American School of The Hague

History of the American School of The Hague

Humble Beginnings (1953)

The American School of The Hague traces its origins to 1953, when a small group of American expatriate families in the Hague region established an elementary program to serve their children. Simultaneously, a US correspondence-based secondary program was made available to older students. These two initiatives operated in parallel before gradually merging into a unified K–12 institution.

A New Home: The Wassenaar Campus (1989–1990)

The most significant milestone in ASH's physical history came in July 1989, when then-First Lady Laura Bush laid the foundation stone for a purpose-built campus in Wassenaar, a leafy municipality just north of The Hague. Less than two years later, in October 1990, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands officially inaugurated the new school buildings — an event that underscored the school's stature within the diplomatic and international community of the Netherlands.

Growth and Consolidation

Over the following decades, ASH steadily grew:

• By its 50th anniversary in 2003, the school enrolled approximately 1,100 students, with facilities having expanded to include multiple wings, specialist laboratories, a theater, and large athletic spaces
• The school developed its signature dual-curriculum offering — both IB Diploma and AP — making it unique in the Dutch international school landscape
• Accreditations from CIS, MSA, NEASC, and the IB Organization (authorized 1994) cemented its academic reputation

Present Day

Today ASH serves approximately 1,200 students from more than 70 nationalities across Pre-K through Grade 12. Its Wassenaar campus houses state-of-the-art STEM facilities, one of the largest English-language libraries in the Netherlands, a performing arts theater, and extensive athletic grounds — all built on the foundation laid seven decades ago by a handful of American families seeking quality education abroad.

Community Life at the American School of The Hague

A Truly Global Student Body

ASH is home to approximately 1,200 students representing more than 70 nationalities. The largest groups include American (approximately 28%) and Dutch (approximately 12–15%) students, with the remaining majority drawn from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas. This demographic diversity reflects The Hague's unique status as the seat of Dutch government and home to major international organizations, embassies, and multinational corporations.

Welcoming New Families Year-Round

Unlike many schools with fixed annual intake windows, ASH accepts applications throughout the year, reflecting the realities of diplomatic and corporate postings. This rolling admissions model means families relocating to The Hague can enroll their children quickly, and the school's admissions team — including Director Laura Romains and Officer Haley Pratt — is structured to support smooth transitions.

Student Well-Being and Support

ASH places strong emphasis on holistic well-being:

• School counselors are embedded across grade levels
• A dedicated school nurse provides health services on campus
• EAL (English as an Additional Language) support is available for students developing English proficiency
• Special Education and Learning Support programs serve students with diverse learning needs
• The school's core values of Empathy and Respect underpin a culture of inclusion

Extracurricular Community

The school offers a rich extracurricular life spanning:

• Athletics: Soccer, volleyball, basketball, swimming, cross country, tennis (competitive, inter-school)
• Arts: Orchestra, Band, Choir, Drama, Ceramics, Filmmaking, Fashion Design, Sewing
• Academic Clubs: Chess, Creative Writing, Robotics, Coding, Model UN, Debate & Speech
• Service: Community Service programs and Sustainable Development Goal Academies

The breadth of the co-curricular offering ensures students from any background can find their community within the school's walls.

Educational Philosophy at ASH

The American School of The Hague operates on a deeply held conviction that the best learning happens when students are at the center of the educational experience. The school's philosophy is captured in its vision statement: "We are determined to create a school where everyone is confident and able to take control of their own learning, and the world is our classroom."

Core Values in Action

ASH's five core values — Communication, Empathy, Integrity, Responsibility, and Respect — are not merely aspirational posters on walls. They form the backbone of daily school life, from how teachers design lessons to how students interact across cultural boundaries.

Experiential and Inquiry-Based Learning

The school fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through:

• Hands-on STEM programs including a dedicated Maker's Lab and modern science laboratories
• Arts integration through theater, music, visual arts, ceramics, and filmmaking
• Peace & Diplomacy programming unique in the Netherlands — encompassing Model UN, Speech & Debate, and Sustainable Development Goal Academies
• Community Service embedded at all grade levels, connecting classroom learning to real-world impact

Dual Pathway Academic Rigor

Unique among international schools in the Netherlands, ASH offers both the IB Diploma Programme and US Advanced Placement (AP) courses, giving students genuine choice in how they demonstrate academic excellence. In 2025, ASH students averaged a score of 35 on the IB DP (above the global average), with a 100% pass rate.

A World School in Every Sense

With students from more than 70 nationalities sharing classrooms, philosophy at ASH is lived experience rather than abstract principle. The diversity of the student body — spanning diplomatic families, long-term expatriates, and locally resident internationals — means every lesson naturally incorporates global perspectives. This multicultural environment, combined with rigorous academics and a values-driven pastoral culture, defines what ASH means when it says the world is its classroom.

Academic Excellence Through Dual Pathways

One of the defining features of the American School of The Hague is its status as the only school in the Netherlands offering both the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) and US College Board Advanced Placement (AP) courses. This dual offering gives students and families genuine choice in shaping their academic trajectory for university.

IB Diploma Results (2025)

• Average score: 35 — well above the global IB average
• Pass rate: 100% — every candidate who sat the exam received a Diploma
• 16% of students scored 40 or above — placing them in the top tier globally

These results position ASH consistently among the stronger performing IB World Schools in Western Europe.

AP Results (2025)

• 91% of students scored 3 or higher — the threshold for university credit recognition
• 59% scored 4 or 5 — indicating mastery-level performance

AP subjects span mathematics, sciences, humanities, and languages, complementing the IB curriculum or providing a standalone pathway for students following a US university preparation model.

Subject Breadth

The IB DP curriculum at ASH covers all six subject groups:

• Languages: English A (Language & Literature / Literature), Dutch A, Dutch B, French B, German B, Spanish B, Dutch Ab Initio, Spanish Ab Initio
• Sciences: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Systems & Societies, Sports Exercise & Health Science
• Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches (HL/SL), Applications & Interpretation (HL/SL)
• Humanities: Economics, History, Psychology
• Arts: Music, Theater, Visual Arts
• Technology: Computer Science

University Destinations

The Class of 2026 (117 graduates) received offers from institutions including Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Cambridge, Delft University of Technology, and Berklee College of Music — demonstrating the breadth and depth of university destinations accessible to ASH graduates.

Admissions at the American School of The Hague

Open and Inclusive by Design

ASH does not employ academic selective admissions. The school's stated policy is that there are no nationality restrictions, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis throughout the year. The only hard eligibility criteria are age-based:

• Pre-Kindergarten I entry: child must be 3 years old and potty-trained
• Maximum age: all students must be able to graduate before their 20th birthday

This open approach is intentional — it reflects the school's mission to serve a mobile international community where families arrive (and depart) on postings that do not follow academic calendar cycles.

Application Process

1. Create an account on the OpenApply portal
2. Complete the online application (approximately 20 minutes per child)
3. Submit supporting documents — previous school records, transcripts, any relevant test scores
4. Pay the non-refundable application fee of €280 per child
5. School review — the admissions team reviews submitted materials, may conduct an informal interview or assessment placement
6. Offer issued — families receive an admission decision

Fees Overview (2026–2027)

All grades also carry an annual Capital Levy of €4,810 and the one-time Application Fee of €280. Tuition does not include exam fees (IB/AP), materials, or extracurricular costs.

No Scholarships or Financial Aid

ASH does not publicly offer scholarship or financial aid programs. The school operates as a not-for-profit institution, reinvesting all revenue into educational programs and facilities.