Choosing a school in the Netherlands: Dutch, DIS or private international, leerplicht rules and 2026-27 fees

Choosing a school is one of the first big decisions for a family moving to the Netherlands, and the system gives you more choices than you may expect. You can enrol your child in a free Dutch primary school, a bilingual or English stream inside a Dutch school, a state-subsidised Dutch International School (DIS), a fully private international school, or a school run by another country. Children may start at 4, but the legal duty to attend begins at 5. Dutch schools also start their year in August, not September, and children join on their birthday rather than in a single intake.

This guide lines those options up by what matters most in practice: how long you expect to stay, whether you may move on to another country, and how old your child is. It relies on the Dutch government (Rijksoverheid), municipal pages, the schools' own websites, and the main expat media. Where fees appear, they are the figures each school publishes itself, with the school year stated. If a school does not publish a figure, this article does not guess one.

There is no best school here, only a better fit for your situation. A Dutch school gives fast access to the language and local friendships and costs nothing, but lessons are in Dutch. An international school keeps lessons in English and fits a family that may move again, but it costs more and may have entry rules. Both are legitimate; they are different trade-offs.

Main sources behind this article

• Rijksoverheid, "Leerplicht en kwalificatieplicht", "Wanneer moet ik mijn kind aanmelden op de basisschool?" and "Onderwijs voor nieuwkomers" (checked 30 October 2026)
• Gemeente Den Haag, "Nieuw in Nederland en naar school" (checked 30 October 2026)
• International School of The Hague (ISH) admissions policy and fee pages; International School Eindhoven (ISE) fees page; International School of Amsterdam (ISA) fees page (all 2026-27, checked 30 October 2026)
• ACCESS, DutchReview, Xpat.nl, Expatica and The Hague International Centre guides

1. Start at 4, compulsory from 5: the basics

The Netherlands separates the age at which a child may start school from the age at which attendance becomes a legal duty. That gap surprises many families, and it explains why most children are already in class by their fifth birthday.

Children may start at 4, and you can apply from 3

According to Rijksoverheid, a child may attend basisschool (the eight-year primary school) from age 4. You may apply from age 3 and should apply at least 10 weeks before the fourth birthday; you cannot apply before 3 (Rijksoverheid, enrolment). From 3 years and 10 months a child may spend a few half days at school to get used to it (wen-dagen), up to five days in total, though not every school offers this (Rijksoverheid, starting age).

Expatica notes that children usually start the day after their fourth birthday, at any point in the year, so a class fills up gradually through the year (Expatica).

Leerplicht: compulsory from the month after the 5th birthday to 16

Compulsory education (leerplicht) begins on the first day of the month after a child turns 5. It lasts until the end of the school year in which the child reaches 16 (a school year runs from 1 August to 31 July), or until the child has completed 12 full school years, whichever comes first. It applies to every child living in the Netherlands, regardless of nationality (Rijksoverheid).

Kwalificatieplicht: 16 to 18

Young people aged 16 to 18 without a startkwalificatie must stay in full-time education until 18. A startkwalificatie means at least a havo, vwo or mbo level 2 diploma. ACCESS and The Hague municipality describe this as "compulsory from 5 to 18"; legally it is two obligations, leerplicht from 5 to 16 and kwalificatieplicht from 16 to 18.

The table below turns Figure 1 into a quick reference and adds the school levels children meet along the way.

Absence needs a reason and a request

Leave from school is allowed for reasons such as illness, a religious holiday, a wedding or a funeral, and you ask the head teacher for an exemption (Rijksoverheid, excused absence). Schools must report unexcused absence to the municipal attendance officer (leerplichtambtenaar) after 16 hours of missed lessons over four weeks, or 28 consecutive days. A court can fine parents. There is one official exception for term-time leave: if your work prevents you from taking leave in any school holiday, you may ask the head teacher for leave once a school year, for up to 10 days, at least 8 weeks before the trip. It cannot fall in the first two weeks after the summer holiday, and the head teacher decides. Employees can use an employer statement; self-employed parents must show a major loss of income from travelling in school holidays (Rijksoverheid, leerplicht and school holidays). A trip for family preference alone may not qualify. See also our guide to Dutch public holidays and ask the school early.

2. The options: a map of six routes

Families in the Netherlands can choose among six broad types of school. Four are everyday choices (Dutch school, IGBO, DIS, private international), one is a national school run by another country, and weekend mother-tongue classes can sit on top of any of them.

Read the fee column as the published base tuition only. Registration fees, deposits, transport and lunch come on top.

Dutch schools: free, in Dutch

Rijksoverheid lists public schools (openbaar), which are open to every child and not based on a religion, and special (bijzonder) schools based on a religion or worldview. Some follow an educational concept such as Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan or Vrije school (Rijksoverheid, school types). All are free.

