By Nik Higgins · Co-founder & CEO
German international schools follow the German federal-state curricula (each Bundesland has its own variant), leading to the Abitur — Germany's university entrance qualification — at age 18–19. The Abitur is well-recognised globally and the schools often run dual-language tracks for non-German speakers.
The learning pathway
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Ages 6–10
Grundschule
Primary. Structured German-medium foundation across German, maths, sciences (Sachunterricht) and the arts. Some schools blend English-medium content from the start.
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Ages 10–16
Sekundarstufe I
Lower secondary in one of several tracks (Gymnasium is the academic route). Broad subject coverage; second foreign language usually starts here.
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Ages 16–19
Gymnasiale Oberstufe (Abitur)
Upper secondary specialising in four or five main subjects, both written and oral components. Final grade is a decimal from 1.0 (top) to 6.0.
The Abitur internationally
Taken across Years 11 and 12 (or 12 and 13 in some Bundesländer). Strong Abitur scores are valued like strong A-Levels at UK universities and open direct doors to German, Austrian and Swiss universities.
Is German right for your child?
It tends to suit families who…
- •Have a German-speaking connection
- •Are moving to Germany, Austria or Switzerland
- •Want direct access to top German universities
- •Value a rigorous academic secondary education
It may be less ideal if…
- •Your child has no German and is joining at secondary
- •You'd prefer English-medium instruction throughout
- •You want a globally uniform curriculum like IB
Common questions
FAQs about the German curriculum
Can non-German speakers attend a German curriculum school?
Younger children adapt quickly with the school's language support. From secondary level, intensive German is usually required to follow the academic content. Some schools run parallel English-medium tracks.
Is the Abitur accepted at UK and US universities?
Yes. The Abitur is widely accepted internationally. UK universities typically quote offers in Abitur points (e.g. an average of 2.0 or better); US universities treat it as equivalent to a strong high school diploma.
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