How many French schools in Berlin
The French curriculum reach in Berlin is unusually broad for a city outside France. Two routes deliver an end-to-end French education in the capital. The first is the Lycee Francais de Berlin in Tiergarten, founded in 1689 under Huguenot patronage and now part of the AEFE network of French schools abroad. It runs from Maternelle through to the French Baccalaureat, with around 750 pupils and a strong record of placing leavers into the Grandes Ecoles via the parallel French national exams.
The second route is the Voltaire programme inside the Staatliche Europa-Schule Berlin (SESB) network. SESB is a state-funded bilingual school structure, free to legal residents of Berlin, that pairs German with one of nine partner languages. The French-German pair is delivered at Voltaire Schule in Tiergarten for the lower secondary and at Judith Kerr Grundschule in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf at primary. Pupils sit either the German Abitur with reinforced French content or the Abibac, the joint German-French baccalaureat, depending on the secondary school they progress to.
A handful of bilingual Kitas and private primaries deliver French language immersion without the full curriculum, but for a school-leaving qualification, the choice is effectively between Lycee Francais and the SESB Voltaire route.
Fees and the AEFE vs SESB choice
Lycee Francais de Berlin fees follow the AEFE pricing band rather than the German private school market. Tuition runs from EUR 4,500 at Maternelle to EUR 7,800 at Terminale, well below the EUR 17,400 to EUR 24,800 range for English-medium internationals in the city. AEFE bourse scolaire bursaries are available to French nationals and reduce the fee further on a means-tested basis. Annual extras include a registration fee of EUR 350, school trip contributions of EUR 200 to EUR 600 and a parents' association fee of EUR 90.
SESB Voltaire is free for legal residents of Berlin, with the standard Berlin public school book and trip contributions only. Families do need to satisfy the SESB partner-language requirement, which for the French stream means demonstrable French proficiency in one parent or in the child. For the broader Berlin fee picture see our Berlin fees guide or run total cost through the cost calculator.
Lycee Francais or SESB Voltaire?
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Illustrative example schools
The three schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each represents a distinct French curriculum pathway in Berlin.
Lycee Francais de Berlin in Tiergarten runs the full French national curriculum from Maternelle through Terminale, delivers the French Baccalaureat and counts as a French public school abroad under the AEFE convention. Leavers are eligible for the same university applications as students in France, including Parcoursup. Strong French Embassy and diplomatic connections.
Voltaire Schule in Tiergarten is a state-funded German-French bilingual secondary within the SESB network. Pupils typically progress to the Abibac, a dual German-French baccalaureat recognised by universities in both countries. Free tuition and a long established academic record.
Judith Kerr Grundschule in Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf is the SESB French-German primary feeder for Voltaire. Free and oversubscribed, with selection weighted on residency, sibling priority and partner-language fluency.
Where French families live in Berlin
French families in Berlin tend to settle in three areas. Tiergarten and Mitte around the Lycee Francais and the French Embassy, an obvious choice for diplomatic families and those wanting walkable access to the school. Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf around Judith Kerr Grundschule, popular with corporate families on the SESB route who can lock in a primary place via the local catchment. Prenzlauer Berg and Mitte for younger French families working in tech, fashion and the creative industries, willing to commute their children to the SESB schools across the city.
The French expat community in Berlin numbers around 23,000 and is one of the larger expat populations in the city. For comparison with English-medium alternatives, see the Berlin IB hub and the Berlin bilingual schools hub.
Admissions calendar and AEFE bourses
Lycee Francais admissions open in early January for the following September. The school holds a coordinated admissions process with the other AEFE schools in Germany, with offers issued from late February. Mid-year transfers are accepted on a rolling basis subject to places, particularly common at the Maternelle and primary stages. Families relocating on a French government or corporate posting often arrive with priority placement letters from AEFE Paris.
SESB Voltaire and Judith Kerr applications follow the Berlin state school timetable: registration in October to December of the year before, lottery and catchment allocation in February to March. Demonstrating partner-language fluency at the open day is essential. Bourse scolaire applications via the French Consulate open in March each year for the following academic year.
Frequently asked questions
How many French schools are there in Berlin?
Berlin has one fully French-curriculum school, the Lycee Francais de Berlin in Tiergarten, plus a French-German bilingual state stream within the SESB network at Voltaire Schule and Judith Kerr Grundschule.
How much does the Lycee Francais de Berlin cost?
Tuition at Lycee Francais runs from EUR 4,500 at Maternelle to EUR 7,800 at Terminale, well below the English-medium internationals in Berlin. AEFE bourses scolaires reduce the fee further on a means-tested basis for French nationals.
Is the SESB French stream really free?
Yes. The Staatliche Europa-Schule Berlin Voltaire stream and Judith Kerr Grundschule are state schools of Berlin. Families pay no tuition, only standard Berlin public school book and trip contributions. Eligibility depends on Berlin residency and French language proficiency.
What is the Abibac?
The Abibac is a joint German-French baccalaureat awarded to pupils completing a specified bilingual programme. It is recognised by both German and French universities on the same basis as the Abitur and the French Baccalaureat respectively. Voltaire Schule is the main Berlin route to the Abibac.
Can non-French speakers join the SESB French stream?
The SESB lottery weights heavily on partner-language proficiency, demonstrated at an admissions interview. Families without French speakers at home rarely secure a place at the popular primaries, but admission to less oversubscribed year groups is occasionally possible.
