How many German schools in Madrid
Madrid has one full Auslandsschule running the complete German federal curriculum from Kindergarten through Abitur, Deutsche Schule Madrid in Montecarmelo. A smaller community-funded option, Colegio Aleman Sankt Georg, operates in Pozuelo de Alarcon with a more compressed footprint and a stronger early years emphasis. Beyond those two dedicated schools, around six Madrid schools deliver the DSD German Language Diploma stream as part of a wider Spanish or bilingual curriculum, giving students the language qualification but not the full German academic pathway.
For a relocating family weighing options seriously, that thin estate matters. Madrid simply does not have the depth of German curriculum provision found in Barcelona, Brussels or the deep continental clusters around Frankfurt. The choice in practice is Deutsche Schule Madrid or one of the Spanish bilingual options with a DSD stream, and your decision usually depends on whether you need a recognised Auslandsschule for repatriation to Germany or whether language exposure alone is sufficient.
The school year follows the Spanish September to June calendar rather than the German August start, which means transfer families coming from Germany may face a half-term offset on arrival. This is usually handled by the Aufnahmekommission on a case-by-case basis.
Fees and the Auslandsschule subsidy
German curriculum fees in Madrid are noticeably lower than the British and American premium tier. Deutsche Schule Madrid runs from about EUR 7,200 a year in the Kindergarten through to roughly EUR 12,800 a year in the Oberstufe sixth form. The federal German government subsidises Auslandsschulen worldwide, which holds fees well below what an equivalent private school in Madrid would charge. Sankt Georg sits a touch lower, in the EUR 5,800 to EUR 9,400 range, reflecting its smaller scale and community-funded model. Our Madrid fees guide sets the German options in context against the British, American and IB markets.
Watch for the same loading items that catch newcomers across the Madrid international estate. Both schools charge a non-refundable matricula on enrolment, typically EUR 600 to EUR 2,200. Comedor (school lunch) adds around EUR 1,400 to EUR 1,900 a year. Transport from outside the immediate catchment can add a further EUR 1,500. Federal German subsidy does not extend to families who do not hold German citizenship, so non-German passport holders pay a slightly higher tuition tier.
Not sure whether a German school in Madrid is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three schools across the German, bilingual and DSD options based on your child's age, your budget and your home area.
Illustrative example schools
The schools below are illustrative, not a ranking. Madrid is too small a German market to produce a meaningful league table.
Deutsche Schule Madrid in Montecarmelo is by some distance the dominant option. Founded in 1896 and rebuilt in its modern north Madrid campus, it runs the full federal curriculum from Kindergarten through Oberstufe with around 1,500 pupils. Abitur cohorts post strong averages and the school delivers the Spanish Bachillerato dual award alongside the Abitur, which streamlines university entry on either side.
Colegio Aleman Sankt Georg in Pozuelo is the alternative for families in west Madrid. Smaller, community-run rather than federally subsidised at the same level, with a strong Kindergarten and primary feeding into a more compressed secondary.
DSD Spracharbeit partner schools across the Comunidad de Madrid deliver the German Language Diploma alongside the Spanish curriculum. These are not German schools in the federal sense; they are Spanish schools with a serious German language stream. Useful where Auslandsschule status is not required.
Where German families live
The German diaspora in Madrid is small relative to the British, American or French communities, around 7,000 to 9,000 residents in the wider Comunidad. The geographical centre of the community sits firmly in north Madrid. Montecarmelo, Las Tablas and Sanchinarro are the core barrios, all within a short drive of Deutsche Schule Madrid. Tres Cantos further north offers more space and a family suburb feel, popular with corporate German engineering and pharma assignments. Pozuelo de Alarcon holds a smaller cluster anchored by Sankt Georg and the German chamber of commerce. Central Madrid families with strong German ties usually settle near the Goethe Institut in Chamberi.
For wider context on the Madrid school estate alongside the Spanish bilingual options, see our Madrid bilingual schools hub and the parent curriculum index.
Admissions calendar
Deutsche Schule Madrid opens its main September intake admissions window in November of the prior year, with deadlines for Kindergarten and Year 1 in late January. Family interviews and language assessments run February to April. Confirmation of places typically lands in May. Sankt Georg follows a similar rhythm with a slightly later closing date. Mid-year transfers are accepted into early years and primary on a rolling basis where places exist; Sekundarstufe entries after Year 7 require strong working German and are far less common.
For relocating families, the cost calculator below models school fees against typical housing costs in the German family catchments around north Madrid. See our cost calculator for a personalised estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How many German schools are there in Madrid?
Madrid has one full Auslandsschule running the complete German Abitur curriculum, Deutsche Schule Madrid in Montecarmelo. A smaller community-run option, Colegio Aleman Sankt Georg, operates in Pozuelo. Several additional Madrid schools run the DSD German Language Diploma stream without delivering the full German curriculum.
How much do German schools in Madrid cost?
Tuition at Deutsche Schule Madrid runs from about EUR 7,200 a year in the Kindergarten up to EUR 12,800 a year at Oberstufe sixth form, well below the local British and American premium tier. German federal subsidies keep fees lower than comparable international schools in Madrid.
Does Deutsche Schule Madrid deliver the German Abitur?
Yes. Deutsche Schule Madrid is an official Auslandsschule of the Federal Republic of Germany and delivers the Allgemeine Hochschulreife, the full German Abitur, recognised for university entry across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Spanish Bachillerato dual award is granted alongside.
Can a non-German speaking child join Deutsche Schule Madrid?
Yes for younger years. The Kindergarten and early primary years run an immersion model where Spanish speaking children can settle without prior German. From Year 3 onwards admissions require a German assessment, and entry to the Sekundarstufe is generally only open to children with strong working German.
Where do German families tend to live in Madrid?
Most German families live within commuting distance of Deutsche Schule Madrid in Montecarmelo, which means Las Tablas, Sanchinarro, Tres Cantos and the northern Chamartin barrios. Pozuelo de Alarcon also holds a smaller German cluster anchored by Sankt Georg and the German chamber of commerce community.
