European School Bergen admissions, languages and 2026–27 fees

European School Bergen is one of the traditional, or Type I, European Schools. It follows the common European Schools curriculum and leads to the European Baccalaureate. It is not an International Baccalaureate school.

The school is at Molenweidtje 5 in Bergen, Noord-Holland. It should not be confused with Bergen in Norway or with European School The Hague, which is an Accredited European School.

This is a day school with no boarding. A family relocating without a parent or guardian therefore needs a separate, lawful care and accommodation arrangement.

Programme and language sections

The school covers nursery, primary and secondary education. Nursery entry begins in the calendar year in which a child turns four. The final two secondary years prepare pupils for the European Baccalaureate.

There are three language sections: English, Dutch and French. For most pupils, the section language is their first language, known as L1. Pupils then study a second language, known as L2, and may add further languages under the European Schools curriculum.

Some pupils have a first language for which Bergen has no full section. These pupils are normally treated as Students Without A Language Section, or SWALS, under the European Schools rules. Families should ask how L1 teaching and section placement would work for their child before applying.

The secondary school says its day runs from 09:00 to 16:25, with 31 to 35 lessons a week depending on the year. Families should request the current timetable for the relevant section and year group.

Who has priority

European Schools use three fee and admission categories. The category is determined by the parent’s employment or an agreement with the school system, not by the family’s preferred programme.

• Category I generally covers children of eligible staff at European Union institutions and agencies. These pupils have an admission entitlement and are exempt from tuition under the European Schools fee rules. The school will need evidence from the employer.

• Category II covers pupils admitted under an agreement between an employer and the European Schools. The applicable contract determines the fee and any admission right.

• Category III covers families without a Category I or II entitlement. Admission is subject to available places, and tuition is payable.

The school also states that every application for a Dutch pupil requires approval from inspectors at the Dutch Ministry of Education. A Dutch family should confirm the current approval process before relying on an offer timeline.

Application process

Families begin through the school’s admissions page. The school does not publish one annual deadline that applies to every applicant. Its mid-year admissions FAQ says pupils may join during the year where a suitable place is available.

The admissions page says all applicants complete screening appropriate to their age and level. It also encourages a trial day in nursery, primary or secondary. These steps help determine placement; they should not be interpreted as a guarantee of admission.

Ask the admissions office to confirm five points in writing:

1. the pupil category and evidence required;
2. availability in the relevant year and language section;
3. the proposed L1, L2 and section placement;
4. any screening, trial-day or Dutch-inspector steps; and
5. the complete fee quotation and payment terms.

Learning support and care

The nursery, primary and secondary pages describe general, moderate and intensive educational support. The appropriate level depends on the pupil’s needs and the school’s assessment. Published descriptions do not establish that specialist provision or staff capacity is available for every applicant.

Families needing support should share relevant reports securely and ask for a written account of provision, staffing, review dates and any limits before accepting a place.

After-school care is separate from the school day. The primary page refers families to Alles Kits for care, while Little Europe provides a separate crèche for children aged two and three. Neither service is boarding, and families should obtain current availability and charges directly.

2026–27 fees: resolve the discrepancy

Category I pupils with the required institutional entitlement are tuition-exempt. Category II and III families need an individual written quotation because the current published figures do not align.

The school’s own admissions page gives the following 2026–27 first-child fees:

Cycle	Annual fee
Nursery	€4,300.46
Primary	€5,913.21
Secondary	€8,063.45

The same local table charges 80% of the first-child rate for a second child and 60% for a third or later child:

Cycle	Second child	Third or later child
Nursery	€3,440.37	€2,580.27
Primary	€4,730.57	€3,547.93
Secondary	€6,450.76	€4,838.07

The local page does not clearly explain which legal fee category or enrolment date makes this table applicable. It tells families with a sibling enrolled before September 2013 to contact the school.

The central European Schools page labels its 2026–27 figures as guidance. Its Category III table gives two different columns:

Cycle	Enrolled before 2013–14	Newly enrolled from 2013–14
Nursery	€3,637.56	€4,457.80
Primary	€5,001.71	€6,129.55
Secondary	€6,820.51	€8,358.46

Bergen’s local first-child figures differ from both central Category III columns. The school’s category FAQ nevertheless says Category III pupils pay the ordinary fees fixed by the Board of Governors. This guide cannot determine which table the school will apply to a particular family.

For Category II, the central 2026–27 table lists Bergen’s current-contract amount as “tba” and a new-contract amount of €18,458.75. Bergen’s local page also shows a business special-contract amount of €17,226.24, but that figure is explicitly for 2025–26 and should not be treated as current.

Before accepting a place, ask the school to identify the pupil category, the controlling fee schedule and the exact 2026–27 invoice. Also request the current terms for deposits, meals, transport, care, trips, examination charges and notice of withdrawal.

The admissions page contains a general paragraph about French AEFE bursaries. The cited material does not confirm that an ES Bergen pupil is eligible. French families should obtain a case-specific answer from the relevant consular service and the school rather than counting on this aid.

When Bergen is a good fit

European School Bergen is most relevant to families who need the European Schools curriculum, can use one of its three language sections and can manage a day-school arrangement in Noord-Holland. Category I families should verify their entitlement; other families must establish both place availability and cost.

Compare it with European School The Hague if an Accredited European School in The Hague is geographically possible. Compare it with International School of The Hague if the family needs an IB route and meets that school’s statutory eligibility rules.

For local planning, use the Bergen NH school-search guide and the Netherlands guide. The most important unresolved question is the fee table: obtain the school’s written quotation before making a financial commitment.

Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.