Can I send my child to a public school in Germany?

Hi Sally,

Berlin has a lot of international schools, but you are right fees are really high.

A traditional German public school doesn't work for most expat children (unless they are young enough to pick up the language). I certainly don't think it would be wise for a 12 year old who doesn't speak German to attend a school where German is the language of instruction.

However, luckily there is another option that can work for you. Bilingual schools are public schools in Germany which teach children both in German and another language. Fees are low or non-existant and its a really great option if you want your son to mix with local kids. The only downside is that you'll find that these schools are also popular with German people, so the tend to be oversubscribed. They often have waiting lists. So I would advise you to apply as soon as possible.

For more info check out the Education and Schools in Berlin page.

Good luck

Shantalie

Everything Shantalie said was correct. What you are not factoring in is that your son will experience culture shock due to the language and this will make making friends difficult. If you don't speak German, your best bet is to seek out an international community and introduce your son to these people as they will probably speak English and be in a similar situation.