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International School Twente

Netherlands, Enschede

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The school at a glance
Instructs in English
Fees €4,500 - 7,186
Ages 4 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 500
Type Co-educational
Opened 2008
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (PYP), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP)
Taught languages Dutch, Spanish, German, English
Typical class size 16
Strengths STEM, Visual and Creative Arts, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Cultural and Language, Academic and Intellectual
Stages Early Years, Primary School, Middle School, Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

International School Twente (IST) serves pupils aged 4–18 in Enschede, Netherlands, delivering English-medium international education across two campuses. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is offered in the primary school, and the Cambridge curriculum is used in the lower secondary, with Cambridge Lower Secondary (Years 7–9) to be fully implemented from 2026–2027, followed by Cambridge IGCSE (Years 10–11) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) for university preparation. All lessons are taught in English. IST's two campuses share facilities with its Dutch partner school; the Primary Campus emphasizes inquiry-based learning within the PYP, while the Secondary Campus provides science labs and music and arts classrooms. A library supports study, and additional facilities include PE spaces and shared sports grounds. The school offers a varied after-school program and diverse language options, including Dutch, English, Hindi, French and Mandarin. Features include a House system and excursions that connect international and local communities.

Tiemeister 20, 7541 WG Enschede, Netherlands

The Essentials

International School Twente has 500 pupils, typical class sizes of 16, instruction in English.

Location
IST Twente is located in Enschede, in the Twente region of the eastern Netherlands. The Primary Campus is at Johannes ter Horststraat 30, 7513 ZH Enschede, and the Secondary Campus is at Tiemeister 20, 7541 WG Enschede. Enschede is a city in Overijssel near the German border, known for outdoor spaces and culture. IST collaborates with regional partners including UTwente and Saxion.

Stages
IST has two education levels: Primary education and Secondary education. Primary education is an IB World School offering the Primary Years Programme (PYP). Secondary education is a Cambridge International Examination Centre offering the Cambridge Lower Secondary (with a plan to implement the full curriculum from 2026–2027), Cambridge IGCSE (Year 10–11), and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP).

Type
IST is an international school offering IB and Cambridge curricula across its primary and secondary programmes.

Additional learning support
IST provides English Language Acquisition (ELA) and Dutch as an international language, with specialist teachers and progress reporting to support language development and curriculum access.

Country affiliation
Netherlands

School day structure
IST's opening hours are between 08:00 and 17:00 on school days.
Diving Deeper

House System
The school has a House system with four Houses. All IST students are members of one House to foster community beyond their class.

Governance and Ownership
IST Secondary operates within the Het Stedelijk group in Enschede, and is partly government-funded and partly privately funded through tuition fees. Daily leadership is provided by the principal (Mr de Bruin) and coordinating staff. The Participation Council is a legally required body comprising two teachers, one parent and one student, which reviews school operations and publishes meeting minutes. IST Secondary is one of nine locations within the Stedelijk organisation, and has its own budget funded by tuition and government allocations to Stedelijk for IST students. The executive principal responsible for IST is Mr Eijssink, and the Stedelijk organisation is headed by Ms Ketz.
Fees

Annual tuition at International School Twente ranges from EUR 4,500 to EUR 7,186 for 2026/27.

Application fees

- No separate application or registration fee is charged. Applications require completion of the digital Application form and submission of supporting documents (photograph, academic and medical records) as part of the enrolment process.

Tuition fees by year group (annual and instalment detail)

- Primary (Years 1–6): EUR 4,500 per year. Instalment option: eight equal payments of EUR 562.50 (payments due 1 Sep–1 Apr).

- Secondary Year 7–9: EUR 5,812 per year. Instalment option: eight equal payments of EUR 726.50 (payments due 1 Sep–1 Apr).

- Secondary Year 10–11 (IGCSE years): EUR 7,186 per year. Instalment option: eight equal payments of EUR 898.25 (payments due 1 Sep–1 Apr).

- IB Diploma Programme (DP1 & DP2 / Years 12–13): EUR 7,186 per year. Instalment option: eight equal payments of EUR 898.25 (payments due 1 Sep–1 Apr). Examination-related IB subject and core fees are additional: IB subject fee EUR 85; IB core fee EUR 33 (where applicable). Other external examination fees may apply for specific year groups.

Billing schedule and payment terms

- Annual school fees are charged in advance for the academic year. Invoices are issued by email and may be addressed either to a parent or to an employer.

- Two payment options are available: (1) single payment by invoice (parent or employer billed in full), or (2) payment in eight instalments (payments due on 1 September, 1 October, 1 November, 1 December, 1 January, 1 February, 1 March and 1 April). The instalment amounts are listed above by year group.

