Paying MBO or VAVO course fees
Depending on your age and your course, you may have to pay course fees for MBO (secondary vocational education) and VAVO (adult general secondary education).
Last updated on 3 March 2025
When you pay course fees
You have to pay course fees if you:
- are 18 years of age or older on 1 August of the first study year;
- are enrolled in a BBL (block or day release) course in MBO;
- or are enrolled in a part-time VAVO course.
You pay course fees to the school where you are enrolled in the course. How much you have to pay depends on the course you are enrolled in.
Exemption from paying course fees
Are you enrolled in two courses at the same school, and are you already paying tuition fees for a full-time beroepsopleidende leerweg, BOL (school-based learning pathway) in secondary vocational education (MBO) or a full-time VAVO course? In that case, you do not have to pay course fees for the second course.
If you enrol during a course period, you only have to pay course fees for the remaining course period.
Under 18 years of age: free VAVO
If you are under 18 years of age on 1 August of a study year, your VAVO course will be free of charge for that entire study year. This applies to both full-time and part-time VAVO courses.
Laws and regulations (in Dutch)
Uitvoeringsbesluit Les- en cursusgeldwet 2000