How does the German school system work?

There are over 32,000 schools in Germany, spread throughout the country, all of which have the same minimum standard. School policy in Germany is the responsibility of the 16 federal states. Since the beginning of the war, refugee pupils have been welcomed unbureaucratically at the many schools and their schooling has been ensured.

As a rule, compulsory education in Germany begins for all children in the year that they turn six and usually involves nine full-time school years (in Berlin, Brandenburg and Bremen ten full-time school years, in North-Rhine Westphalia nine years at a grammar school and ten full-time school years at other general schools).

General information about school education (in German).

The 16 German federal states coordinate on school education in a dedicated Conference of Education Ministers of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz, KMK). On the KMK website for Ukrainian refugees you will find information and contacts for school topics in the federal state you are currently in. The KMK website also provides general information on the German school system.