In this guide
Why The Hague is different
Most European capitals have one or two anchor international schools, a handful of bilingual options and a long tail of small private alternatives. The Hague has at least seven serious international schools inside a thirty minute drive, plus the largest network of Dutch state-funded international primary schools in the country. The reason is institutional. The Hague hosts more than 200 international organisations and embassies, and successive Dutch governments have treated international education as essential infrastructure for keeping those institutions here.
That has two practical consequences for incoming families. Capacity is generous compared with Amsterdam or Brussels, so good schools are reachable rather than impossible. And fees, especially in the Dutch subsidised system, are dramatically lower than in cities where international education is a purely private good. A Y3 place at a Dutch international primary school can cost less than 4,000 euros a year. The equivalent in London or Geneva would be eight to ten times that. For mid-career professionals on local Dutch contracts, this is decisive.
The schools we recommend
The American School of The Hague (ASH)
The legacy international school of the city, founded in 1953. American curriculum from PreK through Grade 12, with IB Diploma in the senior school. Strong US university pipeline, deep ECA programme on a large suburban campus. The default choice for American expat families and a credible option for any family expecting university destinations in the US or globally mobile careers.
The British School in The Netherlands (BSN)
The largest British curriculum provider in the country, split across senior school at Voorschoten and junior campuses at Leidschenveen and Diamanthorst. English National Curriculum and IGCSE through to A-Level alongside an IB Diploma cohort. Strong Russell Group and Dutch university destinations. The most natural pick for UK families and those on British rotational postings.
International School of The Hague (ISH)
Operates a Dutch international primary school (DIPS) under the subsidised system and a full IB secondary school. Fees are materially lower than the private schools above because of state funding. Strong IB Diploma outcomes, very mixed nationality cohort, and a pragmatic admissions framework that favours families with genuine international mobility. Often the first call for diplomat and ICC families.
European School The Hague (ESH)
Accredited European School running the European Baccalaureate from primary through to Year 13. Multiple language sections (English, French, German, Dutch). Priority places for staff of EU institutions, with paying places for non-Category 1 families. The right choice for families committed to European mobility and multilingual education.
The International School of The Hague Primary (ISH Primary)
The primary arm of ISH inside the Dutch international primary schools framework. Fees are heavily subsidised, but the family must meet the international mobility test under Dutch DIPS rules. Strong PYP delivery and very international cohort. Wait lists for popular year groups can be twelve months.
Lighthouse Special Education
A dedicated English language SEN provision serving children with significant additional needs who would not be well placed in mainstream international classrooms. Small cohort, multidisciplinary team, integration pathways with mainstream schools where appropriate. The most established specialist English language provision in the country.
The International School Delft (ISD)
Subsidised Dutch international school in Delft, twenty minutes south of The Hague centre. Useful option for families based around Delft Technical University or with workplaces in the Rotterdam corridor. Primary plus middle years, with secondary continuation typically into ISH or a Rotterdam IB school.
Free download
Our 38-page Moving to the Netherlands with Children handbook covers the DIPS subsidised system, the 30 percent ruling, residency permits and a fee planner for international schools across the country. Request the handbook or use the School Finder to receive a shortlist tailored to your family.
Fees at a glance
The table below shows indicative tuition only. Add roughly 10 to 15 percent for capital levies, transport, books, trips and examination fees, and budget for an annual increase of around 4 percent on private school tuition. Subsidised DIPS schools may charge a separate voluntary parental contribution on top of tuition. The Dutch tax authority's 30 percent ruling can materially reduce the net cost for incoming employees.
| School | Curriculum | Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| American School of The Hague | American + IB | Primary | EUR 21,500 |
| American School of The Hague | American + IB | High School | EUR 30,500 |
| British School in The Netherlands | British + IB | Junior | EUR 18,200 |
| British School in The Netherlands | British + IB | Senior | EUR 28,400 |
| International School of The Hague | IB MYP / DP | Secondary | EUR 9,500 to 14,000 |
| ISH Primary (DIPS subsidised) | IB PYP | Primary | EUR 4,200 to 6,000 |
| European School The Hague | European Baccalaureate | Primary | EUR 5,000 to 11,000 |
| European School The Hague | European Baccalaureate | Secondary | EUR 12,000 to 18,000 |
For a side by side total cost view across multiple schools, our Compare tool includes the full fee build, including capital levies, transport and exam fees, for every school in the city.
Neighbourhoods and commutes
The Hague is small. Almost any school in the city sits within a 25 minute drive from any residential neighbourhood with reasonable expat housing. The practical question is not distance but school bus access. Most international schools run dedicated bus routes covering a defined set of postcodes. Picking a neighbourhood outside the bus catchment can mean a daily school run that quickly becomes the dominant logistical decision of family life.
Wassenaar is the traditional diplomat suburb, immediately north of the city, with detached family houses and reasonable garden plots. It is the natural catchment for the American School and parts of the BSN. Voorschoten, slightly further north and inland, is the home base for BSN Senior School and has a quieter village feel. Benoordenhout, inside the city itself, is the upper end of city centre living, with apartments and townhouses popular with families wanting walkable neighbourhood schools and easy access to Wassenaar.
