Huygens Lyceum: nearby, personal and versatile like you!

Huygens Lyceum challenges pupils to take responsibility for the discovery and development of their talents. Our foundation is good, inspirational education. We want to fully equip students to face the challenges of present-day and future society. On the one hand, this means that they work towards obtaining their diploma, which includes gaining relevant subject knowledge. On the other hand, it means broadly preparing them for a future in which they will be challenged to find solutions for complex problems within professions that don’t even exist yet. 

Huygens Learning 
We will help you get the most out of yourself. Our approach is called “Huygens Learning”, which focusses on your development in the broadest sense of the word. It allows you to discover who you are, what goals you have and what you want to achieve. This will motivate you to learn and keep evolving, bearing in mind your future after secondary school. Huygens Learning is comprised of three building blocks, known as “VIP”, “VAK” and “VERDER”.   

VIP 
You go to school to learn and you can only accomplish that if you’re comfortable in your own skin. Who you are and how you feel are important. That’s why we want to get to know you. Your mentor plays the main role in this process. Each class in first year has two mentors, whom you will see every day during first period in the VIP class. The mentors are mostly there to help you discover where your talents lie, what interests you and what you find important. This stimulates your personal growth! During the VIP lessons you also learn how to plan homework and you receive tips on how to study. 

VAK 
We offer quality education that is both challenging and inspirational. Besides books we make use of short films, presentations, field trips and hands-on learning. You will attend VAK classes such as Dutch, French, Mathematics, Arts and Science. Lessons are offered at the level that suits you. We have separate first year classes for havo (higher general secondary education), atheneum/havo (A-levels/havo combination) and gymnasium (grammar school). These levels are explained further on. At Huygens Lyceum, you will be in the right place from day one, which will help you feel at home quickly and get the most out of yourself. 

VERDER 
During the VERDER classes you'll have the opportunity of  deepening your knowledge as well as receiving extra help for subjects you find difficult. You will tackle projects that are in line with your talents and interests and you will get the chance to demonstrate what you’re made of. You will learn to plan, find solutions by yourself and share knowledge. VERDER projects stimulate your development, using the knowledge and experience that you gained in VIP and VAK lessons. 

The First Year class that best suits you! 
Huygens Lyceum has three kinds of first year classes: 

  • havo: This stands for higher general secondary education. These classes are made up of pupils whose primary school gave them a havo recommendation. They are taught at havo level. 
  • atheneum/havo: Atheneum is comparable to the British A-levels. The classes are comprised of students with a recommendation for havo/vwo or vwo. Students are taught at the latter level. 
  • gymnasium: In Britain this is referred to as grammar school. These classes are suitable for pupils that have a vwo recommendation, enjoy learning and have a critical and inquisitive mind. Pupils will get one extra subject: Latin. 


Besides the recommendation of your primary school, there are no additional acceptance criteria for first year. 

It is possible to continue to atheneum second year after havo first year. It is not possible to continue to gymnasium second year from a first year level other than gymnasium. In the event of extraordinarily good performance, the option of gymnasium will be brought up before Christmas break. In this case a class switch can be made during the school year. 

The duration of first year is one school year. In March pupils and parents receive our recommendation for second year. This is based on the professional opinion of all teachers of the student in question. At the end of the school year we decide upon the best place for the pupil to continue his/her school career, whether it is havo, atheneum or gymnasium.

Group 7/8 activities
Would you like to get an impression of our school? We offer the following possibilities: 

  • 11 October 2023 15:00-17:00: Guided tour
  • 15 November 2023 15:30-17:30 or 19:00-20:30 Sample lessons and guided tour for children in group 7/8
  • 15 November 2023 19:00-20:30 Information evening for parents
  • 20 January 2023 10:00-13:00 Open Day 
  • 23 February 2024 15:30-17:30 Sample lessons and guided tour for children in group 7/8 
  • 27 February 2024 19:00-20:30 Sample lessons and guided tour for children in group 7/8 
  • 27 February 2024 19:00-20:30 Information evening for parents
  • 11 March 2024 Online Q&A
  • 25 and 26 March 2024: Enrollment 
  • 19 June 2024: introduction afternoon for new first year pupils 

Entering the first year
If you currently have a son or daughter who is in group 8 of primary school, you and your child will soon choose a secondary school. At the Huygens Lyceum you can register your child for havo, atheneum/havo or gymnasium.

Registration of students with an extra support need
Parents of students with a specific support need can make an appointment for a meeting with the support coordinator before enrollment. This conversation has an exploratory and informative character: we discuss what support your child needs and what the Huygens Lyceum can offer. For an interview, please contact support coordinator Astrid van der Knaap, knp@huygenslyceum.nl.

Pupils with an extra support need are pupils whose primary school and/or parents expect that they can get stuck in regular education if they do not receive additional guidance.  

Registration process

18-25 March 2024: Sign up for your enrollment appointment

Between March 18 and March 25, you can register for an enrollment appointment for you and your child between Monday March 25 and Wednesday March 27. You need to register for an enrollment appointment when the Huygens Lyceum is your preferred school. An enrollment appointment takes 10-20 minutes and takes place at school. The registration form will be open from March 18 2024. Registration enrollment appointment

 25-30 March 2024: Fill in application form   

Fill in the digital enrollment form between 25 and 30 March. The enrollment form opens Monday March 25 at 0:01 AM.  This form asks for name and address details and citizen service number (BSN). The BSN is used to check the school advice and to inspect/transfer the educational report. You need to fill in this registration form to provide us with relevant information. Your child can indicate with which pupils he / she would like to be in class (max. 3). We also want to know whether your child needs support at our school. You need to register for more than one school when the preferred school uses a lottery to select students. We will therefor ask whether our school is the preferred school, or your second (or third/fourth) choice. This does not impact your chances for enrollment. When you have scheduled an enrollment appointment, you will need to fill in this registration form before the appointment.           

25-27 March 2024: Enrollment appointment when the Huygens Lyceum is the preferred school

You and your child will arrive at school at the time of the appointment. You need to bring:
- Passport or identity card (of the student)
We will check the BSN number and talk with you about the information in the application. Information can then still be changed in the registration form.

3 April: Communication about the enrollment

On Wednesday the 3rd of April all schools in the Eindhoven area will communicate if students are admitted. When a student is not admitted by the preferred school, this student will be placed at his/her second (or third) school of choice.

8 May: Formal confirmation of admission. 
The registered pupils are admitted or rejected on the basis of the advice and additional information of the primary school and whether we can meet any support need. On May 8th you will receive a message whether your child has been formally admitted to the Huygens Lyceum.