The Dutch Education System

Compulsory Education (Leerplicht)

The Netherlands has strict rules about school attendance:

• Children can start school at age 4 (optional)
• Children must start school at age 5 — this is verplicht (mandatory)
• Children must stay in school until at least age 16
• After 16, there's kwalificatieplicht until 18 (must have a diploma or be in school)

This system is called leerplicht (compulsory education).

Dutch Education Pathways

The Three Secondary School Pathways

• VMBO (4 years, ages 12-16) → MBO (vocational education) → Job Market
• HAVO (5 years, ages 12-17) → HBO (applied university, Bachelor/Master) → Job Market
• VWO (6 years, ages 12-18) → WO/University (research university, Bachelor/Master) → Job Market

Important Rules for the Exam

• With a VMBO diploma, you cannot go directly to university
• From groep 8 (last year of primary school), you can go to VMBO, HAVO, or VWO
• You can go to HAVO directly after basisschool (but not HBO or MBO directly)

Student Finance (Studiefinanciering)

• Apply at DUO for student loans and grants
• Available for MBO, HBO, and WO students

Slagen (Passing/Graduating) — Vlag met Tas

When someone graduates (iemand is geslaagd), the Dutch tradition is to hang a flag with a school bag (vlag met tas) from the window. This shows that someone has passed their final exams (eindexamen). If you see this outside a house, someone there has graduated.