This page compares the education systems of Germany and Netherlands.
Education System Overview
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public-private mix; Governance model: Decentralized (federal). School education is primarily the responsibility of Germany’s 16 Länder, which coordinate cross-state matters through the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK). [KMK] | Mixed public-private provision; Governance model: Decentralized implementation under national rules, with extensive school autonomy. Public-authority and eligible privately run schools receive public funding under the same statutory conditions. [Government.nl] |
| Governing Body | Länder ministries of education hold primary responsibility for schools and coordinate through the KMK. At federal level, the education portfolio is held by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ). [BMBFSFJ] | Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), supported by executive agencies and the Education Inspectorate. [Government.nl] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 5.2% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank indicator sourced from UNESCO UIS. [World Bank] | 5.0% of GDP for primary through tertiary educational institutions in 2022, compared with an OECD average of 4.7%. [OECD] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | Compulsory schooling normally begins in the year a child turns 6. The end point varies by Land and pathway because full-time compulsory schooling may be followed by part-time vocational schooling requirements. [KMK] | From age 5 to age 16 for full-time compulsory education. Young people without a basic qualification are generally subject to a qualification duty until age 18. [Government.nl] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 9 years of full-time schooling in most Länder; 10 years in Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen and Thuringia, while North Rhine-Westphalia uses nine or ten depending on the program. For young people not attending full-time upper secondary education, part-time vocational schooling typically lasts another 3 years. [KMK] | 11 years of full-time compulsory schooling, with the qualification duty potentially extending the education or training obligation to age 18. |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional; the participation rate for children aged 3 to under 6 was 95.0% on 1 March 2025. [Destatis] | Optional before age 5. Children may enter primary school from age 4; attendance becomes compulsory at age 5. [Government.nl] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | Typically 4 + 5–6 + 2–3: primary school normally covers grades 1–4, followed by differentiated lower secondary pathways and upper secondary education. Primary school covers grades 1–6 in Berlin and Brandenburg. [KMK] | 8 + 4/5/6: eight years of primary education followed by VMBO (4 years), HAVO (5 years) or VWO (6 years). [Government.nl] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | — | 69.6% Vocational / 30.4% General in 2023. [OECD] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | August/September, depending on the Land. | August/September, depending on the regional summer-holiday schedule. [Government.nl] |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June/July, depending on the Land. | July, with exact dates varying by region. [Government.nl] |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 38 weeks, with calendars determined by the Länder. | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | About 188 teaching days on average, with variation between Länder and school calendars. [Eurydice] | — |
Grading System
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | Commonly a 1–6 scale, where 1 is the highest grade and 6 is the lowest; practices can vary by Land and school level. | Commonly a 1–10 scale, where 10 is the highest mark; secondary schools commonly use around 5.5 as the minimum passing level. |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Commonly 1.0–4.0 for passing grades, with 5.0 generally representing failure; institutions may use additional grading conventions. | Commonly a 1–10 scale, with 6 generally representing a passing grade; higher education programs use ECTS credits. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | German | Dutch |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Regional provision includes Danish, Sorbian and Frisian, with Low German also supported in relevant Länder. | Frisian is a compulsory subject in primary schools in Friesland, subject to permitted exemptions. Bilingual Dutch-English secondary programs are also available. [Government.nl] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | About 91% of students in general education schools attended public schools in 2023/24. [Destatis] | Approximately 30% in primary, 26% in lower secondary and 8% in upper secondary education in 2023. Most privately managed schools are government-dependent and publicly funded rather than fee-charging independent schools. [OECD] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 tuition at public general education schools. | $0 tuition at publicly funded primary and secondary schools. |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Public school provision is available nationwide and organized by the Länder and local authorities. | Yes. Municipalities must ensure access to sufficient public-authority schooling, while both public-authority and eligible privately run schools receive government funding. [Government.nl] |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 9% of students in general education schools attended private schools in 2023/24, totaling about 801,100 students. [Destatis] | 70% in primary, 74% in lower secondary and 92% in upper secondary education in 2023. Nearly all private enrollment at primary and lower secondary level is in government-dependent schools funded on the same basis as public schools. [OECD] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | — | Nationwide; government-dependent private schools form a large part of mainstream provision across the country. |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | — | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 79 IB World Schools. [IB] | 41 IB World Schools. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate, Cambridge, American, French and other national or bilingual curricula, depending on the school. | International Baccalaureate, British/Cambridge, American and other international or European curricula, depending on the school. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | Typically university-level Lehramt training, commonly a Master of Education or equivalent state-examination route, followed by preparatory service and a further state examination. Requirements vary by Land. | A recognized teaching qualification is required. Primary teachers normally qualify through higher professional teacher education, while secondary qualifications depend on subject and teaching level; recognized lateral-entry routes are also available. [Government.nl] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 21 students per primary class in the 2024/25 school year. [Destatis] | 22 students per class in 2023. [OECD] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | About 19–26 students depending on school type in 2024/25: 19 at Hauptschulen, 21 at schools with two educational pathways, 25 at Realschulen, 26 at Gymnasien and 24 at schools with three pathways. [Destatis] | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | — | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 500 / 498 / 503. [OECD] | 519 / 485 / 503. [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 475 / 480 / 492. [OECD] | 493 / 459 / 488. [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 464 / 465 / 486. The corresponding OECD averages were 463 in mathematics, 461 in reading and 482 in science. [OECD] | 483 / 441 / 485. Mathematics was above the OECD average, reading was below it, and science was close to the OECD average. [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Germany’s 2025 averages were the lowest recorded for the country across its PISA participation in mathematics, reading and science. Compared with 2022, mathematics fell by 11 points and reading by 15 points, while the 7-point change in science was statistically about the same. The longer-term data show lower performance than the levels recorded around the early-to-mid 2010s. [OECD] | Between 2022 and 2025, Dutch performance was not statistically different in mathematics and science and was lower in reading. Results in all three subjects were among the lowest observed for the Netherlands in PISA and were significantly below their 2018 levels. OECD data show a negative trajectory across all three subjects over the period since 2015. