourage students to be open-minded and able to think and learn in a creative manner. Children are required to go to school from 5-16, but most are in some form of education from 4-18 or longer.

  • Basisonderwijs (primary education) starts with groep 1 (group 1) where children from the age of 4 can start school at any time. In the Netherlands, attendance in primary education is mandatory from 5 years old.

    Groups 1 and 2 are similar to reception or kindergarten, with the focus being on socialisation and familiarisation with school and lessons. Learning about numbers, the alphabet and reading starts more earnestly in group 3. Some children spend more time in group 2 if their teachers and parents feel they are not yet ready for group 3.

    The curriculum is broad, divided over 8 years and progress is monitored by toetsen (standardised testing). In the final year of primary school, the most appropriate type of secondary school is selected. All pupils in the last year of primary school must complete a primary school leavers doorstroomtoets (attainment test). The test measures pupils’ skills in language, comprehension and mathematics.

    Primary school students are often allowed to go home at lunchtime, however some primary schools have a continurooster which means that the students stay on school premises and remain in the care of the school or overblijfouders (parents that volunteer to help at lunchtime). For parents wanting their child to stay at school they can utilise tussenschoolse opvang – TSO (lunchtime care). Primary schools charge an extra fee for TSO or a continurooster, it is not included in standard yearly contributions.

    The school year runs from August or September to July, with a zomervakantie (summer holiday) of 6 weeks, a kerstvakantie (Christmas break) of 2 weeks, and a number of shorter holidays, including (lentevakantie) spring and (herfstvakantie) autumn breaks and study days.

    There are many primary schools in the Maastricht Region, with various types of educational philosophies. 

    There are 5 academische basisscholen (academic primary schools) in the Maastricht Region. Academic primary schools are set apart by the way in which they connect the professionalisation of incoming and incumbent teachers with research and innovation in education. Students are challenged to learn in a research-focussed way.

    United World College Maastricht (UWC) and AFNORTH International School (AFNORTH-IS) offer an international curriculum.

    United World College Maastricht 

    Afnorth International School

    On the Lowan (Ondersteuning Onderwijs Nieuwkomers) website you can find a database of primary schools who provide education for international newcomers. You can filter by target group and region (in Dutch).

    lowan.nl

    More information on the types of primary schools in the Netherlands can be found at government.nl in English.

    government.nl

    If you want to know how a typical Dutch school operates watch this video on Welcome-to-NL. Note that it is also possible to send children living in the Netherlands to schools in Belgium or Germany.

    Taalklas

    Taalklas (language class) is for children who are new to the Netherlands who do not yet speak the language and whose parents intend to stay in the Netherlands for a long time. These classes include children aged 6 to 11.5 years.

    Taalklas focuses on basic vocabulary for the duration of 40 weeks, the equivalent of one school year. The children also learn about the Netherlands and the Dutch culture. This way they can make a good start in their new home country.

    All children are first enrolled at a regular primary school of their choice. The primary school will tell you whether your child or children are eligible for placement in Taalklas. In Maastricht, there are 2 locations that offer Taalklas. Both locations are housed in a regular primary school. KKC de Loper, location Regenboog in Maastricht East and Basisschool Oda in Maastricht West.

  • Voortgezet Onderwijs (secondary education) starts after completion of primary education, usually at age 12, and generally continues to the age of 18. Children are obliged to go to school until the school year in which they become 16. In the final year of primary school (groep 8), the most appropriate type of secondary school is selected. All pupils in the last year of primary school must complete a primary school leavers attainment test (doorstroomtoets). The test measures pupils’ skills in language, arithmetic and mathematics.

    There are 3 levels determined by the outcome: 

    • Voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs – VMBO is a 4 year programme that provides preparation for a more practical career (via MBO) or is a stepping stone to HAVO education;
    • Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs – HAVO takes 5 years and prepares for university of applied sciences or a transfer to VWO education;
    • Voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs – VWO takes 6 years and is the admission level for universities.

    Some schools offer dual curriculum for the first few years on several levels at the same time. The student is then assessed during and at the end of this period, allowing the parents and student to decide over a longer period of time which level and direction suits them best.

    There are several secondary schools in the Maastricht region.

  • When children reach the age of 5, they must go to school every school day. Compulsory education applies until the age of 16.  If a young person aged 16 or 17 has not yet obtained a havo, vwo or mbo (level 2 or higher) diploma, compulsory education is extended with the so-called qualification obligation.

    Can my child go on holiday beyond the school holidays?
    You cannot take them out of school to go on holiday. If you can’t go on holiday during the school holidays because of your work, you can ask the head of the school for special permission. You can make this request once a year for up to 10 school days.

