We are planning to move to Germany from the UK with 15 year old.

[GreenOlive 1]

My wife and I are considering relocation to Munich from the UK.

 

Our primary concern is education for our 15 yo daughter, who is in Year 10 right now. She's been learning German for the last two years, so she knows some basics. If we were to stay in the UK, she would go to sixth form and then to university.

 

We understand it's tricky to move country at this age, but she is very optimistic about the move.

 

What is the best way for her to transition to a German school, considering she wants to continue her education at a university?

From the information I got, the last two years of abitur (years 12 and 13) will count towards the final mark, so it's crucial to have an excellent German before that. Would repeating year 10 in German be sufficient to catch up on the language?

 

Any other suggestions, please?

[snowingagain 5,182]

I would guess just no.  The depth of German required to do all those subjects at Abitur, no way.   Can you afford somewhere offering IB taught in English?  Re Uni, there are options for English language based degrees here.

[GreenOlive 1]

I was thinking about her doing IB in English, but from what I read, German universities would weigh IB results much lower than abitur. Another point against education in English is that she won't have a chance to master her German to the C1 level required by universities, and almost all bachelor programs are taught in German.

Am I right?

[PandaMunich 16,562]

3 hours ago, GreenOlive said:

Any other suggestions, please?

Reconsider relocating.

Or at least relocate to one of the Bundesländer with an "easier" school system.

Or send her to boarding school in the UK.

 

Your daughter is too old to learn German at a level that allows her to be in the Gymnasium.

And a Bavarian Gymnasium at that. 

The Bavarian school system is one of the hardest in Germany.

 

A private international school (with an IB at the end, like snowingagain said) is the only viable option, but you may lack the wherewithal to pay for it.

 

Please also read these threads and all threads I linked from them in my posts in there (yes, it's a lot, but you need to get a "feel" for the German school system. It is the exact opposite of the UK system, here, "private" aka "public" in Brit-speak school is bad and "state" school is good):

• https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/239237-ratings-or-reviews-of-munich-schools/
• https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/367845-why-do-you-want-to-send-your-children-to-private-school-in-germany/
• https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/366036-job-offer-near-munich-lots-of-questions
• https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/207520-share-experiences-with-bilingual-schools-in-munich/?do=findComment&comment=2336257
• I wrote about MIS (Munich International School) fees in here: https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/378051-school-law-exemption-homeschool/
• https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/372994-any-experience-with-children-that-speaks-only-portuguese-living-in-munich/?do=findComment&comment=3600865

MIS is only an Ergänzungsschule, the "worst" category, even below "staatlich genehmigt", but in your situation, you have no choice: https://www.km.bayern.de/schule/1024.html?re=1

 

See here for all schools where the instruction language is not German (this Bavarian Ministry of Education database has all schools in Bavaria in it), all of which are just "Ergänzungschulen" = "worst" category), with the exception of the European School (which is a state school, but which is reserved for the children of employees of the European Patent Organisation - they do sell the few remaining spaces, but at very high prices to Munich companies for their expat employees' children): https://www.km.bayern.de/ministerium/schule-und-ausbildung/schulsuche.html?s=&u=0&r=9999&t=8&o=9999&p2=0&p25=0&p1=0&p26=0&p3=0&p4=0&p5=0&p6=0&p7=0&p23=0&p24=0&p11=0&p12=0&p13=0&p14=0&p27=0&p15=0&p28=0&p16=0&p19=0&p20=0&p21=0&p22=0&p9=0

[LeonG 14,795]

33 minutes ago, GreenOlive said:

I was thinking about her doing IB in English, but from what I read, German universities would weigh IB results much lower than abitur. 

 

She has to go to uni in Germany?

 

34 minutes ago, GreenOlive said:

Another point against education in English is that she won't have a chance to master her German to the C1 level required by universities, and almost all bachelor programs are taught in German.

 

Why wouldn't she have a chance to get to C1?  Loads of foreign students are coming to Germany and doing just that.  She could do an IB in English and study German on the side.  If 2 years is not enough, she can take a year off after her IB, work part time and focus more on her German. 

 

She could look for a bachelor program in Germany that is taught in English or half/half.  Or she could look for a bachelor program in some other European country that is taught in English.  I know you can find some in Scandinavia as well as in the Netherlands.  Some Eastern European countries are also catering to foreign students by offering programs taught in English.  I keep hearing about people who are going to medical school in Slovakia for example.

 

[robinson100 12,792]

If you are only "considering" moving to Germany, why not wait until your child is at university? It would surely be easier on her and on you!

What is your motivation? and can it wait a couple of years?

 

 

[john g. 37,679]

Hello GreenOlive! Are you ( the parents ) British citizens? ( Based on your moniker, the thought springs to mind you might be Greek, Portuguese,Spanish, Italian etc👍). If so, lucky you if you are EU or also EU citizens. I'm not sure - if you are solely British citizens- how it works out any more re residence in Germany. That would be another hurdle to overcome. 

 

And the issue of health insurance. It can cost real money here. 

[Chelski 1,438]

54 minutes ago, john g. said:

And the issue of health insurance. It can cost real money here. 

 

Eyes better @john g.?

 

Ambulance chaser instincts now turned back up to volume 11?

[john g. 37,679]

7 minutes ago, Chelski said:

 

Eyes better @john g.?

 

Ambulance chaser instincts now turned back up to volume 11?

😂

Not better. Have postponed the eye op because my Nicole also has an eye op on the same day. That won't work. We have to take care of each other and the dogs.

Not sure I understand your point, though?

[GreenOlive 1]

1 hour ago, robinson100 said:

If you are only "considering" moving to Germany, why not wait until your child is at university? It would surely be easier on her and on you!

What is your motivation? and can it wait a couple of years?

 

After living in the UK for 10+ years and questioning whether we would like to stay here during the last three years, we really want to move.

 

Our daughter was born in Latvia and raised in the UK. She had been travelling to Latvia multiple times every year and spent much time there. Despite growing up and attending a UK school from the reception year, she always liked Latvia and its people more than the UK and always asked us to move back to Latvia. My wife and I didn't consider relocation back to Latvia but always were thinking about Germany. Our daughter is quite optimistic about this idea too.

 

Many things could have been better in the UK, especially during the last few years. The only thing that kept us living here for such a long time is the high salary I earn in London as an IT contractor.
However, the quality of public services is so low that I don't have a choice but to pay for private education and healthcare, which negates a higher salary.

We also have four years old son, so the education cost is still relevant.

 

1 hour ago, john g. said:

Are you ( the parents ) British citizens?

 

Yes, but we also hold Latvian (EU) citizenship.

 

 

[GreenOlive 1]

@PandaMunich thank you so much for such a detailed answer.

[fraufruit 41,924]

13 hours ago, john g. said:

Not sure I understand your point, though?

 

He's basically accusing you of looking to cash in on the OP's possible future insurance needs.

 

Just ignore.