Education
Your qualification, explained.
Understand what a job asks for, describe what you hold and plan what comes next. Aruban, Dutch, US and other international qualifications are read the same way: what was awarded, by whom, under which system.
Sources read 17 October 2026. Rules and windows change: check the authority named.
Start with your situation
- I am hiring Ask for the qualification the role really needs, and say what else is acceptable.
- I hold a qualification Describe it the way it was awarded, so an employer can read it.
- I plan to study in the Netherlands Entry, funding and settling in, with who decides each.
- I am looking at the US or elsewhere Recognition first. The same questions work in any system.
How education works in Aruba
Three routes, and how they connect
School is compulsory from age 4 to 16. Primary school runs from 6 to 12.
General secondary
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MAVO · 4 years
Opens vocational education (EPI).
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HAVO · 5 years
Opens higher professional education (HBO).
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VWO · 6 years
Opens university (WO) and HBO.
Vocational
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EPB · 4 years
Three levels. The advancement level opens EPI.
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EPI · 3 or 4 years
Levels 3 and 4. Leads to work, and in some cases to HBO.
Higher education
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IPA · 4 years
Teacher training only (HBO bachelor).
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University of Aruba · 1 to 4 years
HBO and WO bachelor and master programmes.
Structure and years as described by Nuffic. Colegio EPI and the University of Aruba publish current programmes.
What Nuffic says an Aruban diploma compares with
Published, general information on how a diploma compares with Dutch qualifications on the NLQF framework.
| Aruban qualification | Compared with | NLQF level |
|---|---|---|
| Diploma Educacion Profesional Basico (EPB), advancement level | VMBO kader (vocational pathway) | Level 2 |
| Diploma Middelbaar Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs (MAVO) | VMBO-T | Level 2 |
| Diploma Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs (EPI), level 4 | MBO level 4 | Level 4 |
| Diploma Hoger Algemeen Voortgezet Onderwijs (HAVO) | HAVO | Level 4 |
| Diploma Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) | VWO | Level 4+ |
| Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Aruba | HBO bachelor | Level 6 |
| Bachelor of Arts in Organization, Governance and Management, University of Aruba | WO bachelor | Level 6 |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Aruba | HBO master | Level 7 |
A selection: Nuffic lists 17 Aruban diplomas. A comparison helps you read a qualification; it is not an admission decision, a hiring rule or a ranking.
Four habits that keep a qualification honest
Original first
Keep the title as awarded. Never replace it with another country's label.
Recognition before comparison
Check the institution and programme before asking what it equals.
A comparison has a scope
Who compared it, when, and for what: admission to study is not a hiring rule.
Admission is a separate decision
The receiving programme or authority decides. A comparison does not.
Where to go next
- Step-by-step route Describe your qualification as it was awarded. Education · For candidates
- Step-by-step route Ask for the qualification the role needs. Education · For employers
- Step-by-step route From classroom to workplace. Internship / Stage