New for 2017
- The Netherlands
Primary education lasts eight years beginning at age four (with English introduced in the seventh year), after which pupils can choose between various streams of secondary education. Two of these streams, HAVO and VWO, offer general secondary education which prepares students for HE. The HAVO diploma is obtained after five years of study, and is the minimum entry requirement for admission to bachelor’s programmes in the applied arts and sciences, in the type of higher education known as hoger beroepsonderwijs (HBO). HBO is in most cases offered by hogescholen (universities of applied sciences). The VWO diploma is obtained after completion of six years of study, and is required for admission to bachelor’s programmes in research-orientated disciplines in the type of higher education known as wetenschappelijk onderwijs (WO). WO is offered by universiteiten (universities).
The VWO diploma grants access to both types of higher education in the Netherlands, i.e. to research-orientated bachelor’s degree programmes, as well as bachelor’s programmes in the applied arts and sciences. In some cases, the VWO may grant exemption from one year of study in a bachelor’s programme in the applied arts and sciences.
For many bachelor’s programmes, completion of a specific subject cluster is required for admission. For admission to a programme at a technical university, for example, the cluster science and technology is required. Students who have not completed this cluster can be admitted only after completing additional requirements.
- International
The VWO diploma can be awarded after completion of one of two programmes: Atheneum or Gymnasium, the latter of which includes instruction in the classics (Latin and Greek). During the last three years of VWO (upper secondary education), students focus on completing the requirements of at least one of four subject clusters (profielen). Both Atheneum and Gymnasium students are required to complete a general education component as well as the subjects specific to their chosen cluster.
The four clusters are science and technology, science and health, economics and society, culture and society. Each cluster is designed to prepare students for related programmes of study at tertiary level, and fulfils entry requirements to HE in the Netherlands. Some subjects may be assessed internally in the penultimate year by means of examination, paper, or project.
A final examination consisting of eight subjects is taken by all VWO pupils nationally at the end of the last year. In addition, all VWO students must pass a maths quiz (rekentoets).
In the last three years of VWO, students complete the requirements for at least one subject cluster (profiel). The requirements, including the number of hours per subject according to the law on secondary education, are:
General Education Component: Atheneum
- Dutch language and literature: 480
- English language and literature: 400
- A second modern foreign language: 480
- Social studies:120
- General science:120
- Culture and fine arts:160
- Physical education:160
General Education Component: Gymnasium
- Dutch language and literature: 480
- English language and literature: 400
- Latin or Greek language and literature: 760
- Social studies: 120
- General science: 120
- Physical education: 160
Subject Cluster Requirements for both Atheneum and Gymnasium Cluster Science and Technology:
- Mathematics B: 600
- Physics: 480
- Chemistry: 440
- Choice of one of the following: nature, life, and technology: 440, computer science: 440, biology: 480, mathematics D: 440.
Subject Cluster Requirements for both Atheneum and Gymnasium Cluster Science and Health:
- Mathematics A: 520
- Biology: 480
- Chemistry: 440
- Choice of one of the following: nature, life, and technology: 440, geography: 440, physics: 480.
Subject Cluster Requirements for both Atheneum and Gymnasium Cluster Economics and Society:
- Mathematics A: 520
- Economics: 480
- History: 440
- Choice of one of the following: management and organisation: 440, geography: 440, social sciences: 440, modern foreign language: 480.
Subject Cluster Requirements for both Atheneum and Gymnasium Cluster Culture and Society:
- Mathematics C: 480
- History: 480
- Choice of one of the following: fine arts (art, music, drama, dance): 480, philosophy: 480, modern foreign language or Latin or Greek: 760.
- Choice of one of the following: geography: 440, social sciences: 440, economics: 480.
Acceptable as a group qualification satisfying general HE entrance requirements, and more specifically, entrance requirements to research-orientated higher education.
For further information on the qualification level, you may wish to refer to UK NARIC, which is the UK body responsible for providing comparability of overseas qualifications.
|
10 |
uitmuntend |
outstanding |
|
9 |
zeer goed |
very good |
|
8 |
goed |
good |
|
7 |
ruim voldoende |
very satisfactory |
|
6 |
voldoende |
satisfactory/pass |
|
5 |
binja voldoende |
almost satisfactory |
|
4 |
onvoldoende |
unsatisfactory |
|
3 |
zeer onvoldoende |
very unsatisfactory |
|
2 |
slecht |
poor |
|
1 |
zeer slecht |
very poor |
It should be noted that grades of 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10 are rarely awarded.
Students are assessed both internally by the school, and at the end of the sixth year via a centralised, national examination. To pass the national exam, the average grade cannot be lower than 5.5.
The final grade obtained for the VWO exam is determined by a student’s marks on the final exam, the mark on the required math, quiz, and marks obtained in subjects that were not examined nationally. A final mark of 5 is permitted in only one of the subjects Dutch, English, and mathematics.
Qualification size as broken down under section ‘Subject areas’.
This qualification does not currently attract UCAS Tariff points.
HEPs may wish to consider setting subject requirements in addition to the overall result.
Central, national exams start in mid to late May, the results are available approximately four weeks later.
This qualification is current.