Public German school is free but taught in German. If that’s a concern — because of your child’s current language level, your family’s mobility plans, or simply your preferred educational approach — Germany also has a substantial international and private school sector, concentrated in the cities with the largest expat populations.
International schools teach in English (or another language) using an internationally recognized curriculum (commonly IB, British IGCSE/A-Levels, or American programs), and cost roughly €7,000–€27,000+/year depending on the city and age group. Bilingual and alternative-pedagogy schools (Waldorf, Montessori) sit between public school and full international school in both cost and approach.
German public school: free, but instruction is in German — the right choice if you’re settling long-term and want your child fully integrated into German language and society (see the German school system and Willkommensklasse language support).
International schools: English-medium (sometimes other languages), using IB, British, or American curricula — designed for globally mobile families, with the highest fees.
Bilingual private schools: German-English (or other language pairs) dual instruction — often more affordable than full international schools while easing the language transition.
Waldorf/Montessori schools: alternative pedagogy emphasizing holistic development, arts, and project-based or sensory-based learning, taught mostly in German (some Montessori schools also offer English streams); fees are often income-based and lower than international schools.
Berlin is relatively affordable for international schooling. State-funded bilingual programs range from free to ~€300/month; private bilingual schools run €7,000–€13,500/year; private IB schools €16,000–€27,000/year depending on grade level; British curriculum schools €14,500–€19,500/year.
Munich
Early Years/Kindergarten: €8,000–€16,000/year. Primary School: €12,000–€22,000/year. Munich has a large expat population and correspondingly more options, but also higher costs and longer waitlists.
Frankfurt
Home to Frankfurt International School (FIS), a well-established two-campus IB school (Primary Years Programme through Diploma Programme) also offering an American curriculum pathway — a common choice for finance and corporate expat families.
Other cities
Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Düsseldorf also have established international school options, generally in a similar €10,000–€25,000/year mid-range band.
Apply directly to the school, not through a city portal — international and private schools run their own independent admissions.
Start early: popular international schools in Frankfurt and Munich in particular often have waitlists of a year or more, especially for popular grade levels.
Expect an application form, previous school records, sometimes an assessment or interview (especially for older children), and the application fee.
If moving from India, request your child’s school records and transcripts in advance and have them translated if requested by the target school.
Assuming international school availability matches public Kita/school registration timelines — international schools typically require applying much earlier
Not confirming with an employer whether tuition assistance is available before committing to a school and signing a contract
Underestimating total cost by focusing on tuition alone and missing the capital levy, application fee, and extras
Choosing based on reputation alone without visiting or understanding the specific curriculum’s fit for your child’s future plans (e.g. eventual return to the Indian education system, or ongoing international mobility)
Fees, curricula offered, and waitlist lengths change year to year and school to school. Contact schools directly for current tuition, application deadlines, and available places before making a decision.