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Country Education Tracker

Netherlands Education System Changes & Policy Tracker

The Netherlands has a highly structured and differentiated education system with early selection into secondary pathways and a strong vocational and higher education sector. Primary education usually lasts eight years, followed by VMBO, HAVO or VWO routes that connect to MBO, universities of applied sciences and research universities. Education policy tracking should pay close attention to compulsory attendance rules, school calendar regions, national examinations, MBO reforms, higher education accreditation and international student regulation.

13Tracked Changes
2High Impact
2026-06-25Latest Update
9Active Areas

Country Education Profile

Official NameKingdom of the Netherlands
ISO CodeNL
RegionEurope
SubregionWestern Europe
Capital / SeatAmsterdam
Compulsory EducationChildren are subject to compulsory school attendance from age 5 to 16. Young people aged 16 to 18 who have not obtained a basic qualification, usually at least HAVO, VWO or MBO level 2, remain subject to the qualification duty.
School StructureMost children start primary school at age 4, although compulsory attendance begins at age 5. Primary education normally lasts eight years, followed by secondary education from around age 12 in VMBO, HAVO or VWO pathways. VMBO lasts four years, HAVO five years and VWO six years.
Academic YearThe school year runs broadly from August to July. Primary and secondary school holiday dates are set or advised nationally and staggered by region; MBO institutions, universities of applied sciences and universities set their own holiday calendars.
Main ExamsKey assessments include the primary school transition test in group 8, central secondary examinations for VMBO, HAVO and VWO, state examinations for secondary qualifications, Dutch as a second language state examinations, and central examinations in parts of MBO.
Higher EducationHigher education is a binary system with HBO, provided mainly by universities of applied sciences, and WO, provided by research universities. Programmes follow the bachelor-master structure, with accreditation handled by the Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders.
Vocational EducationVocational education is centred on MBO, which follows VMBO or other entry routes and prepares students for occupations, further study or the labour market. MBO includes school-based and work-based pathways and is linked to labour-market qualification frameworks.
Digital EducationDigital education policy is supported by public-sector education ICT bodies such as Kennisnet, which provides national ICT infrastructure, guidance and knowledge for primary, secondary and vocational education. Schools and institutions use a mix of national platforms, sector services and locally selected digital learning environments.
GovernanceEducation is governed within a national statutory framework led by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. The system combines central regulation, public funding, inspection and examinations with strong school-board and institutional autonomy under the constitutional principle of freedom of education.
International Student NoteThe Netherlands is a major international higher education destination, especially for English-taught HBO and WO programmes. International students should verify institutional recognition, programme accreditation, admission requirements, language requirements, tuition rules and visa or residence conditions.
Last Verified2026-07-06

Latest Education Changes

Monthly Change Archive

June 202613 education changesLast sync: 2026-07-06 16:24:27
Education System Statistics

Netherlands Education System Statistics

This module summarizes the Dutch education system using national school and finance data, government system descriptions, OECD indicators, European Commission monitor data, and higher education mobility figures. Source years differ because school enrollment, finance, attainment, and mobility datasets are collected on separate reporting calendars.

Coverage: Netherlands national education system Data type: Official and high-trust indicators Latest school data: 2025/26 provisional Finance year: 2024 provisional System type: Nationally regulated, school-board operated Main authority: Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

Education System Snapshot

Values use the latest cited source year for each indicator. CBS school figures for 2025/26 are provisional.

Compulsory school age
5–16
Government.nl and Nuffic, current system description
Primary education
8 years
Groups 1–8, usually ages 4–12
Primary pupils
1,464,296
CBS, government-funded schools, 2025/26*
Secondary general pupils
919,813
CBS, VMBO/HAVO/VWO sector, 2025/26*
MBO students
466,798
CBS, secondary vocational education, 2025/26*
Higher education students
776,143
CBS, HBO plus university education, 2025/26*
Total education spending
€63.8B
CBS regular education expenditure, 2024*
Education spending as GDP share
5.7%
CBS indicator, 2024*
Government education spending
€52.9B
CBS/OECD definition, 2024*
International degree students
131,004
Nuffic, HBO and research universities, 2024/25
Early leavers
7.0%
European Commission monitor, age 18–24, 2024
Tertiary attainment
55.1%
European Commission monitor, age 25–34, 2024

Netherlands Education Route

The Dutch route combines early primary entry, tracked secondary education, MBO vocational routes, and two main higher education sectors.

