Primary and secondary education

Dutch children receive primary education (basisonderwijs) between the ages of 4 and 12. It is compulsory from age 5. In the Netherlands, basisonderwijs is part of primair onderwijs (primary school). Primary school also includes special schools for primary education (speciaal basisonderwijs) and schools for special education (speciaal onderwijs), which are intended for pupils who need extra support. The website of the Dutch government provides more information about primary school.

• Duration: 8 years (groep 1-8).
• Content: on the website of the Dutch government, you can find an overview of the primary education subjects. In the final year (groep 8), pupils take a primary school leavers attainment test (verplichte doorstroomtoets basisonderwijs). They also receive a school advice by the end of groep 8.
• Function of the school advice: choosing a secondary education pathway.

Secondary education is divided into 3 types:

• pre-vocational secondary education (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, VMBO), concluded with national exams for a VMBO diploma;
• senior general secondary education (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, HAVO), concluded with national exams for a HAVO diploma;
• pre-university education (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, VWO), concluded with national exams for a VWO diploma.

Pre-vocational secondary education (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, VMBO) prepares students for further studies in secondary vocational education (MBO).

• Duration i : 4 years (2 initial lower-level years + 2 upper years).
• Content: compulsory subjects with a broad orientation during the lower years, followed by common compulsory subjects and subjects for more in-depth specialisation. VMBO consists of 4 learning pathways (leerwegen). By the end of year 2, pupils choose 1 of the following pathways:
  • basic vocational pathway (VMBO-BB), in Dutch: basisberoepsgerichte leerweg (vmbo-bb/vmbo-basis);
  • combined pathway (VMBO-GL), in Dutch: gemengde leerweg (vmbo-gl);
  • middle-management vocational pathway (VMBO-KB), in Dutch: kaderberoepsgerichte leerweg (vmbo-kb/vmbo-kader);
  • theoretical pathway (VMBO-T), in Dutch: theoretische leerweg (vmbo-tl, more commonly referred to as vmbo-t).
    In the final year, students take national exams in 6 subjects. On the website of the Dutch government, you can find more information about VMBO.
• Function of the diploma: access to secondary vocational education (MBO). Students with a VMBO-T diploma or VMBO-GL diploma can also continue studying for a HAVO diploma. A condition for this is that they have passed an extra (general) final examination subject. For more information, see the central government’s website.
• Diploma: VMBO diploma + pathway, in Dutch: Diploma voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs (vmbo-diploma), so:
  • VMBO diploma basic vocational pathway (VMBO-BB), in Dutch: vmbo-diploma basisberoepsgerichte leerweg;
  • VMBO diploma combined pathway (VMBO-GL), in Dutch: vmbo-diploma gemengde leerweg;
  • VMBO diploma middle-management vocational pathway (VMBO-KB), in Dutch: vmbo-diploma kaderberoepsgerichte leerweg; or
  • VMBO diploma theoretical pathway (VMBO-T), in Dutch: vmbo-diploma theoretische leerweg.

Senior general secondary education (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, HAVO) prepares students for further studies in higher professional education (HBO).

• Duration: 5 years (3 initial lower-level years + 2 upper years).
• Content: compulsory subjects with a broad orientation during the lower years, followed by common compulsory subjects and subjects belonging to a subject combination (profiel). By the end of year 3, pupils must choose 1 of the 4 available subject combinations in preparation for the various higher education tracks:
  • culture and society, cultuur en maatschappij (C&M);
  • economics and society, economie en maatschappij (E&M);
  • nature and health, natuur en gezondheid (N&G);
  • nature and technology, natuur en techniek (N&T).
    In the final year, students take national exams in at least 7 subjects. On the central government's website, you can find more information about HAVO.
• Function of the diploma: access to higher professional education (HBO). Students can also continue studying for a VWO diploma.
• Diploma: HAVO diploma, in Dutch: Diploma hoger algemeen vormend onderwijs (havodiploma).

Pre-university education (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, VWO) prepares students for further studies in research-oriented higher education (WO)

• Duration: 6 years (3 initial lower-level years + 3 upper years).
• Content: compulsory subjects with a broad orientation during the lower years, followed by common compulsory subjects and subjects for more in-depth specialisation. By the end of year 3, pupils must choose 1 of the 4 available subject combinations (profielen) in preparation for the various higher education tracks:
  • culture and society, cultuur en maatschappij (C&M);
  • economics and society, economie en maatschappij (E&M);
  • nature and health, natuur en gezondheid (N&G);
  • nature and technology, natuur en techniek (N&T).
    In the final year, students take national exams in at least 8 subjects. On the central government's website, you can find more information about VWO.
• Function of the diploma: access to research-oriented higher education (WO). The diploma also grants access to higher professional education (HBO).
• Diploma: VWO diploma, in Dutch: Diploma voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs (vwo-diploma).