Moving to the Netherlands with Kids: School Guide 2026

Direct answer: the options, by age

Compulsory education starts on the first day of the month after a child turns 5; children may attend basisschool from age 4. The most important thing on this page is timing: admissions and waiting lists at international schools are handled per school and per year group, so contact the schools on your shortlist as soon as a move is likely, not once it is confirmed. Jump to kindergarten and preschool options or waiting lists.

The school question comes before the housing, visa and banking questions, because the school you choose shapes where you want to live and when you need to arrive.

The sections below cover each step. For the broader relocation picture, see our complete guide to moving to the Netherlands and the first 30 days checklist.

💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026, which covers ABN, ING, Bunq, Wise, Revolut and 5 others by expat use case.

The Big Decision: Dutch School or International School?

Questions that point toward a Dutch state school

You plan to stay for several years. If you are still deciding where to settle, our best cities for expats guide and the housing guide can help narrow it down. A Dutch school gives your child daily immersion in the language, and schools receive extra funding for teaching newcomers who do not yet speak Dutch well. How quickly a child picks up Dutch differs per child, so ask the school how it supports new pupils.

Your children are young. For a child starting in groep 1 or 2, the step into a Dutch-speaking class is smaller than for a teenager who has to follow secondary-school subjects in Dutch.

You are on a tight budget. Dutch schools charge no tuition. Schools may ask a voluntary parental contribution (vrijwillige ouderbijdrage) for extra activities such as school trips; it is genuinely voluntary, and a school may not exclude your child from those activities if you do not pay. At an international school, fees run from several thousand to over thirty thousand euros a year, depending on the school.

You want your children to integrate into Dutch life. Children in a Dutch school learn the language, make local friends and follow the same route into Dutch secondary education, vocational training or university as their classmates.

Questions that point toward an international school

Your stay is likely to be short. Moving a child into a Dutch school for 18 months and then back into English-language education means two changes of language and curriculum. If you are likely to move on, continuity in curriculum and language may serve your child better.

Your children are secondary school age (12+). A teenager who starts at a Dutch secondary school without Dutch has to follow every subject in a new language. Ask both the Dutch and the international schools on your list how they would place and support your child.

Your employer pays education costs. Some employers include school fees in a relocation package. Check your contract or ask HR before you compare; if fees are covered, the cost argument for a Dutch school largely disappears.

Your children have been in a specific curriculum. A child who has followed the English national curriculum or an IB programme can continue in the same curriculum at a British or IB international school; a Dutch school follows the Dutch curriculum.

Kindergarten and Preschool Options in the Netherlands (Ages 0–4)

If you are searching for “kindergarten” you may mean one of three different Dutch things, and they are funded and organised differently. Here is the map.

1. Kinderdagverblijf: daycare, ages 0–4

The Dutch equivalent of a nursery or daycare centre, run by a registered childcare provider. The GGD (municipal health service) inspects every daycare centre unannounced at least once a year, and the inspection reports are published in the Landelijk Register Kinderopvang.

Providers set their own hourly rate, but what matters is the net cost after kinderopvangtoeslag (childcare benefit). For 2026 the benefit is calculated up to a maximum hourly rate of €11.23 for daycare, €9.98 for after-school care (BSO) and €8.49 for a registered childminder (gastouder), for at most 230 hours per child per month. Households with a joint income up to €56,412 get 96% of the cost up to that cap reimbursed; the percentage falls as income rises. Anything your provider charges above the cap is yours to pay, so compare hourly rates against the €11.23 ceiling when choosing.

The Belastingdienst lists the conditions: you or your partner work, study, or follow an integration course (inburgeringscursus) or a route to work (traject naar werk); the childcare has an LRK number; you and your child live at the same address and are both registered there with the municipality; your child has a BSN; and you pay part of the cost yourself. You can apply once the contract with the provider is signed, and no later than 3 months after the childcare starts; apply later and you lose money.

2. Peuteropvang and voorschoolse educatie: ages about 2–4

A part-time toddler programme for a few (short) sessions a week before basisschool. According to the Rijksoverheid, families without kinderopvangtoeslag can in many cases get a subsidised toddler place (peuteraanbod) through the municipality. Toddlers from 2.5 to 4 years who may have a (language) delay can get voorschoolse educatie: about 16 hours a week at a childcare location with a special programme. The municipality decides which children qualify, and a referral usually comes from the consultatiebureau (child health clinic). Availability and cost are set per municipality, so ask your gemeente, the consultatiebureau or the childcare location.