IGBO: an English department inside a Dutch school

IGBO (internationaal georiënteerd basisonderwijs) is a department of a Dutch school where English is the language of instruction. According to Rijksoverheid it is mainly for children of families in the Netherlands temporarily for work, or children who attended school abroad for more than two years (same page).

DIS: state-subsidised international schools

Dutch International Schools receive public funding, which is why their fees are lower than those of fully private schools. In exchange, admission follows criteria set by law (Section 5). ACCESS describes the Dutch subsidy as a way to offer English-language education for a reasonable fee.

Private international and national schools

Private international schools set their own admission rules and charge much higher fees. ACCESS notes that private schools are generally more expensive than government-funded schools and are not subject to the Dutch inspectorate's quality checks. It adds that French, German and Japanese schools teach in their national languages (ACCESS).

3. Enrolling in a Dutch school

Enrolment in the Netherlands works differently from systems where your address decides the school. In most places parents choose and apply, but municipalities can limit that choice, which is where families get caught out.

Register with the municipality first, then apply to the school

The Hague municipality tells newcomers to book an appointment to register themselves and their children as soon as possible and then to register the child directly at a school. A child without a BSN (citizen service number) must still attend school (Gemeente Den Haag).

At enrolment you normally need the following (Rijksoverheid):

If your BSN has not arrived yet, ask the school how it handles that case while your municipal registration is in progress.

Timing: at least 10 weeks before age 4

Apply at least 10 weeks before your child's fourth birthday. You may apply to more than one school. A school can be full or have a waiting list, and some municipalities have agreements between schools that send children to their own neighbourhood school, use a lottery, or give priority to siblings (Rijksoverheid, same page). Check the municipal website first to see how much choice you actually have.

Choosing between Dutch school types

Rijksoverheid points to Scholenopdekaart.nl and Oudersenonderwijs.nl for comparing schools near you. The table lists what to look at.

Costs: free, with a voluntary contribution

The school itself is always free. Schools may ask for a voluntary parental contribution (ouderbijdrage), but an unpaid contribution cannot be a reason to refuse admission or to keep a child out of a school trip, and the parent council (medezeggenschapsraad) must agree the amount and its use (Rijksoverheid, costs). Lunchtime supervision and after-school care are paid separately. DutchReview puts typical state-school contributions at roughly EUR 60 to 150 a year (a secondary source, so check the school's own figure) (DutchReview, updated February 2025).

What a Dutch school day looks like

Expatica reports school days starting between 8:30 and 9:00 and ending between 14:45 and 15:30, with some schools closed on Wednesday afternoons. Pupils usually bring a simple packed lunch and stay at school, or go home. Groups 1 and 2 are play-based, and formal reading and writing begin in group 3 at about age 6 (Expatica). In group 8 the teacher's assessment is the main factor in the advised secondary level, and the end-of-primary test is a second input. In group 8 the school gives a provisional advice in January, all pupils take the doorstroomtoets between late January and mid-February, and a higher test result means the school raises the advice. The final advice follows by 24 March (2027 timeline, Rijksoverheid). The test has been called the doorstroomtoets since 2023-24, replacing the old eindtoets.

4. Newcomer education: reception classes and ISK

Many families worry that their child will be dropped into a Dutch classroom with no Dutch. The system anticipates this with newcomer education (nieuwkomersonderwijs), where children first learn the language and then move to a regular class.

Primary age: reception class or extra lessons

Rijksoverheid says newcomer education is for children of compulsory age (5 to 16) who have only recently arrived and do not yet speak enough Dutch. They first learn Dutch language and culture, then move to a regular class. Schools receive extra funding for newcomers for the first two years (Rijksoverheid). In primary school a child can attend a special language class, which may be inside a regular school or in a separate building, or join a regular class with extra Dutch lessons.

The Hague municipality calls the primary class a neveninstroomgroep or opvangklas. Children learn to speak, understand, read and write Dutch there, usually for about 1 to 1.5 years, then stay at the same school or move on. The class is free, though the school may ask for a voluntary contribution.

From age 12: the ISK

Secondary schools offer international bridging classes (ISK, internationale schakelklas) for recently arrived young people from age 12 who speak little or no Dutch. Alongside maths and citizenship they learn Dutch and prepare for regular secondary or mbo lessons (Rijksoverheid, same page). The Hague municipality gives about 1 to 2 years and lists four secondary schools with an ISK in the city: Edith Stein College, Johan de Witt Scholengroep (Glasblazerslaan), Diamant College and Zuid-West College. Parents can register their child themselves.

Limits and warnings

A pupil may be registered at a temporary newcomer facility for a maximum of two years in total, and these facilities are only for children who have never before been enrolled at a Dutch school (Rijksoverheid). Sector bodies such as the VO-raad have warned that newcomer education is under strain, mainly because of staff shortages (VO-raad). Ask your municipality's education desk early about places and waiting times.

