In this guide
The short answer
Amsterdam runs a rolling rather than a calendar-based admissions model, so there is no day in the year when applications suddenly open across the city. The practical answer for a 2026 entry is that the active season builds through the autumn and winter before the August start. Enquiring in that window is the working start of the process, because the subsidised schools order their waiting pools by anticipated start date and the private schools fill the most popular year groups first. Waiting for a notice that applications have opened means waiting for a notice that will not come. For the full window detail across both systems, see our Amsterdam admissions deadlines 2026 page.
How the two systems time intake
Amsterdam's two school tracks handle timing differently, and understanding the difference answers the question more usefully than any single date. The subsidised Dutch International Schools, led by the Amsterdam International Community School, manage enquiries through the OpenApply platform and place applicants in a waiting pool. That pool is not a first-come queue you can jump by applying the instant a year opens; it is ordered by anticipated start date and year-group availability, which is exactly why an early, honest enquiry helps. The fully private schools, such as the International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen and the British School of Amsterdam, admit on a rolling basis where places exist, taking a registration fee at the point of applying. In both cases the door is effectively always open, but the seats behind it fill steadily.
Subsidised track
Enquire through OpenApply, join the waiting pool ordered by your anticipated start, and the registration fee follows once a place is offered. Earliest enquiries sit best in the pool.
Private track
Apply directly with a registration fee, and the school offers a place where your year group has space. Popular groups close first, so timing still matters even without a fixed deadline.
When the school year starts
Amsterdam follows the Dutch academic calendar and sits in the North holiday region. The 2026 summer holiday for that region runs from Saturday 4 July to Sunday 16 August, so the new school year begins in the second half of August 2026. Working back from that start gives you the shape of the application year: an autumn and winter of enquiries and visits, offers through the winter and spring, and the remaining rolling places taken up over the early summer. For the term and holiday rhythm in full, see our Amsterdam school holidays and term dates 2026 guide, and to plan visits around it, our Amsterdam open days 2026 page.
Free Amsterdam application timeline
Our printable Amsterdam timeline maps the autumn-to-August application year across both the subsidised and private tracks, so you know what to do in each month. Free with email and no sales follow-up. Request the timeline.
The best months to apply
For a late August 2026 start, the strongest months to apply are the autumn and early winter of 2025 into early 2026. That is when waiting pools are shortest, rolling places are most open and you still have time to visit and compare schools before committing. Applying in the spring is still workable, but your choice narrows to whichever schools and year groups still hold space. Applying over the summer is a last-resort window that usually means taking what is left rather than choosing. The pattern is consistent: availability narrows rather than reopens as the year runs on, so earlier is always better. Families weighing exactly when in the year to relocate should read our best time to move to Amsterdam for international schools guide alongside this one.
What to do if you are still planning
If your move is likely but not confirmed, you do not have to wait. Send an early enquiry to two or three schools across both tracks, book a virtual or in-person tour, and ask each school directly whether your child's year group has space or sits on a waiting pool for your intended start. This costs nothing, keeps your options open and puts you in a stronger position the moment your relocation firms up. For the full step-by-step process once you are ready to apply, our how to apply to international schools in Amsterdam walkthrough covers documents, assessments and fees, and the school finder tool helps you build the shortlist first.
Frequently asked questions
When do international school applications open in Amsterdam?
Most Amsterdam international schools accept enquiries all year rather than opening on a single date. In practice the active application season for a late August start builds through the preceding autumn and winter. The subsidised Dutch international schools place applicants in a waiting pool that is ordered by anticipated start date, so an enquiry the autumn before is the working start of the process.
Is there a single application deadline in Amsterdam?
No. There is no fixed citywide deadline. The private schools admit on a rolling basis where places exist, and the subsidised schools allocate from a waiting pool. The effective deadline is whenever your child's year group fills, which is earliest for Early Years and the most popular primary and senior groups.
When does the Amsterdam school year start in 2026?
Amsterdam is in the Dutch North holiday region, where the 2026 summer holiday runs from Saturday 4 July to Sunday 16 August, so the new school year begins in the second half of August 2026. Plan your application to land comfortably before that start.
What is the best month to apply for a school place in Amsterdam?
For a late August start, the autumn and early winter of the year before are the strongest months to apply, because that is when waiting pools are shortest and rolling places are most open. If your move is confirmed later, apply as soon as it is, since availability narrows rather than reopens as the year progresses.