German education in Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh City has one dedicated German curriculum school, International German School Ho Chi Minh City, plus a small number of international schools where German is taught as a foreign or curriculum language. This is a one school market for families seeking the full German Abitur or Mittlere Reife pathway, although IGS HCMC is well established, fully accredited by the Zentralstelle fur das Auslandsschulwesen, and growing in line with the German industrial footprint in southern Vietnam. Around 450 children in the city follow a German language education pathway, the great majority at IGS HCMC.
Three factors shape the German market here. The first is the Zentralstelle Auslandsschulwesen accreditation and the Deutsches Internationales Abitur, which together mean IGS HCMC graduates can enter German universities directly. The second is the German industrial and commercial presence in Vietnam, with around 5,200 German nationals registered in the southern consular district and a strong cluster of German manufacturing companies in Binh Duong and Long An. The third is the relatively concentrated residential pattern, with the Germanophone community largely settled in Thao Dien and An Phu in District 2 within easy reach of the IGS HCMC campus.
International German School Ho Chi Minh City
International German School Ho Chi Minh City (IGS HCMC) in An Phu, District 2 is the anchor of German language education in southern Vietnam. The school opened in 2012 and has grown to around 420 students from Kindergarten through to year 13. IGS HCMC delivers the full German curriculum from primary through to the Deutsches Internationales Abitur, with German as the main teaching language and English from year 1. The school is accredited by the Zentralstelle fur das Auslandsschulwesen as an Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule.
IGS HCMC offers the Deutsche Sprachdiplom Stufe I in year 9 and Stufe II in year 12, plus the Deutsches Internationales Abitur in year 13, which entitles successful candidates to direct entry into German universities. Around 50 to 60 per cent of recent leavers progress to German universities, with the remainder going to Austrian, Swiss, Dutch and Singaporean institutions. Tuition runs from around EUR 9,500 to 14,500 a year depending on year level, with discounts for siblings and for families on intra company transfer from German parent companies.
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Alternative options with German in the curriculum
For families who do not need the full German Abitur, two alternative options exist. The European International School in Thao Dien runs the IB Primary Years and IB Diploma with German as a curriculum language alongside English and French. EIS attracts a Germanophone cohort of around 12 to 15 per cent and offers German A Language and Literature plus German B in the Diploma, which gives strong bilingual leavers the option of applying to German, Austrian and Swiss universities with the IB Diploma.
A second option is the international schools that teach German as a foreign language from secondary. BIS HCMC, ISHCMC and Renaissance International all run German as a second language modular option from year 7, although this is foreign language teaching rather than mother tongue. For families who want their children to retain German alongside an English language curriculum, EIS is the strongest fit. Our best international schools in Ho Chi Minh City guide compares these in the wider city context, and the German curriculum overview explains how the Abitur and DSD pathways work globally.
Fees and the all in cost
German curriculum fees in Ho Chi Minh City are concentrated at IGS HCMC, with tuition running from around EUR 9,500 a year in Kindergarten to EUR 14,500 a year in upper secondary. The school operates on a not for profit basis with a foundation structure backed by the German consulate and German chamber of commerce, which keeps fees roughly 30 to 40 per cent below comparable English language international schools. The European International School operates at international school price points of around USD 20,000 to 32,000 a year for families using German as a curriculum language alongside the IB.
On top of tuition at IGS HCMC, expect a one off enrolment fee of around EUR 1,200, an annual development levy of EUR 400, optional canteen and transport of EUR 1,800 to 2,800 a year combined, and uniform and book lists adding around EUR 200 to 400 a year. The Abitur and DSD examination fees are largely absorbed by the school. Our international school fees in Ho Chi Minh City guide sets out the all in picture across all curricula, and the cost calculator includes school fees in a full relocation budget.
Admissions and where German families live
The German school year at IGS HCMC runs from late August to early June, broadly mirroring the German calendar but adjusted for Lunar New Year. Applications open in October for the following August intake, with first decisions in February. Priority is given to German national families relocating on corporate or diplomatic assignment, then to children of Vietnamese German dual nationals and German speakers, and finally to families wanting their children to acquire German as a working language. There is no waiting list at most year levels, although Kindergarten and year 5 entry have become tighter as the school has grown.
German families in Ho Chi Minh City live primarily in Thao Dien and An Phu in District 2 within a short commute of the IGS HCMC campus. A smaller cluster lives in Districts 1 and 3 for families with central office postings, with school bus pickup available from a defined set of stops. A few families with industrial sector work commute to IGS HCMC from Binh Duong on the school transport service. Our sibling hubs cover the British, French and IB markets in detail.
Frequently asked questions
How many German schools are there in Ho Chi Minh City?
One school delivers the full German Ministry curriculum: International German School Ho Chi Minh City (IGS HCMC) in District 2, accredited by the Zentralstelle fur das Auslandsschulwesen. A second school, the European International School, offers German as a curriculum language alongside English in the IB programme.
Does IGS HCMC offer the Deutsches Internationales Abitur?
Yes. IGS HCMC delivers the full Deutsches Internationales Abitur in year 13, plus the Deutsche Sprachdiplom Stufe I in year 9 and Stufe II in year 12. Successful Abitur candidates are entitled to direct entry into German universities. Around 50 to 60 per cent of recent leavers progress to German higher education.
How much does German schooling cost in Ho Chi Minh City?
IGS HCMC charges around EUR 9,500 to 14,500 a year in tuition, which is roughly 30 to 40 per cent below comparable English language international schools because of the school’s not for profit foundation structure. The European International School sits at USD 20,000 to 32,000 a year.
Can Vietnamese citizens attend IGS HCMC?
Yes, with documentation. Vietnamese national students are accepted subject to the published Vietnamese government quota for foreign curriculum schools and language entry assessment. Around 18 per cent of the IGS HCMC student body holds Vietnamese citizenship, with most being Vietnamese German dual nationals.
Where do German families typically live in Ho Chi Minh City?
Thao Dien and An Phu in District 2 are the main residential corridors for the Germanophone community, within a short commute of the IGS HCMC campus. A smaller cluster lives in Districts 1 and 3 with school bus pickup, and a few industrial sector families commute from Binh Duong.
