Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen, usually shortened to DSB, is a German curriculum girls school listed on our Cairo city hub. It was founded in 1904 by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo and has educated girls for more than a century, serving around 700 students from kindergarten through to grade 12. It should not be confused with the co-educational DEO; the DSB is a distinct Catholic foundation with its own campus and ethos.
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At a glance
Curriculum and academics
The DSB teaches the German curriculum in German, beginning in kindergarten and continuing through primary school and an eight year Gymnasium. The school leads to the German International Abitur and also prepares students for the Egyptian Thanaweya, so graduates hold both a German university entrance qualification and the national certificate. Language teaching is layered in deliberately: German from kindergarten, Arabic from grade one, English from grade four and French from grade six, which gives pupils an unusually broad language base.
As a Catholic foundation run by the Borromean Sisters, the school carries a clear values led ethos alongside its academic programme, and it has been recognised with the German government seal for excellent foreign schools. Families comparing a German leaving certificate with an English language route can read our German curriculum guide to see how the Abitur is structured before choosing.
Weighing the DSB against other Cairo schools?
Model the full cost of a German place in Cairo, from tuition to registration and transport, before you commit.
Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen fees
As a recognised German school abroad the DSB receives partial support from the German federal government, which generally keeps tuition more moderate than the top tier of the Cairo private market. Our Cairo international school fees guide places international schools across a wide band, and a subsidised German foundation typically sits in the mid part of that range. Confirm the current schedule and billing currency directly, since Cairo schools increasingly price in or peg to US dollars to manage currency movements.
Beyond tuition, budget for a one off registration or enrolment charge, a confirmation deposit, transport across the city, books and materials, and the examination entry fees in the Abitur and Thanaweya years. Ask how fees are staged across the year and use our fee tools to model the full annual cost rather than the headline figure.
Admissions
The DSB admits girls only and works to the German school calendar, reviewing applications through the year where places remain. Because the school is German medium from kindergarten, German language readiness is central to the assessment, and younger entrants usually settle into the language more easily than older arrivals. The school also runs an affiliated kindergarten, which is the most common point of entry.
Families relocating from German speaking countries on a posting, and Egyptian families seeking a German education and the Abitur for their daughters, make up the core demand. Apply early, share recent school reports, and confirm availability in the exact year group, as places in a long established single sex school can be limited.
Location and who goes there
The main campus sits in Bab El Louk, a central downtown district roughly 800 metres east of the Nile and close to Tahrir Square, while the affiliated kindergarten is in the greener district of Maadi to the south. A central downtown location is unusual among Cairo international schools, most of which sit in the newer suburbs, and it suits families based in the historic core and inner districts.
The community blends German speaking expatriate families with internationally minded Egyptian families who value a German education and a values led Catholic setting for their daughters. For the wider view of where families settle across the capital and how the German schools compare with the British, American and IB options, see the Cairo city hub and our roundup of the best international schools in Cairo.
Reviews
We do not yet hold verified parent reviews for Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish reviews only once we can confirm they come from real families. If your daughter attends or has attended the DSB, we would value your first hand account. Share your experience through the school reviews hub and help the next relocating family decide.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen fees?
As a partly subsidised German school abroad the DSB tends to sit in the mid part of the Cairo market rather than at the premium end. Cairo schools increasingly quote in or peg to US dollars, so confirm the current schedule and billing currency directly before budgeting.
Is Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen a good school?
The DSB is a long established Catholic German girls school founded in 1904 and has been awarded the German government seal for excellent foreign schools. It leads to the German International Abitur and the Egyptian Thanaweya. Whether it suits depends on your child, and we do not publish a rating without verified reviews.
Is Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen a girls only school?
Yes. The school has been a girls only foundation since 1946, run by the Sisters of Mercy of Saint Charles Borromeo, with an affiliated kindergarten as the usual point of entry.
What curriculum does Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen follow?
The school follows the German national curriculum in German, leading to the German International Abitur, and also prepares students for the Egyptian Thanaweya. Arabic, English and French are added stage by stage.
Where is Deutsche Schule der Borromäerinnen located?
The main campus is in Bab El Louk in central downtown Cairo, close to Tahrir Square, with an affiliated kindergarten in Maadi to the south.
