Early years international school fees in Amsterdam split into two worlds in 2026. Private international early years runs roughly EUR 11,000 to EUR 23,000 per year, with premium private at about EUR 17,000 to 23,000 (USD 18,500 to 25,000) and mid private at EUR 11,000 to 16,000. Subsidised DUO style places, where early years is offered, sit at a regulated parental contribution of about EUR 5,000 to 7,500. The two tier structure is explained in our Amsterdam international school fees guide, and the fuller Amsterdam city guide covers schools, neighbourhoods and admissions in detail.
Amsterdam has a fee structure unlike any other city in our directory, and it shapes early years decisions more than the headline numbers suggest. The Netherlands runs a subsidised tier of international education, the DUO funded schools, where a regulated parental contribution delivers an international curriculum at close to the cost of a state place. The catch is capacity. DUO early years and reception places are heavily oversubscribed, with waitlists of one to two years at the popular schools, so most newly arrived expat families with a toddler either secure a private international place or use Dutch childcare and a peuterspeelzaal while they wait. Understanding which tier you are likely to access matters far more here than comparing individual school fees.
The bands below are tuition or parental contribution only and are derived from the tier structure in our Amsterdam fees guide. Treat them as planning ranges. The exact figure depends on the school, whether the place is private or DUO funded, and the age group.
| Tier | Annual fee (EUR) | Annual fee (USD) | Illustrative schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private premium | EUR 17,000 - 23,000 | USD 18,500 - 25,000 | Britannica International School Amsterdam, Amity International |
| Mid private | EUR 11,000 - 16,000 | USD 12,000 - 17,500 | The British School of Amsterdam, lower year tracks at premium schools |
| DUO subsidised | EUR 5,000 - 7,500 | USD 5,500 - 8,200 | Amsterdam International Community School, International School of Amsterdam (DUO components) |
School names indicate the fee tier and are illustrative, not a ranking. The DUO contribution is regulated and is the same headline figure families pay, with few add ons. Private early years places carry the usual extras but at lower levels than Asian or Gulf cities.
Model private and DUO tuition against the full cost of place across up to three schools and other stages.
The single biggest driver here is whether the place is private or DUO funded, a gap of roughly EUR 10,000 to 18,000 per year for what is often a comparable early years programme. Within the private tier, curriculum and campus matter, with the established British and IB continuum schools at the top of the band. Inflation is gentler than in most cities. DUO parental contributions rose 2.5 percent in the 2025 to 2026 cycle, tracking Dutch CPI, while private school fees rose around 4.4 percent. Budget DUO contributions to track inflation at 2 to 3 percent and private fees at 4 to 5 percent in forward planning.
Extras in Amsterdam are lighter than in the high fee Asian and Gulf markets, partly because lunch is frequently a packed affair and many families cycle their children to school rather than using a bus. The lines to plan for are school bus where offered at EUR 1,500 to 2,800, a lunch programme at EUR 1,000 to 1,800 where it is provided, materials at EUR 200 to 450, and modest trip costs. Together these add around 8 to 15 percent at DUO schools and 12 to 18 percent at private schools. Our Amsterdam fees guide sets out the line items in full, and the relocation cost calculator places them inside a complete family budget.
Private international early years runs roughly EUR 11,000 to EUR 23,000 per year, with premium private at about EUR 17,000 to 23,000 (USD 18,500 to 25,000) and mid private at EUR 11,000 to 16,000. Subsidised DUO style places sit at a regulated parental contribution of about EUR 5,000 to 7,500.
DUO international schools are state supported, with a regulated parental contribution of around EUR 5,000 to 7,500 per year, and they are heavily oversubscribed with waitlists of one to two years. Private international schools charge full fees of EUR 11,000 to 23,000 at early years but generally have shorter waitlists. Most Dutch toddlers also attend local childcare or a peuterspeelzaal before formal schooling.
Extras are lighter than in Asian or Gulf cities. Expect school bus where offered at EUR 1,500 to 2,800, lunch at EUR 1,000 to 1,800 where not packed, materials at EUR 200 to 450, and modest trip costs. These add around 8 to 15 percent at DUO schools and 12 to 18 percent at private schools.
Private early years places are offered at schools such as Britannica International School Amsterdam, Amity International and the British School of Amsterdam, while subsidised places run through the Amsterdam International Community School and the International School of Amsterdam. The named schools are illustrative of the fee tier rather than a ranking.
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