How the secondary sector splits
Munich has eight international or bilingual secondary schools running a full senior phase to age 18, with a ninth, the Lycee Jean Renoir French secondary, serving the francophone community in parallel. The English and IB cluster is anchored by Bavarian International School Senior at Haimhausen and Munich International School Secondary at Starnberg, both established IB World Schools with deep Diploma cohorts. The European School Munich at Neuperlach delivers the European Baccalaureate in nine language sections. Phorms Bilingual Gymnasium in Schwabing-Freimann and the bilingual streams at SIS Swiss International School Munich deliver the Bayerische Abitur on a 50:50 English-German bilingual model.
The exit-qualification split is unusual by European city standards because Munich families face a genuine choice between three internationally recognised routes. About 65 percent of senior international students follow the IB Diploma, 20 percent take the Bayerische Abitur through a bilingual Gymnasium, and the remaining 15 percent leave with the European Baccalaureate from the European School or with IGCSE plus A Level at the smaller English-curriculum providers. Each exit qualification opens slightly different university doors, which is why curriculum decisions made in year five or year nine matter more in Munich than they do in cities where one curriculum dominates.
Outcomes data at IB Diploma level is strong. Bavarian International School averaged 34.8 points in the May 2025 IB Diploma session and Munich International School averaged 33.9, both well above the global mean of 30.3. For curriculum-by-curriculum analysis see our IB hub, our British curriculum hub and our German curriculum hub.
Fees and the sixth form uplift
Munich secondary fees follow three rough tiers. The lower tier, EUR 9,800 to EUR 13,500 a year, captures the European School Munich (heavily subsidised for EU institution staff and fee-paying for everyone else), Lighthouse International School and the lower years at Lycee Jean Renoir secondary. The mid tier, EUR 13,500 to EUR 19,500, captures the bilingual Gymnasium options including Phorms, the SIS Swiss International School secondary and Munich Cosmopolitan School. The premium tier, EUR 19,500 to EUR 25,600, is Bavarian International School Senior and Munich International School Secondary.
A sixth form uplift of 5 to 10 percent over year 10 is standard at the IB Diploma schools, with examination fees of EUR 1,200 to EUR 2,400 a year billed separately. Capital contributions of EUR 6,000 to EUR 12,000 apply at BIS and MIS, partially refundable. Transport is the under-discussed line item, adding EUR 2,800 to EUR 4,500 a year for the long bus rides into Haimhausen or Starnberg. Read the full loading mathematics in our Munich fees guide. The fees comparison tool shows secondary tuition by year group across cities.
Not sure which Munich secondary is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three secondaries based on your child's year group, sixth form pathway and your budget.
Illustrative example schools
The four secondaries below are illustrative, not a ranking. Each holds full accreditation for senior delivery and has a clear identity in the Munich market.
Bavarian International School Senior at Haimhausen, 25 kilometres north of central Munich, runs the IB Middle Years Programme from year five through year 10 and the IB Diploma at years 11 and 12. Strong sports, large bilingual cohort, deepest IB record in Bavaria. The campus also includes day boarding for families on northern corridor commutes.
Munich International School Secondary at Starnberg, 30 kilometres south west of the city on the lake, mirrors the BIS model with IB MYP and IB Diploma. Lakeside campus, intimate cohorts and a celebrated music programme. Many MIS families have been in Munich for two or three contract cycles.
European School Munich at Neuperlach delivers the European Baccalaureate across nine language sections (English, German, French, Italian, Dutch, Czech, Polish, Romanian and Greek). The school primarily serves staff of the European Patent Office and other EU institutions, with a fee-paying contingent on space-available basis. Strong reputation for languages and a route directly into European universities.
Phorms Bilingual Gymnasium Munich in Schwabing-Freimann delivers the Bayerische Abitur on a 50:50 English-German bilingual model from year five through year 12. The most popular choice for binational families who want to keep the German Abitur exit option without losing English fluency.
Where secondary families live
Munich international secondary families cluster around four neighbourhood pools, broadly defined by school location and commute tolerance. Schwabing, Schwabing-Freimann, Neuhausen and Nymphenburg for direct access to Phorms Bilingual Gymnasium, Munich Cosmopolitan School and the Schwabing-Freimann campus of Bavarian International School. Haimhausen and the northern corridor from Garching through Oberschleissheim and Unterschleissheim for families with children at BIS Senior, with leafier villa stock and a 30 to 50 minute bus ride. Starnberg, Tutzing, Berg and the western Wuermtal for MIS families, with lake living, the S6 line and a long-established expatriate community. Solln, Bogenhausen and the Isar valley for villa stock with access to both clusters via the A99 ring road.
European School Munich families tend to take apartments closer to Neuperlach in the south east, near the Riemerling and Putzbrunn corridors. For a fuller view of where to live in Munich with teenagers see our best areas for expat families guide. The cost calculator bundles housing, fees and transport into a total relocation budget.
Admissions and transfer windows
September 2026 admissions opened across most Munich international secondaries between October 2025 and January 2026. Bavarian International School and Munich International School close their year five and year 12 main intakes by early March, with priority for siblings of existing pupils. Year 12 IB Diploma applications require subject choices submitted at the point of application, plus a reference from the current school and a short interview. Late applicants land on a waiting list, typically clearing through May and June as Bavarian families confirm Gymnasium places elsewhere.
Phorms Bilingual Gymnasium and Munich Cosmopolitan School operate rolling admissions in years five through nine. The Bayerische Abitur entry rules at the bilingual Gymnasium schools follow the Bavarian state framework and a Probezeit (trial period) applies to incoming year five pupils. Year 11 and 12 transfers during the IB Diploma assessment phase are difficult and usually involve negotiation of subject continuity. Mid-year transfers in years five through nine typically take six to eight weeks from application to start date. For our editorial coverage of the strongest options across every phase see the best international schools in Munich guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many international secondary schools are there in Munich?
Munich has 8 international or bilingual secondary schools running a full senior phase from year five or grade five through to year 12 or 13. Six deliver the IB Diploma at sixth form, two run the European Baccalaureate, and several add Abitur via the bilingual Gymnasium route.
What sixth form qualifications can my child take in Munich?
Munich secondary schools split across four exit qualifications. The IB Diploma is the dominant international option, delivered at Bavarian International School, Munich International School and Munich Cosmopolitan School. The European Baccalaureate runs at the European School Munich. Phorms Bilingual Gymnasium and the bilingual streams at private Gymnasium settings deliver the Bayerische Abitur. A small number of schools follow the English IGCSE and A Level pathway.
How much do Munich international secondaries cost?
Annual secondary fees run from EUR 9,800 at the European School and the lower-fee bilingual Gymnasium options to EUR 25,600 at the premium IB secondaries. Median year 10 tuition sits near EUR 18,400 in 2026 before capital contributions, examination fees and transport, which add a further 15 to 20 percent.
What IB Diploma results do Munich schools post?
Bavarian International School averaged 34.8 IB Diploma points in the May 2025 session and Munich International School averaged 33.9, both ahead of the global mean of 30.3. Top Munich cohorts regularly post students above 40 points and place graduates at LMU Munich, TUM, Imperial College and US Ivy League destinations.
Can my teenager transfer mid-year into a Munich international secondary?
Transfers into years five through nine are usually possible when capacity exists, especially at Phorms and Munich Cosmopolitan School which run rolling admissions. Year 10 transfers during the IGCSE or MYP exam phase are difficult because subject choices and internal assessments are underway. IB Diploma transfers after October of year 12 are very rare and usually involve restarting the qualification.
