Requirement to attend education and basic qualification requirement

In the Netherlands, children aged 5 to 16 years are required by law to attend education. Young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years who have not yet obtained a basic educational qualification are subject to a basic qualification requirement.

A basic educational qualification means that a person has successfully completed senior general secondary education (HAVO), pre-university education (VWO) or basic vocational education (MBO-2), or has obtained a previous qualification at an equivalent level.