Singapore

To which Dutch diplomas can you compare certain Singaporese diplomas? Use the overview or download the PDF with more detailed information.

PDF with detailed information

Download the PDF with detailed information about the Singaporese education system:

Education system Singapore‌ (351.78 kB)

Overview of Singaporese diplomas

In the overview below you can find the level of Singaporese diplomas. You cannot derive any rights from it.

Working in the Netherlands

Do you want to know if you can work in the Netherlands with a certain Singaporese diploma? Go to Working in the Netherlands with a foreign diploma.

Studying in the Netherlands

Do you want to know if you can study in the Netherlands with your Singaporese diploma? Go to Studying in the Netherlands with a foreign diploma.

Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level in 6 content-based subjects, with grades from A-C

  • Comparable to: at least a VMBO-T diploma (NLQF 2/EQF 2).
  • Duration of schooling: 4 to 5 years.
  • Type of education: general secondary education.
  • Purpose of diploma: access to vocational secondary education and pre-university education.

Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ level in 2 H2 content-based subjects + Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘O’ level in 4 subjects (grades from A-C) (6 different subjects in total)

  • Comparable to: a HAVO diploma (NLQF 4/EQF 4).
  • Duration of schooling: 5 + 2 years.
  • Type of education: general secondary education.

Singapore-Cambridge GCE ‘A’ level in 3 H2 + 1 H1 content-based subjects + General Paper/Knowledge and Inquiry (5 different subjects in total)

  • Comparable to: a VWO diploma (NLQF 4+/EQF 4).
  • Duration of schooling: 5 + 2 years.
  • Type of education: general secondary education.
  • Purpose of diploma: access to higher education

Polytechnic Diploma

  • Comparable to: 1 year HBO (NLQF 6/EQF 6).
  • Duration of schooling: 3 years.
  • Type of education: higher professional education.
  • Purpose of diploma: access to the labour market and to the 2nd year of a university bachelor in a similar field or to the 1st year of a university bachelor in a different field.

Honours Bachelor

  • Comparable to: an HBO or a WO bachelor’s degree (NLQF 6/EQF 6).
  • Duration of schooling: 3 to 4 years.
  • Type of education: professional or research-oriented.
  • Purpose of diploma: access to university masters and doctorate programmes.

Master

  • Comparable to: an HBO or a WO master’s degree (NLQF 7/EQF 7).
  • Duration of schooling: 1 years.
  • Type of education: professional or research-oriented.
  • Purpose of diploma: access to doctorate programmes.