Grade Retention - What Now? Options and Advice

Everything you need to know about repeating a year: when it happens, what your options are, and how to deal with it.

Grade retention (repeating a year) is a difficult experience for many students. But it doesn't have to be a disaster. In this article, we explain when you have to repeat a year, what options you have, and how to cope with it.

When do you have to repeat a year?

You have to repeat a year if you don't meet your school's promotion standards. This usually happens with:

  • Too many insufficient grades (5 or lower) on your final report
  • One or more very low grades (4 or lower)
  • Insufficient grades for core subjects (Dutch, English, mathematics)
  • Not meeting specific rules of your school or profile

The decision process

This is how the promotion decision works:

  • After the last test period, your final grades are calculated
  • The report meeting decides on promotion
  • You get a meeting (with your parents) with the mentor/dean
  • You receive official notification of the decision

What are your options?

Option 1: Repeat the year

You stay at the same school and same level, but repeat the year. Advantage: you already know part of the material and can further develop your strengths.

Option 2: Move to a lower level

From VWO to HAVO, or from HAVO to VMBO. You do advance, but at a different level. This can be a good choice if the current level is too difficult.

Option 3: Switch to MBO

After lower secondary, you can also go to MBO. This is not a 'lesser' option - many successful people went through MBO. Do check the admission requirements.

Making an appeal

Don't agree with the decision? You can appeal:

  • First request a meeting with school management
  • Submit a written appeal within the specified deadline
  • The appeals committee reviews your case and makes a decision

How to prevent repeating?

Prevention is better than cure:

  • Keep track of your grades and identify problems early
  • Ask for help (tutoring, homework support) as soon as you notice problems
  • Talk to your teacher or mentor about improvement possibilities
  • Make a realistic study plan and stick to it

Use our calculator to track which grades you still need to pass!

Calculate what you need

Do you know how much you need to score to pass? Use our calculator to figure out which grades you still need to meet the promotion requirements.