Berlin International School is one of the longer established English language options among the international schools in Berlin. A not for profit, non denominational day school in Dahlem, it teaches around 1,000 students from more than 60 nationalities, running from kindergarten through to university entrance preparation. Families choosing it are usually looking for a continuous international pathway in English that finishes with the IB Diploma and travels well if the family moves on again.
Berlin International School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | International curriculum to the IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11 and 12) |
|---|---|
| Stages | Age 3 to 18 (kindergarten and Grades 1 to 12) |
| Founded | Not published |
| Accreditation | IB World School; accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS) |
| Students | Around 1,000 from more than 60 nationalities |
| Fee band | Mid to upper (tuition roughly EUR 12,300 in Grades 1 to 6 rising to about EUR 18,240 in Grades 11 and 12, 2025 to 2026) |
| Campus area | Dahlem, southwest Berlin (Zehlendorf area) |
Curriculum and academics
BIS follows an international curriculum taught in English from the early years upward, building towards the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12. The student centred approach is designed for a mobile, multinational community, and German is taught throughout so that children settle into life in the city as well as into the classroom. English as an Additional Language support helps children still building academic English, which matters in a school where pupils arrive from more than 60 countries.
The IB Diploma is the academic destination, a qualification recognised by universities in Germany, the United Kingdom, North America and worldwide, which is the main reason internationally mobile families shortlist the school. Accreditation by the Council of International Schools and IB World School authorisation signal external oversight of teaching and safeguarding. For families weighing an English language international route against the bilingual German schools in the city, our roundup of the schools that suit American families in Berlin sets BIS in context alongside its peers.
Estimate the full cost of a Berlin place
Use the fee calculator to plan tuition plus resource fees, registration and extras before you apply. Free and independent.
Berlin International School fees
Berlin International School fees place it in the mid to upper part of the international school fees in Berlin landscape. For the 2025 to 2026 year the school publishes annual tuition of about EUR 12,300 in Grades 1 to 6, EUR 13,560 in Grades 7 to 10 and EUR 18,240 in Grades 11 and 12, with the senior years costing more in line with the demands of the IB Diploma. Annual resource fees of roughly EUR 125 to EUR 225 per grade sit on top of tuition.
Budget beyond tuition for the standard extras. Expect registration and assessment charges at application, lunch, trips and external examination entries for the IB Diploma, plus any optional bus or after school care. As a not for profit school, BIS offers income related fee support for families who apply with full evidence of household income, so households on tighter budgets should ask the management office rather than assume the headline tuition applies. Confirm every figure for your child's grade at the point of application, as schedules are reviewed each year.
Admissions
Admission runs year round. The school accepts applications at any point and assesses each child as places come free rather than against a single deadline, with the main intake aligned to the August start of the school year. Families begin by registering interest and visiting, after which the school reviews recent school reports, may request references and assesses the child for the right grade placement and any English language support needs.
Popular grades fill and operate waiting lists, so families relocating to Berlin should make contact early. Entry into the IB Diploma years is discussed individually, with subject choices confirmed during the admissions process. Overseas families should allow time for the German residence and registration steps that run alongside a school place, and ask the school how its income related fee route works if that is relevant to them.
Location and who goes there
The school is in Dahlem, a green, settled residential district in the southwest of Berlin within the wider Zehlendorf area. Dahlem has long been associated with universities, research institutes and the diplomatic community, which is part of why an international school of this scale took root here. It is reachable by the U-Bahn and S-Bahn and by bus, and the surrounding southwest districts are among the most popular places for international families with children to live.
The community is broad and genuinely multinational, more than 60 nationalities in all, led by families posted to Berlin for work in government, business, science and the arts, alongside local German families who want an English medium IB education. For the fuller picture of where international families settle across the city and which other schools sit nearby, return to the Berlin city hub.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once we can verify the reviewer is part of the school community. If your family has experience of Berlin International School, you can help other relocating parents by sharing it through our school reviews hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Berlin International School fees?
For 2025 to 2026 Berlin International School publishes annual tuition of about EUR 12,300 in Grades 1 to 6, EUR 13,560 in Grades 7 to 10 and EUR 18,240 in Grades 11 and 12, with annual resource fees of roughly EUR 125 to EUR 225 depending on the grade. Income related fee support is available on application. Confirm the current schedule with the school.
Is Berlin International School an IB World School?
Yes. Berlin International School is an authorised IB World School accredited by the Council of International Schools, running an international curriculum from the early years through to the IB Diploma Programme in Grades 11 and 12.
What ages does Berlin International School take?
The school teaches children from about age 3 in its kindergarten through to age 18, covering Grades 1 to 12 and university entrance preparation. It enrols around 1,000 students from more than 60 nationalities.
When do Berlin International School applications open?
The school accepts applications year round for entry the following August, assessing each child as places come free. Early contact is advised for popular grades, and the school reviews reports and may assess for grade placement and language support.
Where is Berlin International School?
Berlin International School is in Dahlem, a leafy residential district in the southwest of the city within the Zehlendorf area, long popular with diplomatic, academic and corporate families and well connected by the U-Bahn and S-Bahn.
