Secondary vocational education (MBO) | Secondary vocational education (MBO) and tertiary (higher) education

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Find out more about" data-cookieurltext="cookies" data-stats="publisher:ocw;subject:secondary vocational education mbo and tertiary higher education;type:webpageextended;uuid:0e266cdc-9b22-4647-952d-7bd32bcd1a21;pagetype:webpagina beleid;ftgtype:informatiegever;issued:2011-12-16t14-49;modified:2020-04-23t11-59" > <script nonce="YTMzNGU5NWI3YWU0NGY0ZDk5NTBlYmNkMTFhNzEyMWQ="> (function(window, document, dataLayerName, id) { window[dataLayerName]=window[dataLayerName]||[],window[dataLayerName].push({start:(new Date).getTime(),event:"stg.start"});var scripts=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0],tags=document.createElement('script'); function stgCreateCookie(a,b,c){var d="";if(c){var e=new Date;e.setTime(e.getTime()+24*c*60*60*1e3),d="; expires="+e.toUTCString()}document.cookie=a+"="+b+d+"; path=/"} var isStgDebug=(window.location.href.match("stg_debug")||document.cookie.match("stg_debug"))&&!window.location.href.match("stg_disable_debug");stgCreateCookie("stg_debug",isStgDebug?1:"",isStgDebug?14:-1); var qP=[];dataLayerName!=="dataLayer"&&qP.push("data_layer_name="+dataLayerName),isStgDebug&&qP.push("stg_debug");var qPString=qP.length>0?("?"+qP.join("&")):""; tags.async=!0,tags.src="//statistiek.rijksoverheid.nl/containers/"+id+".js"+qPString,scripts.parentNode.insertBefore(tags,scripts); !function(a,n,i){a[n]=a[n]||{};for(var c=0;c<i.length;c++)!function(i){a[n][i]=a[n][i]||{},a[n][i].api=a[n][i].api||function(){var a=[].slice.call(arguments,0);"string"==typeof a[0]&&window[dataLayerName].push({event:n+"."+i+":"+a[0],parameters:[].slice.call(arguments,1)})}}(i[c])}(window,"ppms",["tm","cm"]); })(window, document, 'dataLayer', '17953060-0014-4821-b579-e7b24c408376'); </script><noscript><iframe src="//statistiek.rijksoverheid.nl/containers/17953060-0014-4821-b579-e7b24c408376/noscript.html" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <div id="mainwrapper"> <header> <div class="skiplinks"> <a href="#content-wrapper">Go to content</a> </div> <div class="logo"> <div class="logo__wrapper"> <a href="/" class="logo__link"> <figure class="logo__figure"> <img src="/binaries/content/gallery/government/channel-afbeeldingen/logos/beeldmerk-rijksoverheid-desktop.svg" data-fallback="/binaries/content/gallery/government/channel-afbeeldingen/logos/beeldmerk-rijksoverheid-mobiel.svg" alt="Logo Government of the Netherlands – To the homepage of government.nl" id="logotype"/> <figcaption class="logo__text"> <span class="logo__sender">Government of the Netherlands</span> </figcaption> </figure> </a> </div> </div> </header> <div id="navBar"> <div class="wrapper"> <nav class="breadCrumbNav" aria-labelledby="breadCrumbNavLabel"> <span class="assistive" id="breadCrumbNavLabel">You are here:</span> <a href="/">Home</a> <a href="/topics">Topics</a> <a href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education">Secondary vocational education (MBO) and tertiary (higher) education</a> <span class="assistive" aria-current="page">Secondary vocational education (MBO)</span> </nav> <div id="searchForm" role="search" class="searchForm" data-search-closed="Open search box" data-search-opened="Start search"> <form novalidate method="get" action="/search" id="search-form" data-clearcontent="Clear content"> <label for="search-keyword">Search within English part of Government.nl</label> <input type="text" id="search-keyword" class="searchInput" name="keyword" title="Enter search terms here" placeholder="Search" /> <button id="search-submit" class="searchSubmit" name="search-submit" type="submit" title="Start search"> Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div><main id="content-wrapper" tabindex="-1"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="article content"> <h1> Secondary vocational education (MBO)</h1> <div class="intro"><p>Secondary vocational education takes up to four years, depending on the level of training. Those who complete their training can start work or go on to another form of education. More than 700 vocational courses are provided in the Netherlands.</p></div> <nav class="wayfinder has-more-than-three-items" aria-label="Links naar informatie over verwante onderwerpen" > <ul class="wayfinder__list"> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/applying-for-a-secondary-vocational-education-mbo-course">Applying for a secondary vocational education (MBO) course</a> </li> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/applying-for-an-exemption-from-a-secondary-vocational-education-mbo-course-module">Applying for an exemption from a secondary vocational education (MBO) course module</a> </li> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/appealing-against-a-binding-recommendation-for-continuing-a-secondary-vocational-education-mbo-course">Appealing against a binding recommendation for continuing a secondary vocational education (MBO) course</a> </li> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/applying-for-an-mbo-verklaring-declaration-of-secondary-vocational-education">Applying for an MBO-verklaring (declaration of secondary vocational education)</a> </li> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/applying-for-financial-support-from-the-secondary-vocational-education-student-fund">Applying for financial support from the secondary vocational education student fund</a> </li> <li> <a class="wayfinder__item" href="/topics/secondary-vocational-education-mbo-and-tertiary-higher-education/secondary-vocational-education-mbo/viewing-the-register-instellingen-en-opleidingen-rio">Viewing the Register Instellingen en Opleidingen – RIO (Institutions and Programmes Register)</a> </li> </ul> </nav> <h2>Levels of training</h2> <p>Secondary vocational education (MBO) prepares students for a wide range of occupations, from franchise manager to mechanic or nursing assistant. Demand for skilled workers is expected to increase sharply on the Dutch job market in the future.