The responsibility for the German education system lies primarily with the states (Länder) while the federal government plays only a minor role. Optional Kindergarten (nursery school) education is provided for all children between three and six years of age, after which school attendance is compulsory, in most cases for 11 to 12 years. The system varies throughout Germany because each state (Land) decides its own educational policies. Most children, however, first attend Grundschule from the age of six to ten or twelve.
German secondary education includes five types of school. The Gymnasium is designed to prepare pupils for university education and finishes with the final examination Abitur, after grade 12 or 13. The Realschule has a broader range of emphasis for intermediate pupils and finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife, after grade 10; the Hauptschule prepares pupils for vocational education and finishes with the final examination Hauptschulabschluss, after grade 9 or 10 and the Realschulabschluss after grade 10. There are two types of grade 10: one is the higher level called type 10b and the lower level is called type 10a; only the higher level type 10b can lead to the Realschule and this finishes with the final examination Mittlere Reife after grade 10b.
This new path of achieving the Realschulabschluss at a vocationally oriented secondary school was changed by the statutory school regulations in 1981 – with a one-year qualifying period. During the one-year qualifying period of the change to the new regulations, pupils could continue with class 10 to fulfill the statutory period of education. After 1982, the new path was compulsory, as explained above. Other than this, there is the Gesamtschule, which combines the approaches.
Many of Germany’s hundred or so institutions of higher learning charge little or no tuition by international comparison.
Students usually must prove through examinations that they are qualified.
In order to enter university, students are, as a rule, required to have passed the Abitur examination; since 2009, however, those with a Meisterbrief (master craftman’s diploma) have also been able to aply.
Those wishing to attend a “university of applied sciences” must, as a rule, have Abitur, Fachhochschulreife, or a Meisterbrief. Lacking those qualifications, pupils are eligible to enter a university or university of applied sciences if they can present additional proof that they will be able to keep up with their fellow students through a Begabtenprüfung or Hochbegabtenstudium.
A special system of apprenticeship called Duale Ausbildung allows pupils on vocational courses to do in-service training in a company as well as at a state school.
Breakdown of School Levels
put illustration here – create new one
Grundschule
- 4 Years
- On recommendation of the teacher a pupil can change to Gymnasium
Hauptschule
- 5 to 6 years
- By recommendation of the teacher a pupil can change to Realschule after Grade 6
- Hauptschulabschluss after grade 9 or 10
Realschule
- 4 Years
- technical/mathematical or social
- Realschulabschluss = Mittlere Reife
Gymnasium
- 7 to 8 years
- Abitur
Apprenticeship
- 3-4 years
- To learn a profession (Banker, Plumber, Mason, etc.) one has to start apprenticeship with 80% practical, on the job, education and 20% theoretical education
- Gesellenbrief
Meister / Techniker
After having worked for 2 years a Geselle can apply to the Meister or Techniker — Schule}
Differences:
- Meister: can open his own business, can teach Gesellen
- Techniker: more theory, working like an engineer
Fachoberschule
- 2 Years
- Fachhochschulreife, allows to enter University o AS
University of Applied Science – 8 Semesters
- Mostly practically oriented, 2 practical semesters, working in the industry
- Technical, Design
- Diploma, Bachelor/Master
University
- 4 to 8 Years
- All fields available
- Diploma
Permission to copy, but not for commercial use.