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For the full picture of senior provision, start with our international schools in Berlin directory, which lists every school by curriculum and stage. The schools below all run an examined Years 12 to 13 programme that leads directly to university entry, and they admit by application rather than by residential catchment. This is a shortlist to research, not a ranking, and provision changes, so confirm current pathways with each school.
If you are weighing the qualification itself, our guide to A-levels explains how the English route is examined and recognised by universities, while the IB Diploma is the broader six-subject alternative. Families focused on outcomes should also read our shortlist of the best schools for university preparation in Berlin, and the wider Berlin secondary schools guide.
The shortlist
Berlin Brandenburg International School
Berlin Brandenburg International School, known as BBIS, sits in Kleinmachnow between Berlin and Potsdam and is one of the longest-established IB World Schools in the region. It offers the full IB continuum and runs the IB Diploma in the final two years, supported by the breadth of subjects a large international school can staff. For families who want a pure IB Diploma pathway with a deep institutional track record, BBIS is the natural first call, and it is also the only school in the shortlist with a boarding option for the senior years.
Berlin International School
Berlin International School prepares students for university through the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12, the standard sixth form years. As a centrally located, English-medium IB school it suits internationally mobile families who want their child to finish on a globally recognised Diploma and to stay within a single continuum rather than switch curriculum for the senior phase. Confirm the current Diploma subject list directly, as options are set year to year.
Berlin British School
Berlin British School follows the English National Curriculum, with students sitting IGCSE at 16 and then A-levels in the sixth form, and it is also an IB World School. It is the city's clearest A-levels route, so it suits families who want a wholly British sixth form and the three or four subject specialism that A-levels allow rather than the wider IB Diploma. German is taught as a second language across the school, which helps children settle locally.
Nelson Mandela School
The Nelson Mandela School is a state international school running from the early years to Year 13, offering the leaving certificates of the Berlin system, including the bilingual Abitur, as well as the International Baccalaureate. Because it is part of the state stream, the senior years cost a fraction of full private tuition, which makes a genuine IB pathway far more affordable for eligible families. Demand is high and places are limited, so apply early.
How we chose
We included only Berlin schools we could confirm run a genuine, externally examined sixth form leading to university entry, the IB Diploma, A-levels or both, and that enrol students through to the final year. We did not rank them, score them or attach ratings, because the right sixth form depends on your child's subjects, the qualification universities in your target country prefer, and the fit of the school. Verify current subject lists and pathways directly, as schools add and retire options year to year. Note too that the bilingual state route, such as the Nelson Mandela School, weighs language background and the date of application, so eligibility and timing matter as much as the academic fit. Phorms Berlin also offers pathways into both the Abitur and the IB Diploma for families who prefer a bilingual German-English setting.
Shortlist Berlin schools for your child
Tell us your child's stage, curriculum and priorities and the school finder returns a matched Berlin shortlist.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
Sixth form fees in Berlin vary widely because the city has two distinct streams. The state bilingual schools, including the Nelson Mandela School, charge a regulated parental contribution that is a fraction of full private tuition, while fully private schools such as BBIS, Berlin International School and Berlin British School charge significantly more for the Diploma or A-level years. Rather than quote figures that move each year, we keep the live bands in one place: see our guide to international school fees in Berlin for current tuition by school and stream, and confirm the exact sixth form figure, plus any examination and deposit costs, with the school before you apply.
To build a shortlist around your child, use the school finder, browse the full Berlin schools directory, or compare the related shortlists for university preparation and the most affordable international schools in Berlin.
Common questions
Berlin Brandenburg International School, Berlin International School and the Nelson Mandela School all run the IB Diploma Programme in the final two years, and Berlin British School offers it alongside A-levels as an IB World School. Confirm the current subject list with each school, as Diploma options change year to year.
Berlin British School follows the English National Curriculum and teaches IGCSE followed by A-levels in the sixth form. It is the clearest A-levels route in the city, so families who want a wholly British qualification should start there and check the subjects offered for the year of entry.
Neither is universally better. The IB Diploma is broad, with six subjects plus the core, while A-levels let a student specialise in three or four. German universities accept both, and so do universities abroad, so the better choice depends on your child's strengths and target countries. Our curriculum guides compare them in detail.
Sixth form sits at the top of each school's fee scale. State bilingual schools such as the Nelson Mandela School charge a regulated parental contribution, while fully private schools charge considerably more for the Diploma or A-level years. We keep current figures in our international school fees in Berlin guide rather than quote a number that dates quickly.
No. Berlin international schools admit by application and assessment, and the state bilingual schools also weigh language background and date of application. Where you live does not guarantee a sixth form place, so apply directly and check each school's entry requirements early.