Primary education
Groups 1–8
Usually ages 4–12. Compulsory from age 5. Group 8 includes the primary school leavers attainment test.
Secondary route selection
Around age 12
Placement is based on school advice and the primary leavers test. Some schools use mixed bridge classes.
VMBO
4 years
Pre-vocational secondary route. Common route into MBO.
HAVO
5 years
Senior general secondary route. Common route into HBO.
VWO
6 years
Pre-university route. Common route into research university education.
MBO
Levels 1–4
Secondary vocational education with school-based BOL and work-based BBL pathways.
HBO
Applied higher education
Universities of applied sciences offer profession-oriented bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
WO
Research university education
Research universities offer bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral routes.

Governance and Responsibility

National bodies set rules, fund education, administer data, supervise quality, and manage national assessment functions. School boards operate most schools.

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

Sets national education policy, legislation, funding rules, and sector responsibilities for schools, vocational education, higher education, and science.

DUO

Administers education funding, student finance, registers, and open education datasets for funded Dutch education.

CBS

Publishes official statistics on government-funded schools, enrolled pupils and students, and education expenditure indicators.

Inspectorate of Education

Supervises education quality, school boards, institutions, and compliance across primary, secondary, VET, and higher education sectors.

SLO

Supports national curriculum development and publishes system background information for Dutch school education.

CvTE

Responsible for national examinations in general secondary education, adult education, Dutch as a second language, state exams, and secondary vocational examinations.

Municipalities

Support school attendance enforcement, local education services, school accommodation duties, and youth support links.

School boards and institutions

Operate schools and institutions, employ staff, organize school-level assessment, and manage local implementation within national rules.

Enrollment by Education Sector

Government-funded schools and institutions reported by CBS for school or academic year 2025/26.

Primary: 1,464,296 pupils
Secondary general: 919,813 pupils
MBO: 466,798 students
HBO: 440,215 students
University: 335,928 students

CBS 2025/26 values are provisional and cover government-funded education. Adult education institutions are outside the CBS school-size table.

Chart analysis
  • Primary education has the largest reported enrollment in this CBS table, with 1,464,296 pupils.
  • Higher education in the table contains 440,215 HBO students and 335,928 university students.
  • The CBS categories should not be merged with private or non-formal education counts unless source coverage is matched.

Education Expenditure by Sector

CBS regular education expenditure and government expenditure by sector, 2024 provisional values.

(Pre-)primary: €18.259B total, €17.405B government
Secondary: €25.671B total, €20.850B government
Tertiary: €19.907B total, €14.623B government

CBS reports 2024 expenditure on a cash basis. Finance values should be read separately from enrollment and attainment outcomes.

Chart analysis
  • Total education expenditure across regular education was €63.837 billion in 2024.
  • Secondary education had the largest sector value in the CBS 2024 table at €25.671 billion.
  • Tertiary education expenditure includes higher professional education and university education; R&D treatment differs by indicator.

National Education System Indicators

Indicators combine system structure, enrollment, finance, attainment, mobility, and transition data. Each row keeps the source year visible.