- For students who enter after the start of the academic year, tuition payable is adjusted on a percentage basis according to the month of commencement (for example: October 90%, November 80%, December 70%, January 60%, February 50%, March 40%, April 30%, May 20%, June 10%, July 10%).

- Departure and notice: unless full written notice of withdrawal is given at least 30 days in advance, fees will continue to be charged. For departures during the year the school applies the stated month-by-month charge/credit percentages. Non-payment may be referred to an external debt collector and additional costs will be charged to the parent/guardian. IST may also refer students to national public school provision in cases of unpaid fees.

Boarding fees

- Boarding is not offered; the school operates as a day school only. No boarding fees apply.

Other costs and exclusions

- The annual school fee includes books and day trips.

- The annual fee does not include: extracurricular clubs/after-school activities, external examination fees (where applicable), specialist learning support (if required), mother-tongue lessons, and longer overnight school trips; these are charged separately as required. Specific examination charges are shown for some year groups (example: Year 9 approx. EUR 37 per exam; Year 11 approx. EUR 92 per exam; IB fees as above). Prices for some items are approximate and may vary.

- Uniforms: students are not required to wear a school uniform; there is no uniform fee.

- Family discount: reductions apply for additional children from the same family enrolled at the school. The reductions are applied as follows: second child 50% reduction, third child 75% reduction, fourth child 100% reduction (the oldest child is counted as the first child for calculation).

Refund information and mid-year adjustments

- Pro‑rata and refund approach for mid-year starts: the school charges a percentage of the full tuition depending on the month a student commences (see billing schedule section above). These month-by-month percentages determine the amount payable on entry.

- On withdrawal, the school's departure percentages and the 30‑day written notice requirement determine any fee liabilities or reimbursements; fees continue to be charged unless the required notice has been given.

Fee payment options and practical notes

- Invoices are sent by email and can be addressed to the parent or to the employer for direct settlement. Instalment billing follows the eight-payment schedule outlined above. The invoice will contain the payment instructions and terms. Non-payment procedures include debt-collection referral and potential administrative consequences for the student's place.


(End of fees overview.)
Academics

International School Twente teaches IB (PYP), Cambridge (Secondary), Cambridge IGCSE, IB (DP) for students aged 4 to 18.

Curriculum
Primary: The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is offered; IST is an authorised IB World School; PYP serves ages 3–11 and forms the foundation for the MYP and DP. Secondary: IST is a Cambridge International Examination Centre and an IB World School. Cambridge Lower Secondary (Years 7–9) will be fully implemented from 2026–2027, offering English, Dutch, Humanities, Mathematics, Science, Visual Arts, Physical Education and Music. IGCSE (Years 10–11) leads to the IB Diploma Programme (DP), which IST offers for university preparation. The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) is available for university preparation. All lessons at IST are delivered in English. And the DP supports progression to higher education in the Netherlands or abroad.

Student Teacher Ratio
IST has smaller class sizes than Dutch schools, providing more opportunities for individual attention.

Higher Education Progression
IST Secondary uses the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), which prepares students for university; DP studies can lead to higher education in the Netherlands or elsewhere.
Parent Experience

History
IST opened in 2008 as the international department of the Dutch Primary Prinseschool, part of Stichting Consent. In 2011, Het Stedelijk Lyceum opened a department at College Zuid for international secondary education. IST Primary moved into its own building at Johannes ter Horststraat in Enschede in 2016. IST Primary and IST Secondary joined forces in 2016 to offer international education to pupils aged 4 to 18.

Community
IST is a connected community that serves as an important local meeting place for the international community. It welcomes all families and promotes international-mindedness, providing an inclusive environment where students can form lasting friendships. IST collaborates with the Dutch departments at Prinseschool and Het Stedelijk Lyceum, and with the University of Twente and regional vocational institutions, to weave Dutch language and culture into the curriculum and connect students with local organizations. Parental involvement is valued, supported by the IST Parents Council and IST Parents Support Group, and the House system helps students build community beyond their classrooms.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The IST Parents Council and IST Parents Support Group are active and play an important role in developing the school. Parental involvement is encouraged and the parent groups contribute to school development. The school hosts parent-focused events, including the end-of-year event Soda, Smiles and Goodbyes and themed Parent Evenings such as sessions on gaming habits and social media. Many events are held within the school, but larger events invite parents and other friends of IST. These events aim to connect parents, teachers, and students outside the classroom.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
Two IST campuses operate in Enschede: Primary Campus at Johannes ter Horststraat 30, 7513 ZH Enschede, serving ages 4–11, and Secondary Campus at Tiemeister 20, 7541 WG Enschede, serving ages 11–18. The Secondary is housed in Enschede-Zuid in a building shared with its Dutch partner school, and the two campuses share facilities such as sports grounds. The Secondary provides science labs and well-designed music and arts classrooms, while the Primary emphasizes inquiry-based learning within the Primary Years Programme. A library supports quiet study and revising at IST. The Primary and Secondary campuses operate under IST's international curriculum framework, with Primary as an Authorized IB World School and Secondary offering CambridgeLower Secondary, IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes.

