How many IB schools in Amsterdam
The Amsterdam metropolitan area, which for international school purposes includes Amstelveen, Hilversum and the wider Randstad commuter ring, currently lists eleven authorised IB World Schools. About six of those run the full IB Diploma at sixth form. The rest deliver the Primary Years or Middle Years Programme and feed pupils into IGCSE, A Level or Dutch national pathways at senior school. The cluster is mature, with the International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen having held continuous IB authorisation since 1976, the longest run in the country.
Amsterdam's IB market splits cleanly in two. The first half is the subsidised Dutch International Schools, or DIS, a Ministry of Education programme that lets a handful of state schools deliver the IB curriculum at heavily reduced fees, currently around EUR 4,800 per year. The Amsterdam International Community School, with three campuses across Zuid and South East, is the largest DIS provider in the city. The second half is the fully private IB cluster, anchored by the International School of Amsterdam and Optimist International School, where fees climb to EUR 28,400 at the senior end. For UK-bound families using the IB stream as a Cambridge or A Level parallel, our British curriculum hub covers the IGCSE side.
Fees and the Amsterdam tiers
IB tuition in Amsterdam falls into three rough bands. The DIS tier sits at EUR 4,800 to EUR 6,200 per year and captures AICS, the Wereldschool affiliates and the Amstelland International School. Eligibility requires the family to be in the Netherlands on a temporary international assignment and to hold a Burgerservicenummer registered to an internationally mobile employer. The mid private tier, EUR 17,000 to EUR 23,000, includes Optimist International School and the IB stream at Albert Einstein International School. The premium tier, EUR 25,000 to EUR 28,400, is the International School of Amsterdam, with the British School of Amsterdam's IB Diploma stream sitting at the same level.
Headline fees are only part of the picture in Amsterdam. Capital fees on the private side run to EUR 1,500 to EUR 3,000, a one-off levy that is rarely refundable. Most expat families on relocation packages have schooling paid by the employer, often capped at a specific euro ceiling. Our Amsterdam fees guide walks through the full cost-of-place arithmetic by school and tier, including the DIS eligibility test.
Not sure which IB school is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three Amsterdam IB schools based on your child's age, your budget, your DIS eligibility and your timeline.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each holds full IB authorisation, has a track record stretching back at least ten years and a clearly defined position in the Amsterdam market.
International School of Amsterdam, in Amstelveen, is the oldest IB World School in the Netherlands. It runs all three IB programmes from age 3 to 18 on a single campus, with Diploma cohorts averaging in the mid-thirties for the last five years. The student body is unusually international, with more than 60 nationalities represented.
Amsterdam International Community School, with primary campuses at Zuid and South East and a senior campus at Prinses Irenestraat, is the largest DIS provider in the city. Around 1,700 students follow the full PYP, MYP and Diploma pathway at heavily subsidised fees.
British School of Amsterdam, in Oud-Zuid, primarily delivers the English National Curriculum and IGCSE but offers the IB Diploma alongside A Level at sixth form. It is the natural choice for British families who want optionality at age 16.
Optimist International School in Hilversum is a smaller PYP provider 25 minutes by train from Amsterdam Centraal, popular with families along the commuter line and a feeder into the senior IB cluster.
Where IB families live in Amsterdam
IB families in Amsterdam cluster around five districts. Amstelveen, particularly the Buitenveldert and Kronenburg neighbourhoods, for proximity to the International School of Amsterdam and the Japanese and Korean expatriate communities. Amsterdam Zuid and the canal belt, for AICS South campus and the corporate towers at Zuidas. Amsterdam South East, near the Bijlmer ArenA, for AICS South East and the international tech employers along the Bullewijk corridor. Amsterdam Noord, increasingly popular as new housing comes online and the IJ tunnel cuts commute times. Hilversum and the Het Gooi commuter belt, for families on Optimist and the broader Het Baarnsch Lyceum DIS feeder.
IB attracts internationally mobile families on shorter Netherlands assignments who value curriculum portability when the next posting could be Geneva, Singapore or Boston. The DIS subsidy specifically targets that audience, which is why eligibility requires evidence of international mobility. Our American curriculum hub covers the parallel option for US families specifically.
Admissions calendar
Applications for September 2026 entry opened at most Amsterdam IB schools between November 2025 and January 2026. The tier 1 schools, International School of Amsterdam and AICS, close their main Year 7 and Diploma Programme intake by mid-February, with assessment days running through March. Offers land between April and May, with deposit deadlines typically two weeks after the offer letter.
The DIS schools have a documented eligibility check on top of the standard application. Families need to show a temporary Netherlands assignment, usually evidenced by an employer letter and the 30 percent ruling status. Verification takes four to eight weeks, so plan the application timeline accordingly. The cost calculator covers the full Amsterdam move, including housing, the Burgerservicenummer registration and the schooling subsidy logic. For families considering Dutch IB curriculum questions in detail, the IB curriculum hub sets out the global picture.
Frequently asked questions
How many IB schools are there in Amsterdam?
The wider Amsterdam metropolitan area lists roughly eleven authorised IB World Schools as of 2026. Around six offer the full IB Diploma at sixth form. The rest run PYP or MYP only and transition students onto IGCSE, A Level or Dutch national pathways for senior school.
What is the average IB Diploma score in Amsterdam?
The Amsterdam average across reporting schools sat near 34 points in the May 2025 session, comfortably above the global IB average of 30.3. The International School of Amsterdam and Amsterdam International Community School consistently average above 35.
How much do IB schools in Amsterdam cost?
Tuition for the IB Diploma in Amsterdam ranges from about EUR 4,800 at the subsidised Dutch International Schools, including the Amsterdam International Community School, to EUR 28,400 at the fully private International School of Amsterdam. Most mid-range private IB sits between EUR 18,000 and EUR 24,000.
Can you transfer into an IB Amsterdam school mid-year?
Most IB schools in Amsterdam accept mid-year transfers when places exist, particularly in Years 4 to 9 or PYP and early MYP. Diploma Programme transfers after October of the first year are difficult because subject choices and internal assessments are already locked.
Is IB recognised by Dutch universities?
Yes. All Dutch research universities and universities of applied sciences accept the IB Diploma for entry, including the University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit and Amsterdam University College. Dutch-track university programmes may still require a Dutch language qualification on top of the Diploma.