Netherlands education system indicators with source years and source notes.
Area Indicator Value Unit Source year Source Notes
System structure Compulsory full-time education age range 5–16 Age range Current system description Government.nl; Nuffic Children usually start primary school at age 4, but attendance is compulsory from age 5.
System structure Basic qualification duty Until age 18 Age limit Current system description SLO; Dutch public sources Applies to young people without HAVO, VWO, or MBO level 2 or higher qualification.
Primary education Primary education duration 8 Years Current system description Nuffic; SLO Groups 1–8; usually ages 4–12.
Secondary education VMBO duration 4 Years Current system description Government.nl; Nuffic Pre-vocational secondary education.
Secondary education HAVO duration 5 Years Current system description Government.nl; Nuffic Senior general secondary education.
Secondary education VWO duration 6 Years Current system description Government.nl; Nuffic Pre-university secondary education.
Vocational education MBO levels 4 Levels Current system description Nuffic Entry, basic vocational, full professional, and middle-management or specialised training.
Vocational education MBO learning pathways 2 Pathways Current system description Nuffic School-based BOL and work-based BBL; work-based learning is part of both routes.
Higher education Main higher education sectors 2 Sectors Current system description Nuffic HBO universities of applied sciences and WO research universities.
Schools Primary schools 6,506 Institutions 2025/26* CBS StatLine Government-funded primary schools; provisional year.
Enrollment Primary pupils 1,464,296 Pupils 2025/26* CBS StatLine Government-funded primary schools; provisional year.
Schools Secondary general education institutions 642 Institutions 2025/26* CBS StatLine VMBO, HAVO, and VWO sector; provisional year.
Enrollment Secondary general education pupils 919,813 Pupils 2025/26* CBS StatLine VMBO, HAVO, and VWO sector; provisional year.
Vocational education MBO institutions 54 Institutions 2025/26* CBS StatLine Secondary vocational education institutions in CBS school-size table.
Vocational education MBO students 466,798 Students 2025/26* CBS StatLine Secondary vocational education; provisional year.
Higher education Higher professional education institutions 36 Institutions 2025/26* CBS StatLine HBO institutions in CBS school-size table.
Higher education Higher professional education students 440,215 Students 2025/26* CBS StatLine HBO students; provisional year.
Higher education University education institutions 21 Institutions 2025/26* CBS StatLine University education institutions in CBS school-size table.
Higher education University education students 335,928 Students 2025/26* CBS StatLine University education students; provisional year.
Enrollment Sum of listed CBS sector enrollments 3,627,050 Pupils/students 2025/26* Calculated from CBS StatLine rows Primary, secondary general, MBO, HBO, and university rows only; adult education excluded.
Finance Total education expenditure 63,837 Million euros 2024* CBS education expenditure table Regular education expenditure; cash-basis reporting.
Finance Total government education expenditure 52,878 Million euros 2024* CBS education expenditure table CBS/OECD government expenditure definition.
Finance Education expenditure as share of GDP 5.7 % of GDP 2024* CBS education expenditure table CBS definition of total education expenditure.
Finance Government education expenditure as share of GDP 5.0 % of GDP 2024* CBS education expenditure table CBS/OECD government expenditure definition.
Finance Government education expenditure in total government expenditure 11.3 % 2024* CBS education expenditure table Government expenditure share, OECD-based definition.
Finance (Pre-)primary education expenditure 18,259 Million euros 2024* CBS education expenditure table Includes pre-primary and primary sector grouping used by CBS.
Finance Secondary education expenditure 25,671 Million euros 2024* CBS education expenditure table Includes secondary general, senior vocational, and adult secondary education grouping used by CBS.
Finance Tertiary education expenditure 19,907 Million euros 2024* CBS education expenditure table Includes HBO and university education.
Finance Pre-primary and primary spending per student 10,897 Euros per student 2024* CBS education expenditure table Education institutions per student, including and excluding R&D are equal for this row.
Finance Secondary general spending per student 15,068 Euros per student 2024* CBS education expenditure table Education institutions per student, including and excluding R&D are equal for this row.
Finance Tertiary spending per student, including R&D 20,874 Euros per student 2024* CBS education expenditure table Tertiary values differ when R&D is excluded.
Finance Tertiary spending per student, excluding R&D 13,768 Euros per student 2024* CBS education expenditure table CBS/OECD indicator for education institutions per student, excluding R&D.
Instruction time Compulsory instruction time in primary education 940 Hours per year EAG 2025 OECD Education at a Glance OECD country note indicator.
Instruction time Compulsory instruction time in lower secondary education 1,000 Hours per year EAG 2025 OECD Education at a Glance OECD country note indicator.
Funding Public funding share, primary to post-secondary non-tertiary 88.2 % EAG 2025 OECD Education GPS After transfers to the private sector.
Funding Public funding share, pre-primary education 86.3 % EAG 2025 OECD Education GPS After transfers to the private sector.
Funding Public funding share, tertiary education 74.4 % EAG 2025 OECD Education GPS After transfers to the private sector.
Higher education Women among first-time tertiary entrants 54 % 2023 OECD Education GPS First-time entrants to tertiary education.
Higher education First-time entrants enrolling in bachelor’s programmes 96 % 2023 OECD Education GPS OECD tertiary entry indicator.
International mobility International tertiary students 17.9 % 2023 OECD Education GPS International or foreign students in tertiary education.
International mobility International degree students in Dutch higher education 131,004 Students 2024/25 Nuffic based on DUO data Universities of applied sciences and research universities.
Attainment Tertiary educational attainment, age 25–34 55.1 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor Eurostat-based monitor indicator.
Early leaving Early leavers from education and training, age 18–24 7.0 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor Eurostat-based monitor indicator.
Vocational education Recent VET graduate employment 90.5 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor Recent VET graduates in employment.
Vocational education VET graduates with work-based learning exposure 94.3 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor Exposure to work-based learning during VET studies.
Adult learning Adults participating in learning, age 25–64 56.1 % Monitor latest value European Commission Education and Training Monitor Survey-based adult learning indicator; not an enrollment count.
Exams Final-year secondary pupils 182,000 Pupils 2025/26* CBS news release VMBO 4, HAVO 5, and VWO 6 final-year pupils; rounded by CBS news format.

