School year calendar guide for expats in Amsterdam
In general, all schools in the Netherlands observe a long summer holiday, and several weeks of one or two-week holidays during the year. Also schools are closed during public holidays. Academic terms only exist at the tertiary education level. Institutions are free to divide their year, but it is most commonly organized into four quadmesters.
The summer holiday lasts six weeks in elementary school, and starts and ends in different weeks for the northern, middle and southern provinces to avoid all families to go on vacation simultaneously. For the seven-week summer holidays of all high schools, the same system applies. Universities have longer holidays and usually start the year in late August or early September. The summer holiday is followed by a one-week autumn holiday in the second half of October at all levels except for most research universities.
At elementary and high school levels, the week depends on the north/middle/south division also used around the summer holidays. There is a two-week Christmas holiday that includes New Year’s in the second half of December, and a one-week spring holiday in the second half of February. The last school holiday of the year is a one- or two-week May holiday around 30 April (Queen’s Day). Easter does not have a long holiday, schools are only closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday. The summer holiday dates are compulsory, the other dates are government recommendations and can be changed by each school, as long as the right number of weeks is observed.
Typical Public School Calendar for Schools in Amsterdam and North Holland
Calendars may vary for other regions in the Netherlands and for private and international schools, make sure to check with your school before planning vacations.
School Holidays for end of 2012/2013 School Year:
- Spring Holidays (Voorjaarvakantie): 16-February, 2013 to 24-February 2013
- May Holidays (Meivakantie): 27-April, 2013 to 5-May, 2013
- Summer Holidays begin: (Zomervakantie) 6-July, 2013
2013/2014 School Year:
School Opens 2013: 25-August, 2013
- Autumn Break (Herfstvakantie):19-October, 2013 to 27-October, 2013
- Winter Holidays (Kerstvakantie): 21-December, 2013 to 5-January, 2014
- Spring Holidays (Voorjaarvakantie): 16-February, 2013 to 24-February 2013
- May Holidays (Meivakantie): 26-April, 2014 to 5-May, 2014
- Summer Holidays begin: (Zomervakantie) 5-July, 2014
Schools close for public holidays:
- April: Good Friday (Goede Vridag); Easter Monday (Tweede Paasdag)
- May: Ascension Day (Hemelvaartsdag)
- June: White Monday/Pentecost (Pinksterdag)
The Minister of Education, Culture and Science has an updated calendar and additional information (in Dutch) at http://www.rijksoverheid.nl.
