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Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy

Netherlands, Amsterdam

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The school at a glance
Instructs in Dutch, English
Fees €180 - 1,250
Ages 11 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 748
Type Co-educational
Opened 2016
Bus Service No
Availability Not shared by this school
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP), Dutch Curriculum
Taught languages Dutch, English, Spanish, German
Typical class size 26
Strengths Visual and Creative Arts, STEM, Languages
Clubs Arts and Creative, Community and Service, Cultural and Language
Stages Secondary School, Sixth Form
Introduction

Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy (ALASCA) is a secondary school offering vwo+ and havo. It operates as an IB World School, delivering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme from year 5, alongside a Dutch curriculum for exit qualifications. ALASCA uses a school-wide, interdisciplinary curriculum that blends subjects such as philosophy, ethics, design, science and mathematics, with an emphasis on English and international perspectives. From the International Profile Year 4–6, students pursue core IB elements (Theory of Knowledge, Creativity, Activity and Service, Extended Essay) and IB subjects including Dutch and English literature, Dutch ab initio, Psychology, Design Technology, Maths Applications and Interpretation, and Visual Arts. The school places emphasis on metacognitive skills, research, and essay writing, while maintaining traditional subject study for exams in later years. Facilities are modern, and service-learning projects foster citizenship. An international exchange with ies Manacor, and language offerings in Dutch, English, Spanish, and German, support engagement.

alasca.espritscholen.nl

Geertje Wielemaplein 1, 1095 MM Amsterdam, Netherlands

Vibes and Culture
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The Essentials

Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy has 748 pupils, typical class sizes of 26, instruction in Dutch, English.

Location
ALASCA is housed in a modern, light and spacious building on Zeeburgereiland in Amsterdam.

Stages
Education at vwo+ and havo levels, with the IB Diploma Programme available from 2021/22.

Type
ALASCA is a secondary school offering vwo+ and havo levels, and is part of Esprit Scholen; it emphasizes liberal arts & sciences with an international focus and offers the IB Diploma Programme from year 5.

Additional learning support
ALASCA aims to maximize every student's potential and fulfill obligations under the Act on Appropriate Education. The school has no specific care profile. The care coordinator is Ms. D. Ferkenius. It provides resources including a school support profile, absenteeism policy, development perspective plan (OPP), and uses MULTIsignaal to coordinate professionals and families.
Diving Deeper
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Fees

Annual tuition at Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy ranges from EUR 180 to EUR 1,250 for 2026/27.

Application fees
- No separate application or enrolment fee is charged for admission to ALASCA; the school follows the Amsterdam centralised admissions procedure for placements.

Tuition / annual charges by year group (full detail)
- General note: ALASCA is a Dutch, publicly funded secondary school and does not charge regular tuition in the way private international schools do; instead the school requests voluntary parent contributions and specific programme contributions where required.

- Regular havo / vwo students (years 1–4 and standard upper years not in the IB DP): a voluntary parent contribution of EUR 180 per academic year has been set for schoolyear 2025–2026. This annual contribution is broken down as: Reizen (travel) EUR 100; Uitstapjes en excursies EUR 50; Overige kosten (schoolfeesten, trainingen, sprekers, etc.) EUR 10; Meerjarig solidariteitsfonds EUR 20. Equivalent per-term amount (the school year has four instructional periods): EUR 180 ÷ 4 = EUR 45 per period (the school issues a single annual request; the per-term figure is the simple division of the annual amount by four for reference).

- International Profile / IB Diploma Programme students (typically Years 5 and 6): a specific parental contribution is charged to cover IB membership and exam costs. That contribution is EUR 1,250 per student per year. The EUR 1,250 annual amount is itemised as: Student activities and additional learning materials EUR 650; Examination fees (total expected in DP2) EUR 350; Costs to remain authorised as an IB World School EUR 200; Multi-year IB solidarity fund EUR 50. Resit (herkansing/resit) fees are excluded from the EUR 1,250 and are charged separately at EUR 85 per subject for resits. Equivalent per-term amount (school year divided into four instructional periods): EUR 1,250 ÷ 4 = EUR 312.50 per period (the school bills this as an annual parental contribution).

- Summary of per-year and per-term figures (stated as charged amounts and simple four-period equivalents):
- Regular voluntary parent contribution (havo/vwo): EUR 180 per year (≈ EUR 45 per school period).
- IB parental contribution (DP students): EUR 1,250 per year (≈ EUR 312.50 per school period); resits charged separately at EUR 85 per subject.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- All parent contributions and trip-specific charges are billed by the school via a payment request issued to parents in good time. When parents cannot pay a trip or programme cost in a single payment, the school indicates it will discuss and arrange an alternative payment solution. The IB parental contribution is charged annually. The school's year structure is organised in four instructional periods; the published contributions are annual amounts.

