The concept of competence becomes more and more the basis of the (re)design of vocational education and training (VET). In competence-based VET academic disciplines are no longer starting point for curriculum development. Competence needed for working in practice however is. Competence-based learning is a dominant trend in VET in several countries because of the expected decrease of problems in the transition from school to work (Biemans et al., 2004). Wesselink et al., (2007) developed a framework to define explicitly what is meant by competence-based learning. The framework consists of eight principles. The principles describe the essential elements that characterise competence-based VET. The framework contains the following elements: competence profiles, vocational core problems, assessment, authenticity, integration of knowledge skills and attitudes, self steering, coaching and life long learning. Each principle is operationalised by means of variables and these variables are the basis for the description of four phases: from a more traditional curriculum (not competence-based) to a completely competence-based curriculum. Competence-based learning is a popular concept that is rather different from more traditional education. Because of this innovative character it is necessary to gain insight in the perceptions of teachers and students who participate in competence-based VET. The main research question in this paper is how do teachers and students perceive competence-based learning and to what extent do these perceptions differ between teachers and students? In this study nine different schools for higher and secondary agricultural vocational education participated. Within these schools about 300 students and 60 teachers participated. These schools have recently (re)designed their curriculum towards a more competence-based curriculum. After the first half year the students and teachers were working in the competence-based setting, they were asked for their perceptions about competence-based education. On the basis of the framework for competence-based VET a questionnaire was developed. Students and teachers were asked to what extent they recognised the different elements of competence-based education and they were asked how they perceived these elements. The teachers and students are asked again for their perceptions after they finished the first year. The expected outcomes are a clear picture of the perceptions of teachers and students within a setting that is characterised as competence-based learning. And the results provide a clear picture about which elements of competence-based VET are perceived the best by teachers and by students. Besides the perceptions of students and teachers are compared. Finally the differences between the first measurement of the perceptions of the teachers and students are compared with the results of the second measurement. This is to find out whether the teachers and students get used to competence-based learning and maybe perceive competence-based VET different when they get more familiar with it. These results can offer schools opportunities to improve their education so the students and the teachers become (more) enthousiastic. Besides the results of this study can have added value in the ongoing debate about effectiviness of competence-based VET. Wesselink, R., H.J.A. Biemans, M. Mulder & E.van den Elsen (2007). Competence-basedVET as seen by Dutch researcher. European Journal Vocational Training. (jan-april).Biemans, H., L. Nieuwenhuis, R. Poell, M. Mulder & R.Wesselink (2004). Competencebased VET in the Netherlands: backgrounds and pitfalls. Journal of Vocational Education and Training,56, 4, 523 - 538.