International School Options in Amsterdam: What Actually Exists
Amsterdam and its immediate surroundings host a real, established cluster of international schools, not just one or two options. The International School of Amsterdam (ISA), founded in 1964 and described as the first of its kind in the area, is based in Amstelveen, the municipality directly south of Amsterdam that grew into a genuinely cosmopolitan community thanks to its proximity to Schiphol Airport and corporate headquarters like KLM and KPMG. Beyond ISA, families researching options will run into the British School of Amsterdam (ages 3 to 18, British curriculum), Amity International School (ages 3 to 19, IB World School), the International French School of Amsterdam, Winford Bilingual (Dutch-English immersion, ages 4 to 12, with additional locations in Haarlem and The Hague), Optimist International Academy (primary level, with a second location in Hoofddorp), and AICS (Amsterdam International Community School), which stands out because it's Dutch government-subsidized rather than a fully private school. Because tuition, curriculum, and eligibility rules differ meaningfully between these schools, and because AICS's subsidized status in particular changes the cost picture, confirm current admission requirements and fees directly with each school rather than assuming they all work the same way.
The Official Rule
Amsterdam isn’t a one-option city when it comes to international education. According to iamexpat’s directory of international schools, families researching Amsterdam have a genuinely established cluster to choose from, not a single default.
| School | Ages | Curriculum / notes |
|---|---|---|
| International School of Amsterdam (ISA) | Not specified by source | Founded 1964, described as the first international school in the area; based in Amstelveen |
| British School of Amsterdam | 3 to 18 | British curriculum, independent co-educational school |
| Amity International School | 3 to 19 | IB World School, inquiry-based curriculum |
| International French School of Amsterdam | Not specified by source | French-based curriculum with an international dimension |
| Winford Bilingual | 4 to 12 | Dutch-English bilingual immersion; also in Haarlem and The Hague |
| Optimist International Academy | Primary level | International primary education; also in Hoofddorp |
| AICS (Amsterdam International Community School) | Not specified by source | English-language education, Dutch government-subsidized |
ISA’s location matters for house-hunting. According to Wikipedia’s overview of Amstelveen, the municipality directly south of Amsterdam, ISA is based there rather than in central Amsterdam. Amstelveen’s own character explains why: its proximity to Schiphol Airport and its role as home to corporate headquarters including KLM and KPMG turned it into what Wikipedia describes as a genuinely cosmopolitan community. If you’re weighing neighborhoods against school commutes, Amstelveen deserves a spot on your map even though it’s technically a separate municipality from Amsterdam.
The One Genuinely Different School on the List
AICS stands apart structurally, not just by name. Unlike most of the schools above, which operate as privately funded institutions, AICS is Dutch government-subsidized, according to iamexpat’s directory description. That distinction is worth taking seriously rather than treating as a minor footnote: subsidized international education in the Netherlands typically carries its own specific eligibility framework, separate from how a fully private school decides admissions, and the cost picture for a subsidized place can look meaningfully different from private tuition. Confirm AICS’s current eligibility criteria and fee structure directly with the school rather than assuming it works like the others.
Photo by Yan Krukau on Pexels
Curriculum Differences Worth Checking
“International school” doesn’t mean one standard curriculum, and the differences between these specific schools are real enough to affect your child’s path if you expect to relocate again. Amity International School runs an IB World School program across ages 3 to 19. The British School of Amsterdam follows a British curriculum for ages 3 to 18. The International French School of Amsterdam works from a French-based curriculum. Winford Bilingual, by contrast, isn’t built around a single international curriculum track at all, it runs Dutch-English bilingual immersion for ages 4 to 12. If curriculum continuity with a future move matters to your family, check which specific system each school follows rather than assuming “international” is interchangeable across all of them.
Step by Step
- List your realistic options using the schools above as a starting point, including Amstelveen alongside Amsterdam proper, and Haarlem, The Hague, or Hoofddorp if your search is flexible enough to include Winford’s or Optimist’s other locations.
