Netherlands · The Hague and Amsterdam
Vincent 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.
The Lycée français Vincent van Gogh is a co-educational day school run directly by the AEFE, the French state agency for education abroad. It follows French Ministry of Education programmes and prepares pupils for French qualifications.
The school has two campuses with different age ranges:
That distinction is decisive. A child can complete secondary school in The Hague, but not in Amsterdam. The school does not provide boarding or accept a pupil who is living only with a third party.
The main language of instruction is French. Maternelle covers the three preschool years. Élémentaire runs from CP to CM2. In the French system, collège means lower secondary and lycée means upper secondary.
The Hague continues through 6e–3e in collège and 2nde–Terminale in lycée. Pupils can take the Diplôme national du brevet after 3e and the French Baccalauréat after Terminale. The Bac is not the IB Diploma.
At primary level, families choose English or Dutch as the first foreign language. Pupils add another language later. A beginner cannot newly select Dutch as the first foreign language from CE2.
In The Hague secondary school, English, Dutch, German and Spanish are offered. A pupil who needs another modern language may have to study it through France’s distance-learning provider, CNED.
The optional American International Section, or SIA, adds demanding English-language study within the French curriculum. It is available from CE2 to CM2 on both campuses and from 6e to 2nde in The Hague.
In Première and Terminale, the route becomes the Baccalauréat Français International, or BFI. This is an international option within the French Bac, not the International Baccalaureate.
Places are limited and selection is separate from general school admission. The school looks for strong overall results, motivation, capacity for a heavier workload and very good English. BFI entry requires at least B2 English.
Previous schooling in English can support a SIA application but does not create an entitlement. The school may test applicants and reviews continued participation each year. Progression within the section is not automatic.
The secondary school also offers an English-enhanced EURO option in collège and a European Section in lycée. These add English-language history and geography but are less extensive than SIA/BFI.
New applications are submitted online. A complete file is ranked by three published priorities:
Priority does not guarantee a place. Capacity, the pupil’s record and any required assessment still matter. A family may apply to The Hague or Amsterdam, but cannot keep approved applications for both sites.
For September 2026, the school ran five application rounds from 5 January to 30 June 2026. Its published complementary round opened on 17 August 2026. Ask Admissions whether the required class still has space before making relocation commitments.
Children coming from a programme not recognised by the French Ministry may need placement tests from grande section through Première. The child must be entered for the class corresponding to their birth year.
Primary assessment can cover French and mathematics. Collège and lycée applicants take written French and mathematics tests. The school then considers the results, school history and available places together.
Tests for a September start usually take place between February or March and June. Remote assessment may be possible. Later secondary applications can require testing at the school shortly before term starts.
Direct entry into Terminale is not available from outside the recognised French system. The school cites the organisation of the Bac examinations as the reason.
At least one person with legal parental responsibility must live in the Netherlands throughout the pupil’s enrolment. The school does not accept a child who is hosted only by a third party.
Admission does not create Dutch residence rights. A child joining a parent may need a family residence permit. Check the IND rules before treating a school offer as part of an immigration plan.
The school publishes four French support frameworks: PAI for health arrangements, PAP for learning adjustments, PPRE for targeted academic support and PPS for disability-related provision.
It also describes monthly pupil reviews involving its nurse and school psychologist. However, the school does not publish current staffing ratios, specialist capacity or a guarantee that every requested adjustment can be delivered.
Disclose learning, medical and behavioural needs during admission. Ask for a written plan naming the provision, language, timetable, responsible staff and any family-funded assistance before accepting a place.
| Campus and stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Amsterdam, PS–CM2 | €8,501 |
| The Hague, PS–CM2 | €8,643 |
| The Hague, 6e–3e | €11,968 |
| The Hague, 2nde–Terminale | €12,436 |
First registration costs €500 per child. It is due within 15 days after admission, confirms the place only when received and is non-refundable. A former pupil returning after more than 12 months pays it again.
The re-enrolment advance is €300 per child. It is credited against the next first-term invoice but is not refunded if the pupil leaves. Re-enrolment is confirmed only after this payment and settlement of the previous year’s fees.
Textbook rental costs €50 from CP through Terminale. Lost or damaged books are charged at cost. Examination charges are €100 in 3e, €100 in Première and €200 in Terminale.
Optional SIA/BFI charges are €250 for CE2–CM2 and €1,000 for 6e–Terminale. The lycée European Section costs €400. School trips, other books, supplies, meals and activities can add further costs.
The tuition discount is 15% for a third enrolled child and 20% for a fourth or later child. It applies only to tuition, not registration, books, examinations, options or trips.
Tuition is normally invoiced in three parts: 40% for September–December, then 30% for January–March and 30% for April–June. Payment is due within 15 days of each invoice.
The school may approve nine monthly direct-debit instalments after a written request. For 2026–27, that request must reach the finance office by 10 September 2026. Do not assume approval after that date.
Every month started is payable in full. For a departure during the year, the family must submit the online departure form or give the head written notice with the exact leaving date. Without written notice, tuition remains payable.
Once a family confirms a school trip, the stated maximum cost remains due if the child withdraws. The financial regulation allows no refund without cancellation insurance, whatever the reason for cancellation.
A reduction may be requested after more than 15 consecutive days of medically certified absence. The first 15 days are excluded, and approval is not automatic.
Means-tested AEFE scholarships can support eligible French-national pupils. The family must live in the relevant consular district and be registered with the French consular register. The published deadline for 2026–27 was 23 February 2026 and has passed.
Ask the French Consulate or AEFE about the next campaign. The school’s solidarity fund is different. It can help any enrolled pupil with temporary costs such as meals, transport, trips, sports equipment, supplies or books, after an application is assessed.
The Hague secondary site has no half-board service. Families provide a lunch box or contract separately with the hot-meal supplier. Primary after-school and holiday care is provided by external childcare organisations on or near each campus.
Vincent van Gogh is a strong fit for a family committed to French-medium education and a French Bac pathway. It is particularly practical in The Hague, where one campus covers the complete route from preschool to graduation.
Amsterdam works differently. It offers a French primary education, but the child must transfer or travel elsewhere after CM2. Families should investigate that secondary transition well before the final primary year.
This is a poor fit when the family needs boarding, cannot place a legal guardian in the Netherlands or wants an English-medium IB programme. It also needs careful checking when substantial individual support is essential.
Compare other local routes in our The Hague guide, Amsterdam guide and Netherlands education guide.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
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