Age changes the picture

DutchReview says children aged 4 to 5 pick up Dutch fairly easily, from 6 newcomers usually join an immersion class for about a year, and children aged 10 and over take longer and may need to repeat a year (DutchReview). Treat this as general experience: individual children differ a great deal. ACCESS adds that capable havo or vwo candidates who need more Dutch can take an extra year in group 8 (a kopklas) (ACCESS).

5. DIS and private international schools: who qualifies and what it costs

English-language education comes in two forms: state-subsidised DIS and unsubsidised private schools. They differ in fees, and also in who may enrol.

Who may enrol in a DIS

Because DIS are state-subsidised, admission follows conditions set in Dutch law. The International School of The Hague (ISH) states that a student must meet at least one of three conditions (ISH admissions policy).

The Hague International Centre describes the same three categories (The Hague International Centre). Most expat families fall under the first. Self-employed parents (ZZP), partners of Dutch residents and long-term settlers may not meet it, and the school decides, so describe your residence and work honestly when you ask. The Hague International Centre lists, among others, the International School of The Hague, the European School of The Hague, HSV, International Waldorf School The Hague, International School Delft and International School Leiden as government-funded options in the region.

DIS fees for 2026-27: published figures

Fees differ by school and year group. The two schools checked for 2026-27 are below.

Sources: ISE "School Fees and Costs" and the ISH fee page, both checked 30 October 2026. ISH's top secondary fee is EUR 12,800 for the Y12 Career-related Programme (CP). ISH splits primary into EUR 8,500 (Pre-Early Years to EY1), 9,000 (Y2 to Y4), 9,100 (Y5) and 9,200 (Y6). ISE's separate Dutch Bilingual stream asks a voluntary parental contribution of EUR 2,499 a year, which is a different arrangement from the international stream.

DIS fees are not a single national tariff. Third-party summaries quote ranges such as "EUR 4,500 to 8,000", which may mix years and schools, so use each school's own page.

A private school example: ISA

For a school without public funding, here are the International School of Amsterdam's 2026-27 tuition fees.

Source: ISA fees page, checked 30 October 2026. Transport is charged separately. If an employer pays school fees as part of a relocation package, these figures may be affordable; paid privately, the gap with other routes is large.

Figure 3 shows only published tuition. Registration fees, deposits, buses, lunch and trips are extra, so ask each school for a full first-year estimate. If your employer pays, ask whether it pays the school directly and what the cap is. ACCESS advises consulting a tax adviser about the tax treatment of school fees.

Waiting lists and timing

IamExpat has warned that international schools often have waiting lists and that families should apply up to a year ahead (a 2018 article, so confirm with the school). ISH tells applicants that English placement tests apply for the older secondary years, and a pre-early-years class exists for children who turn four on or after 1 October. Rolling admission through the year is common, but places are limited.

6. How to decide: length of stay, onward move, age

The three factors below carry most of the weight. This is an editorial summary of published guidance, not an official rule.

Factor 1: how long you will stay

DutchReview suggests that a stay of under about three years favours an international school, especially for a child who already speaks English, while a longer stay makes a Dutch school a good choice for integration (DutchReview). Three years is a rule of thumb, not a legal line. ACCESS similarly suggests a Dutch school for a long-term stay, and an international school (including a DIS) if the child may return to another education system.

Factor 2: where your child may study next

If you may move on to another country, an international programme such as the IB continues more easily than a Dutch diploma. If you are settling, a Dutch school opens the Dutch secondary tracks directly: vmbo (four years, practical), havo (five years, leading to universities of applied sciences) and vwo (six years, pre-university) (ACCESS).

Factor 3: age and language

The younger the child, the faster Dutch comes, and the older, the bigger the language gap. Xpat.nl notes that teenagers typically find it harder to integrate and learn a new language, so a short stay may suit an international school better, though some teenagers thrive in a Dutch school (Xpat.nl).

The table repeats Figure 4 with the reasons and the main warning for each case.

7. Three fictional families

The households below are invented examples, not real people. The amounts use the published figures in Sections 3 to 5.

Family 1: a two-year posting in The Hague

Two children aged 7 and 10 expect to leave after two years, and the employer pays an education allowance. A DIS such as ISH keeps lessons in English and fits the move on. Primary fees at ISH are EUR 9,000 to 9,200 per child for 2026-27, plus a EUR 300 application fee and a refundable EUR 1,000 deposit. The catch is eligibility: the school will ask for an employer letter, so check early.

Family 2: a four-year stay in Amsterdam

Children aged 5 and 9 will probably stay about four years. A Dutch school costs no tuition. After a reception class of about 1 to 1.5 years, the children join regular classes. The 9-year-old will find Dutch harder than the 5-year-old, so plan extra support, and keep reading in the home language going.