Sports Facilities
IST Secondary shares sports grounds with its Dutch partner school for physical education and team sports. The campuses utilize these shared facilities to support PE and sports activities.

Academic Facilities
Primary education at IST is delivered through the Primary Years Programme as IST is an Authorized IB World School. Secondary education combines Cambridge Lower Secondary (years 7–9), Cambridge IGCSE (years 10–11) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) (years 12–13). IST Secondary shares science labs and well-designed music and arts classrooms with the Dutch partner school. There is a library on site for quiet study and revising.

Extra Curricular Facilities
IST offers a broad range of extracurricular activities across both campuses. On the Primary Campus, after-school activities include painting, the Music Club, Hindi, French and Mandarin language classes, swimming, the Early Bird Club, Dutch Language, Arts and Crafts, Sewing Club, Book Club, Cooking Club (Food Revolution), Dancing and Fun and Play. On the Secondary Campus, activities include Chess Club, Debate and MUN, Music Choir/Band, and IST Sports Club, with annual trips such as Paleis 't Loo, Berlin, Brussels and Holten science trip.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school offers science workshops as part of its after-school activities to enrich STEM learning. The primary campus also offers a Book Club to promote reading and critical thinking. Dutch language lessons and other enrichment activities extend learning beyond the regular school day.

Arts & Creative
After-school offerings include Arts and Crafts activities, Guitar lessons and Photography workshops. Dance lessons and Arts Around the World lessons are also listed as enrichment options. Yoga and Swimming lessons are part of the program as well.

Cultural & Language
The Dutch culture program celebrates major Dutch celebrations. It also teaches English, German and Spanish to broaden cultural awareness. The school hosts multicultural celebrations such as Dias de los Muertos and Thanksgiving, and a traditional New Year's event. After-school language options include Hindi, French and Mandarin.

Social & Hobbies
After-school activities include Painting, The Music Club, and Dutch Language. Additional options include Sewing Club, Book Club, Cooking Club (Food Revolution), Dancing, and Fun and Play. Swimming is also available as an after-school activity.

Community & Service
IST partners with local organizations to provide care and support for students, including BSO de Villa and BSO Eigenwijs for after-school childcare, ANWB for traffic safety lessons, and Aquadrome hosting weekly swimming lessons. The IST Parent Teacher Organisation connects parents, teachers and pupils to support school life. IST is a community school that connects the international and local community.

Leadership & Professional
Houses: Primary has House of Fire, Earth, Wind and Water; Secondary has House of Phoenix, Colossus, Pegasus and Kraken. Children stay in their house throughout IST, and older students mentor younger students. Students earn House Points for achievements in academics, character, and community service. Annual house events include Sports Day, the Spelling Bee, and other festivities.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
After-school activities include Swimming, Yoga and Dancing. Painting and Arts and Crafts are offered after school. Outdoor spaces are designed for exploration and play-based learning.
Languages

Language Provision
English is the primary language of instruction. An English Language Acquisition (ELA) programme provides support for learners of English, including bilingual support and English language classes. All teachers contribute to students' English language development within their subject areas. IST encourages use of students' mother tongues and provides opportunities to share languages and cultures to foster intercultural understanding.

Bilingual Teaching
English is the primary language of instruction at IST. An English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme provides support for learners of English and includes bilingual support to develop students' English and their mother tongues. All teachers, across subjects, contribute to English language development within the curriculum, and the school aims to build literacy through phonics, reading, and writing. The school also recognises and supports students' mother tongues to promote intercultural understanding.

Immersion Programs
Dutch language and culture are taught to help students integrate into the local community. All students study the host language Dutch. Dutch is offered twice per week as a language of study from Year 0/Reception onwards, with differentiation for more advanced Dutch speakers. When possible, Dutch lessons are aligned with the curriculum and units of inquiry.
Admissions

Admissions
Step 1: The school invites you to submit an application form to enroll your child. The school's admissions team acknowledges receipt of the application and requests supporting documentation, including proof of eligibility, two years of school reports, and a reference letter addressing academic and personal traits. A school tour or video call with the admissions officer can be arranged after the initial inquiry. The school offers open enrollment year‑round to accommodate relocations.
School Events
The school has not added events
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