Just arrived in the Netherlands and off to school

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Even if your child has only just arrived in the Netherlands, he or she will still need to attend school. If your child does not speak Dutch yet, they must enroll in so-called transitional classes at primary or secondary level. Your child will be able to go to a regular class in primary or secondary education once he or she can speak and write a sufficient amount of Dutch.

Lees deze informatie in het Nederlands: Naar school als u nieuw bent in Nederland

Primary school for children aged 6 to 12

There are initial transition classes for children aged 6 to 12. Your child will learn the Dutch language as a second language in these transition classes.
There are 18 primary schools with a transition class in Rotterdam. You can register your child at the nearest primary school with a transition class. You will need to contact the school yourself.

Primary schools with transition classes

Area	Primary school	Organisation	Address	Telephone
Centrum	Augustinusschool	RVKO	Josephstraat 12-14, 3014 TP Rotterdam	010 436 43 78
Charlois	OBS de Kameleon	BOOR	Carnissedreef 2-4, 3083 ZG Rotterdam	010 480 85 68
Charlois	Over de Slinge	BOOR	Krabbendijksestraat 243-254, 3086 LR Rotterdam	010 480 35 52
Charlois	OBS De Globe	BOOR	Zwartewaalstraat 38, 3081 HZ Rotterdam	010 484 82 82
Delfshaven	OBS Dakpark	BOOR	Catharina Beersmanstraat 80, 3025 EJ Rotterdam	010 476 01 14
Delfshaven	OBS Kasteel Spangen	BOOR	Nicolaas Beetsstraat 4, 3027 AR Rotterdam	010 415 27 70
Delfshaven	OBS Mathenesse	BOOR	Brigantijnstraat 46-48, 3028 HH Rotterdam	010 415 11 30
Delfshaven	Emmausschool	RVKO	Tidemanstraat 59, 3022 SE Rotterdam	010 425 83 12
Feijenoord	De Schakel	PCBO	Clingendaal 2, 3075 LN Rotterdam	010 484 46 88
Feijenoord	CBS de Sleutel	PCBO	Putseplein 18, 3073 HT Rotterdam	010 484 46 91
Feijenoord	Da Costa	PCBO	Johannes Brandstraat 3-7, 3072 BD Rotterdam	010 484 35 34
Hillegersberg-Schiebroek	Stephanus	RVKO	Asserweg 360, 3052 AJ Rotterdam	010 418 47 27
Hillegersberg-Schiebroek	Goede Herderschool	Opwijs	Kastanjeplein 6, 3053 CD Rotterdam	010 418 95 79
Hoogvliet	De Notenkraker	BOOR	Othelloweg 2, 3190 AE Rotterdam	010 295 72 73
IJsselmonde	Schakelklas Beverwaard (RK de Regenboog)	RVKO	Hoensbroeksingel 15, 3077 TA Rotterdam	06 83 25 52 95
IJsselmonde	De Catamaran	BOOR	Catullusweg 298, 3076 KH Rotterdam	010 291 67 70
Noord	Taalschool Rotterdam, locatie Noord	SARO	Walenburgerweg 35, 3039 AC Rotterdam	010 790 11 49
Prins Alexander	Taalschool Rotterdam, locatie Alexander	SARO	Algiersstraat 6, 3067 MZ Rotterdam	010 790 00 15

Secondary education for children aged 12 and upwards

There are various different levels of secondary education in the Netherlands. Your child will be tested to ascertain at which level he or she can participate. These tests are conducted by employees at Koers VO, Rotterdam’s secondary education partnership. Your child will need to complete an intelligence test and a maths test. Advice will subsequently be issued for your child.
There are five secondary schools with an international transition class. You have to register your child with Koers VO.

Please contact Koers VO for information about secondary education and registering your child for the relevant tests:

ITC Intake - Koers VO. Link opens an external page in a new browser tab.
Schiekade 34, 3032 AJ Rotterdam
010 484 25 76
isk@koersvo.nl. Link opens an external page in a new browser tab.

Secondary Schools

Rotterdam-North:

Rotterdam Design College, Westzeedijk 497, Rotterdam - VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) bbl/kbl/gl (basic vocational/advanced vocational/mixed pathways) (16+)
Rotterdam Design College, Beukelsdijk 145, Rotterdam - VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) bbl/kbl/gl (basic vocational/advanced vocational/mixed pathways) (12-15 years)
Wolfert College, Walenburgerweg 128, Rotterdam - VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) tl (theoretic pathway), HAVO (Higher General Secondary Education) and VWO (Pre-University Education)

Rotterdam-South:

RVC De Hef, Slaghekstraat 221, Rotterdam - VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) bbl/kbl/gl (basic vocational/advanced vocational/mixed/theoretic pathways)
Zuiderpark, Montessoriweg 26, Rotterdam - 12-16 years VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) bbl/kbl/gl (basic vocational/advanced vocational/mixed/theoretic pathways)
Olympia College, Olympiaweg 395, Rotterdam - VMBO (Pre-Vocational Secondary Education) bbl/kbl (basic vocational/advanced vocational pathways)
OSG Hugo de Groot, Nachtegaalplein 53, Rotterdam - HAVO (Higher General Secondary Education) and VWO (Pre-University Education

Young people aged 17 years, 6 months and above

There is an international transition class at the MBO Albeda. Link opens an external page in a new browser tab. for young people aged 17 years, 6 months and above.
Young people can move onto regular secondary education, intermediate vocational education (MBO) or higher education (higher vocational education and university) after the international transition class.

Intermediate vocational education and higher education

Institutions for intermediate vocational education, higher vocational education and universities in Rotterdam:

MBO (Intermediate Vocational Education)

HBO (Higher Vocational Education)

University

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR). Link opens an external page in a new browser tab.

Bilingual MBO (Intermediate Vocational) courses

There are bilingual MBO courses for young people who have a secondary education diploma and who have a good command of the English language:

Continue your studies in the Netherlands

Young people who were already studying abroad before arriving in the Netherlands can continue their studies in the Netherlands if they meet the conditions: What are the entry requirements? - UAF. Link opens an external page in a new browser tab.