Private schools in Germany 2026: a ranking built on verified facts
A ranking of private general-education schools in Germany, built on verifiable facts: the school's status under state law (Ersatzschule or Ergänzungsschule), state recognition, accreditation by CIS or NEASC, the operator named in the imprint, published tuition, class size, programmes and the year it started. Every fact links to its source with the date we checked it. This is not advice to choose a particular school. Places are not for sale.
| # | Company | Who it serves | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Munich International School | 78 | Yes | Yes | Yes | €19,002 a year (Grades 1-4) | Not verified | Yes | 1966 | Licence Accredited Tuition From primary to the final exam Programme |
| 2 | Schule Schloss Salem | 78 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not verified | 20 | Yes | 1920 | Licence Accredited Tuition Programme |
| 3 | Schule Birklehof | 74 | Yes | Yes | Yes | €48,600 a year (school and boarding) | 15 | Not verified | 1932 | Licence Accredited Tuition |
| 4 | Frankfurt International School | 64 | Yes | Not verified | Yes | €25,815 a year (Grades 1-4) | Not verified | Yes | 1961 | Licence Tuition From primary to the final exam Programme |
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Yes
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- €19,002 a year (Grades 1-4)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1966
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Holds a state or international accreditation
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 78% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Yes
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- Not verified
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- 20
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1920
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Holds a state or international accreditation
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 90% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Yes
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- €48,600 a year (school and boarding)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- 15
- International programme
- Not verified
- Open since
- 1932
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Holds a state or international accreditation
- Long-established school
Details Visit site ↗ 78% backed by facts
-
- Licence or state status
- Yes
- Accreditation
- Not verified
- Tuition published
- Yes
- Tuition as published
- €25,815 a year (Grades 1-4)
- Pupils in a class (as stated)
- Not verified
- International programme
- Yes
- Open since
- 1961
Pros
- Meets its country's licence or registration rule
- Publishes its tuition
- Long-established school
- Names its legal entity and registration number
Details Visit site ↗ 64% backed by facts
Not ranked yet: not enough verified data
These services are known to us, but we haven't verified enough facts to rank them fairly.
- Bavarian International School (57% backed by facts)
- Berlin Brandenburg International School (52% backed by facts)
- Bonn International School (29% backed by facts)
- Dresden International School (42% backed by facts)
- International School of Düsseldorf (51% backed by facts)
- Stiftung Louisenlund (38% backed by facts)
How we calculate the Score
40%
Licence and accreditation
Whether the school has the state licence, registration or status its country requires, whether it holds a state or recognised international accreditation, and whether its website names the legal entity behind it.
25%
Transparency
Whether the school publishes its tuition on its own website, and whether it publishes its latest inspection report so parents can read it.
25%
Learning
The class size the school states (smaller scores higher), whether one school takes a child from primary to the final exam, and whether it offers an international programme such as the IB or, outside the UK, Cambridge or Pearson qualifications.
10%
Experience
The year the school started. A school reaches the full score after 30 years.
How to choose a private school
Check the licence and status
Find out what your country requires and check the school in the official register, not only on its website. Ask whether the certificate your child receives is a state certificate.
Decide on the final qualification
National exam, IB or A Levels lead to different universities. Choose the qualification first, then the school, and check that the school is authorised to offer it.
Ask for the full cost
Add up tuition, the entry fee, meals, transport, uniform, trips and boarding. Ask how fees rise each year and in what currency you pay.
Look at real class sizes
Ask for the number of pupils in your child's future class, not the school average, and how many teachers work with them.
Read the latest inspection
If the school is inspected, read the whole report. Ask what the school changed after it.
Read the contract
Check how you can leave, how much notice you must give, what happens to the fees you paid and who the contract is with.
Frequently asked questions
What is an Ersatzschule?
An Ersatzschule is a private school that replaces a state school: children can fulfil compulsory schooling there, and it needs approval from the federal state. A 'staatlich anerkannt' school can also hold exams and award certificates itself. An Ergänzungsschule is a supplementary school with its own rules, so check how it meets compulsory schooling.