Family 3: a self-employed parent who is settling

A parent works as a ZZP and the family expects to stay five years or more; the child is 13. A DIS assumes a parent working here for a limited time, so this family may not qualify. The usual route is an ISK for 1 to 2 years, then a regular secondary class. Which level the child enters depends heavily on assessment, so ask the school early. A private international school such as ISA at EUR 30,880 for Grade 6 to 8 is another route, at a very different budget.

8. Where families get caught out

Some of the same mistakes recur. The table lists the most common and how to avoid them.

Do not assume a place at the first school you like

Schools may be full, and you may register at more than one. Keep your options open until you have a confirmed place in writing.

Keep the home language alive

If your child goes to a Dutch school, Xpat.nl recommends keeping the family's native language going at home. A school can give the new language; the home language depends on the family.

9. Steps to take this week

1. Write down how long you expect to stay and whether you may move on.
2. Note your child's age and level in English, the home language and Dutch.
3. Book the municipal registration appointment (it leads to the BSN).
4. Read the municipality's school page to see how much choice you have.
5. Shortlist about three schools and visit or call them.
6. For a DIS, ask about the admission criteria and which documents prove them.
7. Apply at least 10 weeks before age 4, to more than one school.
8. Ask each school for a first-year cost estimate.
9. If your employer pays, confirm what is covered and how.

10. Checklist

• I know my child's leerplicht date (the month after the 5th birthday)
• I have read my municipality's school information
• I know the application deadline (10 weeks before age 4)
• I have checked DIS eligibility with the school
• I have a first-year cost estimate, including deposits and transport
• I have checked what my employer will pay
• I know the newcomer options (reception class or ISK) and local waiting times
• I have a plan for the home language

11. Summary

• Children may start at 4; school is compulsory from the month after the 5th birthday until 16. Apply 10 weeks before age 4.
• Dutch primary school is free, with a voluntary contribution that cannot be a condition of admission.
• Newcomers learn Dutch first: a reception class for primary pupils, an ISK from age 12, typically about 1 to 2 years.
• DIS have legal entry criteria, and fees are set school by school. For 2026-27, ISE is EUR 6,690 for primary, ISH EUR 8,500 to 9,200, and the private ISA EUR 22,815 to 32,755.
• Length of stay and whether you will move on are the main deciding factors; age and language adjust the answer.
• Fees, criteria and deadlines change. Check each school and your municipality before you apply.

Sources checked

Dutch government and municipality

• Leerplicht en kwalificatieplicht, Rijksoverheid: ages 5 to 16 and 16 to 18
• Geoorloofd schoolverzuim en spijbelen, Rijksoverheid: excused absence and reporting thresholds
• Wanneer mag mijn kind naar de basisschool?, Rijksoverheid: starting at 4, settling-in days
• Wanneer moet ik mijn kind aanmelden op de basisschool?, Rijksoverheid: when to apply, documents
• Welke soorten basisscholen zijn er?, Rijksoverheid: school types and IGBO
• Wat zijn de kosten voor de basisschool van mijn kind?, Rijksoverheid: voluntary contribution
• Onderwijs voor nieuwkomers, Rijksoverheid: newcomer education and ISK
• Nieuw in Nederland en naar school, Gemeente Den Haag: enrolment, reception classes, ISK in The Hague

International schools

• School Fees and Costs, International School Eindhoven: 2026-27 fees
• School fees, International School of The Hague: 2026-27 fees
• Admissions policy, International School of The Hague: DIS criteria
• Tuition fees, International School of Amsterdam: 2026-27 fees
• Government funded international schools, The Hague International Centre: subsidised schools and criteria

Expat media and sector bodies

• Should I enrol my child in a Dutch school?, DutchReview: length of stay, age, cost (updated February 2025)
• Dutch or international school?, ACCESS: decision factors, secondary tracks
• International schools in the Netherlands, ACCESS: school types and eligibility
• Local or International School in NL?, Xpat.nl: age and language
• Primary schools in the Netherlands, Expatica: school day and structure
• The alternative to international education, IamExpat: waiting lists (2018)
• Onderwijs aan nieuwkomers, VO-raad: pressure on newcomer education

All were checked on 30 October 2026. Fees, entry criteria and deadlines change, so confirm them with each school and your municipality. If your residence status or work situation affects which schools you can use, ask the school and the municipal education desk directly.

Related reading

• Dutch school phone ban 2027: what is decided, what is proposed, and how to set family rules
• The Dutch primary teacher shortage: 15.6% in The Hague, rare four-day weeks and what parents can do
• Swimming diplomas A, B and C in the Netherlands
• Dutch childcare costs in 2027