What Studiecentrum does

Studiecentrum operates in the Dutch private education market under the brand Capabel Onderwijs (with subsidiary Capabel Hogeschool for higher professional education). Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Utrecht, the institution delivers accredited MBO (secondary vocational) and HBO (higher professional) programs compressed into 9-15 month durations—substantially faster than the standard 3-year trajectories at public ROC institutions. It serves individual adult learners, career changers, and young adults entering the workforce across five main sectors: healthcare, security, ICT, education/childcare, and legal/administrative services.

Name

Studiecentrum

Legal name

Capabel Onderwijs

Website

https://studiecentrum.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Capabel Onderwijs is a Dutch private education provider offering accelerated MBO and HBO programs in healthcare, security, ICT, education, and legal fields, serving adult learners and career changers across eight Netherlands campuses via hybrid online and in-person delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational and Higher Professional Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

Keywords

• Vocational education programs
• Higher professional education
• Accelerated MBO diplomas
• Flexible learning pathways
• Online distance learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Utrecht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. MBO Education Services: Capabel generates revenue primarily through tuition fees for accredited MBO vocational programs. Programs range from 12-15 months for standard diplomas. Tuition is charged per term or as a one-time payment with early-bird discounts. Additional revenue comes from exam fees, course materials/packages, and registration fees.
2. HBO Education Services: Higher professional education programs including bachelor degree programs, master programs, and continuing education courses generate revenue through tuition fees similar to MBO programs.
3. Examination and Certification: Fees for administering exams, re-sits, and issuing certificates and diplomas. Some programs include exam fees in tuition while others charge separately (e.g., Security officer programs examined by SVPB).
4. Study Materials: Sale of textbooks, online learning resources, and examination preparation materials bundled with or separate from tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Capabel Onderwijs (Studiecentrum) is a private Dutch educational institution providing accredited MBO (secondary vocational) and HBO (higher professional) programs in fields such as healthcare, education, ICT, security, legal, and business administration. Programs are delivered through flexible learning pathways (BOL full-time, BBL work-based learning, Flexibele Leerweg+ accelerated, and Thuisstudie home study) at 8 campus locations across the Netherlands. The institution compresses standard 3-year ROC curricula into 9–15 month programs, combining online webinars with periodic in-person skills sessions, and offers multiple annual intake periods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MBO Vocational Education Programs Accredited MBO (Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs) vocational education programs at levels 2, 3, and 4, covering fields such as Zorg & Welzijn, Onderwijs & Kinderopvang, Marketing & Communicatie, Beveiliging & Veiligheid, ICT & Web, and Logistiek & Techniek. Programs are offered in BOL, BBL, Flexibele Leerweg+, and Thuisstudie formats and culminate in OCW-recognized MBO diplomas.
• HBO Higher Professional Education Programs Accredited HBO (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs) higher professional education including bachelor degrees, master programs, professional education (beroepsopleidingen), and continuing education (bij/nascholing) across Zorg & Welzijn, Psychologie & Coaching, Bedrijfskunde & Leiderschap, HRM & Inzetbaarheid, ICT & Web, Juridisch & Recht, and Tolken & Vertalen. Offered in full-time (voltijd), part-time (deeltijd), post-HBO part-time, and modular formats.
• Flexibele Leerweg+ (FL+) Accelerated MBO Program A self-paced accelerated MBO program that compresses the standard 3-year MBO curriculum into 9–15 months using online webinars combined with periodic in-person skills sessions at local campuses. Students can work while studying, maintaining income, and the program includes optional Generic Subjects packages. Average cost is €3,615 with no study financing but possible eligibility for scholingsvouchers.
• Thuisstudie (Home Study) MBO Programs Self-paced MBO programs delivered via the Mijn Capabel online learning portal with 12 monthly payments of €100 (e.g., Beveiliger 2). Includes 6 free extension terms, separate exam fees, €90 registration fee, and €120 jubilee cashback. One-time payment option available at €1,104.
• MBO Branche Security Programs Branch-specific MBO programs in the private security sector, including Vakopleiding Centralist Alarmcentrale (€990 tuition, €214 exams), Basisopleiding Centralist (€444 tuition, €380 exam bundle), and BOA Basisbekwaamheid (€947 tuition, €302 exams, €178 materials). Examinations administered by SVPB and certifications recognized by the Ministry of Justice and Security.
• MBO Cursussen (Part-time Courses) Part-time MBO courses (cursussen) for shorter, focused learning in specific vocational skills, offered as an alternative to full diploma programs for students needing targeted upskilling.
• HBO Cursussen and Professional Courses HBO continuing education short courses (cursussen) in Vertalen (translation), Tolken (interpreting), Apotheek (pharmacy), and POH Verdiepingen (practice nurse deepening modules), offered as part of the HBO bij/nascholing and module deeltijd programs.
• Post-MBO Programs Post-MBO continuing education programs designed for MBO graduates seeking further specialization and professional development beyond their initial vocational diploma.
• Examination and Certification Services Examination administration, resits, and issuance of certificates and diplomas for Capabel programs. Some programs include exam fees in tuition (with one free retake), while others charge separately. Security programs (Beveiliger, Centralist Alarmcentrale) are examined by SVPB.
• Study Materials Packages (Leermiddelen) Sale of textbooks, online learning resources, and examination preparation materials (Leermiddelen) bundled with or sold separately from program tuition. Package costs vary by program, with examples including €498 for standard MBO programs and €178 for BOA materials.
• Mijn Capabel Online Learning Portal Proprietary student portal providing access to online coursework, assignment submission, instructor communication, and curriculum progress tracking for students enrolled in all Capabel programs. Supports the hybrid online/in-person delivery model across BOL, BBL, FL+, and Thuisstudie pathways.

