International school is full. Dutch school feels impossible. Here is what happens next.
You did everything right. You researched schools before you moved. You put your child on a waiting list. You arrived with a plan.
And then reality hit.
The international school is full. The newcomer class at the Dutch school has a waiting list. The municipality gave you a phone number that goes to voicemail. And your child has been home for three weeks.
If this is where you are, this article is for you.
You are not alone and you are not stuck
In Amsterdam, waiting lists at the most popular international schools can stretch two to four years according to the International Schools Database (2026). The advice for families targeting the most sought-after schools in The Hague and Amsterdam is to begin the process nine to twelve months before your intended start date, ideally longer. Fees at private international schools run from roughly €12,000 to €30,000 per year and admission rules for partially funded international schools can be strict.
The picture for newcomer classes is more mixed. The acute pressure of 2022 to 2023, has eased in some cities. However availability varies significantly by city and district, and LOWAN, the national organisation for newcomer education, confirms that teacher shortages and capacity problems persist across many regions. Some ISKs still place new arrivals on a waiting list before they can start.
The situation differs per city, per school, per moment. That unpredictability is itself the problem.
What the law says
Education is compulsory in the Netherlands for children between the ages of 5 and 16. But the obligation runs in both directions. Municipalities have a legal duty to ensure every child has access to schooling. If a school cannot place your child, the gemeente must find an alternative. This does not always happen automatically, but knowing your rights changes the conversation.
What ISK and nieuwkomersklas mean
A nieuwkomersklas is a dedicated class within a regular primary school for children who are new to the Netherlands and do not yet speak Dutch. Children learn the language in small groups before moving into a regular classroom.
An Internationale Schakelklas (ISK) is the secondary school equivalent, typically lasting two years, with the goal of transitioning into regular Dutch secondary education. ISK programmes assess each student individually and build a learning route that fits their level and background.
Both are good programmes when they are accessible. The challenge, as ever, is getting in.
What most families are not told
Register at a stamschool immediately. Even without an ISK place, your child needs to be registered at a regular school as their stamschool. This is the school that officially takes responsibility for your child and submits their name to the central newcomer placement system. Without it, your child cannot enter the queue at all.
Contact the central newcomer registration point for your city. Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, and most large cities have a centraal meldpunt nieuwkomers that coordinates placements across the whole city. One call here is often more effective than approaching schools one by one.
Do not give up on regular Dutch state schools because of language. Many families assume a Dutch school is out of reach if their child does not yet speak Dutch. Dutch schools have welcomed generations of international children with no Dutch at all. A child immersed in a Dutch classroom often progresses faster than one waiting months for an ISK place.
While you wait: things that help
Dutch language classes for children. A head start on the language, even a few weeks of it, makes a visible difference when school begins.
The public library. Free membership for children is available at Dutch public libraries. Many branches run storytelling hours and children’s activities in Dutch. A low-pressure way to start absorbing the language while doing something fun.
The families who find places
The families who find school places when others cannot are almost never luckier. They know how to approach a school director directly rather than through the standard intake form. They understand which pedagogical profiles (Montessori, Dalton, Jenaplan) are most likely to suit their child, and how to present that in an admission conversation. They know which schools in which neighbourhoods have genuine flexibility.
This knowledge is not secret. But it is not written in one place either. It lives in the heads of people who have worked in or around Dutch education for a long time.
That is the gap that good educational support fills. Not magic. Just the right information, at the right moment, with the right words.
If you have been told there is no place, there are still steps to take. You do not have to navigate this alone.
Dutch School Navigator helps expat families find school places in the Netherlands, including in cities and circumstances where families have been told there is no availability. We offer individual family support as well as resources for HR teams managing international relocations.
Book a free 15-minute introductory call to talk through your situation.
One Comment
Comments are closed.