This page compares the education systems of Netherlands and Sweden.
Education System Overview
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | 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] | Public/private mix; governance is decentralized. Municipalities operate most public schools, while publicly funded independent schools (friskolor) may be run by private providers. National legislation, curricula and standards apply across the system. |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW), supported by executive agencies and the Education Inspectorate. [Government.nl] | Ministry of Education and Research; Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket); municipalities; and the Swedish Schools Inspectorate for supervision and authorization of independent schools. [Swedish Schools Inspectorate] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 5.0% of GDP for primary through tertiary educational institutions in 2022, compared with an OECD average of 4.7%. [OECD] | 7.3% (2022, latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS series). [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | 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] | From the autumn term of the year a child turns 6 until completion of compulsory school, normally around age 16. Preschool class has been compulsory since 2018. [University Admissions] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 11 years of full-time compulsory schooling, with the qualification duty potentially extending the education or training obligation to age 18. | 10 years: one compulsory preschool-class year followed by nine years of compulsory school. |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional before age 5. Children may enter primary school from age 4; attendance becomes compulsory at age 5. [Government.nl] | Optional before compulsory preschool class. In 2024, ECEC enrollment was 95% at age 3, 96% at age 4 and 96% at age 5. [OECD] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 8 + 4/5/6: eight years of primary education followed by VMBO (4 years), HAVO (5 years) or VWO (6 years). [Government.nl] | 1 + 9 + 3: one year of compulsory preschool class, nine years of compulsory school and three years of upper-secondary education. [University Admissions] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | 69.6% Vocational / 30.4% General in 2023. [OECD] | Among students in national upper-secondary programs in 2024/25, approximately 33.2% were in vocational programs and 66.8% in higher-education preparatory programs, based on 110,900 and 223,600 students respectively. [Skolverket] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | August/September, depending on the regional summer-holiday schedule. [Government.nl] | August |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | July, with exact dates varying by region. [Government.nl] | June |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | — | — |
| Instruction Days per Year | — | At least 178 school days per academic year in compulsory school; compulsory activities may not exceed 190 days. [Skolverket] |
Grading System
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | Commonly a 1–10 scale, where 10 is the highest mark; secondary schools commonly use around 5.5 as the minimum passing level. | A–F: A is the highest grade, E is the lowest passing grade and F is a failing grade. Upper-secondary students beginning education after 30 June 2025 receive subject-level grades under Gy25, while the A–F grading scale remains in use. [Skolverket] |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Commonly a 1–10 scale, with 6 generally representing a passing grade; higher education programs use ECTS credits. | Institution-specific; common systems include U/G/VG (Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction) and other institution- or course-specific letter or numerical scales. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Dutch | Swedish is the main language of instruction. |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Frisian is a compulsory subject in primary schools in Friesland, subject to permitted exemptions. Bilingual Dutch-English secondary programs are also available. [Government.nl] | Sweden's national minority languages are Finnish, Meänkieli, Romani Chib, Sami and Yiddish. Mother-tongue instruction and minority-language education are available under specific statutory conditions. |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 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] | Compulsory school: 83% attended municipal schools in 2024/25. At upper-secondary level, the latest verified national ownership comparison showed approximately 69% in municipal or other public provision. [Skolverket] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 tuition at publicly funded primary and secondary schools. | $0. Municipal and publicly funded independent compulsory schools are tuition-free for students. |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Municipalities must ensure access to sufficient public-authority schooling, while both public-authority and eligible privately run schools receive government funding. [Government.nl] | Yes; municipalities are responsible for providing access to compulsory education throughout Sweden. |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | 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] | Compulsory school: 17% attended independent schools in 2024/25. The independent-school share at upper-secondary level was approximately 31% in 2022/23. [Skolverket] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide; government-dependent private schools form a large part of mainstream provision across the country. | — |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | — | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 41 IB World Schools. [IB] | 46 IB World Schools. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate, British/Cambridge, American and other international or European curricula, depending on the school. | International Baccalaureate (IB) and school-specific international or bilingual curricula. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | 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] | A recognized teaching degree and teacher certification are required for permanent employment and independent grading in most teaching positions. Requirements vary by school level and subject. [Skolverket] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | 22 students per class in 2023. [OECD] | 20.5 students (2023, OECD comparable measure). Swedish national legislation does not define a standardized class-size measure. [OECD] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | — | — |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | — | — |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| 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) | 519 / 485 / 503. [OECD] | 502 / 506 / 499 [OECD] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 493 / 459 / 488. [OECD] | 482 / 487 / 494 [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 483 / 441 / 485. Mathematics was above the OECD average, reading was below it, and science was close to the OECD average. [OECD] | 464 / 466 / 485 [OECD] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | 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] | Sweden has participated in every PISA cycle since 2000. Between 2022 and 2025, mathematics and reading performance was lower, while science was about the same. Results in all three core domains were below their 2018 levels and among the lowest observed for Sweden across its PISA participation. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science (Score: 485), followed by mathematics at 483 and reading at 441. [OECD] | Science — 485 points. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 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] | 50 higher education institutions (2025), including universities, university colleges, arts institutions and independent higher education providers. [UKÄ] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 14, comprising 13 research universities and the Open University. [NVAO] | 18 universities (2025), of which 16 are public-sector institutions. [UKÄ] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 37 publicly funded universities of applied sciences. [NVAO] | 12 university colleges (2025), plus 5 university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts classified separately. [UKÄ] |
| Main Institution Types | Research universities; Universities of Applied Sciences (hogescholen); recognized private higher education institutions. | Universities, university colleges, university colleges of fine, applied and performing arts, and independent higher education providers. [UKÄ] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | — | — |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | — | — |
| 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 (%) | 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) | 2 in the QS World University Rankings 2027: Delft University of Technology (#48) and the University of Amsterdam (#60). [QS] | 3 in QS 2027: Lund University (#71), KTH Royal Institute of Technology (#=82) and Uppsala University (#=87). [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 13 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 8 in QS 2027. In addition to the three top-100 institutions, Stockholm University, Chalmers University of Technology, University of Gothenburg, Linköping University and Umeå University ranked within the top 500. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 13 in the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | 8 in QS 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), which accredits programs and assesses quality assurance in Dutch higher education. [NVAO] | Swedish Higher Education Authority (UKÄ), responsible for quality assurance, legal supervision, degree-awarding powers and analysis of Swedish higher education. [UKÄ] |
| International Students (Total) | 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] | 46,920 incoming students studied in Swedish higher education in 2024/25, including exchange students and independently mobile students. [UKÄ] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | 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 | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | 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] | $0 for Swedish, EU/EEA and Swiss citizens under the general tuition-fee rules. [UKÄ] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | 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 national range approximately $8,250–$30,420 per academic year for fee-paying students, equivalent to SEK 80,000–295,000 at the 12 September 2026 exchange rate. The exact fee is set by the institution and program. [European Education Area] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | — | Approximately $8,250–$30,420 per academic year for fee-paying international students, with an average around $13,300; fees vary by field and institution. [European Education Area] |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | — | — |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Netherlands | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | 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. | Sweden operates a decentralized public/private education system under national legislation and curricula, with municipalities responsible for most public-school provision and publicly funded independent schools providing an alternative. Compulsory education currently begins with preschool class in the year a child turns six and continues through nine years of compulsory school, giving a standard compulsory duration of 10 years. Upper-secondary education normally lasts three years and includes both vocational and higher-education preparatory programs. Publicly funded schooling is tuition-free, while independent schools enrolled 17% of compulsory-school pupils in 2024/25. In PISA 2025, Sweden scored 464 in mathematics, 466 in reading and 485 in science; mathematics and reading were lower than in 2022, while science was about the same. Higher education includes 50 institutions in the broader official 2025 classification, including 18 universities and 12 university colleges. Incoming international students reached 46,920 in 2024/25. Current school changes include Gy25 subject grading, reduced digital-tool use in preschool and the nationwide mobile-free rule for compulsory schools introduced in August 2026. |