International Schools in Germany
Germany offers something unusual: a free, high-quality state school system alongside a small paid international sector at fees far below London, Dubai or Singapore. The real decision is not which international school, but whether you need one at all.
Quick answer
The German state system, bilingual schools, international schools and European Schools compared — structure, curricula, fees and how to choose as a relocating family.
At a glance
- Country: Germany
- Sections: 5
- Questions answered: 4
- Schools listed: 5
- Read time: 10 min read
The state system is the default, and it is genuinely good
State system essentials
- Free, well-regarded, and used by many long-stay expat families
- Grundschule to age ten, then tracking into Gymnasium or other routes
- Education is state-level: rules differ across the sixteen Länder
- Intensive German classes support new arrivals, best for younger children
In most expatriate destinations, the local system is not a serious option for a foreign family. Germany is the exception. State schooling is free, well-resourced and academically respected, and a large share of foreign families in Germany — particularly those staying more than a few years, and those with young children — use it.
The structure differs from what most arrivals know. Children attend Grundschule, primary school, from around age six for four years (six in Berlin and Brandenburg). At the end of that, a recommendation and family choice route the child into one of the secondary tracks: Gymnasium, which leads to the Abitur and university; Realschule, a middle track; Hauptschule or, increasingly, comprehensive Gesamtschule models that combine them.
That early sorting point is the single most important thing for a relocating family to understand, because it arrives at age ten and it matters. Movement between tracks is possible but not effortless, and a child still building German may be placed conservatively.
Education is a matter for the sixteen federal states, not the national government, so structure, terminology and even school holidays differ between Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin and Hamburg. Advice that applies in one state may not apply in another, and moving between German cities can mean changing systems.
Most states provide Willkommensklassen or equivalent intensive German classes for new arrivals, typically for a year, before transition into mainstream classes. For a child under about ten this generally works well. For a fifteen-year-old with no German it usually does not, and that is where the international sector earns its fees.
Bilingual schools: the middle path
Between the free state system and the full-fee international schools sits a bilingual sector that is larger in Germany than in most European countries, and that suits a great many relocating families.
These schools teach the German state curriculum with substantial English-medium instruction, often from kindergarten upwards, and are usually private but modestly priced — frequently €5,000 to €16,000 a year, sometimes with income-scaled fees. Phorms and Obermayr are examples of this model in Munich; comparable groups operate in Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg and Cologne.
The advantage is that a child leaves with real German and a recognised German qualification, without having been thrown into a monolingual classroom on day one. Several bilingual schools also add the IB Diploma in the final two years, which gives an internationally portable exit qualification on top.
The limitation is portability during the stay. A child who spends four years in a German-curriculum bilingual school and then moves to Singapore or Dallas will have a harder transition than one who spent those years in an IB school. Bilingual schools reward families who expect to stay in Germany for the medium term and then possibly return home, rather than those on a two-year rotation.
Demand is high and places are limited, particularly at kindergarten and Grade 1 entry, so apply early.
The international sector
Which sector fits
- IB schools: deepest provision, best for globally mobile families
- British and American schools: fewer, focused on eventual return home
- European Schools in Munich and Frankfurt: European Baccalaureate, low fees
- National-system schools: cheapest route home-country continuity
Germany's international schools cluster around the cities with the largest foreign professional populations: Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne and Stuttgart.
The IB is the dominant curriculum, and Germany has a deep IB sector by European standards — Munich International School and Bavarian International School are among the larger examples. IB schools here are the natural home for globally mobile families, and their Diploma results are accepted by German universities as well as those abroad.
British provision exists in most large cities, teaching the English National Curriculum through IGCSE and A Level, and serves families expecting to return to the UK. It is a narrower field than in Spain or the UAE.
American schools exist in the largest centres, often historically tied to a diplomatic or corporate community, and run AP programmes for US university routes.
European Schools are a distinctive German feature. Munich and Frankfurt host them, originally established for staff of European institutions such as the European Patent Office and the European Central Bank. They teach in multiple language sections towards the European Baccalaureate, and where places are available to families outside the institutions, fees are low relative to the private international market.
