Schools in Amsterdam: British-curriculum and international schools, fees and the route to UK universities

Amsterdam gives British families three real options: free Dutch schools, subsidised international schools that cost about as much as a nursery place back home, and fully private schools at London day-school prices. Which suits you depends on how long you're staying and where your children will sit their exams.

The short version

• Children in the Netherlands usually start primary school at 4 and must attend from 5. Dutch state schools charge no fees [1][2].
• The British School of Amsterdam teaches the English National Curriculum to A level, at EUR 20,461 to EUR 22,976 a year (about £17,050 to £19,140) in 2026/27 [3].
• The International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen teaches the IB, at EUR 22,815 to EUR 32,755 a year (about £19,010 to £27,290) [4].
• The subsidised Amsterdam International Community School (AICS) charges from about EUR 6,025 a year (about £5,020), but only for internationally mobile families [5][6].
• UK university fees depend on where you've lived, not your passport: check home fee status early [8].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.2002).

The three kinds of school

The free Dutch system is a serious option, particularly for younger children and families staying for good. We cover it in detail in our guide to Dutch schools and international streams. This guide is about the English-language schools and what they cost.

British-curriculum schools

The British School of Amsterdam (BSA)

If you want your children to sit GCSEs and A levels, as they would back home, the BSA is the obvious place to look. It takes children from nursery to Year 13, and its main address is Havenstraat 6 in Amsterdam Zuid.

Its fee page for 2026/27, checked in November 2026, lists [3]:

On top of that come a non-refundable application fee of EUR 250 (about £210) and an enrolment fee of EUR 750 (about £625) for nursery or Reception, or EUR 2,000 (about £1,670) for Years 1 to 12. The school says the place is guaranteed once the enrolment fee is paid [3]. Fees rose by roughly 3 to 7% on 2025/26, depending on the year group [3].

Winford Bilingual Amsterdam

For primary-age children, Winford Bilingual near Museumplein (Jan Luijkenstraat 29) is a private school for ages 4 to 12 that blends the English National Curriculum, the Dutch curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum, teaching core subjects equally in English and Dutch [7]. It's recognised by the Dutch schools inspectorate. Fees for 2026/27 are EUR 24,500 a year (about £20,410), plus a one-off registration fee of EUR 550 (about £460) and enrolment fee of EUR 1,000 (about £830) [7]. It suits families who want their children to come out properly bilingual.

IB schools

International School of Amsterdam (ISA), Amstelveen

ISA, on Sportlaan in Amstelveen just south of the city, teaches the International Baccalaureate from pre-school to Grade 12 and calls itself the first school in the world to offer the full IB curriculum [4]. Its 2026/27 tuition [4]:

One-off fees are set out in a separate schedule; ask admissions for it before you commit.

Amsterdam International Community School (AICS)

AICS is the big one for value. It's recognised and part-funded by the Dutch education ministry, so parents pay far less than at a private school [5]. It teaches the International Primary Curriculum to age 11, then the IB Middle Years Programme and the IB Diploma, from campuses in Amsterdam Zuid and Zuidoost.

Its 2026/27 fees for new students, including trips, lunch supervision at primary and exam fees, are roughly as follows [5]. The school publishes its fee table only as an image, so confirm the exact amounts with admissions:

Add a EUR 200 registration fee (about £170) and a EUR 500 deposit (about £420) [5]. The catch is eligibility. Non-Dutch children qualify when a parent is temporarily employed in the Netherlands, shown by a written statement of intent to move on [6]. If you've come to stay for good, you may not qualify, and places for the next school year are allocated from May [6].

The City of Amsterdam also lists DENISE, a public bilingual school for ages 4 to 18 that offers the IB Diploma, and ALASCA, which offers the IB Diploma within its secondary school [1].

How to choose, and when to apply

1. Decide how long you're staying. Two or three years and then home? A British-curriculum or IB school keeps your children on track. Staying indefinitely? Look hard at Dutch schools, at least for younger children.
2. Work out who's paying. Many relocation packages include school fees; few cover them in full. Get it in writing.
3. Apply early. International schools fill up, especially in the early years and for Year 7 or Grade 6. Application fees are non-refundable, so don't scatter them.
4. Check the commute. ISA is in Amstelveen and AICS has more than one campus. A school 40 minutes away by tram is a long day for a five-year-old, even with a bike.
5. Book a visit. Every school here runs tours or open mornings, and most will set up a video call before you move.

A levels, the IB and UK universities

Both routes lead to UK universities: UCAS accepts A levels and the IB Diploma, and British universities know these Amsterdam schools.

The bigger question is fees. Whether your child pays home fees or international fees at an English university depends on where they've lived, not on their British passport. The usual test is three years' ordinary residence in the UK and Islands before the course starts, though time abroad can count as temporary absence in some cases, such as a parent working overseas for a set period [8].

UKCISA, the UK's advisory body for international students, still lists Brexit temporary arrangements for UK nationals and their families living in Europe for courses starting before 2028, and warns that some test dates change for courses starting on or after 1 January 2027 [8]. If your child might start a degree in England in 2027 or later, check their category well before Year 13. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own rules. Our guide to moving back to the UK covers home fees and school places if you go back together.

Dutch universities are also worth a look. Many bachelor's programmes are taught in English, though British students now usually pay non-EU fees unless they qualify through residence.

Swapping notes on schools is one of the best uses of our community group for Brits in the Netherlands: parents there will tell you which open mornings are worth the trip.

Sources

1. City of Amsterdam: International schools and Primary school
2. GOV.UK (FCDO): Living in the Netherlands (last updated 23 December 2025)
3. The British School of Amsterdam: School fees (2026/27 and 2025/26)
4. International School of Amsterdam: Fees (2026/27)
5. AICS: Tuition and financial matters (school fees 2026/27)
6. AICS: How to apply
7. Winford Bilingual Amsterdam (tuition 2026/27)
8. UKCISA: Full list of categories for HE in England (last updated 1 October 2026)

Keep reading

• Dutch schools and international streams
• Moving to Amsterdam as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Cost of living in Amsterdam vs London and the UK average
• Moving back to the UK: NHS, benefits, school places and home fees