Quantifiable outcome

• Earn accredited MBO diploma in 15 months instead of 3 years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap (OCW)coreOthersGovernment accreditation body that officially recognizes and approves MBO programs offered by Capabel. All MBO diplomas are OCW-recognized, making them valuable and recognized in the Dutch labor market.
• Nederlandse-Vlaamse Accreditatieorganisatie (NVAO)coreOthersIndependent accreditation organization for Dutch and Flemish higher education that reviews and accredits HBO (higher professional) programs. Capabel Hogeschool HBO programs carry NVAO accreditation.
• Nederlandse Raad voor Training en Opleiding (NRTO)coreOthersDutch Council for Training and Education grants the NRTO quality mark to Capabel Onderwijs and Capabel Hogeschool, certifying compliance with quality standards for private education providers.
• Stichting Vakexamens voor de Particuliere Beveiligingsorganisaties (SVPB)majorTechnology or IntegrationExamination organization for the private security sector that administers exams for Beveiliger (Security Officer) and Centralist Alarmcentrale programs. Students receive SVPB-recognized certifications.
• Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid (J&V)majorOthersGovernment ministry that oversees and approves BOA (Buitengewoon Opsporingsambtenaar) training programs. Capabel offers BOA Basisbekwaamheid training leading to ministry-recognized certificates.
• KlantenvertellenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThird-party review platform hosting verified customer reviews for Capabel. The 1,700+ reviews with 8.5 average rating serve as social proof for prospective students.
• Stagemarkt.nlminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational internship marketplace connecting students with recognized training companies (leerbedrijven) for required work experience components (BPV) of MBO programs.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NHA Opleidingen: Major Dutch home-study (thuisstudie) provider offering MBO/HBO programs and sector certifications in healthcare, business, ICT, and security. Directly overlaps with Capabel's Thuisstudie and BOL/BBL pathways and the same adult-learner D2C motion.
• Laudius: Dutch home-study and MBO/HBO provider operating on a comparable thuisstudie model with sector-specialized programs, similar target market of working adults and career changers, and similar pricing tiers.
• LOI (Leidse Onderwijsinstellingen): Largest Dutch private distance-learning provider, offering MBO, HBO, and short courses across many of the same verticals (healthcare, ICT, business, security). Closest direct competitor in the Dutch private vocational education space.
• Thuiscursus.nl: Dutch home-study and MBO/HBO provider sharing the same adult-learner direct-to-consumer enrollment motion as Capabel, with overlap in healthcare, business, and language verticals.
• NCOI Groep: Large Dutch private education group offering HBO, MBO, and professional training programs with a similar target market of working adults and corporate-sponsored learners across multiple sectors.
• NTI (Nederlands Talen Instituut): Dutch private education provider offering MBO, HBO, and vocational courses via distance learning with a similar hybrid model and sector breadth (healthcare, education, business, ICT).
• Scheidegger Opleidingen: Dutch MBO and HBO provider focused on accelerated vocational programs with a comparable direct-to-consumer enrollment model and multi-sector coverage (including healthcare, business, and ICT).

Others

• Springest: Dutch training and education comparison marketplace; an indirect channel for student acquisition in the vocational and professional education space and an adjacent ecosystem participant.

Broad incumbents

• MBO Raad: Sector association representing all publicly funded Dutch ROC institutions, which collectively form the largest incumbent competitor pool to private MBO providers like Capabel.
• Vereniging Hogescholen: Association of Dutch publicly funded universities of applied sciences, representing the broad HBO incumbent landscape against which Capabel Hogeschool competes for higher-education students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hetstudiecentrum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Studiecentrum