Eindhoven International School

Educational Philosophy at ISE

International School Eindhoven sits at a compelling crossroads: a school committed to international-mindedness, located in one of Europe's most dynamic innovation hubs. Eindhoven is home to global technology leaders such as Philips and ASML, and this context infuses the school's educational philosophy with a forward-looking, STEM-positive outlook.

The school delivers the full International Baccalaureate continuum: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 4–11, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for ages 11–16, and the Diploma Programme (DP) for ages 16–18. This continuity ensures that students who join as young children can progress through a coherent, internationally-recognised framework all the way to university entry qualifications without changing curricula or educational philosophy.

In the primary years, the International Department blends a UK-influenced curriculum with IB PYP project-learning principles, ensuring that lessons are accessible and inquiry-driven. The school emphasises that all lessons are accessible to all students, including those who arrive without English fluency — a reflection of its inclusive, non-selective philosophy.

A unique element of ISE's educational offering is its Dutch Bilingual Department, which runs in parallel and follows Dutch national curriculum principles while infusing bilingual English instruction. This department serves families who value integration with the local Dutch community while still benefiting from an international outlook. Furthermore, all students in the International Departments receive Dutch language instruction at least three times a week, grounding them in the local culture and language.

The school's multilingual ethos extends further: an after-school Home Languages Programme supports mother-tongue development in languages including French, Spanish, German, Italian, Turkish, Bengali, Portuguese, and Tamil — a reflection of the 40+ languages spoken across the school community.

Altogether, ISE's philosophy can be characterised as globally-minded, inclusive, inquiry-based, and locally-rooted — preparing students for universities and careers worldwide while honouring the diverse cultural identities students bring with them.

Community Diversity at ISE

International School Eindhoven is one of the most culturally diverse schools in the Netherlands. The school community encompasses more than 1,400 students from over 60 nationalities, with more than 40 languages spoken daily across the two campuses. This is not simply a statistic — it shapes the lived experience of every student who walks through ISE's doors.

The school's location in Eindhoven is a key driver of this diversity. The city is headquarters to Philips and a major hub for ASML, NXP Semiconductors, and a thriving design and technology ecosystem (including the renowned Dutch Design Week). Multinational companies regularly relocate employees to the region from across Europe, Asia, the Americas, and beyond — and ISE has historically served as the school of choice for these families.

This results in a school population that is predominantly expatriate, with a significant international transient element: families may arrive mid-year, and students may depart when assignments end. ISE has therefore developed systems to welcome new arrivals at any point in the academic year, including EAL (English as an Additional Language) support for students who do not yet speak English upon arrival. According to the school's official FAQ, children without English are welcomed and supported — no English proficiency test is required for admission.

The school also welcomes a proportion of local Dutch-speaking families, particularly through its Dutch Bilingual Department. This creates a genuine blend of international and local perspectives that enriches daily school life.

With around 200 teachers — many of whom are internationally recruited — the staffing also reflects global diversity, and the teacher-to-student ratio of roughly 1:7 (estimated) supports the kind of individualised attention that international families often seek.

The community atmosphere is one of the school's most frequently cited strengths, with families from Asia, Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Africa coexisting within a shared educational framework that prizes open-mindedness and intercultural understanding.

Academic Culture at International School Eindhoven

ISE's academic culture is defined by its distinctive three-department structure, each serving a different student population under the same institutional roof:

1. Primary International Department (Ages 4–11)

The International primary department follows a UK-influenced curriculum enhanced by the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). The emphasis is on inquiry-based learning, where students are encouraged to ask questions, make connections, and reflect on their learning. All academic content is delivered in English, with Dutch taught as a compulsory additional language three times per week. The PYP framework organises learning around six transdisciplinary themes, encouraging students to see connections between subjects rather than treating them in isolation.

2. Dutch Bilingual Department (Ages 4–12)

A parallel primary provision, the Dutch Bilingual Department follows the Dutch national curriculum with instruction split between Dutch and English. This department serves families who wish to maintain strong ties to the Dutch educational system while still benefiting from an international English-medium component. Teachers in this department are specifically trained in bilingual education methodologies.

3. Secondary International Department (Ages 11–18)

The Secondary department follows the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP, ages 11–16) and the IB Diploma Programme (DP, ages 16–18). The MYP's interdisciplinary approach prepares students for the rigour of the DP, which culminates in internationally recognised qualifications accepted by universities worldwide. DP2 carries the highest annual tuition (€9,050 for 2025–26), reflecting the extended support, supervised Internal Assessments, and examination preparation involved.

