Loading ...The school year in Germany is similar to the American system, beginning in August or September, depending on the state, with a six-week summer vacation and traditional holiday breaks.
The German government strongly enforces compulsory education, so it’s best to enroll your child in school as soon as possible to avoid any fines. Schools generally begin accepting applications six months before the start of the school year. To enroll your child in a state school, you will need an application form from the school of your choice. Complete the application and take it to your city’s local district office, or Bezirksamt. Documents like a birth certificate, passport/proof of residency and immunization records also may be required.
If you are reluctant to place your child in a German state school because of the language barrier, you should know that some states do offer bilingual schools, the most notable being the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin. The school is a public institution so it is free for all students. But unlike other state schools, JFK integrates both the American and German educational systems. The main language of instruction is English, alongside German. The John F. Kennedy School is practically an international school without the tuition cost, so expectedly it is very popular with American expats. Unfortunately, that also means that spaces are very limited.
If you have the financial resources, international schools are probably the best option for you. Germany has over 3,000 international and private schools, of which seven receive direct assistance from the U.S. Department of State. These schools are the Berlin Brandenburg International School, the Bonn International School, the International School of Dusseldorf, the Frankfurt International School, the International School Hamburg, the Leipzig International School and the Munich International School. All of these schools offer the globally recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and instruction is conducted in English. Since these schools operate mostly on tuition, the costs are high. Annual tuition can range from US$8,500 to US$27,000, depending on the grade level and the school. Application and other fees are also common.
If you are thinking about homeschooling your child in Germany, you should know that under current German law it is illegal and you can be subjected to fines or more severe punishments if your child is not attending a school. There may be exceptions, so be sure to check with your state school system.
Healthcare
With an exceptional healthcare system, Germans enjoy an average life expectancy of 80 years. Germany ranked fourth on the Legatum Institute Health Sub-Index (2013) out of 142 countries measured. Germany spends about US$3,692 per capita on healthcare, which according to the OECD Better Life Index (2012) accounts for 11.6 percent of the country’s GDP, 2 percent higher than the average of 9.6 percent. The World Gallup Poll (2010) found that nearly 82 percent of Germans are satisfied with their health.
The high quality of health in Germany may be the result of the mandatory health insurance law enforced by the government, which ensures that expatriates and everyone else resident in Germany is covered by a German health insurance provider. The healthcare system in Germany is overseen by the country’s Federal Ministry of Health or Bundesministerium für Gesundheit (BMG).
Required Immunization
Germany does not require any specific vaccinations for entry. However, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highly recommends that all travelers be up-to-date with their routine shots. These shots include measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria/pertussis/tetanus (DPT) vaccine, and poliovirus vaccine. The CDC also urges travelers to be vaccinated against hepatitis B as a precaution. Visit the CDC website prior to your move for the most up-to-date health warnings.