This guide is for parents and carers who have just moved to Germany with school-age children and want to understand how schooling works. After reading it, you will know when school becomes compulsory, how a child is placed in a class, what welcome classes are and how the move from primary to secondary school is decided.
- Each Land runs its own school system
- Compulsory schooling: ages and duration
- Finding a school and a place in the right class
- Welcome and preparation classes
- From primary to secondary school
- FAQ
Each Land runs its own school system
Education in Germany is regulated by the federal states, and each of the 16 Länder (federal states) has its own school system, according to Handbook Germany. Only general compulsory education and the grading system are the same throughout the country. Everything else can differ depending on where a family lives, from the length of primary school to the way children move on to secondary school.
One thing does not change between states: a school-leaving qualification obtained in one Land is recognised throughout Germany. Because the details are set at state level, and are often applied by the local school authority and the individual school, these are the places that confirm how the rules work in a particular town or city.
Compulsory schooling: ages and duration
Germany has Schulpflicht (compulsory schooling). All children are required to attend school from the age of six or seven. Every child who lives in Germany must go to school from that age and study for at least nine years.
The rule also applies to refugee children and teenagers. If they are six years old or older, they often have to start school soon after arriving in Germany. The exact regulations vary from state to state, so the precise starting point is decided locally. Parents who do not send their children to school have to pay what the source describes as a hefty fine. The source does not state an amount.
Questions about how a family’s residence status relates to school are a matter for the Ausländerbehörde (foreigners’ authority) or a migration advice service.
Finding a school and a place in the right class
All children begin in primary school. If a child has already been to school in another country, the school administration usually decides which grade the child joins, in consultation with the parents, the student and the local school authority. The source does not list the documents needed to enrol, so each school or local authority decides what it asks for.
Older children may already hold a foreign school-leaving certificate. Under certain conditions it can be treated as equivalent to a German one, but the rules and procedures vary from state to state. The responsible office is the Zeugnisanerkennungsstelle (certificate recognition office) of the relevant Land, and the Anabin database can be used to find a recognition or advisory centre.
In many schools, children with special needs or disabilities learn alongside other children. There are also specialised schools only for children with special educational needs. Kindergarten staff can advise on the options. So can the Jugendmigrationsdienst (JMD, Youth Migration Service), whose staff speak various languages, and the Parents’ Hotline.
Welcome and preparation classes
According to the source, children and teenagers who speak little or no German should first attend special classes. There they learn the language and get to know German culture. These classes are often called Willkommensklassen (welcome classes), Vorbereitungsklassen (preparation classes) or Übergangsklassen (transition classes, also known as Ü-Klassen), and they prepare children to enter regular classes. Students in these classes are assessed gradually according to their age, performance and language skills.
Many Länder also offer Erstsprachenunterricht (ESU, first language instruction), where students practise their first language in writing and speech. ESU is additional, voluntary and free. It runs when enough students who share the same first language register. If it is not yet offered, parents can find other interested families and give the school a list with the required number of participants. The school can then apply to the responsible authority. Under certain conditions, ESU can be graded or credited as academic achievement.
Multilingual students who only entered a German school during lower secondary education may, in some circumstances, have their first language recognised in place of a compulsory or elective foreign language. This is done through a language proficiency test or by submitting certificates from the country of origin. The requirements differ by Land, and the school can explain them.
From primary to secondary school
Primary school lasts four to six years, depending on the Land. After that, students move to secondary school. The type of secondary school has a significant effect on later education and career options, and in general higher grades open up more choices. The Abitur (the highest school-leaving certificate) is the qualification needed to enrol at a university.
How the secondary school is chosen depends on the Land. In some states, a student’s marks and the teacher’s evaluation decide which school the child must attend. In many states, teachers only make a recommendation and the parents make the final decision. Even so, it can be difficult to find a school that accepts a child with poor marks. The source does not name the individual secondary school types. Their names differ between Länder, and each state’s own education pages list them.
Grades use the same scale everywhere: 1 is the best mark and 6 is the worst. Students receive a report card twice a year. The midterm report, usually issued at the end of January, shows parents and children how the student is doing. The annual report, often handed out before the summer holidays, decides whether a child moves up to the next grade or repeats the year. In most primary schools, the report cards for the first two years contain no marks, only a short written evaluation from the teacher.
FAQ
How soon after arrival does a child have to start school?
Every child living in Germany must attend school from the age of six or seven, and refugee children aged six or older often have to start soon after they arrive. The exact timing depends on the rules of the Land and the local school authority. Questions about residence status go to the Ausländerbehörde or a migration advice service.
Can parents choose a secondary school against the teacher’s advice?
It depends on the Land. In some states, marks and the teacher’s evaluation decide. In many others, the teacher only recommends and the parents decide, although it can be difficult to find a school that accepts a child with poor marks.
Are private schools free?
Usually not. Private schools are run by private companies, churches or associations rather than the state, and they almost always charge tuition fees. The source does not give amounts. Each private school sets its own fees, conditions and requirements.
Where can parents get help with school questions?
The JMD offers counselling locally and online, with staff who speak various languages. The Parents’ Hotline gives free, anonymous advice in German on 0800 111 0550. It is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00 to 17:00 and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 to 19:00. From the 5th grade, children can also get free online study help through stayschool.de.
Sources: handbookgermany.de
Last verified: 22 October 2026 against the pages linked above. Rules and fees change; the responsible authority always has the final word.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. For your own situation, ask the foreigners’ authority (Ausländerbehörde) of your city, a recognised migration advice service or a lawyer (Rechtsanwalt).
Sources
- handbookgermany.de: Schools in Germany, accessed 22 October 2026
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