On this page
Start with our international schools in Amsterdam directory for the full list by curriculum and stage. The schools below all run an examined senior pathway that leads to university entry and back it with university and careers guidance. If you are weighing the qualification itself, our guide to the International Baccalaureate explains how the Diploma is examined and recognised. This is a shortlist to research, not a ranking, and the right choice depends on the universities your child is aiming for.
It pairs naturally with our shortlist of the best schools for sixth form in Amsterdam, which looks at the same senior years through the lens of the qualification rather than the destination.
The shortlist
International School of Amsterdam
The International School of Amsterdam offers the full IB continuum and the IB Diploma in the senior years, and it publishes an annual university placement summary and IB results. That willingness to put outcomes and destinations in the open is exactly what families assessing university preparation should look for, because it lets you judge guidance and results rather than take them on trust. Confirm the latest figures on the school's own placement pages.
The British School of Amsterdam
The British School of Amsterdam prepares students through IGCSE and then A-levels, the specialist three or four subject route that UK universities are built around and that is widely accepted elsewhere. For families targeting the UK system in particular, or who want a focused subject profile rather than the IB's breadth, its A-level pathway and UCAS-oriented guidance make it a natural shortlist entry.
Amsterdam International Community School
The Amsterdam International Community School runs the IB Diploma within the subsidised DUO stream, so eligible families get a recognised, university-facing qualification at a regulated parental contribution rather than full private fees. It is the strongest option for cost-conscious families who still want a genuine IB route to university, with the same Diploma that universities across the Netherlands and abroad accept.
Amity International School Amsterdam
Amity International School Amsterdam runs the IB Diploma as the top of its IB continuum, with smaller senior cohorts than the long-established schools. For some students the closer counsellor contact that a smaller sixth form allows is an advantage in the application year, when course choice, references and personal statements benefit from individual attention. Ask about its counselling ratio and destination spread.
How we chose
We included only Amsterdam schools we could confirm run a genuine, externally examined senior pathway, the IB Diploma or A-levels, leading to university entry, and that support it with university and careers guidance. Where a school publishes its own results or destinations, as ISA does, we say so, because verifiable outcomes are worth more than claims. We did not rank or score the schools and we attach no ratings, since the right university preparation depends on the student's subjects, target countries and the qualification those universities prefer. Check current pathways, counselling provision and destination data directly with each school, as these change year to year.
Match a school to your child's university goals
Tell us the target country, qualification and subjects and the school finder returns a matched Amsterdam shortlist.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
The senior, university-facing years sit at the top of each school's fee scale, and the private schools, ISA, the British School of Amsterdam and Amity, cost considerably more than the subsidised Amsterdam International Community School for the same Diploma. Rather than quote figures that move each year, we keep the live bands in one place: see our guide to international school fees in Amsterdam for current tuition by school and stream, and confirm the exact senior-year figure, plus examination and application costs, with the school before you apply. To build a shortlist around your child, use the school finder or browse the full Amsterdam schools directory.
Common questions
There is no single best school, only the best fit for a child's target universities and subjects. The International School of Amsterdam publishes annual university placement and IB results, the British School of Amsterdam prepares students through A-levels, and the Amsterdam International Community School and Amity International School Amsterdam run the IB Diploma. Match the qualification and guidance to where the student wants to study.
The established schools do. University and careers guidance, advising on course choice, applications and references across Dutch, UK, US and other systems, is a standard part of the senior years at schools such as ISA, the British School of Amsterdam and Amity. Ask each school how many counsellors it has and which destination countries they routinely support.
Yes. Dutch research universities, including the University of Amsterdam, accept the IB Diploma and A-levels, and many run English-taught bachelor programmes. Each university sets its own subject requirements, so students should check the entry rules for their chosen course early and ensure their Diploma or A-level subjects meet them.
Yes. The IB Diploma is recognised by universities worldwide and its breadth, six subjects plus the core, suits students applying across several countries at once. A-levels suit students who want to specialise in three or four subjects for a specific system. Our IB curriculum guide explains how the Diploma is examined and recognised.
The senior years sit at the top of each school's fee scale, and the private schools cost considerably more than the subsidised Amsterdam International Community School for the same Diploma. We keep current tuition by school and stream in our international school fees in Amsterdam guide rather than quote figures that change each year.