Academic Ethos

Across all departments, ISE fosters a culture of academic ambition balanced with wellbeing. The school's library, science laboratories, computer suites, and arts facilities support a broad curriculum that goes beyond standardised testing. Students are assessed using IB's criterion-referenced frameworks, which reward conceptual understanding, communication, and critical thinking alongside factual recall.

The school's commitment to multilingualism is academically embedded: from home language classes in the afternoon to MYP Language Acquisition courses in the secondary school, language learning is treated as both a practical skill and a vehicle for cultural empathy.

Admissions Culture at ISE

International School Eindhoven takes a notably open and inclusive approach to admissions, reflecting its mission to serve the international community in Eindhoven rather than to select a narrow academic elite.

English Proficiency — Not a Barrier

One of ISE's most distinctive admissions policies is its welcome of students who do not yet speak English. The school's FAQ explicitly states that children without English proficiency can be admitted, with EAL (English as an Additional Language) support provided to help them access the curriculum. There is no English language entrance test required. This makes ISE accessible to newly arrived expatriate families whose children may have been educated in other languages prior to relocation.

Assessment Process

While ISE does not publish a detailed entrance examination syllabus, the school may conduct an age-appropriate assessment or informal level-check prior to placing students in the appropriate year group. Parents can expect an introductory meeting or interview as part of the admissions process. The school emphasises a supportive transition for all new students.

Availability and Waitlists

Places at ISE are not guaranteed. The school acknowledges in its FAQ that availability varies by year group, and that waitlists operate when demand exceeds capacity in particular classes. Given Eindhoven's growing status as a technology hub with ongoing corporate relocations, demand for places — especially in certain year groups — can be significant. Families are advised to apply early.

Fees and One-Time Costs

For 2025–26, the admissions process involves a one-time registration fee of €200 per child. Secondary students are also required to pay a refundable deposit of €500, which is returned at the end of their enrolment. Annual tuition ranges from €6,394 (Primary International) to €9,050 (DP2), positioning ISE as a mid-range international school within the European context.

Introductory Sessions

The school holds introduction sessions for prospective families (typically May–June for the following academic year), allowing parents and children to visit the campus, meet staff, and ask questions before committing to an application.

Overall, ISE's admissions culture is characterised by accessibility, responsiveness to international mobility, and a genuine commitment to welcoming diverse learners at any stage of their English language development.

ISE's Unique Dual-Campus, Three-Department Model

Few international schools in Europe offer the kind of parallel-pathway structure that ISE has developed. Rather than being a single homogeneous international school, ISE operates as one institution across two sites, with three distinct educational departments catering to meaningfully different student populations.

Two Campuses

ISE Campus (Main) at Oirschotsedijk 14b, 5651 GC Eindhoven serves the Primary International and Secondary International departments. This is the larger of the two sites, hosting students from Nursery through to IB Diploma Year 2 (approximately ages 3–18). The campus includes library facilities, science laboratories, sports halls, outdoor spaces, arts rooms, and technology suites, supporting the full breadth of the IB curriculum.

JLS Campus at Jan Luikenstraat 49, 5615 JL Eindhoven is the home of the Dutch Bilingual Department, serving primary-age students (ages 4–12, Grades 1–8 in Dutch terms). This campus provides the more intimate, neighbourhood-school atmosphere characteristic of Dutch primary education, enriched by English-medium instruction.

What Makes This Unique

The coexistence of an IB international programme and a Dutch national bilingual programme within a single school is genuinely uncommon. It allows families who are uncertain whether they will remain in the Netherlands long-term to place their children in the Dutch Bilingual stream (maintaining options for re-integration into the Dutch system) while still accessing international standards. Conversely, highly mobile expatriate families can place children in the full IB track from the outset.

Extracurricular and Community Life

The school's extracurricular offering reflects its international character. The MUN (Model United Nations) Club participates in international conferences, the Robotics Team competes at national level, and annual school musicals showcase dramatic and musical talent. A rich after-school sports programme (football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, athletics) runs seasonally across the secondary campus.

The Home Languages Programme — offering after-school classes in French, Spanish, German, Italian, Turkish, Bengali, Portuguese, Tamil, and more — is perhaps the most visible expression of ISE's commitment to preserving students' linguistic and cultural identities while they are educated in an English-medium environment. This programme is unusual even among international schools and reflects a mature, community-driven approach to multilingualism.