To ensure that it is accessible to all, the German federal government funds primary, secondary, vocational and higher education in Germany. Most types of schools are therefore free, although a small minority of schools in Germany are allowed to charge fees.
Public schools offering primary and secondary education are free. However, parents may be asked to contribute towards extra-curricular activities, such as school trips and excursions. There are usually subsidies and bursaries for families on lower incomes.
Due to the legal requirement to not discriminate between affluent and less well-off families, private schools in Germany tend to charge fairly nominal fees and offer various scholarship schemes.
Private and alternative schools are funded through a mixture of government subsidies and fundraising. The amount of school fees private schools can charge is determined by the education authorities in each federal state and so varies according to location. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, tuition fees are prohibited and private schools receive more funding.
School fees can also be partially deducted from parents’ annual income tax returns. This all ensures that private schools in Germany are generally much more affordable than other private schools in western Europe.
International schools are not always covered by the same laws as private schools regarding tuition fees. Therefore, they do not receive state funding and are relatively free in the fees they charge. The exact cost depends on the school and which grade your child is in, ranging from 2.500 to 25.000 euros per year.