Education Levels and Routes

The Dutch system separates secondary education into VMBO, HAVO, and VWO routes, followed by MBO, HBO, or research university pathways.

Education levels in the Netherlands by age, duration, and route.
Level Typical age Years or grades Common route Authority or governance Notes
Early childhood and pre-primary Usually before age 4 Varies by provision Childcare and preschool services National and municipal roles differ by provision CBS finance table includes an education component of preschool and day care for three-year-olds.
Primary education 4–12 Groups 1–8 Primary school to secondary route advice School boards under national rules Compulsory from age 5; group 8 includes the leavers attainment test.
Lower secondary phase 12–15 First years of VMBO, HAVO, or VWO Track-based secondary education School boards; national curriculum and exam rules Some schools use mixed bridge classes such as VMBO-HAVO or HAVO-VWO.
VMBO 12–16 4 years Often to MBO School boards; CvTE for national examination functions Pre-vocational secondary education.
HAVO 12–17 5 years Often to HBO School boards; CvTE for national examination functions Senior general secondary education.
VWO 12–18 6 years Often to research university education School boards; CvTE for national examination functions Pre-university secondary education.
MBO Usually 16+ 6 months to 4 years VET, labour market, or HBO route from level 4 MBO institutions; national qualification and funding rules Four levels; BOL and BBL learning pathways.
HBO bachelor’s Post-secondary Usually 4 years Profession-oriented bachelor’s route Universities of applied sciences Common entry route from HAVO or MBO level 4.
WO bachelor’s Post-secondary Usually 3 years Research university bachelor’s route Research universities Common entry route from VWO; HBO first-year completion can also support access.
Master’s education Post-bachelor Usually 1–3 years HBO or WO master’s Higher education institutions ECTS credit load depends on programme type and field.
Doctoral education Post-master Varies Research route Research universities and research institutions Usually linked to research university supervision.

Exams and Transitions

National tests and school-level advice shape primary-to-secondary transition, while secondary completion combines school examinations and national written examinations.

