| Diploma | Comparable to |
|---|---|
| General Certificate of Education - Ordinary Level with grades A, B or C for at least 5 subjects | at least a VMBO-T diploma |
| General Certificate of Education - Ordinary Level (Commercial) | at least a VMBO-T diploma for the general education part |
| General Certificate of Education – Ordinary Level (Technical) | at least a VMBO-T diploma for the general education part |
| Brevet d’études du premier cycle du second degré | a VMBO-T diploma or 4 years of HAVO |
| Certificat d’Aptitude Professionnelle (CAP) | an MBO diploma level 1 or 2 |
| Probatoire | an MBO diploma level 2 or 3 |
| Baccalauréat Technique | an MBO diploma level 3 or 4 |
| Brevet Professionnel | an MBO diploma level 3 or 4 |
| Brevet de Technicien | an MBO diploma level 3 or 4 |
| Diplôme de Technicien | an MBO diploma level 3 or 4 |
|
The following combination:
|
usually a HAVO diploma, sometimes a VWO diploma |
| General Certificate of Education - Advanced Level (Commercial) | usually a HAVO diploma, sometimes a VWO diploma |
| General Certificate of Education - Advanced Level (Technical) | usually a HAVO diploma, sometimes a VWO diploma |
| Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur de la Santé (DTS), : 2 years | 1 year of HBO |
| Diplôme en Soins Infirmiers (DSI), duration: 2 years | 1 year of HBO |
| Brevet de Technicien Supérieur (BTS) | 1 to 2 years of HBO |
| Diplôme Universitaire de Technologie (DUT) | 1 to 2 years of HBO |
| Higher National Diploma (HND) | 1 to 2 years of HBO |
| Diplôme de Technicien Supérieur de la Santé (DTS), duration: 3 years | an associate degree or 2 years of HBO |
| Diplôme en Soins Infirmiers (DSI), duration: 3 years | an associate degree or 2 years of HBO |
| Diplôme d’études universitaires génerales (DEUG) / Associate Degree | an associate degree or 2 years of HBO |
| Diplôme d’Ingénieur des Travaux (DIT) | 3 years of HBO |
| Diplôme d’Ingénieur de Conception (DIC) | 3 years of HBO |
| Licence (since 2008) |
an HBO bachelor's degree or 2 years of WO |
| Bachelor of Arts (since 2008) |
an HBO bachelor's degree or 2 years of WO |
| Bachelor of Science (since 2008) |
an HBO bachelor's degree or 2 years of WO |
| Postgraduate Diploma | at least an HBO bachelor's degree |
| Maîtrise professionnelle | at least an HBO bachelor's degree |
| Diplôme d’Ingénieur Agronome (DIA) | a WO bachelor's degree or an HBO master's degree |
| Maîtrise | a WO bachelor's degree or an HBO master's degree |
| Master's degree (without a thesis) | a WO bachelor's degree or an HBO master's degree |
| Master's degree (with a thesis) | a 1 year WO master's degree |
| Diplôme de Docteur en Médecine (DDM) | 1 year of a 3 year WO master's degree in medicine |
Preparatory vocational secondary education – theoretical programme (voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs - theoretische leerweg, VMBO-T). A VMBO-T diploma is awarded upon successful completion of a 4-year programme of vocational secondary education (theoretical programme).
Secondary vocational education (middelbaar beroepsonderwijs, MBO). MBO prepares pupils for the professional practice or further study. This type of education follows on from VMBO; its duration will depend on the chosen qualification. MBO comprises 4 levels (I-IV). Read more on the website of SBB.
Senior general secondary education (hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs, HAVO). A HAVO diploma is awarded upon successful completion of a 5-year programme of general secondary education.
Pre-university education (voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs, VWO). A VWO diploma is awarded upon successful completion of a 6-year programme of pre-university education. VWO is the highest level of general secondary education available in the Netherlands.
Higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). HBO is more oriented towards professions in specific areas than WO, and has traditionally been offered at universities of applied sciences (hogescholen).
Research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO). Dutch higher education distinguishes between research-oriented higher education (wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO) and higher professional education (hoger beroepsonderwijs, HBO). WO is oriented more towards theory and research than HBO, and has traditionally been offered at research universities (universiteiten).