For families on local Dutch contracts and tighter budgets, Leidschenveen, Ypenburg and the Statenkwartier offer good apartment stock with reasonable access to ISH and the BSN junior schools. Delft is a credible option for families anchored to TU Delft or working in the Rotterdam corridor. Read our companion guide on where to live in The Hague as an expat family for a deeper breakdown.
Curricula on offer
The Hague is one of the few cities where every major international curriculum is genuinely available without compromise. The choice between them rarely comes down to academic quality. It comes down to where the family expects to be in three to five years, and how confident they are about that horizon.
The International Baccalaureate is the dominant secondary curriculum in the city. ISH, BSN, ASH and several primary schools all offer the full IB continuum or substantial parts of it. The IB Diploma is well understood by Dutch universities, by UK universities and by the global graduate employer market. If you are uncertain about your destination after The Hague, IB minimises switching costs.
The British curriculum, anchored at BSN, suits families who expect to repatriate to the UK or whose children sit closer to specialism than breadth at sixth-form. The American track at ASH suits families on US payrolls anticipating US university destinations and the AP system. The European Baccalaureate at ESH is the right call for families embedded in EU institutions, multilingual by design and recognised across all EU member states for university access. For a wider treatment, read our curriculum hub or the dedicated IB explainer.
The Dutch subsidised route
The Netherlands is unusual in maintaining a parallel network of internationally oriented state-funded schools, known as Dutch International Primary Schools (DIPS) and Dutch International Secondary Schools (DISS). The Hague has the largest concentration. Eligibility is needs-based rather than nationality-based. A family qualifies if at least one parent is in the Netherlands temporarily for work, study or a posting, with an expected return abroad. Diplomats, ICC and EU staff, posted corporate executives and rotating researchers all typically qualify. Dutch nationals returning from overseas can qualify in specific circumstances.
The benefit is substantial. Tuition at a DIPS school sits between 4,000 and 6,000 euros per year, perhaps a quarter of the equivalent private international school. Quality is broadly comparable for IB PYP delivery. The trade-off is that subsidised places are demand-managed. Wait lists for popular schools and year groups can be twelve months, and the eligibility test means a family must have credible mobility paperwork in place at application. For families who qualify, this is the most cost-effective international schooling in Europe outside the European School network. Our DIPS explainer walks through eligibility evidence and the application sequence.
Admissions and timing
Three timing patterns dominate The Hague admissions. First, January to March is the application window for September entry at the larger private schools. The British School and the American School both open the next academic year's intake by January, with most decisions made by April. Second, DIPS subsidised places work on rolling admissions but with a hard mobility eligibility check. Apply as soon as your relocation paperwork is confirmed, ideally six months in advance. Third, immediate relocations (a posting beginning in autumn term) can usually be placed at the start of a term in less popular year groups, but rarely in Y3 to Y6 at the top tier schools, which often run a waitlist year round.
The single most important practical step is to apply to two or three schools in parallel rather than holding out for a first choice. The Hague's serious schools all expect parallel applications and are not offended by it. Holding out for a single school typically costs a family at least one term of placement.
SEN, EAL and pastoral fit
Most mainstream international schools in The Hague have an EAL (English as an Additional Language) support unit, on the understanding that children arriving with limited English are an everyday feature of the city. SEN provision is more variable. The BSN, ASH and ISH all have learning support teams capable of working with mild to moderate needs, particularly dyslexia, mild ASD and mild ADHD. Significant or complex needs, particularly those requiring 1:1 support, are usually outside their funding model. Lighthouse Special Education exists precisely for that gap. Read our SEN in international schools across Europe piece, and consider downloading our SEN school finder guide before applying.
Pastoral fit is the harder question for diplomatic and ICC families. Children of mobile professionals will typically join a cohort where roughly a fifth of the class changes every academic year. Schools that handle this well have strong induction programmes, peer buddy systems and explicit mid-year integration support. ASH and ISH are particularly experienced at this. Smaller and newer schools sometimes underestimate the work involved in absorbing a continual stream of new joiners, and pastoral quality is worth checking carefully on a tour.
Frequently asked questions
Can my child attend an international school if we have permanent Dutch residency? Private international schools accept all nationalities and residency statuses. Subsidised DIPS and DISS schools require a credible international mobility profile, which usually means a temporary residence permit or evidence of a non-permanent posting.
How does the 30 percent ruling affect school fees? The Dutch 30 percent ruling reduces taxable income for qualifying incoming employees. Some employers also fund a tuition allowance on top of base salary. Together these can reduce the net cost of an international school place by a third or more in the first years of a posting.
Is The Hague a better choice than Amsterdam for international schooling? Capacity in The Hague is significantly higher, fees in the subsidised system are lower, and the city is built around international institutions rather than tourism. Amsterdam is the better choice if the family is anchored to Amsterdam workplaces, but for school access alone The Hague is materially easier.
What is the typical wait time for a popular year group? Y3 to Y6 at the BSN, ASH and ISH can carry waitlists of three to twelve months in busy admissions years. FS2 and Y7 entry points tend to be more open. Apply as soon as posting paperwork is confirmed.
Do any schools offer boarding? The Hague has no full boarding international school. Families needing boarding usually look to UK or Swiss boarding placements while keeping a day base in The Hague.