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How do you apply for a place for your child online? How does the registration procedure for Dutch-speaking schools in Brussels work? On this page you will find information about:
What is applying for a place?
To register your child in a Dutch-speaking school in Brussels, you may need to apply for a place for them first. Applying for a place is not the same as registration. Applying means that you as a parent indicate online which schools you are interested in. After the application period, the computer distributes the pupils who have applied across the available places. Only after that, you know in which school you can register.
Find out here which schools you need to apply for.
Why do you need to apply for a place first?
Dutch-language schools in Brussels work with an online application procedure to prevent parents from having to 'camp out' at the school gate and to make registration more regulated and smooth.
For which schools do you need to apply for a place?
Applying for a place is mandatory for:
- nursery and primary education (including the pre-school entry class)
- the 1st year of secondary education
- special elementary education in schools with an application procedure
- special secondary education in schools with an application procedure
You can register without applying for a place in:
- the 2nd to 7th years of secondary education (including dual learning)
- special elementary education in schools without an application procedure
- special secondary education in schools without an application procedure
- reception classes for non-Dutch-speaking newcomers (OKAN)
How do you apply for a place?
Nursery, primary and secondary education (1st year A and B)
Brothers, sisters and children of staff also need to register first:
- Nursery and primary education: siblings and children of staff apply for a place before the other children, between 08.01.2024 (10 am) and 19.01.2024 (12 noon). Contact the school where you have priority to apply for a place for your child. More information on how to apply for a place for siblings.
- 1st year of secondary education: siblings and children of staff have priority over other children but apply for a place at the same time as the other children. You can find more information on how to apply for a place for your child below.
All the other children apply for a place as follows:
- Prepare your application well: inform yourself about the procedure, select several schools and gather the necessary documents.
- Go to the online application app and log in with the eID of a parent or responsible person of the child you want to register.
Apply for a place for your child. Need help? These organisations will help you apply for a place online. Please note: as a parent, you remain responsible for the information and the choice of schools entered in the application, even when someone helps you with this.
The time of application does not affect your chance of getting a place. It is not the case that the first one to apply gets a place first. You do need to apply within the stipulated period:- nursery and primary education: 27.02.2024 (10 am) – 19.03.2024 (4 pm)
- 1st year of secondary education: 25.03.2024 (10 am) - 19.04.2024 (4 pm)
- Have you completed the online application? Check everything before submitting the application:
- Have you filled in everything correctly and completely?
- Have you uploaded the necessary documents? Please note: be sure to upload all documents needed to prove your priority. Your child will not be given priority without valid documents.
- Then confirm your application. Please note: your application is only valid once you have clicked on 'confirm'.
- You can still update your application file until the end of the application period. Go to the application app and log in with your eID or via itsme to view or edit your file. After the registration period, you can still view your file, but you can no longer edit it.
- After the application period, the computer assigns the available places to the children who have applied per school. More information on how places are assigned.
- A few weeks after applying, you will receive an allocation notice. This states whether your child has a place or not.
Does your child have a place? Go to the school and register your child. Does your child not have a place? Then they are on the waiting list of the schools for which you have applied. Read here how to register after applying for a place.
Special nursery, primary and secondary education
- Prepare your application well: inform yourself about the procedure, select several schools and gather the necessary documents.
- Contact the school of your first choice and apply for a place for your child. You can also apply for a place in another school that offers the same types and/or forms of education.
Need help? Contact the CLB, your current school or the school of your first choice. Please note: as a parent, you remain responsible for the information and the choice of schools entered in the application, even when someone helps you with this.
The time of application does not affect your chance of getting a place. It is not the case that the first one to apply gets a place first. You do need to apply within the stipulated period:- special nursery and primary education: 19.02.2024 (9 am) – 08.03.2024 (4 pm)
- special secondary education: 01.03.2024 (9 am) – 14.03.2024 (4 pm)
- After the application period, the computer assigns the available places to the children who have applied per school. More information on how places are assigned.
- A few weeks after applying, you will receive an allocation notice. This states whether your child has a place or not.
Does your child have a place? Go to the school and register your child. Does your child not have a place? Then they are on the waiting list of the schools for which you have applied. Read here how to register after applying for a place.