Register for admission to a German school abroad 
You live abroad and would like to enroll your child in a German school? Find out more about German schools abroad here.
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Basic information
There are currently 140 German schools abroad in 72 countries around the world that provide education according to German standards. Both German or international and, if applicable, country-specific degrees can be earned.
The majority of German schools abroad are designed as encounter schools. In addition to German children living abroad with their parents, the doors of the schools abroad are also open to children of other nationalities.
In the German-language schools abroad, the students are taught in the German language. In addition, in the sense of an encounter school, parts of the lessons also take place in the national language or in foreign languages.
At German schools abroad, not only knowledge and language skills are taught. The schools attach great importance to intercultural exchange and actively maintain partnerships with schools in Germany. This gives students the opportunity - as part of an exchange - to get to know Germany on site.
Requirements
There are no uniform admission requirements for German schools abroad.
The respective school decides on admission.
In the absence of bilateral agreements, the legal basis for the schooling of children subject to compulsory schooling is the regulations of the respective country of residence, which can be requested from the school.
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Procedure
- You register your child at the appropriate school.
- The school decides on the basis of individual requirements and school-specific criteria whether your child will be accepted at the German School Abroad.
- You will receive information from the school as to whether or not your child will be accepted at the school.
The respective school decides which documents have to be submitted with the application.
More information
German schools abroad offer various educational programs and degrees. In addition to the classic Abitur (abroad via the German International Abitur Examination - DIAP) as well as the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the Mixed Language International Baccalaureate (GIB), many schools abroad also open offers for intermediate school-leaving certificates (Realschulabschluss, Hauptschulabschluss). Some German schools abroad offer dual training or the Fachoberschule. With this intercultural, competence-oriented and also practical education, graduates have good career opportunities worldwide.
Further information can be found on the pages of the Federal Foreign Office, on the Federal Government's portal for skilled workers from abroad, on the pages of the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA) and the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany (KMK).
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Competent Department
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Der Senator für Kinder und Bildung I Referat 20 - Qualitätsentwicklung und Standardsicherung
- +49 421 361-13222
- Rembertiring 8-12, 28195 Bremen
- Website
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Fees / Costs
The respective school determines the fees.
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Deadlines & processing time
What deadlines must be paid attention to?
The respective school determines the registration deadlines.
This page has been automatically translated by DeepL. We cannot guarantee that the translation is correct.
The official information in German is complete and correct. 17.10.2025