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Colegio Aleman Quito

Ecuador, Quito

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The school at a glance
Instructs in German, Spanish
Fees Fees not listed
Ages 3 - 18 years
Pupil numbers 1600
Type Co-educational
Opened 1917
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum, German Curriculum
Taught languages German, Spanish, English, French
Strengths Languages, Performing Arts, STEM
Clubs Leadership and Professional, Cultural and Language, Community and Service
Stages Kindergarten, Primary School, Secondary School
Introduction

The Colegio Alemán Quito is a German international school serving ages 3 to 18 with a bespoke curriculum that blends the Ecuadorian system with the German international framework. Students earn the Ecuadorian Bachillerato, and those who meet requirements may pursue the Deutsches internationales Abitur (DIA). The school is bicultural and multilingual, with German personnel supporting the program, and a trilingual education in German, Spanish and English. The youngest learners are taught by a class teacher in Primaria, while Grades 5–9 switch to subject specialists; after Grade 9, pathways combine international and German qualifications. The campus sits on about 7–7.5 hectares in the Cumbayá valley, with facilities, a 600-seat theatre, a 150-seat auditorium, two libraries, science and computing labs, a pool, and a gym. Extracurriculars include projects like MINT, Lions Quest, environmental initiatives, and debate/presentation programs. A signature element is the integration of German and Ecuadorian education within a vibrant community.

QHR7+62M, Alfonso Lamiña, 170157 Quito, Ecuador

The Essentials

Colegio Aleman Quito has 1,600 pupils, instruction in German, Spanish.

Location
The Colegio Alemán Quito is located at Calle Alfonso Lamiña S6-120, Cumbayá. The campus is in a residential area of Cumbayá. The school provides bus routes with connections from Quito/Valle de los Chillos/Puembo to CAQ and from Cumbayá/Tumbaco to CAQ. From 3rd grade onward, transport is not door-to-door and uses designated pickup points.

Stages
Kindergarten; Primary; Secondary

Type
German international school

Additional learning support
Lernzentrum (Learning Center)

Religious affiliation
Secular

School day structure
The school day starts at 7:30 for classes 2–12 and at 8:15 for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten. Extracurricular activities and Musikschule begin around 18:00.

Bus service
Bus transport is offered with monthly costs; routes include Quito/Valle de los Chillos/Puembo – CAQ and Cumbayá/Tumbaco – CAQ. The service is not door-to-door from 3rd grade onward and uses designated pickup points. Changes to bus assignments require a form; belts must be worn; coordinators and assistants are available for contact.
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniform is mandatory for all students. Uniforms are sold by Procoser, El Greco, and SKOLE; orders can be placed online with home delivery or in-store pickup, with multiple store locations including Plaza del Rancho and a temporary Plaza Valeta location.

Food Options
La Colina del Chef provides snacks and lunch to all DSQ students and staff. Parents register in the app, create profiles for their child(ren), specify their division and class, and payments are processed through the app; students are identified by name and fingerprint at the canteen.

Governance and Ownership
AEACE is the legal representative of Colegio Alemán Quito. The association consists mainly of German and Ecuadorian members; the annual member assembly elects the board, which runs the school on a voluntary basis. Membership is obtainable by applying to AEACE via the school secretariat.
Fees
Annual tuition at Colegio Aleman Quito ranges from USD 7,709 to USD 7,997 depending on year group. That works out at roughly USD 7,709 to USD 7,816 for the early years, USD 7,816 for primary, USD 7,816 to USD 7,997 for secondary. Invoices and the annual billing schedule are prepared in August. Yes.
Academics

Colegio Aleman Quito teaches IB (DP), Bespoke Curriculum, German Curriculum for students aged 3 to 18.

Curriculum
Begegnungsschule that unites the Ecuadorian school system with the international German school system. All students obtain the Ecuadorian Bachillerato, and those who wish and meet requirements may obtain the Deutsches internationales Abitur (DIA). The school is bicultural and multilingual, with Germany providing personnel and support. In the first four years of Primaria, instruction is by a class teacher; from grades 5–9, instruction is by subject teachers; at the end of the 9th grade it is determined which international and German qualifications will define the path from grade 10.

Student Teacher Ratio
Approximately 1,600 students are taught by more than 180 teachers, giving a student–teacher ratio of about 9:1.

Higher Education Progression
All students obtain the Ecuadorian Bachillerato, and those who wish and meet requirements may obtain the Deutsches internacionales Abitur (DIA), enabling access to higher education.

