Education
Education
Schools, universities, language courses, diploma recognition.
Where to start
Education in the Netherlands means school for children, Dutch courses for adults and recognition of Ukrainian diplomas. Here are the guides on where to start in each of these.
- Enrol your child in school. School is compulsory from 5 to 16 (and until 18 without a basic qualification). Newly arrived children usually start in a transition class with intensive Dutch; contact a nearby school or the gemeente.
- Learn the language. NT2 courses (Dutch as a second language) run at libraries, volunteer centres and language schools, from A1 to B2. The language opens up work, study and dealings with institutions.
- Have your diploma recognised. For work and study, diplomas are evaluated by IDW (Internationale Diplomawaardering); for university admission, often by the university itself. Prepare translations and copies of your documents.
- Look into adult education. MBO, HBO and universities set their own language and document requirements; funding conditions depend on your status — check with DUO and the institution.
Useful pages: Survey 2026 — 2 minutes
Coming soon
Articles about education will appear here soon.
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — check the current conditions on the official sites.