National-system schools — French, Japanese, Greek, Italian — operate in the larger cities at comparatively modest fees, and are the obvious answer for a family certain of returning to that country.
Not sure which schools fit your family?
Choosing an international school depends on your child's age, curriculum preference, location and budget. Tell us what you're looking for and we'll help you identify schools worth considering.
What international schooling costs in Germany
German fee levels
- European and national-system schools: roughly €4,000-10,000
- Bilingual sector: roughly €7,000-16,000
- Major IB and British schools: roughly €10,000-25,000
- Well below London, Dubai and Singapore at every tier
By international standards Germany is inexpensive. Across ESG's German listings, published ranges start around €4,000 to €10,000 at the European Schools and the French and Japanese schools, run €7,000 to €16,000 across the bilingual sector, and reach €10,000 to €25,000 at the large IB and British international schools. The very top of the German market sits roughly where the middle of the Madrid market sits, and less than half of Dubai or London.
As everywhere, the published range spans the whole school: early years at the bottom, the final IB or A Level years at the top.
Extras are relatively contained. Expect a registration or application fee, a one-off enrolment or capital contribution at some schools, bus transport — which matters in Munich in particular because several campuses sit outside the city — lunch, trips, and examination entries in the final years. Deposit and capital contributions are less aggressive than in Asia or the Gulf.
What this fee level changes strategically is the calculation for families with several children. In Dubai or Singapore, three children in international school is a decision that reshapes household finances. In Germany, at €12,000 to €18,000 each in the bilingual and mid-IB range, it is expensive but often manageable, and the free state alternative sits alongside it as a genuine choice rather than a fallback.
Language, timing and how to decide
Deciding
- Young children plus a long stay: state or bilingual
- Secondary age, short posting or onward move: IB or national curriculum
- State registration follows your address; international admissions run a year ahead
- Homeschooling is illegal — a place must be in hand before arrival
The decision usually comes down to three variables: your children's ages, how long you will stay, and where you go next.
A family with children under about nine, staying three years or more, and open to their children becoming genuinely bilingual, should look hard at the state system or a bilingual school. Young children acquire German quickly with support, the education is free or cheap, and the integration benefit is real — friendships, sport, neighbourhood life.
A family with a child at secondary level, or on a two-to-three-year rotation, or heading next to another country, should choose an IB or national-curriculum international school. Dropping a fourteen-year-old into a German Gymnasium without the language is a serious risk in a system where the Abitur track is demanding and specific.
The practical timings to know: the German school year starts in late summer, with the exact date varying by state, and holidays are staggered across the Länder deliberately. State school registration runs through the local school authority and is tied to your registered address, so it follows the Anmeldung process after you arrive. International schools run their own admissions, take applications a year ahead, and have real waiting lists in Munich and Frankfurt at popular grades.
One more point worth planning for: homeschooling is not legal in Germany. School attendance is compulsory and enforced, so there is no bridging option while you look. Have a school place, of either kind, arranged before the move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreign children attend German state schools for free?
Yes. State schooling is free and open to resident children regardless of nationality, and most states provide intensive German classes for new arrivals before they transition into mainstream lessons. It works best for children under about ten and for families staying several years.
How much do international schools in Germany cost?
Roughly €4,000 to €10,000 at the European Schools and national-system schools, €7,000 to €16,000 in the bilingual sector, and €10,000 to €25,000 at the large IB and British international schools — well below London, Dubai or Singapore.
What is the Gymnasium and why does it matter?
Gymnasium is the academic secondary track leading to the Abitur and university entrance. German children are routed into a track around age ten based on primary performance and family choice, so a child still learning German at that point may be placed conservatively. It is the main structural risk in choosing the state route for an older primary-age child.
Is homeschooling allowed in Germany?
No. School attendance is compulsory and enforced, and homeschooling is not a legal option. Arrange a school place before you move rather than planning to bridge the gap at home.
International schools in Munich
- Munich International School
- Bavarian International School
- St George's International School Munich
- European School Munich
- Lycée Français Jean Renoir
Moving to Germany?
Tell us your children's ages, the city you're moving to and how long you expect to stay — we'll show you whether the state system or an international school is the better fit.