Attending a state-run school is free of charge, and compulsory as of the age of six. The standards in state schools are usually high, teachers are highly qualified, and student qualifications are internationally recognized. For the first four years, children usually attend a primary school in the place where they live. At the end of primary school, parents can choose between various types of secondary schools, ranging from lower secondary school (Hauptschule) and the Realschule to higher secondary school (Gymnasium), depending on their child’s interests and abilities.

Students who gain a qualification (Hochschulreife) from a Gymnasium can attend university. Students who gain a qualification from a technical or specialized secondary school, which takes one year less, can attend a university of applied science, whose courses are more practically oriented. Many schools have developed their own profiles focusing on certain areas. In addition to Gymnasien specializing in music, there are schools that focus on natural sciences, languages, or sports, for example.

A guide can be found on the internet portal of Deutscher Bildungsserver._This lists private, state, European, and international schools in Germany. Schools specializing in languages and European schools are listed at www.fmks-online.de/ Information on boarding schools and private schools can be found at www.privatschulen.de