Brussels Dutch Schools Tighten Language Rules for Enrollment

Parents seeking priority enrollment for their children in Dutch-language schools in Brussels will now be required to provide a formal language proficiency certificate proving B2-level Dutch across reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. The Flemish Parliament approved the measure on July 15 under an urgent procedure, with 62 votes in favor, 24 against, and 29 abstentions.

What the New Rules Require

The decree amendment, which takes effect for the 2027-2028 school year, replaces the previous system where an oral test was sufficient to demonstrate language proficiency. Now, at least one parent must provide a recognized certificate proving B2-level competence in all four language skills.

Acceptable proof includes a Dutch-language diploma, a test from the Huis van het Nederlands (House of Dutch), an Interuniversitaire Taaltest Nederlands voor Anderstaligen (Interuniversity Dutch Language Test for Non-Native Speakers), or a Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal (CNaVT), according to VRT NWS.

B2 is an advanced language level defined by the ability to understand complex texts, communicate fluently and spontaneously with native speakers, and write clearly and in detail. It is considered the minimum standard for higher education or Dutch-language employment in both Belgium and the Netherlands.

Protecting Flemish Access to Schools

The measure is designed to ensure that the 65 percent of secondary school places reserved for Dutch-speaking families in Brussels actually go to children from households where Dutch is genuinely spoken at the required level. The priority system has existed since 2010, but concerns have grown that families were claiming priority without meeting the language standard.

Flemish Minister for Brussels Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) said the change closes a loophole in the existing rules. “A priority rule only makes sense if it reaches the people for whom it is intended,” she told VRT NWS. “That’s why we ensure that parents who use the priority for Dutch-speaking families demonstrate their knowledge of Dutch fully and objectively. Whoever claims to master level B2 must actually be able to prove it.”

Education Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA), who announced in early July that the enrollment procedure would be evaluated, emphasized that the requirement goes beyond the classroom. “Dutch is not only the language in which children receive lessons,” Demir said. “Parents must also be able to understand school letters, follow digital communication, and engage in conversation with teachers and school administrations.”

Background: A Growing Place Shortage

The decree follows mounting pressure on Dutch-language education in Brussels, a predominantly French-speaking city where Flemish schools operate as a minority language enclave. In May 2026, VRT NWS reported that 752 children in the academic track (A-stroom) and 352 in the vocational track (B-stroom) were unable to secure places in Dutch-language secondary education.

Despite 125 million euros invested since 2010, creating 5,600 primary and nearly 2,000 secondary school places, demand continues to outstrip supply. An additional 1,900 secondary places are planned, with officials projecting a surplus of approximately 1,300 places by 2030-2031.

Flemish MP Koen Daniëls (N-VA), the lead sponsor of the decree, framed the measure as protecting the quality and identity of Flemish schools. “Whoever consciously chooses Dutch-language education in Brussels also makes a clear choice for Dutch,” he said. “With this clarification, we ensure that priority for Dutch speakers is also given to families where Dutch is mastered at B2 level — not only orally, but also in writing.”

Implications and Reactions

The vote breakdown — 62 in favor, 24 against, 29 abstentions — reflects the politically sensitive nature of language policy in Brussels. The decree was sponsored by a cross-party coalition including N-VA, cd&v (Christian democrats), and Vooruit (socialists), while opposition likely came from parties including Groen (Greens) and PVDA (far-left).

For French-speaking families in Brussels, the shift from oral-only testing to a full four-skills assessment may create an additional hurdle. Bilingual families who previously passed an oral test will now need to prepare for written examinations. Non-EU immigrant families face an even steeper barrier, as they must achieve B2 in all four skills rather than oral proficiency alone.

Families already benefiting from the priority arrangement are unaffected by the change, and siblings retain their existing rights.

Broader Language Policy Context

This measure is part of a wider Flemish government push on language requirements in education. In February 2026, the Flemish government approved a concept note titled “Ieder kind taalheld” (Every Child a Language Hero), introducing various language measures across the school system. Separately, French-speaking Education Minister Valérie Glatigny (MR) announced plans in February 2026 to make Dutch compulsory from the third year of primary school in the French-speaking Federation Wallonia-Brussels.

What to Watch For

As the 2027-2028 school year approaches, attention will focus on how schools implement the new verification process and how many families are affected by the stricter requirements. The impact on social diversity in Dutch-language schools — already a subject of debate — is likely to remain a point of contention, as is the question of transitional support for parents preparing for the new written examinations.

For now, the Flemish government has signaled that protecting access for Dutch-speaking families remains a top priority in Brussels, where language and education continue to intersect as some of the most sensitive issues in Belgian public life.