A family’s firsthand insights into navigating Deutschclasses, competitive entry programs, and the German education system. Germany’s education system is increasingly tested by international mobility and migration. Every year, families arrive from across Europe and beyond with school-age children who must find their place in a system they do not yet understand – and often in a language they do not yet speak. What happens when such a family enters the system?
Author: Judit Szilos-Zongor
Our story began in May 2023, when I moved to Munich. My husband and our two children joined me at the end of July, just as schools had closed for the summer break. Looking back, this timing was our first lesson: in Germany, school administration follows a strict calendar. Without knowing the system, it is easy to arrive at exactly the wrong moment.
A different rhythm of schooling
One of the first surprises was the rhythm of the school year. In Bavaria, the academic year is structured around frequent breaks. Roughly every five to eight weeks there is a one- or two-week holiday. Summer vacation, however, is much shorter than in Hungary – only six weeks.
The idea seems simple: instead of one very long summer break, the school year is divided into shorter learning periods. In practice this rhythm keeps children surprisingly fresh and motivated.
Understanding the Bavarian school system
The Bavarian school system is widely considered one of the most demanding in Germany. Children attend Grundschule (primary school) for four years. After that they are generally directed toward three main educational tracks:
- Mittelschule
- Realschule
- Gymnasium
Although the system appears rigid at first glance, it is actually more flexible than many outsiders assume. With good academic results students can move between tracks later. Importantly, the Abitur obtained at Gymnasium is not the only path to higher education. Students who continue through Fachoberschule can also obtain a university entrance qualification, although it may lead to a more specialized range of university programs. In other words, the system offers several possible routes toward higher education.
The importance of residency
Another structural feature of the German system is the role of residency. To enroll a child in a public school, a family must first have an officially registered address. Without residence registration, school enrollment is not possible. This also explains why families in large cities sometimes move specifically to certain neighborhoods in order to access particular schools.
Entering the system without speaking German
Children who arrive without German language skills usually enter the system through a Deutschclass. A Deutschclass is a preparatory class within the public school system where newly arrived students focus primarily on learning German before transitioning into regular classes.
The legal basis for this kind of support is embedded in Bavarian education law. Under the Bavarian Education and Teaching Act (BayEUG) and related school regulations, pupils whose first language is not German are entitled to special language support within the public school system, which may include preparatory classes such as Deutschklassen.
In practice, this system addresses a significant number of children: in the 2025/26 school year in Munich, about 26.9 % of pupils in the city’s general education schools were non‑German native speakers, indicating that tens of thousands of children arrive with limited German language skills every year and require targeted language support. (stadt.muenchen.de)
One key aspect of the system is that at the beginning all children without German language skills are placed together, regardless of their previous academic background. The first filter is therefore not intelligence or academic performance, but simply language.
A difficult transition
When we arrived in Germany, our daughter Emma had just been admitted to one of Budapest’s most prestigious academic schools, the Deák Square Lutheran Gymnasium, an elite eight-year secondary program. Admission to such schools in Hungary requires serious preparation and competitive entrance exams. Yet when we moved to Germany, none of that mattered initially.
Because Emma did not speak German, she entered the system through a Mittelschule Deutschclass. For a child who had just successfully passed a demanding entrance exam for a top academic school, this was a difficult transition. Some students in the class struggled even with basic writing or arithmetic. It was not an easy period. But the system eventually offered a way forward.
Discovering the InGym program
Teachers soon realized that Emma’s academic level was very different from the environment she had initially entered. They asked whether she spoke English and suggested that she apply for the InGym program. InGym is a Munich-based initiative supported by the city and the Bavarian education system, designed to help academically strong international students transition into the Gymnasium track. The program was introduced in the 2023–2024 school year.
Admission is highly competitive. Classes usually include no more than eighteen students, while several hundred applicants may sit for the entrance tests. When Emma applied, only thirteen students were admitted to the junior class. What impressed me most was that the program does not simply place students and leave them on their own. Former participants are invited back to speak to new groups about their experiences entering regular Gymnasium classes, giving them a realistic picture of what lies ahead.
Emma spent the autumn semester in Mittelschule and the spring semester in the InGym program. After completing it successfully, the local Gymnasium located only about 700 meters from our home admitted her. After a probationary year, she officially became a full member of the German Gymnasium system.
A different experience in primary school
Our son Marci arrived in Germany earlier, during third grade. Unlike Emma, his path into the system was partially determined by school availability. The neighborhood primary school did not have a Deutschclass, so the school authorities directed us to the nearest Grundschule that offered one, about 2.5 kilometers from our home.
That school turned out to be an exceptional placement. The teaching team there was outstanding, even including a therapy dog named Ella, which helped children adapt to their new environment and made the transition into a new language and culture much easier. The goal of the program was clear: to help students move into regular German classes as quickly as possible.
Marci eventually transitioned into a standard class and today he also continues his studies in Gymnasium, successfully navigating the system.
Schools, resources and everyday reality
Another striking difference compared to Hungary was the everyday functioning of the schools themselves. In Bavarian public schools, parents usually contribute a small annual fee at the beginning of the school year, typically between 20 and 50 euros. This covers basic classroom materials, copying and similar administrative costs. In addition, families usually pay for school trips or camps, which can amount to roughly 300–400 euros per year per child.
In return, however, the schools are well equipped. Classrooms have modern technology, interactive boards and well-maintained facilities. This was a stark contrast to our experience in Hungary, where many public schools struggled with limited resources and parents often had to bring basic supplies – from tissues to printing paper – simply to help the school function.
In Munich’s public schools, by comparison, the infrastructure felt stable, organized and clean. For us, this difference was immediately visible.
The role of parents
One aspect of the German system that is openly acknowledged is the importance of parental involvement. Educational research consistently shows that the educational level of parents and their engagement in their children’s schooling strongly influence how far a student can progress within the system. Understanding the structure of the system – and the options it provides – can make a significant difference. Looking back, there are many things we would have prepared differently if we had known more about it in advance.
Timing matters
If I could give one piece of advice to families considering a similar move, it would be this: the age at which children enter the system matters. Children who arrive earlier, especially during primary school, often integrate more smoothly. In many cases they quickly become part of the system as if they had always been there. Arriving later, particularly without German language skills, can make the first phase much more challenging.
Two years later
Two years after arriving in Germany, both of our children have found their place in the system. The path was not always easy. It required patience, resilience and a great deal of work. But it also revealed something important. Despite its strict structure, the German education system contains multiple pathways that allow determined students to move forward.
And in the end, that may be the most reassuring discovery of all.
Cover photo credit: ChatGPT
Judit Szilos-Zongor is a Hungarian professional, born and raised in Pécs, who also lived in London for two years and spent 22 years in Budapest. Following Hungary’s 2022 elections, she and her family decided to move to Munich, where they have been living since 2023. With over 20 years of experience in international roles, she is interested in education, AI, and lifelong learning.
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