Expert Info
on 17 Jul 2014
Hi there,
We are moving to Berlin at the end of the year as my husband has a job offer. I am worried about my 12 yr old son and his schooling. I am not sure whether my husband will get much of an allowance to cover school fees and I see that international schools in the city are crazily expensive. What are my other options? Can he attend a public school or will the language barrier be too much of an issue.
We are from the UK and my son doesn't speak German.
Cheers
Sally
We are moving to Berlin at the end of the year as my husband has a job offer. I am worried about my 12 yr old son and his schooling. I am not sure whether my husband will get much of an allowance to cover school fees and I see that international schools in the city are crazily expensive. What are my other options? Can he attend a public school or will the language barrier be too much of an issue.
We are from the UK and my son doesn't speak German.
Cheers
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