An important decision all parents of school-age children have to make when they move internationally is whether to place their children in local or international education. Some of the advantages and disadvantages are listed below.

Advantages of local education:  

• Better integration into local society opens up opportunities for social interaction
• Schools available close to your house
• Children can become bilingual
• There is a far wider selection of educational institutions available for Dutch-speaking students
• Financial contributions by the parents are lower than at international schools

More information about education in the Netherlands can be found in the paragraph Dutch Educational System.

Advantages of international schools:

• Social interaction is with people from the broad spectrum of the international community 
• No interrupted schooldays (at Dutch schools children come home for lunch)
• International schools offer Dutch as second language, and sometimes even a Dutch stream
• International schools link better with other educational systems. An important consideration for those who plan to return to their home country or move elsewhere after a couple of years
• International Schools are experienced in taking care of children that are only here for a short time

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