Major Dutch education exams, transition points, and admission routes.
Transition Exam or process Typical stage Managing authority Purpose Source note
Primary to secondary Primary school leavers attainment test, also known as doorstroomtoets Group 8 Schools use approved tests; national rules apply Measures Dutch and arithmetic and supports secondary school advice. Government.nl primary education test page.
Secondary route placement School advice plus leavers test result End of primary school Primary school; national rules Guides placement into VMBO, HAVO, VWO, or combined bridge routes. Government.nl and Nuffic system descriptions.
VMBO completion School examination plus national written examination VMBO final year Schools, Ministry rules, CvTE national exam role Awards VMBO qualification and supports route to MBO or further study. Government.nl secondary school leaving examination; CvTE.
HAVO completion School examination plus national written examination HAVO final year Schools, Ministry rules, CvTE national exam role Awards HAVO diploma and supports route to HBO. Government.nl secondary school leaving examination; CvTE.
VWO completion School examination plus national written examination VWO final year Schools, Ministry rules, CvTE national exam role Awards VWO diploma and supports route to research university education. Government.nl secondary school leaving examination; CvTE.
State examination route State examination for VMBO, HAVO, or VWO qualification Outside regular secondary school route DUO and CvTE-related examination system Provides a route to obtain a secondary qualification outside regular schooling. Government.nl state examination page; CvTE.
VMBO to MBO Admission to MBO route After VMBO MBO institutions under national rules Moves students into secondary vocational education levels 1–4. Nuffic VET description.
MBO progression MBO qualification levels 1–4 Secondary vocational education MBO institutions and national qualification rules Supports labour market entry and further study; level 4 can route into HBO. Nuffic VET description.
HAVO or MBO level 4 to HBO Higher professional education admission Post-secondary entry Higher education institutions; central application process for many programmes Admission to universities of applied sciences. Nuffic higher education description.
VWO to research university Research university admission Post-secondary entry Research universities; central application process for many programmes Admission to WO bachelor’s programmes. Nuffic higher education description.
Selective tertiary programmes Numerus fixus or institution-specific selection where applicable Higher education entry Higher education institutions and national application rules Limits entry where programmes have capped places or extra requirements. Nuffic higher education description; OECD Education GPS.

Higher Education, Mobility, and VET Indicators

This table separates higher education and vocational indicators from school enrollment counts because source definitions and reporting years differ.

Higher education, international mobility, and vocational indicators for the Netherlands.
Area Indicator Value Unit Source year Source
HBO Higher professional education institutions 36 Institutions 2025/26* CBS
HBO Higher professional education students 440,215 Students 2025/26* CBS
University University education institutions 21 Institutions 2025/26* CBS
University University education students 335,928 Students 2025/26* CBS
International mobility International degree students 131,004 Students 2024/25 Nuffic based on DUO data
International mobility International or foreign tertiary students 17.9 % 2023 OECD Education GPS
Tertiary entry Women among first-time tertiary entrants 54 % 2023 OECD Education GPS
Tertiary entry First-time entrants into bachelor’s programmes 96 % 2023 OECD Education GPS
VET MBO institutions 54 Institutions 2025/26* CBS
VET MBO students 466,798 Students 2025/26* CBS
VET Recent VET graduates in employment 90.5 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor
VET VET graduates with work-based learning exposure 94.3 % 2024 European Commission Education and Training Monitor

Source-Year Crosswalk

This crosswalk explains which dataset supports each part of the module and why years differ.

