The German school in Jakarta
German curriculum provision in Jakarta runs through a single anchor institution, the Deutsche Internationale Schule Jakarta, abbreviated DIS Jakarta. The school sits in Bumi Serpong Damai, the master-planned city west of central Jakarta in Tangerang regency. It serves the German-speaking community across the wider metropolitan area, including German, Austrian and Swiss nationals. It is the only school in the city delivering the full German national curriculum, recognised by the German Federal Office for Foreign Schools, the Bundesverwaltungsamt Zentralstelle fur das Auslandsschulwesen.
DIS Jakarta is part of the network of around 140 German government-supported schools abroad. The Jakarta campus delivers the full pathway from Kindergarten through to the German International Abitur, taking children from age three through to age 18. Cohort sizes are modest by international school standards, with total enrolment around 350 pupils across the school. Class sizes typically sit at 18 to 22 across primary and a little lower in upper secondary.
If you are weighing German alongside other curricula, our Jakarta IB hub, our British curriculum hub and our French curriculum hub set out the alternatives. The German route is the right call for families on Federal Foreign Office postings, German corporate assignments, returning Indonesian-German nationals or German-speaking families on long-term postings. But it does narrow university options if your child does not develop strong English to C1 level.
Fees and funding
German school fees in Jakarta sit below the wider international school market because the German federal government subsidises a meaningful share of staffing and infrastructure costs. Tuition for non-scholarship pupils sits in the USD 10,000 to USD 18,000 range across kindergarten, primary and lower secondary, rising slightly for the Abitur years. Federal Foreign Office employees and corporate posting families often have school fees covered as part of their relocation package.
Total cost is closer to headline tuition than at the larger international schools. The German International Abitur examination fee is included in the senior year fees. Transport runs at USD 1,500 to USD 2,500 a year, with most families using the school bus network covering Serpong, BSD City, Alam Sutera, Kemang and central Jakarta. Our Jakarta fees guide walks through the loading mathematics in detail. Our fees comparison tool shows tuition by year group across cities.
Choosing between DIS Jakarta and an English-medium alternative?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three options based on your child's year group, your home area in Jakarta, your budget and your preferred language of instruction.
Curriculum and pathway
DIS Jakarta delivers the German national curriculum from kindergarten through to the German International Abitur, the Deutsches Internationales Abitur or DIA. Kindergarten and Vorschule cover the first three years and prioritise spoken German, fine motor skills and social play. Primary, Klasse 1 to Klasse 4, builds the core literacy and numeracy frontloaded by the German system. Lower secondary, Klasse 5 to Klasse 10, follows the Thuringia state framework that anchors the German abroad network. Upper secondary, Klasse 11 to Klasse 12, runs the DIA pathway with subject specialisation across maths, German, English, sciences and humanities.
English is taught from primary and most pupils reach B2 to C1 by Klasse 12. Some families add Cambridge English certifications or extra English tuition to make UK and US university applications more straightforward. The German International Abitur is recognised by UK universities through UCAS, by Australian universities through ATAR conversion and by US universities through standard transcript review. Many DIS Jakarta graduates head back to Germany or to Switzerland for university, with a meaningful slice also choosing the Netherlands or the UK.
Bahasa Indonesia lessons, Pancasila and Indonesian religious instruction are woven through the local studies element under the Satuan Pendidikan Kerjasama framework. The school runs sport, arts and music clubs after the school day, alongside trips to Yogyakarta, Bandung and Bali for the geography and culture programme.
Where German families live
German families in Jakarta cluster around three zones. BSD City and Serpong, immediately around the school, are by far the most popular option. Modern housing, walkable shopping streets and BSD's German-Indonesian club anchor the community. Alam Sutera, also in Tangerang, hosts a smaller cluster of German families who like the gated estates and golf courses but accept a 15 to 25 minute school run. Kemang attracts younger German families who prefer the central expat scene and use the school bus for a 60 to 80 minute commute depending on traffic.
Traffic is the most underrated factor in school choice for German families because the school sits in Tangerang, not central Jakarta. The toll road into BSD City from central Jakarta can clog during peak. Most DIS Jakarta families end up living in BSD City or Alam Sutera within their first 18 months. The school bus network covers the wider Tangerang and central Jakarta area. Our cost calculator bundles school transport, fees and housing into a single total relocation budget.
Admissions calendar
The Jakarta German academic year runs from late July to mid June, in line with the wider Indonesian international school calendar rather than the German September to July rhythm. Applications for the August 2026 academic year opened from October 2025. The kindergarten and Klasse 1 intakes are oversubscribed in most years, with families on the Federal Foreign Office network often arriving from postings elsewhere with strong placement priority.
If your family is on a German government posting or part of the chamber of commerce community, the embassy education office can help confirm priority placement. For private German-speaking families or non-German nationals with strong German, apply 6 to 9 months before your desired start. Mid-year transfers are accepted on a rolling basis subject to year group availability. From Klasse 9 onwards, applicants need to demonstrate German proficiency at B2 or above to follow the Abitur preparation track.
Frequently asked questions
How many German schools are there in Jakarta?
Jakarta has one German curriculum school, the Deutsche Internationale Schule Jakarta in Bumi Serpong Damai, Tangerang. It is recognised by the German Federal Office for Foreign Schools and delivers the full kindergarten to Abitur pathway.
How much does the German school in Jakarta cost?
Tuition for non-scholarship pupils sits in the USD 10,000 to USD 18,000 range across kindergarten, primary and lower secondary, rising slightly for the Abitur years. Many Federal Foreign Office and German corporate posting families have fees covered through their relocation package.
Is the German International Abitur accepted by UK and US universities?
Yes. The German International Abitur is recognised by UK universities through UCAS tariff conversion, by Australian universities through ATAR conversion and by US universities through standard transcript review. Many DIS Jakarta graduates apply to Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands or the UK.
Can non-German families enrol at DIS Jakarta?
Yes. The Deutsche Internationale Schule Jakarta admits children from any nationality, subject to a German language assessment. Non-German speakers are typically only admitted at kindergarten and primary, where the school can integrate them through immersion. From Klasse 9 onwards, established German proficiency at B2 or above is required.
Where do German families live in Jakarta?
Most German families in Jakarta live in BSD City or Serpong, immediately around the school, in Alam Sutera for the gated estate belt, or in Kemang for the central expat scene. The school bus network covers the wider Tangerang and central Jakarta area.