For expat children who will go on to a Dutch basisschool, a toddler programme in Dutch in the year before they turn 4 gives them a first experience of a Dutch-speaking group, room and routine.

3. Groep 1 and 2 of basisschool: the Dutch “kindergarten”, ages 4–6

This is the part that confuses newly arrived parents most. There is no separate kindergarten in the Netherlands: what other countries call kindergarten is the first two years of primary school, groep 1 and groep 2, and there is no tuition. Children may attend from age 4 and can be registered from age 3; they do not have to wait for the start of the school year. Compulsory education only starts in the month after the fifth birthday.

Each school organises groep 1 and 2 in its own way. Ask the schools you visit how much of the day is play-based and when they start with reading and arithmetic.

What “best” actually means when choosing

There is no national ranking of Dutch daycare or kindergarten. What you can check, in order of usefulness:

1. The GGD inspection report. Every registered childcare location is inspected and the reports are published in the Landelijk Register Kinderopvang (LRK) at landelijkregisterkinderopvang.nl. Read the most recent report for the specific location, not the chain.
2. Registration in the LRK. An LRK number is one of the conditions for kinderopvangtoeslag, so check it before you sign.
3. Language policy. Ask explicitly: Dutch-only, bilingual, or English-led? An English-led nursery can feel comfortable at first, but gives less Dutch exposure if the plan is a Dutch basisschool.
4. Continuity with your school choice. Several international schools have their own early-years classes (the British School in the Netherlands and the British School of Amsterdam both start at age 3). Dutch daycare near your target basisschool has a similar practical advantage for the Dutch route.
5. Staff stability and group size. National quality rules set the maximum number of children per staff member and limit trainees to one third of the staff, so ask about how long the staff in your child’s group have been there.
6. Waiting lists. Ask each location how long its waiting list is and register while you are still house-hunting; you can always decline.

Kindergarten and preschool: an illustration

The table works with two 11-hour days a week, which is 2 × 11 × 52 ÷ 12 = about 95.3 hours a month. The figures are an illustration, not quotes.

Your own figures depend on your joint income and the provider’s hourly rate, so run your own numbers with the Belastingdienst’s proefberekening before committing to a contract. Our childcare cost guide for the Netherlands goes through the calculation in detail.

Dutch School Types: Understanding the System

Basisschool (Primary School, Age 4–12)

Dutch primary school covers eight years (groep 1 through groep 8). Teaching is in Dutch. The compulsory subjects are Dutch, English, arithmetic and mathematics, orientation on yourself and the world, arts, and two lessons of physical education a week (plus Frisian in Friesland). When English starts differs per school.

Openbaar and bijzonder schools: openbare scholen (public schools) are open to every child and do not teach from a religion or belief. Bijzondere scholen teach from a religion or belief (for example Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Jewish or Hindu) or from an educational vision. The government funds both types equally, so neither charges tuition.

Bilingual schools: some basisscholen teach part of the curriculum in English. The national pilot for bilingual primary education started in 2014. Ask a school exactly how much of the teaching is in English, because it differs per school. If you are considering an international school, a bilingual basisschool can be worth registering for as a backup option.

Montessori and other educational concepts: both public and bijzondere schools can work from an educational concept such as Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan or vrije school (Steiner). These schools are government-funded like any other basisschool.

Middelbare School (Secondary School, Age 12–18)

After groep 8, Dutch children move to secondary school. The main levels are:

Vmbo (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs): 4 years, preparing for mbo (vocational education).

Havo (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs): 5 years, preparing for hbo (universities of applied sciences).

Vwo (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs): 6 years, preparing for wo (research universities).

For expat families, the relevant question: where would your child be placed in this system?

For children who have been through Dutch primary school, the final school advice in groep 8 (the school’s advice, adjusted upwards if the doorstroomtoets shows a higher level) determines the level. For children arriving at secondary age from abroad, ask the receiving school how it decides on placement and what language support it offers.

Gymnasium: a form of vwo in which pupils take both Latin and Greek, and at least one of them as an exam subject.

International Schools in the Netherlands

The descriptions below come from the schools’ own websites. Check each school’s admissions page for current places, eligibility and fees.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam International Community School (AICS): offers four IB programmes (Primary Years, Middle Years, Diploma and Certificate), on a South campus and a South-East campus in Amsterdam; the school describes this as the full IB continuum.