    Special circumstances
    In the case of an important family event such as a wedding or funeral, you can request special leave from the school management. Only in the case of a special event can you request leave from the leerplichtambtenaar (school attendance officer) for more than 10 days. 

    More information can be found at government.nl

  • In order to be eligible for TTO a student needs to be reasonably fluent in Dutch as well as in English. Each subject is taught in 1 language, however, both English and Dutch will be used across the curriculum, and the subject and language combinations will vary from one year to the next. At the end of their education, students should have had all subjects in both languages. Final exams are held in Dutch.

    Other languages

    UWC Maastricht and AFNORTH-IS offer secondary education in English, with support for a student's native language. It is possible to send children living in the Netherlands to schools in Belgium or Germany for French or German language education).

  • Technical college (vocational education)
    Middelbaar beroepsonderwijs – MBO is available for students from the age of 16. The programme takes 3 or 4 years and offers practical qualifications at a variety of levels. Following this programme some students will be eligible to continue the education at hoger beroepsonderwijs – HBO (Bachelor) level. Others will go into employment.

    The technical colleges based in the Maastricht Region are:

  • Tertiary education in the Netherlands is offered at 2 types of institutions:

    • Hogescholen (universities of applied sciences)
    • Universiteiten (universities) 

    Both types of institutions offer courses in, for example, engineering, law, social studies, and agriculture. Not all subjects are offered everywhere – each institution has its own specialisms.

    The tertiary education system in the Netherlands is organised around a 3-cycle system consisting of Bachelor's, Master's and PhD degrees. However, the higher education system continues to be a binary system with a distinction between research-oriented education and professional tertiary education.

    A great deal of the courses taught at the tertiary institutions in the Maastricht Region are taught in English, however not all are. Refer to the respective websites for detailed and up-to-date information.

    The universities based in the Maastricht Region are:

    Also potentially of interest to residents of the Maastricht Region are the universities in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine, all accessible by public transport.

    For information about the Bachelor-Master structure in the Netherlands check Nuffic (Organisation for Internationalisation in Education in the Netherlands) website.

  • The 4 innovation campuses are home to state-of-the-art facilities, fundamental and applied research offered to scientists, entrepreneurs, students and investors. Together they are creating new chances and solutions in circularity, health, nutrition and data that are environmentally sound, business wise and socially positive.

    The Brightlands campuses embrace the following areas of expertise:

    All Brightlands campuses are supported by Provincie Limburg, Maastricht University, the ministerie van Economische Zaken (Ministry of Economic Affairs), private companies, as well as several European Union (EU), national and local public funds.

  • Open Universiteit Nederland – OU is an independent government-funded institute for distance learning at university level. The Government of the Netherlands' purpose in founding the OU was to make higher education accessible to anyone with the necessary aptitudes and interests, regardless of formal qualifications.

    Future Learn is a portal offering a wide range of free courses as distance learning courses. These are provided in English by a number of universities throughout the world.

    A number of institutes in the Maastricht Region offer a variety of programmes for full-time or part-time adult education at MBO (vocational) level during the day. These are, however, mostly in Dutch.

    Syntra, a Belgian institute offers a wide range of practical qualifications, some of which can be followed as full-time, part-time or evening classes in Dutch.

  • Students that have attained qualifications outside the Netherlands who want to enrol in education in the Netherlands should contact the school or university where they want to study to assess if their qualifications afford them eligibility to enrol in their chosen course. The educational institutions can apply for a credential evaluation for free at Samenwerkingsorganisatie Beroepsonderwijs Bedrijfsleven – SBB (Cooperation Organisation for Vocational Education, Training and the Labour Market) or Nuffic (Organisation for Internationalisation in Education). They then also decide whether or not the student can be admitted and if there is the possibility of exemption for certain elements of study.

    Students who want to study at private educational institutes in the Netherlands have to apply for a credential evaluation through Internationale Diplomawaardering – IDW for a fee. The fee is paid by the student or the private education institute.

  • In the absence of an official degree, it may be possible to assess practical experience as eerder verworven competenties – EVC, which is then judged to be equivalent to a specific diploma qualification. This provides exemption from certain subjects whilst studying for a particular qualification. The level of competences and experience is assessed by the EVC Centre. This procedure can also be followed together with an employer.

  • There are several locations in the Maastricht Region offering lessons for Dutch as a foreign language.

    Nationally based Intensive, Immersion courses 
    Regular courses
    Free courses
    Nederlands als Tweede Taal (NT2) course
    Inburgering (civic integration) courses – also combined with language courses

Head to the Study in NL website for in-depth information about the reasons for studying in the Netherlands, what to expect, how to gain access to tertiary education and information about scholarships and funding.

Education & Careers