Boarding fees
- Boarding is not applicable. ALASCA is a publicly funded day secondary school in Amsterdam; no boarding facilities or boarding fees are charged.

Other costs and fees (required items, excursions, exams, uniforms, etc.)
- Required personal items and learning-material costs that parents are expected to supply include: a laptop with charger (strongly recommended), gym kit (white-soled sports shoes, sports shirt and shorts), notebooks, sketch/dummy book for certain year groups, pencil case items, colour pencils, and mathematics tools (compass, set square, and a TI NSpire CX II-T graphing calculator required from Year 4 onward). The school purchases most lesson materials itself but specifies the items parents must provide; the school can offer discounts for the calculator purchase.
- International and curricular trips have separate estimated participant costs for 2025–2026 (charged in addition to the voluntary contribution); examples published for 2025–2026 are: Year 1 Terschelling ≈ EUR 195; Year 2 England ≈ EUR 385; Year 3 Ardennes ≈ EUR 355; Year 4 international profile trip ≈ EUR 550. Exact trip prices may vary year-to-year and are billed separately.
- Uniform: no school uniform fee is listed; the school does not require a formal uniform but does specify gym clothing and personal items as above.

Refund information
- No formal, detailed refund policy for parental contributions or the IB parental contribution is published in the school guide and international-profile brochure. For trips, the school notes that participation costs are billed and that if a pupil cannot participate due to force majeure the school will provide a learning‑replacement programme; specific refund rules (for example, partial refund timelines or administrative fees) are not stated in the published school documents.

Fee payment options (credit card / bank transfer / other)
- The schoolgids and international-profile brochure publish the amounts and state that parents will receive payment requests, and that the school will discuss payment solutions when needed. Specific payment methods (for example, bank transfer details, iDEAL, direct debit, or credit-card payment options) are not listed in the published school documents. Parents are directed to the school administration for payment arrangements.
Academics

Amsterdam Liberal Art & Sciences Academy teaches IB (DP), Dutch Curriculum for students aged 11 to 18.

Curriculum
ALASCA uses its own school-wide curriculum that incorporates all national core objectives and end terms. The curriculum is largely interdisciplinary, with modules that blend subjects such as astronomy, history, philosophy, design, and science. The school also includes its own learning goals in metacognitive skills, philosophy, design, technology, and art, embedded in the module structure. In the upper years, the curriculum includes more traditional subject study for exam preparation. From year 5, students may choose to participate in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The school places strong emphasis on English and has an international focus, with some instruction and study materials in English.

Higher Education Progression
ALASCA offers the International Profile, including the International Preparatory Year and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The International Profile runs from the IPY through the DP, with core IB components such as Theory of Knowledge, Extended Essay, and CAS, alongside HL/SL subjects (including Dutch and English language subjects, and courses like Psychology, Design Technology, and Mathematics). A portion of the program is delivered in English to support international study, enabling entry to universities worldwide.

Gifted and Talented
Students may accelerate, broaden or deepen their studies through elective modules and accelerated examination options, available in the lower and upper years. In the upper years, they can take additional subjects and pursue earlier exam completion when appropriate. ALASCA also offers ALASKLAS, a support track to assist learners who need extra guidance, ensuring they can continue their education within ALASCA with targeted support.
Wellbeing
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Parent Experience
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Facilities
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Extra-Curricular Activities
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Languages
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Reputation
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Admissions

Admissions
1. IPY admissions (International Profile Preparatory Year, age 15-16). The IPY pathway is open to students with a 3 vwo report card eligible for Year 4, students with a havo report card under special circumstances such as English spoken at home, and other students proficient in English with an academic record sufficient to enter Year 4 of pre-university education. An admission interview with the DP Coordinator and/or Career counsellor is part of the IPY process.

2. IB DP admissions (International Profile IB DP, age 16-18). IB DP admissions are open to: Students who have successfully finished IPY at ALASCA, students admitted to 5 vwo, students with a 5 havo Diploma, and Dutch or expatriate students at international schools abroad who are proficient in English and have an academic record sufficient to enter Year 5 of vwo. The IB Diploma Programme is a rigorous, academic programme requiring academic ability combined with commitment and resilience for students aged 16-18. An admission interview with the DP Coordinator and/or Career counsellor is part of the IB DP process.
School Events
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