Gifted and Talented
Begabtenförderung selects academically outstanding students from classes 5–11 twice per school year; participants work with subject teachers to set and pursue individual goals, with the aim of preparing for international competitions.
Parent Experience

History
Deutsche Schule Quito is the oldest private school in Ecuador. It was founded in 1917 in a house in Quito's old town. In 1916, a delegation of German educators arrived to advise on establishing a German educational center, and 30 German families in Quito urged their compatriots to found a school for German children and later for Ecuadorians. The school began in 1917 with nine students. It closed in 1942 due to World War II but reopened in 1956. It moved to its current 7-hectare site in the Cumbayá valley in September 1998, with modern facilities, sports facilities and expansive green spaces. Today about 1,600 students attend, 80% from Ecuadorian families, making it one of Quito's largest private schools and one of the world's largest German international schools. It belongs to the network of 140 German international schools (DAS), supported by the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA) on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office. Students receive a trilingual education in German, Spanish and English and earn both German and Ecuadorian diplomas.

Community
CAQ's community is organized around AEACE, the legal representative of the Deutshe Schule Quito, which promotes the school's existence and educational concepts; the member assembly elects the board that leads the school, and monthly meetings bring together the school board and commissions to sustain and optimize the institution. The association seeks a balanced mix of German and Ecuadorian members to serve as a cultural bridge between Ecuador and Germany. The school community also includes the Elternverein APF (Parents Association), the APECA (Association of Teachers and Staff), the Schweizer/Schweizerisch-German cooperation AFEES, and an Alumni network.

Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
The Parents Association (APF) represents the interests of all parents in collaboration with school authorities. Its vision is to act as a link between parents and the school, improving relationships among the school's governance bodies and encouraging active participation in school life. Its mission is to promote better communication and interaction within the community—between parents, authorities, staff, teachers and students—while serving as a voice for all stakeholders and fostering transparency, solidarity and equality. The APF board (2023–24) includes: President Diego Cruz, Vice President Patricia Loor, Treasurer Lili Villacís, Secretary Mónica Gutiérrez, and other officers.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The Colegio Alemán Quito sits on a 7.5-hectare campus in the Cumbayá valley, about 20 minutes from central Quito. The campus features modern architecture in a park-like setting with extensive green spaces and a wide tree canopy. It houses a theatre with more than 600 seats and another auditorium with 150 seats, two libraries, and modern teaching and specialist rooms. An indoor semi-Olympic pool, a multifunctional three-field gym, outdoor multipurpose sports courts, and an athletics track support a broad range of activities. The kindergarten, primary and secondary buildings, a ceramics kiln, and spaces for artistic activities complete the academic and student-life facilities, with bridges between buildings to enhance accessibility.

Sports Facilities
The sports facilities include the Dreifeldsporthalle three-field gymnasium with excellent acoustics, an indoor pool, and a dedicated gym area. Outdoor multipurpose sports courts and a broad athletics track provide varied spaces for physical education, while the campus offers about 1,000 square meters of covered sports surfaces.

Academic Facilities
The campus includes modern teaching and specialist rooms, science and computing laboratories, and dedicated primary and secondary buildings. It also features two libraries and a kindergarten facility, supporting a comprehensive academic program across all levels. The theatre and spaces for arts and performance further complement the academic environment.

Extra Curricular Facilities
Theatre and performance spaces host a range of musical and theatrical events, with an auditorium seating over 600 and another seating 150. Spaces for artistic activities include a ceramics kiln, reflecting the school's provision for extracurricular arts and culture beyond classroom instruction.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
School projects are activities that are mandatory for all students and form part of the curricular timetable for DSQ students in Class 1–4. Participation is free. The Learning Center provides space for tutoring in core subjects, including German, Spanish, English, and Mathematics, with parents paying teachers directly by invoice. School projects also include MINT, Lions Quest, the Colegio Verde environmental program, Sozialdienst, Schulpraktika, Jugend debattiert, Unsere solare Challenge, and Jugend präsentiert.

Arts & Creative
Kindergarten offers free after-school activities (AG). Stories with Momentum (Geschichten mit Schwung) are conducted in German as a movement-based storytelling activity. Wir bauen die Welt (We Build the World) uses building blocks, wood, and LEGO to foster creativity, teamwork, and language development, and is conducted in German. Kreatives Spielen (Creative Play) focuses on imaginative play and runs on Tuesdays or Thursdays, from 14:45 to 15:45, at the Kindergarten parking area.

Cultural & Language
School Projects include Jugend debattiert (Youth Debating) and Jugend präsentiert (Youth Presentations), along with MINT, Lions Quest, and the Colegio Verde environmental program. These activities support language use, debate, and cultural engagement as part of the extracurricular program.

Social & Hobbies
Sports and leisure activities are offered outside the curricular program for DSQ students from Kindergarten through Class 12; the activities run from 14:30 to 16:00 and are free of charge. Enrollment is via online forms, with guidelines on participation and scheduling. The program begins on 15.09.2025.