- Match curriculum to your family’s mobility plans. If you expect to relocate again to a specific country or education system, prioritize the curriculum that transfers most smoothly, IB, British, French, or otherwise.
- Check AICS’s current eligibility and fee structure specifically, given its Dutch-subsidized status, rather than assuming it’s priced or admitted like the fully private schools on this list.
- Contact each school directly for current tuition and admission requirements, since these aren’t standardized the way Dutch public basisschool costs and rules are, and published details can shift year to year.
- If you’re weighing a Dutch-track basisschool against an international option for a younger child, OCO’s independent advisory service, covered in SettledIn’s separate guide, is a useful, neutral place to talk through the trade-offs.
What You’ll Need
- A clear sense of your family’s expected timeline in the Netherlands, since this shapes whether curriculum continuity or full Dutch integration matters more for your specific situation.
- Direct contact with each school you’re seriously considering for current tuition, eligibility criteria, and open-day information, rather than relying on secondhand summaries.
- If considering AICS specifically, documentation or context around your eligibility for a Dutch-subsidized international place, confirmed directly with the school.
Compliance Note
This page lists international school options in and around Amsterdam based on a third-party expat directory and general reference sources as of 2026. It is not admissions guidance, and school details including fees, eligibility criteria, exact age ranges, and precise locations can change. Confirm all current details directly with each school before making enrollment decisions.
FAQ & Common Pitfalls
Is ISA actually in Amsterdam, or somewhere else?
It's based in Amstelveen, a separate municipality directly south of Amsterdam that's practically part of the same metro area for daily life purposes. According to Wikipedia's overview of Amstelveen, the city grew into a genuinely cosmopolitan community because of its proximity to Schiphol Airport and corporate headquarters like KLM and KPMG, which is part of why an established international school ended up based there rather than in central Amsterdam itself. If you're house-hunting with an international school commute in mind, Amstelveen deserves to be on your map alongside Amsterdam proper.
What makes AICS different from the other international schools?
AICS (Amsterdam International Community School) is Dutch government-subsidized, unlike most of the other international schools on this list, which generally operate as fully private, tuition-funded institutions. That subsidized status can mean a meaningfully different cost picture, but it also typically comes with its own specific eligibility rules for who qualifies for a place, since subsidized international education in the Netherlands is regulated differently from private international schools. Confirm AICS's current eligibility criteria and fee structure directly with the school rather than assuming it works like a private option.
Do all these schools use the same curriculum?
No, and the differences are real enough to matter for your decision. Amity International School operates as an IB World School across ages 3 to 19. The British School of Amsterdam follows a British curriculum for ages 3 to 18. The International French School of Amsterdam works from a French-based curriculum. Winford Bilingual runs Dutch-English immersion rather than a single international curriculum track. Don't assume "international school" means one standard curriculum, check which system each specific school follows against what actually matters for your child's continuity if you expect to move again.
Are there international school options outside central Amsterdam worth knowing about?
Yes. Winford Bilingual has locations in Amsterdam, Haarlem, and The Hague, and Optimist International Academy operates in both Amsterdam and Hoofddorp. If your housing search is flexible across the wider Amsterdam metro area rather than locked to the city center, these additional locations widen your realistic options beyond the schools based in Amsterdam or Amstelveen specifically.
Is it common to combine a Dutch-track school with an international one for different children in the same family?
Many families with children at different ages do end up making different choices for each child, since a younger child often integrates into a Dutch-language basisschool more easily and benefits from full language immersion, while an older child closer to secondary school transitions may prioritize curriculum continuity with wherever the family is likely to move next. There's no single right answer here, and it depends heavily on your own family's mobility plans and each child's specific situation, worth discussing directly with schools and, for the Dutch-track side of the decision, with OCO's independent advisory service.
How do fees compare between these schools?
Fees vary significantly by school and aren't standardized the way Dutch public basisschool costs are, and AICS's government-subsidized status in particular sets it apart from the mostly private-tuition model of the other schools on this list. Rather than relying on a single number, request current fee schedules directly from each school you're seriously considering, since published tuition can change from year to year and often varies by age group within the same school.