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science (Score: 486), followed by reading at 465 and mathematics at 464. [OECD] | Science (Score: 485), followed by mathematics at 483 and reading at 441. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 421 higher education institutions in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis] | 51 publicly funded institutions: 14 research universities including the Open University and 37 universities of applied sciences. Recognized private higher education institutions also operate in the Netherlands. [NVAO] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 112 universities in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis] | 14, comprising 13 research universities and the Open University. [NVAO] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 206 universities of applied sciences (Fachhochschulen), excluding a further 30 administrative universities of applied sciences, in winter semester 2025/26. [Destatis] | 37 publicly funded universities of applied sciences. [NVAO] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities; Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW/FH); pedagogical universities; theological universities; arts and music institutions; administrative universities of applied sciences. | Research universities; Universities of Applied Sciences (hogescholen); recognized private higher education institutions. |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | — | — |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | Nearly 2,400 English-taught degree programs were offered by state-recognized higher education institutions in summer 2025, including about 420 bachelor’s and 1,930 master’s programs. [DAAD] | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | At research universities in 2025/26, 53% of bachelor’s programs and 20% of master’s programs were taught exclusively in Dutch. At universities of applied sciences, 80% of bachelor’s programs were exclusively Dutch-taught in 2023/24. [Nuffic] |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | 4% of bachelor’s programs and more than 18% of master’s programs were English-taught in summer 2025. [DAAD] | At research universities in 2025/26, 32% of bachelor’s programs and 71% of master’s programs were taught exclusively in English. [Nuffic] |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 4 in the QS World University Rankings 2027: Technical University of Munich, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Heidelberg University and Freie Universität Berlin. [QS] | 2 in the QS World University Rankings 2027: Delft University of Technology (#48) and the University of Amsterdam (#60). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 28 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 13 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | — | 13 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | German Accreditation Council (Akkreditierungsrat), the joint institution of the Länder responsible for accreditation decisions covering study programs and higher education quality systems. [Accreditation Council] | Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), which accredits programs and assesses quality assurance in Dutch higher education. [NVAO] |
| International Students (Total) | Approximately 420,000 international students and doctoral candidates in winter semester 2025/26, based on the DAAD snapshot-survey projection. [DAAD] | 129,764 international degree students were enrolled in bachelor’s or master’s programs at publicly funded research universities and universities of applied sciences in 2025/26. [Nuffic] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | 12.7% in 2023 under the OECD’s internationally comparable tertiary-student definition. [OECD] | 17% of bachelor’s and master’s students at publicly funded higher education institutions in 2025/26. The share was 27% at research universities and 9% at universities of applied sciences. [Nuffic] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | Typically $0 tuition for bachelor’s and most master’s programs at state higher education institutions; semester contributions still apply. [DAAD] | Approximately $3,126 per year for students eligible for the statutory tuition fee in 2026/27, based on the official fee of €2,694. [Study in NL] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Typically $0 tuition at many state institutions, but exceptions apply for some non-EU students in Baden-Württemberg and at selected institutions in Bavaria. [DAAD] | Approximately $10,442–$23,204 annually for bachelor’s programs and $13,922–$34,806 for master’s programs, based on average institutional fees of €9,000–€20,000 and €12,000–€30,000 respectively for non-EEA students. [Study in NL] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | — | — |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | — | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Germany | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Germany operates a federal, decentralized education system in which the 16 Länder hold primary responsibility for school organization, curricula and examinations, while the KMK coordinates cross-state standards and recognition. Compulsory full-time schooling begins around age 6 and normally lasts nine years, or ten in several Länder, with part-time vocational schooling requirements applying afterward to some pathways. General education is predominantly public, with about 91% of students in public schools in 2023/24. Germany also maintains a large vocational sector centered on the dual system of workplace and school-based training. In PISA 2025, Germany scored 464 in mathematics, 465 in reading and 486 in science; science was the highest-scoring domain. Higher education comprised 421 institutions in winter semester 2025/26, while state-recognized institutions offered nearly 2,400 English-taught degree programs in summer 2025. Current changes include the phased legal entitlement to all-day primary-school care from August 2026 and DigitalPakt 2.0 from September 2026. | The Netherlands operates a mixed-provider education system in which public-authority and government-dependent private schools receive public funding while schools retain broad operational autonomy. Full-time compulsory schooling runs from age 5 to 16, followed by a qualification duty for many young people without a basic qualification until age 18. Primary education lasts eight years and feeds into the differentiated VMBO, HAVO and VWO secondary pathways. Vocational programs account for 69.6% of upper-secondary enrollment. In PISA 2025, the Netherlands scored 483 in mathematics, 441 in reading and 485 in science. Mathematics and science results were not statistically different from 2022, while reading performance was lower. Higher education includes research universities, universities of applied sciences and recognized private institutions. In 2025/26, publicly funded bachelor’s and master’s programs enrolled 129,764 international students, representing 17% of students in those programs. Recent changes include new options to cap enrollment in English-taught program components and 2026 administrative agreements on international student intake. |