Onderwijsleeftijd

Onderwijsleeftijd refers to the age at which a child is legally required to attend school in the Netherlands. This age range is determined by Dutch law and ensures that all children receive formal education. The compulsory education period, or leerplicht, typically begins on the first day of the month following a child's fifth birthday. This means that a child who turns five on, for example, March 15th, will be required to start school on April 1st of that year.

The compulsory education obligation ends after twelve full school years, or when the student reaches the age of 18, whichever comes first. This extended period ensures that students have ample opportunity to complete their secondary education. However, there are some exceptions. If a student has obtained a diploma of senior secondary vocational education (mbo level 2 or higher), pre-university education (vwo), or senior general secondary education (havo) before the age of 18, their compulsory education obligation may end earlier. The specific regulations are outlined in the Dutch Compulsory Education Act (Wet op de leerplicht).