On this page
Start with our international schools in Berlin directory for the full list, then use the shortlist below to focus on schools with a strong senior-phase pathway. The schools here all finish on an externally examined qualification, the IB Diploma, A-levels or the bilingual Abitur, that universities recognise, and each runs through to the final year. Read this alongside our guide to the International Baccalaureate, which explains how the Diploma is examined and how universities treat it. To match a school to your child, the school finder filters by stage and curriculum.
We have deliberately not published exam scores or lists of university destinations, because those figures change every year and are easy to present misleadingly. Instead we describe each school's pathway and the support it offers, which is the part that actually shapes an application, and we point you to confirm current results and counselling directly with each school.
The shortlist
Berlin Brandenburg International School
Berlin Brandenburg International School, BBIS, finishes on the IB Diploma, a qualification recognised by universities worldwide, and as a large, long-established IB World School it can staff the breadth of Diploma subjects that strengthen an application. Its size supports a dedicated approach to the university process across different national systems, which matters for families whose children may apply across several countries. Confirm the current counselling provision and recent outcomes with the school directly.
Berlin International School
Berlin International School runs the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12 and is a centrally located, English-medium IB school, which suits internationally mobile families who want a globally portable finish and continuity through the senior phase. The Diploma's combination of six subjects plus the core is well suited to applicants targeting a spread of countries rather than a single national system. Ask about the school's university guidance and how it supports applications to your target countries.
Berlin British School
Berlin British School offers the English route of IGCSE followed by A-levels, and is also an IB World School, so it can prepare students for both the specialised three or four subject A-level profile that British and many other universities expect and the broader IB Diploma. For families targeting United Kingdom universities in particular, the A-level pathway is the most direct, and the school's familiarity with the British application process is part of its value. Confirm the subjects offered for the year of entry.
Nelson Mandela School
The Nelson Mandela School offers both the International Baccalaureate and the bilingual Abitur, giving students a choice between a globally recognised Diploma and the standard German university-entry qualification. As a state school it is a far more affordable route to a strong university preparation, which makes it attractive for families staying in the German system or targeting German universities, where the Abitur is the natural entry. Places are limited and admission weighs language background, so apply early.
How we chose
We included only Berlin schools we could confirm finish on an externally examined, university-recognised qualification and that enrol students through the final year. We did not rank, score or rate them, and we did not publish exam averages or destination lists, because those numbers move yearly and a single figure rarely reflects the fit between a school and an individual applicant. The better questions are which qualification suits your child's strengths, which system your target universities prefer, and how strong each school's university counselling is in practice. The IB Diploma is broad and globally portable, A-levels allow early specialisation and are the most direct route to United Kingdom universities, and the Abitur is the natural entry to German universities, so the right shortlist depends on where your child intends to apply. Confirm current results and counselling provision with each school before you decide.
Shortlist Berlin schools by university goal
Tell us your child's stage, curriculum and target countries and the school finder returns a matched Berlin shortlist.
Start the school finderFees and next steps
University preparation sits in the senior years, at the top of each school's fee scale, and Berlin's two streams apply here as elsewhere. The state bilingual route, the Nelson Mandela School, charges only modest state contributions, while the private IB and British schools charge full international fees for the Diploma or A-level years, sometimes with separate examination and university-counselling costs. Rather than quote figures that move each year, we keep the live bands in our guide to international school fees in Berlin, and you should confirm the senior-phase total, including exam entry fees, with each school.
To take the next step, use the school finder, browse the full Berlin schools directory, or compare the related shortlists for the best schools for sixth form in Berlin and the most affordable international schools in Berlin.
Common questions
Berlin Brandenburg International School, Berlin International School, Berlin British School and the Nelson Mandela School all finish on a university-recognised qualification, the IB Diploma, A-levels or the bilingual Abitur, and run through the final year. The best fit depends on your child's target countries and strengths rather than a single ranking.
It depends on where they intend to apply. The IB Diploma is broad and globally portable, A-levels allow early specialisation and are the most direct route to United Kingdom universities, and the Abitur is the natural entry to German universities. Match the qualification to the target system and to your child's strengths.
Yes, the schools on this shortlist provide university guidance as part of the senior years, though the depth varies. Ask each school how it supports references, personal statements or essays, and applications across the specific countries your child is targeting, as this practical support shapes the outcome.
Those figures change every year and a single average rarely reflects the fit between a school and an individual applicant, so publishing them can mislead. We describe each school's pathway and support instead, and recommend you confirm current results and counselling directly with the school.
The senior years sit at the top of each school's fee scale. The state Nelson Mandela School charges only modest contributions, while private IB and British schools charge full international fees, sometimes with separate exam and counselling costs. We keep current bands in our international school fees in Berlin guide.