Community & Service
Social service (Sozialdienst) and other Schulprojekte are part of the extracurricular offering, emphasizing community and service activities within the CAQ program.

Leadership & Professional
Lions Quest and Jugend debattiert foster leadership, public speaking, and social-emotional development. The Extracurricular program also includes Entrena en el CAQ, which offers training for youth and adults, with schedules and fees varying by activity.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
Homework supervision is provided free of charge for Class 3–6 from Monday to Thursday, 14:00–16:00. The Lernzentrum offers subject-specific tutoring (German, Spanish, English, Mathematics, etc.) with parents paying teachers directly. Extracurricular activities run after school from 14:30–16:00, contributing to the after-school routine and wellbeing.
Languages

Language Provision
Languages taught at CAQ include German (DaF, DaM, DFU), Spanish (Castellano), and English. German is taught as a foreign language (DaF) from early grades, as a mother tongue (DaM) in Primary 1–6 and into Secondary, and as DFU across several subjects; Abitur is prepared from Grade 10 and culminates in Grade 12, with DSD I/II certifications available. English begins in Grade 5 and Cambridge exams (FCE) are pursued in upper secondary; from 2025–26, KET is offered from Class 7. The school follows the Baden-Württemberg curriculum for German-language study.

Bilingual Teaching
German is taught in three CAQ subareas: German as a foreign language (D2), German as a mother tongue (D1), and German applied to other subjects (DFU). DaF emphasizes a communicative approach and begins early, with the aim of enabling study at a German university via Abitur or Studienkolleg (DSD I/II). DaM is taught in Primary 1–6 and continues into Secondary, with differentiated learning and interdisciplinary tasks. DFU expands German-language instruction across subjects; in Secondary II most Abitur-led classes are taught in German, with a few exceptions; English begins in Grade 5, and Cambridge exams (FCE) are pursued, with KET available from Class 7 in 2025–26.

Immersion Programs
Kindergarten uses immersion to familiarize children with German as a foreign language. The approach centers on communication and everyday use of German rather than formal grammar. A key feature is the clear separation of languages in the classroom: one teacher speaks Spanish, the other German, ensuring 'one person, one language' in each activity.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Kindergarten admissions (2026-2027): The admissions process runs in three phases. Children born between 01.09.2022 and 31.08.2023 may apply. Applications are online from 08.09.2025 to 06.03.2026 and may be submitted for any phase; after each phase, the result is announced. An interview with the parents occurs during the evaluation, so both guardians should attend. The day and time for the play sessions and evaluation are communicated when documents are submitted. 3958800 ext. 117.

2. Primary admissions: There are three pathways to admission: national section (Spanish-language), transfers from other German schools, and the German-language section (Section E). For the national section, waitlist admission is possible only for applicants with a nexus to the school; if seats are available, the Secretariat will inform the evaluation dates. Before evaluations, parents submit copies of IDs, certificates of prior years (apostilled if studies were done abroad), and a letter requesting admission. Evaluations test German, Mathematics in German, and Spanish, with English added for admission to the 6th grade (7th Ed. Basica). Enrollment after admission requires completing enrollment forms, providing a medical certificate, and paying the applicable fees.

3. Secondary admissions: Information regarding exceptional admissions to the national section. Exceptional admissions are possible only up to 1st Bachillerato (Class 10), subject to seat availability and with prerequisite German knowledge. Applicants must take tests in German, Mathematics in German, English, and Spanish; results and recommendations are communicated through the Vice-rectorate or Secretariat. Enrollment after admission requires original grade certificates (apostilled and translated if studied abroad) and copies of the student and parents passports; after validation, enrollment is completed at the Secondary Secretariat. Costs information is published under Costos Aprobados; for payment details contact Cristina Pilataxi ext. 119. Elizabeth Segovia is the Secretaria de Secundaria.

Scholarships
Scholarships: Applications for scholarships follow a turn-based system active from 03.02.2026 to 03.03.2026. The presence of a legal guardian is required; the form must be completed in full and signed by both guardians. The form must be printed and submitted with all supporting documents; if there are questions about documents, contact the Assistant Manager Laura Langer. The decision notice, which is final, will be sent in the first days of May. A scholarship calendar for 2026 is available and the scholarship form can be downloaded; the 2026 Scholarship Regulations are also available.

Waitlist
Waitlist: For the Primary national section, waitlist admissions are possible only for applicants with a nexus to the school. Nexos include siblings at the school; child of alumni; child of former scholarship recipients of German universities or German schools; children with German, Austrian, or Swiss passports; and children of CAQ staff or faculty. If seats are available, the Secretariat will inform the dates for evaluations. Before evaluations, parents must submit copies of the child and parents IDs, prior-year certificates (apostilled if studied abroad), and a letter of admission request.
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