Primary and secondary education

As of September 2020, children in the Flemish Community are required to attend school starting from the age of 5. Following one compulsory year of pre-school education, primary school lasts another 6 years.

Secondary education is known as secundair onderwijs or middelbaar onderwijs. Students conclude secondary education with exams for a Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs. They obtain this diploma in 1 of 4 possible specialisations (onderwijsvormen):

• Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Beroepssecundair Onderwijs (BSO);
• Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Kunst Secundair Onderwijs (KSO);
• Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Technisch Secundair Onderwijs (TSO);
• Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs (ASO).

This diploma grants access to all forms of higher education in the Flemish Community.

• Duration: 7 years.
• Content: vocational, practical education, with work placements and practical education sometimes taking up more than half of the curriculum. There are also different subject clusters within BSO, see the website of the Flemish government (in Dutch only).
• Function of the diploma: work. Access to higher education is also possible.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Beroepssecundair Onderwijs (BSO).
  Please note: after 6 years of education in the BSO specialisation, students receive a certificate. Only after completing the 7th year pupils obtain the Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs.

• Duration: 6 years.
• Content: general education and arts subjects. Generally, the arts subjects only constitute a small percentage of the total curriculum. There are also different subject clusters within KSO, see the website of the Flemish government (in Dutch only).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Kunst Secundair Onderwijs (KSO).

Please note: we compare the KSO diploma to a VWO diploma as the percentage of general education subjects is usually high. However, for some subject clusters with a high percentage of vocational subjects, we compare the KSO diploma to a HAVO diploma with vocational subjects.

• Duration: 6 years.
• Content: general education and practical subjects (technical/economic/administrative). Generally, the practical subjects only constitute a small percentage of the total curriculum. There are also different subject clusters within TSO, see the website of the Flemish government (in Dutch only).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Technisch Secundair Onderwijs (TSO).

Please note:

• We compare the TSO diploma to a VWO diploma as the percentage of general education subjects is usually high. However, for some subject clusters with a high percentage of vocational subjects, we compare the TSO diploma to a HAVO diploma with vocational subjects.
• You can only use this comparison if you want to check whether a diploma can give access to Dutch higher education. If you want to know what the level of this diploma is because you are looking for work, please contact the IDW. The diploma also can be compared to an MBO diploma.

• Duration i : 6 years.
• Content: general education subjects. There are also different subject clusters within ASO, see the website of the Flemish government (in Dutch only).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs (ASO).