How many international nurseries in Berlin
Berlin runs roughly 2,800 Kitas in total, of which around 110 advertise themselves as bilingual or international. The bilingual cluster covers German paired with English, French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Polish, Turkish and a smaller cluster of Chinese-German and Japanese-German Kitas. English-German is the largest pair by volume, with around 60 dedicated bilingual Kitas across the city, ranging from small parent-cooperative settings of 12 children to larger operators such as PHORMS, Cosmo Kitas and Mary Poppins Bilingual Kitas with multiple campuses.
The Berlin Senate distinguishes between Kitas (ages 1 to 6) and Vorschulen (the final Kita year preparing for Grundschule entry at age 6). Almost every Kita doubles as the Vorschule for its registered children, and there is no separate application step. The system is generous: every child legally resident in Berlin is entitled to a Kita place, with a guaranteed place from the first birthday in most districts.
For internationally mobile families, the question is rarely whether a Kita place exists, but which bilingual or curriculum-aligned setting is available in the family's catchment for the desired start month. Demand outstrips supply at the best-known English-German and French-German Kitas, with wait lists running 12 to 18 months at the most oversubscribed.
Fees and the Kita Gutschein voucher
Berlin operates a citywide Kita Gutschein scheme that covers core childcare hours at any Kita registered with the Berlin Senate, public or private. For legal residents, core hours are free. Families pay only an income-linked meal contribution capped at around EUR 23 per child per month, plus optional extras for extended hours beyond the core entitlement. This makes Berlin the cheapest major European capital for international early years provision.
Bilingual and international Kitas can charge an additional Elternbeitrag (parent contribution) above the Gutschein, typically EUR 250 to EUR 600 per month, to cover bilingual staffing ratios, materials and extended hours. Premium operators including Berlin Cosmopolitan Kita and PHORMS Mitte Kita charge at the upper end, while parent-cooperative Kitas often charge less. The annual all-in cost at a popular bilingual Kita lands between EUR 3,200 and EUR 7,800 per child per year after the voucher, comparable with the cheapest private primary schools and far below central London or Zurich.
The Berlin fees guide covers school-stage costs in detail; for total relocation budgeting use the cost calculator or the fees explorer.
Need a Kita place for September 2026?
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Illustrative example nurseries
The three Kitas below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each represents a distinct delivery model for English-medium or bilingual early years in Berlin.
Berlin Cosmopolitan Kita in Mitte is the early years feeder for Berlin Cosmopolitan School. Bilingual German and English from age 1, with continuation into the BCS primary and the IB Middle Years Programme. Long wait list, premium Elternbeitrag.
PHORMS Mitte Kita in central Berlin is the early years arm of the PHORMS bilingual school estate, with continuation into PHORMS primary and the German Abitur at PHORMS secondary. Mid-range Elternbeitrag, large operator with multiple campuses across the city.
Mary Poppins Bilingual Kita in Prenzlauer Berg is a smaller English-German bilingual operator with parent-cooperative roots, popular with creative-class families and characterised by intimate group sizes. No formal continuation school, with children typically progressing to the local SESB primary or one of the private bilingual schools.
Where international families look for Kitas
The English-German bilingual Kita cluster is concentrated in Mitte, Prenzlauer Berg and Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, with secondary clusters in Friedrichshain and Schöneberg. Mitte dominates by raw volume, with around 18 dedicated English-German Kitas inside a 2 kilometre radius of Hackescher Markt. Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf draws older diplomatic and corporate families with the established Mary Poppins and Cosmo Charlottenburg campuses. Prenzlauer Berg serves the younger tech and creative-class community, with many small parent-cooperative Kitas.
French-German Kitas cluster around Tiergarten and Charlottenburg, near the Lycee Francais and Judith Kerr Grundschule. Spanish-German Kitas concentrate in Neukölln and Kreuzberg, in line with the wider Spanish-speaking community. For onward placement, see the bilingual schools hub and the Berlin Montessori hub or compare the city overview at the Berlin hub.
Admissions calendar and Kita Navigator
Berlin Kita admissions are managed centrally through the Berlin Senate's Kita-Navigator platform. Families apply for the Kita Gutschein at the local Bezirksamt up to nine months before the desired start, and then approach individual Kitas with the voucher in hand. Bilingual and international Kitas typically operate a wait list of 12 to 18 months for the most popular age bands, with the highest competition at the age 1 and age 2 entry points.
Mid-year placement is routine at less oversubscribed Kitas, particularly in the autumn and early spring as other families rotate out of Berlin. For families relocating from abroad, securing the Berlin Anmeldung (residence registration) is the first step, with the Kita Gutschein application following within two to three weeks. Most international Kitas accept applications from outside Germany on the condition that the Anmeldung will be completed before the start date.
The Berlin school year for Vorschule runs September to July, aligned with the wider Grundschule calendar. Children turning 6 by 30 September each year transition automatically from Kita to Grundschule the following September.
Frequently asked questions
Are nurseries in Berlin really free?
Core hours of childcare are free for every child legally resident in Berlin, covered by the Kita Gutschein. Families pay an income-linked meal contribution capped at around EUR 23 per month, plus any Elternbeitrag charged by bilingual or premium operators above the voucher entitlement.
How does the Kita Gutschein work?
Families apply for the voucher at the local Bezirksamt up to nine months before the desired start. The voucher specifies a daily hour allocation, typically 5 to 9 hours, and is accepted at any Kita registered with the Berlin Senate, public or private.
How early should we apply for a bilingual Kita in Berlin?
Twelve to eighteen months before the desired start at the most oversubscribed Kitas, particularly the English-German operators in Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg. Less competitive Kitas accept applications six to nine months ahead, and mid-year places do open as families rotate out.
Do international Kitas in Berlin accept applications from families still abroad?
Yes, most do, on the condition that the Berlin Anmeldung will be completed before the agreed start date. The Kita Gutschein can only be issued once the Anmeldung is in place, so the family residence step is the practical timing constraint.
When does Kita end and Grundschule begin?
Children turning 6 by 30 September each year start Grundschule the following September. The final Kita year, the Vorschule, runs to the end of July, with most Kitas delivering structured pre-literacy and numeracy preparation.