British School of Amsterdam: British curriculum from Early Years (EYFS, from age 3) to GCSEs and A levels, at Havenstraat in Amsterdam.

International School of Amsterdam (ISA): IB school in Amstelveen, with IB programmes from pre-school to grade 12. Tuition for 2026-2027 runs from €22,815 to €32,755 a year according to the school’s fee page.

The Hague region

The British School in the Netherlands (BSN): for ages 3–18, with two junior schools (Leidschenveen and Vlaskamp) and two senior schools (Leidschenveen and Voorschoten). It follows the British education system and also offers the IB, and has been based in The Hague since 1931.

International School of The Hague (ISH): IB school, listed by The Hague International Centre among the government-funded international schools in the region. Its 2026-2027 fees are €8,500 to €12,800 a year.

American School of The Hague (ASH): American education with AP and IB programmes; main campus in Wassenaar.

Other Cities

International School Eindhoven (ISE): a primary international department (UK National Primary Curriculum, ages 4–11), a Dutch bilingual primary department, and a secondary department that follows the IB curriculum (ages 11–18).

International School Utrecht (ISU): IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes for ages 4–18.

Rotterdam International Secondary School (RISS): secondary-only, grades 6–12, with IGCSE in the middle years and the IB Diploma or IB Career-related Programme in the senior years.

School Waiting Lists: The Most Important Section of This Guide

There is no national waiting-list figure for international schools. Each school handles its own admissions, and places can differ per year group. Government-funded Dutch international schools also check eligibility: for example, a child with a foreign nationality qualifies when at least one parent works in the Netherlands or its border region.

What this means for you:

• If a move is likely 12+ months from now: apply to your preferred schools now. Many schools charge a non-refundable application fee (ISH: €300; ISA lists its fees on its own fee page), so check the amount per school.
• If you are moving in 3–6 months: contact schools immediately. Explain your situation, ask to be put on waiting lists and ask whether there are places in your child’s year group. Some year groups may have shorter lists than others.
• If you are moving in 4–8 weeks: be prepared for the possibility that your first-choice school will not have space. Have a plan B (a Dutch school, a bilingual school, or another international school).

Application fees and deposits: these differ per school. ISH, for example, charges a €300 non-refundable application fee and a €1,000 refundable deposit on acceptance. Budget for an application fee at every school you apply to.

School Costs: A Realistic Budget

Dutch state school (basisschool, middelbare school)

• Tuition: none
• Vrijwillige ouderbijdrage (voluntary contribution): set per school, approved by the school’s participation council (medezeggenschapsraad), and voluntary; your child may not be excluded from extra activities if you do not pay
• Lunchtime supervision (TSO): the school must organise it on request; parents can be asked to pay a contribution
• Books (middelbare school): most textbooks, workbooks and digital licences are free; parents buy items such as an atlas, dictionaries, a calculator, a planner, gym clothes and stationery. A laptop or tablet is not free teaching material; a school can ask you to buy one but cannot require it, and must offer an alternative such as a loan device
• BSO (after-school care): paid by parents at the provider’s rate; part can be recovered through kinderopvangtoeslag (cap €9.98/hour in 2026)

International schools

• Application fee: per school (ISH: €300, non-refundable)
• Deposit: per school (ISH: €1,000, refundable)
• Annual fees: from €8,500–€12,800 at ISH (government-funded) to €22,815–€32,755 in tuition at ISA, both for 2026-2027
• Extras such as transport, meals and before/after-school care: ask each school, as these are not always included in the fee

School Hours and the Lunch Break

Each school sets its own school times and breaks, within the legal minimum of 7,520 hours of teaching over the eight years of basisschool. Changes to school times need the approval of the school’s participation council (medezeggenschapsraad). Ask each school which school-day model it uses.

The lunch break works differently from school to school:

• TSO (tussenschoolse opvang): lunchtime supervision at school. The school must organise it if parents ask for it, and parents can be asked to pay a contribution. Ask how it works and what it costs at each school.
• Continuous timetable (continurooster): children eat at school with their teacher and there is no midday gap. Ask specifically whether a school uses this model when researching options.
• Au pair or childminder: some dual-income families arrange lunchtime and after-school care this way.

Ask international schools about their day structure and lunch arrangements as well, and compare the end of the school day with your working hours.

BSO: After-School Care

BSO (buitenschoolse opvang) is care before and after school hours and during school holidays. It is run by registered childcare providers, not by the school itself.

