Top 10 Best International Schools in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Quick answer: what are the best international schools in Amsterdam? It depends on curriculum and eligibility. The British School of Amsterdam teaches GCSE and A Levels, Winford Bilingual is a Dutch-English primary, International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen is IB throughout, and AICS is state-subsidised. 2026-27 tuition runs from roughly EUR 20,000 to EUR 33,000 at private schools.

Last reviewed: October 2026 by Catherine from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.

Anyone searching for the best international schools in Amsterdam quickly finds that the choice is narrower than the city's size suggests. Places are limited, waiting lists are common, and the schools differ sharply in curriculum, language and legal rules on who may enrol. This guide explains those differences and then gives a shortlist of the strongest options and who each one fits.

The title says Top 10, but we have kept to four schools that expat families compare most often, and we say plainly where a school sits outside the city limits. All figures are taken from each school's own 2026-27 pages unless we say otherwise.

Amsterdam context: where the schools are

Most families who come for work settle in or around the canal ring, Oud-Zuid, Amsterdam-Zuid and the suburb of Amstelveen. Distances are short by European standards, and children often cycle, but the schools are in different parts of the metropolitan area, so check the journey for your address.

The British School of Amsterdam is on Havenstraat in the Oud-Zuid district, near the Vondelpark. Winford Bilingual is on Jan Luijkenstraat, a short walk from the museum quarter, according to the school. AICS runs from the Prinses Irenestraat in Amsterdam-Zuid and a second campus. The International School of Amsterdam is on Sportlaan in Amstelveen, just south of the city, and is included here because families searching for Amsterdam schools routinely compare it. Other international schools in towns such as Almere, Haarlem, Hilversum and Laren belong to separate local markets.

Curricula available in Amsterdam

English National Curriculum: the British School of Amsterdam teaches it through Key Stage 3, IGCSEs and GCSEs, then A Levels.
Dutch-English bilingual primary: Winford combines the Dutch curriculum, the British curriculum and the International Primary Curriculum.
IB continuum: the International School of Amsterdam teaches the IB from Early Years to Diploma, and AICS describes itself as offering all four IB programmes.

The shortlist: strongest options and who they fit

The British School of Amsterdam

BSA was created in 1977, when three families posted to the Netherlands began teaching their children at home. Since 2021 the whole school, now over 1,000 students aged 3 to 18, has occupied a single building on Havenstraat, which the school says is a converted former prison monument. The Senior School is an accredited centre for Cambridge International Examinations, Pearson, AQA and OCR, so it can choose syllabuses subject by subject.

It suits families who want a British pathway from nursery to A Levels in one place, whether they are heading back to the UK or onward to a Dutch university. Ask for the latest leavers' destinations list, since the split between Dutch and UK universities is what tests the claim. Tuition for 2026-27 is EUR 20,461 for Reception and Year 1, EUR 21,077 for Years 2 to 6, EUR 22,583 for Years 7 to 9 and EUR 22,976 for Years 10 to 13. Tip: the enrolment fee is EUR 2,000 from Year 1, and full-time learning support is charged at EUR 46,554 on top of tuition.

Winford Bilingual Primary School

Winford is a private, Dutch-registered primary school for ages 4 to 12 in which every class has two fully qualified teachers, one teaching in English and one in Dutch. The school says classes have no more than 20 children, and that all subjects are taught in both languages. From age 9 children can move to a Dutch-language route, which keeps the Dutch secondary system open.

It is a good match for families who plan to stay in the Netherlands and want a child fluent in both languages by age 12, and for Dutch speakers who want strong English. The school does not publish a fee table on the page we checked. We could not verify any figure, so ask for the 2026-27 schedule and the list of extras. Tip: ask the school for its next open day, since we could only find dates in a directory.

The International School of Amsterdam

ISA is an independent, not-for-profit school that says it receives no Dutch government subsidy. It teaches the IB Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes from Nursery to Grade 12 and has over 1,000 students from more than 60 nationalities. The school says it was the first in the world to offer all three IB programmes.

It is the choice for globally mobile families who want an IB education throughout and are happy to be based in Amstelveen. Tuition for 2026-27 is EUR 22,815 for Nursery and Pre-school, EUR 27,710 for Grades 1 to 5, EUR 30,880 for Grades 6 to 8 and EUR 32,755 for Grades 11 and 12. Tip: the school runs a door-to-door bus service with its own zones and fees, so ask for the price for your postcode.

Amsterdam International Community School (AICS)

AICS is a Dutch International Primary and Secondary School, which means the Dutch Ministry of Education contributes to its costs. It describes itself as the first Dutch international school to offer all four IB programmes, and says its Primary Years and Career-related programmes were authorised in 2021 and 2020, which you can check on the IBO website.

It suits families whose employment in the Netherlands is temporary and who want an affordable, community-based IB school in the city. The school sets fees under Dutch international school guidelines and publishes them on its site, so check the current table before you apply. Tip: some year groups have waiting lists, and siblings, staff children and returning pupils have priority.

Fees: what Amsterdam international schools cost

Annual 2026-27 tuition at the private schools is roughly EUR 20,500 to EUR 32,800, with the British School at the lower end and the International School of Amsterdam at the upper. A subsidised school such as AICS is cheaper, but it is not open to every family.

Extras to plan for:

Application fee: EUR 250 at the British School.
Enrolment fee: EUR 750 for Nursery and Reception, EUR 2,000 from Year 1 at the British School.
School lunches and optional trips, billed separately at the British School.
Bus service at the International School of Amsterdam.
Learning support, charged at EUR 46,554 for full-time support at the British School.

The hard fact to know is that Dutch subsidised international schools must follow national rules. AICS states that its pupils are foreign nationals whose parents live and work temporarily in the Netherlands, or Dutch children who attended school abroad for at least two of the last three years, or whose family will relocate abroad within two years. The municipality's own guidance adds that entry to some schools requires at least one parent to hold a foreign passport.

Practical advice for choosing

Decide on the language of the next five years. If you expect to stay, Winford or a Dutch-language route keeps local secondary school open. If you will move on, a single curriculum such as the IB or the English National Curriculum travels better.

Book a visit now. Open days and open evenings run through the autumn and winter at several of these schools, but dates change each year, so check each school's own events page rather than a directory listing.

Ask about places before you commit to housing. Some year groups at the subsidised schools have waiting lists, so confirm a place or a realistic start date before signing a lease.

See the full national ranking

For a wider comparison across the country, see ▷ Best 10 International Schools in Netherlands.

More guides to schools in Amsterdam

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best international school in Amsterdam?

There is no single best school. The British School of Amsterdam suits families who want GCSE and A Levels, Winford Bilingual gives a Dutch-English primary education for ages 4 to 12, and the International School of Amsterdam in Amstelveen offers the IB from nursery to Grade 12. Your curriculum, budget and eligibility decide.

How much do international schools in Amsterdam cost?

For 2026-27 the British School of Amsterdam charges EUR 20,461 to EUR 22,976 a year, plus a EUR 250 application fee and an enrolment fee of EUR 750 to EUR 2,000. The International School of Amsterdam charges EUR 22,815 to EUR 32,755. State-subsidised AICS sets lower fees under Dutch guidelines.

Can my child attend a subsidised international school in Amsterdam?

Only if eligible. AICS admits foreign-national children whose parents live and work in the Netherlands temporarily, and Dutch children who attended school abroad for at least two of the last three years or whose family will move abroad within two years. Permanent residents usually need a private school such as BSA or ISA.