Primary international school fees in Amsterdam (2026)

The Netherlands runs a structure found almost nowhere else. State supported DUO international schools, the officially recognised Dutch international streams, charge only a regulated parental contribution and yet follow an international curriculum leading to the IB Diploma at sixth form. For a primary family that means an internationally taught place at close to the cost of a Dutch state school, which is why every DUO school is oversubscribed.

Alongside them sit fully private international schools such as the British School of Amsterdam, Amity International and the private tracks at the Amsterdam International Community School, which charge market fees. The real decision for most relocating primary families is therefore not which tier they can afford but whether they can secure a DUO place in time, because waitlists of one to two years are common.

Primary fee bands

The table below bands annual primary tuition by school tier, drawn from our Amsterdam international school fees research. Primary contributions at DUO schools sit at the lower end of the subsidised band, while private primary tuition sits below each school's senior fees. Figures are tuition only; one off and recurring extras are set out separately below.

School names and tier positions are drawn from our city fees research and are not exact quotes; confirm current figures with each school.

Registration, deposit and other costs

Tuition is only part of the bill. The line items below are indicative bands for international schools in this market and should be confirmed with each school, as policies vary and some waive individual charges entirely.

Bands above are indicative ranges sourced from our city fees research, not school specific quotes. Always confirm current figures in a school's fee schedule before budgeting.

What drives the cost

The funding model is the single biggest driver. A DUO school receives state support and charges only the regulated parental contribution, so its primary fee is a fraction of a private school's for a broadly comparable international primary programme. Eligibility and application timing, rather than budget, decide who gets in.

Among private schools, curriculum and provision set the band. The British School of Amsterdam and the premium private tracks charge for a fully international primary with overseas trained staff and small classes, while smaller bilingual privates blending the Dutch system with an English stream sit lower.

Inflation is gentle by global standards. Regulated DUO contributions rose around two and a half per cent in the latest cycle, tracking Dutch inflation, while private school fees rose around four to five per cent. The result is one of the calmer fee markets in this guide, with the scarcity expressed through waitlists rather than price spikes.

Hidden costs primary parents miss

The biggest hidden cost in Amsterdam is not money but time. DUO places carry waitlists of one to two years, with priority by parental employment status and order of application, so families should apply the moment a move is confirmed, even before a start date is fixed, because the cost of holding a place is low and the value if it comes through is high.

On the money side, DUO schools tend to be austere on extras, adding roughly eight to fifteen per cent to the headline, while private schools add twelve to eighteen per cent. Lunch is frequently a packed lunch rather than a catered programme, and many families cycle or use public transport rather than a school bus.

Books, materials, occasional uniform at the private schools and the usual trips round out the bill. None is large alone, but for a private place they combine into a noticeable margin over the published tuition.

For the full breakdown by school and tier, read our guide to international school fees in Amsterdam, or start from the Amsterdam international schools hub to shortlist by curriculum and neighbourhood. To weigh one city against another, the international school fee calculator totals tuition plus living costs.

Frequently asked questions

It depends entirely on the school type. A subsidised DUO international primary costs a regulated parental contribution of roughly EUR 5,000 to 7,500 a year, while a fully private international primary runs from about EUR 11,000 to 28,000 depending on the school.

A DUO school is a state supported Dutch international school or stream that follows an international curriculum, leading to the IB Diploma at sixth form, for only a regulated parental contribution. Because the place is heavily subsidised, every DUO school is oversubscribed and operates long waitlists.

DUO schools deliver an international programme at close to state school cost, so demand far outstrips supply. Waitlists of one to two years are common, with priority by parental employment status, such as Dutch government, international organisation or knowledge migrant employers, and order of application. Apply as soon as your move is confirmed.

DUO schools add roughly eight to fifteen per cent in extras and private schools twelve to eighteen per cent. Typical lines are registration at private schools, an optional school bus, lunch where catered, books and materials, occasional uniform and trips. Many families cycle rather than pay for transport.

If you are eligible and can apply early enough to clear the waitlist, a DUO primary offers outstanding value. Families who cannot secure a DUO place in time, or who want a specific British or American programme, choose a private international primary and budget accordingly.