How it works:

• The provider, not the school, sets the opening hours and the hourly rate
• Ask whether the provider collects children from your school
• Ask whether holiday care is included or a separate contract with its own cost

Costs: Parents pay the full BSO bill themselves and can recover part of it through kinderopvangtoeslag. For 2026 the benefit is calculated up to €9.98 an hour, and the percentage reimbursed depends on your joint income (96% up to €56,412). The same conditions apply as for daycare: both parents work, study, or follow an integration course or a route to work, the provider has an LRK number, and you apply no later than 3 months after the care starts.

Waiting lists: Ask BSO providers near your school about waiting lists and register early, ideally at the same time you register for school.

Integrating Into Dutch School Culture: What to Expect

Parent involvement: every school has a participation council (medezeggenschapsraad, MR) with parent and staff members. It approves, among other things, the amount of the voluntary parental contribution and changes to school times. Many schools also have an ouderraad (parent council) that helps organise activities. Joining in is also a way for expat parents to build their own network.

Homework: the amount of homework at basisschool differs per school. Ask about it when you visit; at secondary school, homework is part of every level.

Mobile phones: since 1 January 2024, mobile phones may no longer be used in the classroom at secondary schools, and since the 2024-2025 school year the same applies at primary schools and special education. Exceptions apply when a lesson requires a device or a pupil needs one for medical reasons or a disability.

Cycling to school: if you live within cycling distance, practise the route with your child and ask the school where bikes are parked.

Birthdays at school: ask the teacher how birthdays are celebrated in class and what the rules are if your child wants to bring a treat (trakteren).

The Language Question: Practical Tips

If your child is joining a Dutch school, particularly a basisschool, some practical points:

Newcomer education: there are schools and separate classes that teach newcomers who do not yet speak Dutch, often called a nieuwkomersschool or taalschool in primary education. Other children attend a regular school and receive extra support there. Schools receive extra funding for teaching newcomers. Ask your gemeente and the school what is available locally.

Language support at school: inform the school in advance that your child does not yet speak Dutch and ask what support it offers.

Language at home: you do not need to switch to Dutch at home. Keeping up the home language alongside Dutch at school is a choice many multilingual families make; if you have questions about your child’s language development, the consultatiebureau or the school can advise.

Family Health Insurance: A Note for Families

Moving to the Netherlands with children means getting the whole family onto Dutch basisverzekering; read our Dutch health insurance guide for expats for the full details. No premium is charged for children under 18.

Two points worth getting right. First, children under 18 pay no premium and no eigen risico (deductible) under the Dutch basisverzekering, but they still need their own insurance: you have to register each child with an insurer, usually on a parent’s policy, and a newborn must be registered within 4 months. Second, because children are premium-free, the only variable in your family’s health insurance bill is the adults’ policies, which makes an annual comparison worthwhile. You can cancel your policy until 31 December and take out a new one until 1 February.

Compare Dutch health insurance options with our Health Insurance Wizard →

For the period before you move, SafetyWing is one option to check (once you live here, a Dutch basisverzekering taken out within four months of arrival is backdated to the day you arrived (Government.nl)): on its Nomad Insurance Complete page it states that you can add your spouse or children during sign-up and that kids’ plans cost up to 35% less.

Check SafetyWing family coverage →

Practical Timeline for Families Moving to the Netherlands

12+ months before move:

• Start international school applications and ask about waiting lists
• Research Dutch school options in target neighbourhoods
• Visit if possible (some schools host open days)

6 months before move:

• Confirm school situation and follow up on applications
• Research BSO options linked to likely schools
• Ask your likely schools how lunchtime (TSO) works

1 month before move:

• Confirm school starting date and first-day logistics
• Arrange BSO registration and start date
• Arrange temporary cover for the period before Dutch health insurance starts

First week in Netherlands:

• Register at the gemeente; children must be registered too
• Contact school to confirm start date and paperwork
• Register children with a GP (huisarts)
• Arrange Dutch health insurance for the family once you have a BSN

Final Thoughts

Moving with school-age children is one of the more logistically intense versions of expatting. The Netherlands offers several routes: Dutch schools without tuition, bilingual schools, government-funded international schools and private international schools. For more on childcare costs and options, including BSO and kinderopvang, see our detailed guide.

What you control is timing. Starting the process early, ideally a year before the move, and keeping a Dutch school as a fallback if international school places are not available, gives you the most options.

Start early, register widely, and ask questions.