Source-year crosswalk for Netherlands education statistics.
Dataset Main use Collection type Source year Coverage note
CBS school size by type of education Schools and enrolled pupils/students by sector Administrative statistics 2025/26* Government-funded education; 2025/26 values are provisional.
CBS education expenditure and CBS/OECD indicators Education spending, government spending, GDP shares, and per-student finance values Finance statistics, cash basis 2024* Regular education; student loans and R&D treatment vary by indicator.
Government.nl and SLO system descriptions Compulsory education, levels, route descriptions, and national exam structure Government and curriculum information Current page versions Describes current national system rules and route structure.
OECD Education at a Glance / Education GPS Instruction time, public funding shares, tertiary entry, and international student shares Internationally harmonized indicators EAG 2025, with data years shown by indicator Definitions may differ from national administrative reporting.
European Commission Education and Training Monitor Early leavers, tertiary attainment, VET work-based learning, and adult learning indicators EU monitor indicators, often Eurostat-based 2024 or latest monitor value Survey-based indicators are not administrative enrollment counts.
Nuffic incoming degree mobility International degree students in Dutch higher education Higher education mobility statistics based on DUO data 2024/25 Covers universities of applied sciences and research universities.
CvTE public information National examination responsibility Exam authority description Current page version Covers national exams, state exams, Dutch as a second language exams, and selected vocational examination functions.

Data Interpretation Notes

The Netherlands has strong official data coverage, but each dataset uses its own year, unit, and coverage boundary.

School-year data

CBS 2025/26 school and enrollment values are provisional and refer to government-funded education. Adult education institutions are not counted in the CBS school-size table.

Finance data

CBS 2024 finance data is reported on a cash basis. R&D treatment changes the per-student value for tertiary education.

Route structure

VMBO, HAVO, and VWO are separate secondary routes. Some schools use mixed classes during the first years, so age and route values should be read as typical.

International indicators

OECD and European Commission indicators use harmonized definitions. These are useful for comparison but may not match national administrative tables exactly.

Attainment and adult learning

Attainment and adult learning are survey-based indicators. They should not be combined directly with school enrollment counts.

Performance caution

Spending, route structure, attainment, and mobility indicators describe different parts of the system. They should not be merged into a single quality score without a stated method.

Sources and Methodology

Government.nl — Compulsory School Attendance

Supports the compulsory education age range and school attendance rule context.

Government.nl — Secondary Education

Supports VMBO, HAVO, VWO, and transition route descriptions.

Government.nl — Primary School Leavers Attainment Test

Supports the group 8 test description and the role of Dutch and arithmetic assessment.

Government.nl — Secondary School Leaving Examination

Supports the school examination plus national written examination structure.

SLO — The Dutch Education System

Supports education stage descriptions, compulsory education context, and route structure.

Nuffic — Education in the Netherlands

Supports primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education route descriptions.

CBS StatLine — School Size by Type of Education

Supports 2025/26 school and enrollment counts by primary, secondary general, MBO, HBO, and university education.

CBS StatLine — Education Expenditure and CBS/OECD Indicators

Supports 2024 education expenditure, government expenditure, GDP shares, and per-student finance indicators.

OECD — Education at a Glance 2025: Netherlands

Supports OECD finance, instruction-time, and tertiary education indicators.

OECD Education GPS — Netherlands Overview

Supports public funding shares, tertiary entry indicators, instruction time, and international student share values.

European Commission — Education and Training Monitor: Netherlands

Supports early leaver, tertiary attainment, adult learning, VET graduate employment, and work-based learning indicators.

Nuffic — Incoming Degree Mobility 2024/25

Supports the international degree student count in Dutch higher education.

CvTE — About CvTE

Supports national examination responsibility notes for secondary, adult, state, Dutch language, and vocational examinations.

DUO — Open Onderwijsdata

Supports the national education data administration context and higher education mobility data pathway used by Nuffic.

Inspectorate of Education

Supports supervision and quality assurance role descriptions.

Method: national administrative counts were prioritized for schools, enrollment, and finance. International indicators were used where harmonized comparison definitions are the most suitable source. Values are rounded only where the source presents rounded values. CBS 2025/26 school figures and CBS 2024 finance values are marked provisional where the source marks them with an asterisk. Derived totals are labelled as sums of listed source rows rather than separate official totals.

Methodological Safety Note

Do not merge indicators from different years, definitions, sectors, collection systems, or reporting units without a stated method. School-year enrollment, cash-basis finance, survey-based attainment, and internationally harmonized OECD or EU indicators measure different parts of the Dutch education system.