Germany earmarks €20 million for free swimming courses for kids

More than half of Germany's primary school children cannot swim confidently, and the number of people who drowned during this summer's bathing season has grown in comparison to 2025. To address this, a 20-million-euro federal programme will fund free swimming courses from spring 2027, and parents can enrol their children.

What is "Deutschland lernt Schwimmen"?

The Federal Chancellery, the German Swimming Federation (DSV) and the German Lifesaving Association (DLRG) have launched Germany Learns to Swim (Deutschland lernt Schwimmen), with 20 million euros allocated over four years. The money will fund more time for children to swim in public pools, more swimming courses, qualified instructors, and bus transport if the nearest pool is far away. However, the funding does not cover building or repairing pools.

The programme intends to combat the number of drowning cases in Germany, which has reached 320 deaths between January 1 and September 15, 2026, according to the DLRG. Of these, 237 died during the bathing season from the beginning of May to September 15, 18 more deaths than in the same period in 2025. 

At the same time, a growing number of children can not swim. A representative survey by the DLRG found that the share of six- to 10-year-olds who cannot swim doubled between 2017 and 2022, from 10 to 20 percent. Income makes a big difference: 49 percent of children from households earning less than 2.500 euros a month could not swim, compared with 12 percent in households with more than 4.000 euros.

The programme directs funding to swimming clubs, DLRG branches, and public schools. Families will not receive the money, but can instead apply for a place in lessons. The courses are free for children, with a prime focus on low-income families and children with special needs. 

How can parents take advantage of the programme? 

The programme is meant to help children who cannot yet swim safely. A child swims safely only if they can stay afloat and swim independently for 15 minutes in deep water, DLRG President Ute Vogt told tagesschau. A badge alone does not prove their capabilities, as 54 percent of six- to 10-year-olds have the seahorse badge (Seepferdchen), but only 24 percent have the bronze badge (Freischwimmer).

Parents can ask their child's school, local swimming clubs, after-school care or Kita whether they are partnered with the programme. Parents do not apply for the funding themselves. Instead, clubs and other organisations apply to the DSV for funding to run the courses, with a deadline of 31 January 2027. The first funded classes are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027, and parents can then sign their child up with the club or school offering them.

Parents can also find nearby clubs through the DSV's club finder and ask whether they are joining the programme. Until funded courses start, parents' help teaching their children to swim remains important. In the DLRG survey, 42 percent of children learned to swim from their parents and only 13 percent at school, which shows how often families fill the gap left by too few school lessons.