Deutsche Schule Shanghai, known in English as the German School Shanghai, is a German curriculum school in Shanghai, founded in 1995. It teaches roughly eleven hundred children from around eighteen months old through to the Abitur and the German International Abitur, making it one of the larger schools in the worldwide network of German schools abroad. It operates two campuses, both shared with the French school as a Eurocampus.
Deutsche Schule Shanghai at a glance
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and exam boards | German curriculum based on education in Germany, leading to the Abitur and the German International Abitur |
| Stages | Kindergarten and early years to the Abitur (around 18 months to age 18) |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Accreditation | Recognised German school abroad (Deutsche Auslandsschule); part of the German schools abroad network |
| Fee band | Confirm directly; generally below the top Anglo premium band |
| Campuses | Hongqiao Eurocampus and Yangpu Eurocampus |
Curriculum and academics
Deutsche Schule Shanghai delivers a German curriculum modelled on schooling in Germany, from kindergarten and the primary years through the Gymnasium track to the Abitur, the German university entrance qualification, and the German International Abitur for its international cohort. German is the language of instruction and the qualification framework is aligned with the German states, so the school is a natural continuity choice for families moving between Germany and Shanghai.
As a recognised German school abroad it is supported within the wider network of more than a hundred such schools and follows German standards and inspection. For a broader view of the city's international options, including the German, French and Anglophone routes, see our best international schools in Shanghai guide. Confirm the current language entry requirements with the school directly.
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Deutsche Schule Shanghai fees
Deutsche Schule Shanghai does not advertise a single headline tuition figure in the way the Anglophone premium schools do, and as a German school abroad it generally sits below the top Anglo premium band rather than at the very top of it. Our Shanghai international school fees guide sets the premium band at roughly RMB 280,000 to 360,000 a year, which is best read as an upper guide here rather than a quoted price.
Because the precise schedule is not published in a comparable form, treat any figure as indicative and confirm the current tuition, registration and deposit with the school. To model the full annual cost for your family, including transport, use our fee calculator and our school finder to check fit against budget.
Admissions
The school year begins in August on the German calendar. As a school for children of foreign nationals, Deutsche Schule Shanghai admits students who hold a foreign passport, in line with Chinese regulations, and because the curriculum is delivered in German, language ability is central to entry at most year groups. Families moving from the German system generally transfer in smoothly.
Apply ahead of the start of the school year for the most straightforward entry, and ask the admissions office about availability at your child's year group and any German language support on offer for younger children still building fluency.
Location and who goes there
The school runs two sites, both organised as a Eurocampus shared with the French school of Shanghai. The Hongqiao Eurocampus serves the established western expatriate communities on that side of the city, while a second campus in Yangpu in the north opened in 2020, replacing the earlier Pudong site and giving families on the eastern and northern sides of Shanghai a closer option.
The community is predominantly German speaking, drawn from the large German business presence in Shanghai's manufacturing, engineering and trade sectors, with French families alongside through the shared campus. To weigh Deutsche Schule Shanghai against the other international options in the city, including fees and where families live, start with the Shanghai city hub.
Deutsche Schule Shanghai reviews
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Frequently asked questions
How much are Deutsche Schule Shanghai fees?
Deutsche Schule Shanghai does not publish a single headline figure in the way the Anglophone premium schools do, and as a German school abroad it generally sits below the top Anglo premium band. Treat the city premium range as an upper guide and confirm the current schedule with the school.
What curriculum does Deutsche Schule Shanghai follow?
The school teaches a German curriculum based on education in Germany, from kindergarten through to the Abitur and the German International Abitur. It is one of the larger German schools abroad.
Who can enrol at Deutsche Schule Shanghai?
As a school for children of foreign nationals, Deutsche Schule Shanghai admits students who hold a foreign passport, in line with Chinese regulations. It serves mainly German speaking families, and German language ability is central to most year groups.
Where are the Deutsche Schule Shanghai campuses?
The school runs two sites. The Hongqiao campus shares a Eurocampus with the French school, and a second campus in Yangpu, which replaced the former Pudong site in 2020, forms a second Eurocampus in the north of the city.
When do Deutsche Schule Shanghai applications open?
The school year begins in August in line with the German calendar. Apply ahead of the start of the year for the smoothest entry, and ask the school about availability and German language requirements for your child's year group.
