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).

In addition, since 2025, every study programme within these specialisations has a designated orientation (finaliteit). The orientation determines the programme's objective and what a student can do after graduation: enter the labour market or pursue higher education. These orientations influence how the Flemish Secondary Education Diploma compares to a Dutch diploma. There are 3 possible orientations:

• Arbeidsmarktfinaliteit (labour market orientation);
• Doorstroomfinaliteit (higher education orientation);
• Dubbele finaliteit (two-fold orientation, prepares for both higher education and the labour market).

Students in the BSO, KSO, and TSO specialisations must also choose a curriculum area; an area of interest. There are 8 curriculum areas: Economie en organisatie (economics and organisation); Kunst en creatie (art and creativity); Land- en tuinbouw (agriculture and horticulture); Maatschappij en welzijn (social studies and welfare); Sport (sports); Stem (science and technology); Taal en cultuur (language and culture); and Voeding en horeca (food and hospitality).

• Duration: 7 years:
  • 1st degree (1st and 2nd year);
  • 2nd degree (3rd and 4th year);
  • 3rd degree (5th, 6th and 7th year).
• 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).
• Orientation: only obtainable with arbeidsmarktfinaliteit (labour market orientation).
• Function of the diploma: work. Access to higher education is also sometimes possible.

• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Beroepssecundair Onderwijs (BSO)(OK3) or Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs (OK4).

  Please note: after 6 years of the BSO specialisation, students receive a certificate of educational qualification level 3, (onderwijskwalificatie niveau 3 or OK3).

  An OK3 certificate grants students access to the labour market. They can also choose to complete a 7th year at a secondary school or pursue a higher education programme at the associate degree level (Graduaat).

  After the 7th year, it is possible to obtain a Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs; a certificate of educational qualification level 4 (OK4). This grants access to a bachelor's degree program at a hogeschool or a universiteit. Other students obtain additional vocational qualifications after the 7th year, but retain the OK3 qualification level.

  You can find more information about the seventh year on the Flemish government's website (in Dutch).
  

• Duration: 6 years:
  • 1st degree (1st and 2nd year);
  • 2nd degree (3rd and 4th year);
  • 3rd degree (5th and 6th year). It is also possible to subsequently take a 7th year prepares students for higher education or entry into the labour market.
• Content: general education and arts subjects. Generally, the curriculum consists mainly of general education subjects. Arts subjects then make up a small percentage of the total curriculum. In some curricula, the share of arts subjects is larger. There are also different subject clusters within KSO, see the website of the Flemish government (in Dutch only).
• Orientation: dubbele finaliteit (two-fold orientation) or doorstroomfinaliteit (higher education orientation).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education (Graduaat or Bachelor) and the labour market.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Kunst Secundair Onderwijs (KSO) - onderwijskwalificatie niveau 4 (OK4).

• Duration: 6 years:
  • 1st degree (1st and 2nd year);
  • 2nd degree (3rd and 4th year);
  • 3rd degree (5th and 6th year). It is also possible to subsequently take a 7th year prepares students for higher education or entry into the labour market.
• 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).
• Orientation: dubbele finaliteit (two-fold orientation) or doorstroomfinaliteit (higher education orientation).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education (Graduaat or Bachelor) and the labour market.
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Technisch Secundair Onderwijs (TSO) - onderwijskwalificatie niveau 4 (OK4).

• Duration : 6 years:
  • 1st degree (1st and 2nd year);
  • 2nd degree (3rd and 4th year);
  • 3rd degree (5th and 6th year).
• Content: general education subjects.
• Orientation: only obtainable with doorstroomfinaliteit (higher education orientation).
• Function of the diploma: access to higher education (Bachelor).
• Diploma: Diploma van Secundair Onderwijs - Algemeen Secundair Onderwijs (ASO) - onderwijskwalificatie niveau 4 (OK4).