Skip to content

School in Saxony

Updated:

In Saxony, school is compulsory for all children, including those who move to Germany from another country. School is not only a place to learn, but also an important space for integration. In Saxony, all children who are six years old by June 30 of the current year are required to attend school.

Westend61.de/WESTF24186

There are different types of schools in Saxony:

Elementary school lasts 4 years. It is for children from 6 to around 10 years of age. Elementary school teaches the basics of reading, writing and arithmetic and encourages a love of learning.

Enrolment

  • Children must be enrolled at an elementary school in the school district the year before they start school.
  • In addition to public elementary school, there are also private schools (independent providers). These do not have a fixed school district - parents are free to choose whether they wish to enrol their child there.
  • A change to another school (e.g. with better language support) is possible on application.
  • Registration also includes a medical examination at the public health department. You will receive the appointment for this when you register at the school or directly from the health department.
  • The schools often invite the child to a personal interview.

Further information on registration can be found on the Amt24 service portal.

For newly arrived children and young people who are already required to attend school (from the second semester of year 1), registration is carried out via the Saxony online school portal.

The educational recommendation for secondary schools:

In Year 4, you and your child must decide which school they will attend after elementary school - a secondary school or a grammar school. Your child will receive a recommendation from the school based on their performance in German, mathematics and general studies. You can find more information in the brochure The educational recommendation.

Secondary school usually lasts 5 or 6 years. It offers a general and pre-vocational education. It promotes the individual strengths and interests of the pupils. After year 9, pupils receive a Hauptschulabschluss or qualifying Hauptschulabschluss. On completion of Year 10, they receive a Realschulabschluss. With these qualifications, they can begin vocational training.

The Gymnasium leads to the Abitur in eight years and enables students to go on to university or vocational training. Years 5 and 6 provide orientation. It is possible to transfer from secondary school to grammar school up to year 9 if you perform well. From year 8 onwards, pupils can choose profiles - i.e. specializations with different subject focuses.

A complete overview of the school system in Saxony can be found in the multilingual digital brochure Many Paths to Success from the Saxon State Ministry of Culture.

You can find a complete overview of the school system in Saxony in the multilingual digital brochure Many Paths to Success from the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.

Find an international school

Are you looking for an international school in Saxony? Use the search function of the Saxon school database or contact the State Office for Schools and Education for further information and support.

Preparatory classes for children who do not yet speak German

Many schools have preparatory classes. The children first learn German there. Then they move to the normal class. School integration takes place in three stages:

First stage

Pupils acquire basic German language skills in preparatory classes. They get to know the school system and are prepared to take part in lessons and social life.

Second stage

Pupils continue to improve their oral and written German skills - with a particular focus on educational language. In addition to the preparatory class, they increasingly take part in subject lessons in the mainstream class. In vocational schools, vocational orientation also begins.

Third stage

The pupils transfer completely to the mainstream class. They continue to receive support in "German as a second language" in order to further develop subject-specific language. Further important information can be found in the multilingual brochure Welcome to Saxon Schools published by the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.

START scholarship

Pupils aged 14 and over with migration experience from year 8 onwards can apply for the START scholarship. It promotes commitment to democracy, offers free educational opportunities and individual support in Saxony.