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Education

In general education for undocumented children between 5 and 18 years of age is a right, also for undocumented migrants. However, in practice there may be difficulties to organise access.

Playgroup (peuterspeelzaal)
Young children can learn to play and develop together in playgroups and meeting groups, during preschool activities, and in projects such as ‘instapje’ and such like. The price of these provisions is determined by the municipal authorities and depends on the income. They are also accessible to children without residence permits, but you have to negociate the price.

Preschool education
Preschool education is for children aged 2.5 to 4 years who need extra support in their development. Your child follows a special program to stimulate development. This contributes to a good start at primary school.

Whether the child is eligible for preschool education, can be different in different cities and will normally be determined by the consultatiebureau. With preschool education, your child goes to childcare 16 hours a week.

Access to primary and secundary education Children in the age of 5 to 18 years have to attend school until they have obtained a starting qualification (VWO, HAVO or MBO level 2 certificate or higher). This obligation also applies to children who have no residence permit.1  The school is not allowed to inform the Immigration Authorities.2  You can register your child in any school. State schools are not allowed to refuse your child. However, denominational schools (for example Christian or Islamic schools) are allowed to refuse a child, depending on their rules. National Insurance Number (BSN) Children who have no legal residence in the Netherlands, have no National Insurance Number. Yet they have to go to school. The school can apply for a special education number at the DUO – iBgroep.3 School fees Primary and secondary education is free of charge. The school may charge a fee for additional costs, for example for the Christmas dinner or for school outings. If you cannot afford these fees you can consult with the school. For additional costs like laptops, sport clothes or bicycles, Stichting Leergeld sometimes provides help. Transport Children are considered to go to school by themselves. But if the child has to go to a special school that is further away, the municipality might be willing to pay for school transport.4  Check the website of the city where the child lives for ‘leerlingvervoer’.
Access to higher education Access to higher education (MBO-HBO-University) is possible if you start before your 18th birthday or if you have legal residence (‘rechtmatig verblijf’) in the Netherlands, for instance during a procedure. If you are allowed to start the education, you are allowed finish the course and obtain a diploma, even if you are no longer legally resident.1 Without a residence permit an internship is only possible if you are in an asylum procedure or if you started before your 18th birthday in an MBO-school or in practical education.2 Some higher education schools also accept migrants without residence permit. For these students they don’t get money from the Dutch government and they are not allowed to give you an official diploma. Tuition fees In some cases tuition fees for MBO-schools can be waivered. This applies to students aged 18 to 30 who have legal residence in the Netherlands, for example because they are involved in proceedings to obtain a residence permit. The form for exemption of payment [buiteninvorderingstelling] can be downloaded from the site of the DUO-IBgroep (https://duo.nl/particulier/lesgeld/asielzoeker-en-lesgeld.jsp). In some bigger cities, tuition fees for HBO or University can be lowered to the level of ‘wettelijk collegegeld’ for students with a Dutch secundary education diploma. Ask your local support organisation or Stichting LOS for options. If you have applied for asylum in the Netherlands and you want to study (at the level of mbo3 or -4, hbo or at university level), you can ask for help and financial support at the UAF. It is required that you can be registered at an educational institution. The conditions for support and a registry form can be found at www.uaf.nl.

There are many opportunities to take Dutch language lessons. For instance, language courses provided by adult education centres or by community centres. In addition local support organisations for undocumented migrants often have language courses of their own.

You find a list of options in Utrecht, Amsterdam and Rotterdam here: https://welnutaal.nl/nl