International Schools in Groningen

The leading secondary international school in the north of the Netherlands, situated on the Maartenscollege campus in Haren with approximately 200 students drawn from numerous nationalities. ISG offers the IB Middle Years Programme for the first five years, ages 11 to 16, and the IB Diploma Programme for the final two years, ages 16 to 18. Instruction is in English throughout, with Dutch language support to aid integration. The school is known for its tight-knit community character, small class sizes, and high student satisfaction, with an atmosphere that is more personal and intimate than larger international schools in other Dutch cities. Tuition fees for 2026-2027 are approximately 7,800 euros per year for the first child, with sibling discounts. ISG shares the Maartenscollege campus and some facilities with the Dutch secondary school, and some ISG students take classes alongside the Maartenscollege TTO bilingual programme. Buses 50 and 51 connect ISG to Groningen city centre.

The longest-standing international primary school in the province of Groningen, part of the Groningse Schoolvereniging (GSV), serving children aged 3 to 11 on a green campus in Haren since 2020. IPSG is a government-funded school with an annual enrichment fee rather than full private school tuition, making it significantly more affordable than comparable international primary schools in the Randstad. The curriculum combines the English National Curriculum for literacy and numeracy with the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), a thematic approach fostering academic, personal, and international development. Dutch language and culture are taught two hours weekly. English is the primary language of instruction. Specialist subjects include Music, Physical Education, and ICT. EAL (English as Additional Language) support is available. By 2029 the Rijksstraatweg campus will be expanded into a full International Campus for the north of the Netherlands. Admission requires meeting Dutch International School criteria; applications via the school website.

For families planning a longer-term or permanent stay in Groningen, Dutch state schools are free and of high quality. The large University of Groningen international population means Dutch primary and secondary schools in the city are more accustomed to non-Dutch-speaking children than schools in most other Dutch cities, with language support programmes generally well developed. The Groningse Schoolvereniging (GSV) based in the Helpman neighbourhood is a well-regarded private school offering both a bilingual Dutch-English programme and a fully English International Department at primary level. Transition from the Dutch state system to ISG for secondary is well-established for children who enter through IPSG or a Dutch primary. Your child’s GP can refer to language support services and the gemeente provides integration information.

One of the most internationally characterised universities in the Netherlands, with 35,000 students, English-medium programmes across multiple faculties, and an international intake that in some programmes exceeds 50 percent. Founded in 1614, the university is embedded throughout the historic city centre in former monasteries and historic buildings, with the Zernike Campus to the north housing science, technology, and medical faculties. The university is consistently ranked in the top 100 globally and is particularly strong in medicine, life sciences, physics, economics, and law. The large English-speaking student community is the primary reason Groningen functions so well for expat professionals who need an English-language social and professional environment. For families with older children approaching university age, the University of Groningen is worth understanding as part of the city’s educational context.