</p> <p>MBO courses are given at four different levels of training, each leading to a specific job qualification:</p> <ul> <li>level 4: middle-management training;</li> <li>level 3: professional training;</li> <li>level 2: basic vocational training;</li> <li>level 1: assistant training.</li> </ul> <p>Pupils who have successfully completed the theoretical, combined or middle-management vocational programme at VMBO level can enrol in professional and middle-management training (MBO levels 3 and 4). Holders of a level 4 MBO certificate may go on to higher professional education (HBO).</p> <h3>Practical training and classroom learning.</h3> <p>For each MBO course there are two learning pathways: vocational training (BOL) where practical training takes up between 20% and 60% of the course; and block or day release (BBL) where practical training takes up more than 60% of the course.</p> <h2>International accreditation</h2> <p>Secondary and pre-vocational education certificates are recognised abroad. You can find more <a href="https://www.s-bb.nl/en/students/europass-certificate-supplement/" class="external" aria-label="information on accreditation and certificates (opens external website)">information on accreditation and certificates</a> on the website of SBB, the Foundation for Cooperation on Vocational Education, Training and Labour Market.</p> <h2>Costs of vocational education for students over the age of 18</h2> <p>Students from the age of 18 must pay tuition or course fees, which are set every year by the government. Students over the age of 18 are usually eligible for a <a href="https://www.duo.nl/particulier/international-student/student-finance/how-does-it-work.jsp" class="external" aria-label="student grant (opens external website)">student grant</a> and a public transport student concession card.</p></div> <div class="fullWidthSection"> </div><aside> <div class="brick banner"> <a href="/contact"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" id="Layer_1" version="1.1" viewBox="0 0 270 160" x="0px" xml:space="preserve" y="0px"> <style type="text/css"> .stijl01 { fill: #FFFFFF; stroke: #CBD2E3; stroke-width: 4; stroke-miterlimit: 10; } .stijl02 { fill: #111111; font-size: 23px; font-family: "RO Sans", Calibri, Verdana, sans-serif; } .stijl03 { fill: #17628c; font-weight: bold; font-size: 31px; font-family: "RO Sans", Calibri, Verdana, sans-serif; } </style> <rect class="stijl01" height="160" width="270"/> <text class="stijl03" transform="matrix(1 0 0 1 64 43)">Questions?</text> <text class="stijl02" transform="matrix(1 0 0 1 49 95)">Contact the Public</text> <text class="stijl02" transform="matrix(1 0 0 1 41 125)">Information Service</text> </svg></a> </div> <div class="brick belongsTo"> <h2>Ministry responsible</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/ministries/ministry-of-education-culture-and-science">Ministry of Education, Culture and Science</a></li> </ul> </div> </aside><div id="follow-up"> <div class="block"> </div> </div> </div> </main> <footer class="site-footer"> <div class="wrapper"> <div class="column"> <h2>Service</h2> <ul> <li > <a href="/contact">Contact</a> </li> <li > <a href="/rss">RSS</a> </li> <li > <a href="/sitemap">Sitemap</a> </li> <li > <a href="/help">Help</a> </li> <li > <a href="/archive">Archive</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="column"> <h2>About this site</h2> <ul> <li > <a href="/copyright">Copyright</a> </li> <li > <a href="/privacy">Privacy</a> </li> <li > <a href="/cookies">Cookies</a> </li> <li > <a href="/accessibility">Accessibility</a> </li> <li > <a href="/reporting-a-vulnerability">Report vulnerability</a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="languages" aria-labelledby="languageMenuLabel"> <div class="languages__wrapper"> <p id="languageMenuLabel" class="languages__label">This website in other languages:</p> <ul class="languages__list"> <li class="languages__list-item selected"> English</li> <li class="languages__list-item "> <a href="https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/" class="languages__link" lang="nl">Nederlands</a> </li> <li class="languages__list-item "> <a href="https://www.gobiernodireino.nl/" class="languages__link" lang="pap">Papiamento</a> </li> <li class="languages__list-item "> <a href="https://www.gobiernudireino.nl/" class="languages__link" lang="pap">Papiamentu</a> </li> </ul> </div> </nav> </footer> </div>  <script src="/webfiles/1728237806798/behaviour/core.js"></script>  <script src="/binaries/content/assets/government/javascript/government-survey-bar.min-20230526.js"></script> </body> </html>

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Secondary vocational education (MBO) | Secondary vocational education (MBO) and tertiary (higher) education | Government.nl