The Hague school search
The Hague offers five distinct international routes: a subsidised IB school in Kijkduin, an American school in Wassenaar, British campuses across the region, a European School, and a French lycée. Start with legal eligibility and the qualification your child needs, then compare campuses and total cost.
The Hague has several credible international schools, but they do not offer interchangeable places. The first filter is often legal eligibility rather than educational preference. The second is the leaving qualification: IB, American diploma with IB or AP options, British qualifications, the European Baccalaureate, or the French Baccalauréat.
The International School of The Hague is an English-medium IB school from early years to the Diploma Programme. Because it receives Dutch state funding, applicants must fit a statutory international-education category. These include a non-Dutch child whose parent is temporarily working in or near the Netherlands, and certain Dutch children returning from or preparing for a substantial period abroad. A Year 6 place does not automatically continue into secondary.
The American School of The Hague in Wassenaar is a private option without that subsidy-linked eligibility test. It offers an American high-school diploma, with IB and AP choices in the upper years. Students entering Grades 7–8 need some English. High-school applicants are assessed because language support is more limited there.
The British School in the Netherlands follows the English curriculum across four campuses. Its junior sites are at Vlaskamp and Leidschenveen; senior teaching is in Leidschenveen and Voorschoten. Families may state a campus preference, but Admissions makes the allocation. The school does not take new pupils into Year 11, when GCSE courses are already under way.
European School The Hague is an Accredited European School, not one of the EU’s Type I schools. Children of staff at listed EU agencies have reserved-place priority. Other applicants must meet statutory international criteria, and Category III admission depends on capacity. Nursery and primary are on Houtrustweg; secondary is on Oostduinlaan.
Lycée français Vincent van Gogh provides the French curriculum from preschool to Terminale in The Hague. Its Amsterdam site stops after primary, so families seeking a complete French secondary route should apply to The Hague. At least one legal guardian must live in the Netherlands; the school does not accept an arrangement in which the child lives only with a third party.
The five fee models are very different. ISH publishes annual fees from €8,500 in early years to €11,200 in the final Diploma year, plus a €300 application fee and €1,000 refundable deposit. Its lower price reflects public subsidy and comes with the eligibility restriction.
ASH charges private-school rates. Tuition runs from €20,325 in pre-kindergarten to €29,000 in Grades 9–12. New families also need to include the first-year enrolment charge and annual capital fee. Core trips and laptops are included, while meals and external examination fees are not.
BSN’s annual tuition reaches €28,998 in Years 12–13. A one-time enrolment fee and an annual capital fee sit on top. ESH publishes €8,585 for nursery and primary and €12,875 for secondary, with a higher first-year nursery or primary amount for new Category III pupils. The French lycée publishes €8,643 in The Hague primary and €12,436 in lycée, plus registration and some optional-section charges.
Use the school profiles for the full tables. Before comparing totals, ask what is excluded: meals, transport, examinations, learning support and optional language sections can change the result.
Start with your child’s age, current curriculum and likely destination after the next move. A teenager already in GCSE, IB Diploma or French lycée should usually preserve course continuity. For a younger child, language development and the likely duration of the posting may matter more than the final certificate.
Test eligibility before arranging tours. Ask ISH and ESH which statutory category applies and what evidence they require. Ask every school about availability in the exact year group; a general statement that applications are open is not evidence of a place.
Finally, map the actual campus. Kijkduin, Wassenaar, Leidschenveen, Voorschoten, Houtrustweg, Oostduinlaan and Scheveningseweg create different daily routes. Check whether siblings would attend the same site and whether the school can guarantee that site before choosing housing.
The current pages mostly describe 2026–27. For a 2027 start, request the new admissions calendar and fee schedule when published. The Netherlands country guide explains the wider Dutch system and the choosing-a-school guide provides a question list for tours.
Friendly orientation, not formal admissions advice. Always confirm dates with the school.
ASH is a private day school in Wassenaar offering an American diploma with IB and AP options. Families should budget for annual tuition and capital fees, plus a separate enrolment charge. Special Education carries an additional annual fee.
The HagueESH is an Accredited European School on separate Primary and Secondary sites. Category I pupils have a reserved place, while Category III pupils need statutory eligibility and space. Language placement is central to the decision.
The HagueISH offers subsidised, English-medium international education at one Kijkduin campus. First confirm that your family meets the statutory eligibility rules. Then check whether the year group, English phase and support provision fit your child.
The HagueVincent van Gogh is a French state-system day school on two sites. The Hague teaches from petite section through Terminale. Amsterdam stops after CM2, so families there need another plan for secondary school.
Start with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.
7 minA useful visit should help you picture your child’s school day and resolve the questions that matter to your family. Ask for concrete examples, then separate what you observed from what you were told.