Many mbo students stay on after diploma

About half of students who received a diploma in senior secondary vocational education (mbo) in 2008/’09 stayed on in school, most of them doing courses at a higher level of mbo. Relatively more students with a non-western foreign background did so than native Dutch students.

Half of students with a level 2 mbo diploma go on to higher level

Just over half of students with a diploma for assistant training or basic vocational training, levels 1 and 2 of mbo stayed on in school. Most of them enrolled in a higher level of mbo. Although a level 2 mbo diploma is a basic qualification, many of them stay on to study further. 

Just as many male as female students with a level 1 or 2 diploma stayed on in school. At 60 percent, the share of students with a non-western foreign background who stayed on was significantly higher than that of native Dutch students. Less than half of the latter group stayed in school after receiving a level 1 or 2 diploma.

Students with mbo level 1 or 2 diploma moving to the same or higher level, 2008/’09 – 2009/’10*

Students with level 3 or 4 diplomas also continue studies

Having passed a diploma at level 3 of mbo, just over one third of students also continued their studies. Most of them went on to a higher level, but some also moved into another discipline at the same level. Forty percent of students with a level 4 mbo diploma went on to higher professional education (hbo).

In levels 3 and 4, too, over half of students with a non-western foreign background continued their studies. After level 4, most of them moved to hbo, a significantly higher percentage than among native Dutch students.

Students with mbo level 3 or 4 diploma moving to the same or higher level, 2008/’09 – 2009/’10*

More men go on to hbo

More men than women continue their studies after a diploma at level 3 or 4 of mbo. About one third of female students continued their studies after receiving a level 3 diploma, and 42 percent after a level 4 diploma. For male students this was 41 and 47 percent respectively. Men with an mbo diploma at level 4 were more likely than women to move on to hbo.

Hilde Keuning – van Oirschot