The German schools network in Brussels
The dedicated German-curriculum option in Brussels is the Internationale Deutsche Schule Brüssel (iDSB) in Wezembeek-Oppem, a recognised Auslandsschule of the Federal Republic of Germany. Founded in 1973, the school runs Kindergarten through to year 12 Abitur on a single suburban campus. Around 700 students attend, almost entirely children of German, Austrian, Swiss and German-speaking Belgian families.
Alongside iDSB, the four European Schools (EEB I to IV) all operate German-language sections delivering the European Baccalaureate. Numerically, the European Schools route serves a far larger cohort than iDSB does, because EU institution employment from Germany, Austria and Luxembourg is the single biggest driver of German expat presence in Brussels. The combined German-medium offer therefore amounts to one dedicated Auslandsschule plus four EU-funded school sections, an unusually deep market for any non-DACH city in Europe.
For a wider view of the city's school landscape see our Brussels schools hub and the German curriculum overview. The German section at EEB1 Uccle is the most established and the most over-subscribed; EEB4 Laeken's German section is the newest, opened in 2012, and still has occasional capacity in primary years.
Fees and the Auslandsschule subsidy
iDSB tuition runs roughly EUR 6,800 in Kindergarten to EUR 12,400 in the Oberstufe, with most year groups falling in the EUR 8,500 to EUR 11,000 band. The Federal Foreign Office subsidises part of the school's operating cost as an Auslandsschule, which keeps fees materially below the EUR 22,000 to EUR 30,000 charged by BSB, ISB and St John's. Registration is one-off at around EUR 1,500. Transport adds EUR 1,800 to EUR 3,000 a year for families outside the immediate Wezembeek-Oppem catchment.
The European Schools' German sections charge Category III fees of EUR 13,000 to EUR 18,000, falling to near zero for eligible EU institution staff. For most German families employed by the Commission, the Council, the Parliament or NATO, this is the lowest-cost route to a recognised university-entry qualification anywhere in Brussels. Read the full Brussels fee mathematics in our fees guide, and run a like-for-like comparison through our fees tool.
German school or European School?
The choice depends on EU eligibility, your timeline and how long the family plans to stay. Our school finder shortlists three Brussels options matched to your situation in five minutes.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below illustrate German-medium provision in Brussels. They are not a ranking.
Internationale Deutsche Schule Brüssel in Wezembeek-Oppem is the only standalone Auslandsschule in the city. Kindergarten through to the Deutsches Internationales Abitur, with strong DSD I and DSD II language pathways and a track record of placing graduates at TU München, Heidelberg and the ETH Zürich. The campus sits next to a wooded park and is reachable on the 39 tram from Montgomery in around 25 minutes.
European School Brussels I (EEB1) in Uccle runs the most established German-language section of the four EEB campuses. EU institution staff dominate the cohort, with strong German-Austrian-Luxembourgish representation. Children sit the European Baccalaureate, which is recognised by German universities under the KMK ruling on the EB.
European School Brussels III (EEB3) in Ixelles is the EU-quarter option, popular with families wanting walking-distance access to the Commission and Council buildings. Slightly smaller German section than EEB1, but the same EB pathway and access to the same upper-school subject combinations.
Where German families live
German-speaking families in Brussels cluster in three places. Wezembeek-Oppem, Kraainem and Tervuren for families using iDSB, supported by an established German-speaking community, the German embassy school of thought, and good road access to Cologne and Aachen for weekend returns home. Uccle and the southern communes for families using EEB1, with a quieter, leafier residential feel and the international school traffic flowing south. Schuman, Ixelles and Etterbeek for EU-quarter families using EEB3 who want walking access to the institutions.
NATO and SHAPE-related German postings often cluster around Tervuren and along the Brussels ring road, with strong relocation packages typically covering school fees in full. Use our moving to Brussels guide for a deeper walkthrough of neighbourhood logistics, or the cost calculator to factor housing and schooling into one number.
Admissions and the Abitur pathway
iDSB admissions open in October for the following September. Priority goes to siblings, then to families with confirmed German-speaking ability, then to new arrivals from the German diaspora. Kindergarten and class 1 are the binding entry points; mid-year transfers into upper grades are accepted only where the child is comfortable in German across all subjects, including Erdkunde, Geschichte and Politik. For September 2026 entry, the school is still accepting waitlist applications in lower primary at the time of writing.
At the end of year 12, iDSB students sit the Deutsches Internationales Abitur, identical in standing to the Abitur sat inside Germany. This routes directly into German universities via Hochschulstart, and to UK, US and Dutch universities under standard Abitur equivalence rules. European Schools German-section graduates take the European Baccalaureate, which the KMK recognises as a Hochschulzugangsberechtigung for German universities. Browse all German-curriculum options in our curriculum hub.
Frequently asked questions
How many German schools are there in Brussels?
Brussels has one dedicated German Auslandsschule, the Internationale Deutsche Schule Brüssel in Wezembeek-Oppem. In addition, all four European Schools operate German-language sections delivering the European Baccalaureate, which collectively serve more German-speaking pupils than iDSB itself.
Is iDSB recognised by German universities?
Yes. iDSB is fully certified as an Auslandsschule and the Deutsches Internationales Abitur it awards is identical to the Abitur sat inside Germany. Graduates apply through the standard Hochschulstart system without an equivalence step.
How much does iDSB cost?
Tuition at iDSB runs from EUR 6,800 in Kindergarten to EUR 12,400 in the Oberstufe. Federal subsidy as an Auslandsschule keeps fees materially below British or American comparables in Brussels. Most year groups fall in the EUR 8,500 to EUR 11,000 band.
Can non-German speakers enrol?
In Kindergarten and class 1, children pick up the language quickly and minimal prior German is required. Direct entry into upper grades requires demonstrated proficiency, typically assessed during the application interview. The European Schools' German sections are stricter on prior language ability.
What is the difference between iDSB and an EEB German section?
iDSB delivers the full German national curriculum and the Abitur, modelled on a Gymnasium inside Germany. The European Schools deliver a multilingual EU curriculum culminating in the European Baccalaureate, with significant cross-language teaching from secondary onwards. Both lead to German universities.
