The Lycée Français de Berlin is one of the most historic of the international schools in Berlin. Founded in 1689 for the children of Huguenot families who had fled religious persecution in France, it is the oldest Gymnasium in the city and the oldest French school anywhere in the AEFE network. Re-established in 1952 by merging the Huguenot school with the French forces' collège, it is today a Franco German public school of around 810 students from roughly 50 nationalities, where French is the main working language and both French and German qualifications are on offer.
Lycée Français de Berlin at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | French Baccalauréat, German Abitur and the combined Abibac, plus the Brevet and the MSA |
|---|---|
| Stages | Secondary Gymnasium through to the sixth form |
| Founded | 1689 (re-established 1952) |
| Accreditation | Public Berlin school within the French AEFE network; oldest school in the network |
| Language | French as the main language of instruction, with German |
| Fee band | Tuition free (public school) |
| Campus area | Tiergarten, central Berlin |
Curriculum and academics
The school follows a genuinely Franco German model that is unique in Germany, with French as the main language of instruction while both Berlin school law and the guidelines of the French Ministry of Education apply at the same time. This dual framework is reflected in the staffing, where the French state funds about half the personnel through the AEFE and the Berlin Senate provides the buildings, the other half of the staff and the administration. The result is a school that is at once a Berlin Gymnasium and a French lycée.
That structure gives students an unusually wide choice of exit qualifications. They can prepare for five different diplomas: the French National Brevet, the German MSA, the French Baccalauréat, the German Abitur and the combined Abibac, the dual French and German leaving certificate the school introduced in 2005. Holding both the Baccalauréat and the Abitur opens universities in France, Germany and beyond, which suits Francophone families and mixed Franco German households who want to keep both countries open. For the wider picture of English and bilingual options in the city, our overview of the best international schools in Berlin puts this French route in context.
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Lycée Français de Berlin fees
Lycée Français de Berlin fees are, in the usual sense, nil. Unlike most private French and international schools abroad, this one is a public Berlin school that is free for all, jointly funded by the Berlin Senate and the French state through the AEFE. That sets it apart from the fee paying campuses that make up most of the international school fees in Berlin and makes a French language education in the capital genuinely accessible to families who secure a place.
Families should still budget for the costs that sit outside tuition at any school, including learning materials and books, lunch, school trips and exchanges, and external examination entries for the Baccalauréat, the Abitur or the Abibac. There may also be a parents' association contribution. Because the headline tuition is zero, the practical questions for relocating families are eligibility, the right entry point and the language requirements rather than affordability.
Admissions
Admission reflects the school's hybrid status. As a public school with a French language model and high demand, it allocates places under its own rules rather than through open, year round international enrolment, and several entry points operate waiting lists. Because most teaching is in French, the school assesses whether a child can access the French language pathway, and the suitable entry grade depends on a child's French and German.
Francophone families and those already in the French system abroad are the most natural fit, but the school also takes German speaking children with French literacy for the Abibac route. Families relocating to Berlin should contact the school as early as possible, confirm how the French and German sides apply to their child, and gather recent school reports. Allow time too for the German residence and registration steps that run alongside any school place.
Location and who goes there
The school sits in Tiergarten, a central district named for the great park at the heart of Berlin and within easy reach of the government quarter and the western centre. The central position makes it reachable by U-Bahn, S-Bahn and bus from across the inner city, which suits a community that is spread rather than clustered in one neighbourhood.
The roughly 810 students come from about 50 nationalities, with a core of French and Franco German families alongside Germans who want a French language education and other Francophone households posted to the city. Many live in the central and western districts such as Charlottenburg, Wilmersdorf and Mitte that have long drawn Berlin's diplomatic and professional communities. For the fuller picture of where international families settle and which schools sit nearby, return to the Berlin city hub.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
How much are Lycée Français de Berlin fees?
There is no tuition. The Lycée Français de Berlin, the Französisches Gymnasium, is a public Berlin school that is free for all, jointly funded by the Berlin Senate and the French state through the AEFE. Families budget only for the usual extras such as materials, meals and trips rather than annual tuition.
What curriculum does the Lycée Français de Berlin follow?
It is a Franco German school where French is the main language of instruction and both Berlin school law and the French Ministry of Education guidelines apply. Students can prepare for five qualifications: the Brevet, the German MSA, the French Baccalauréat, the Abitur and the combined Abibac.
Is the Lycée Français de Berlin the same as the Französisches Gymnasium?
Yes. They are two names for the same institution, French and German. Founded in 1689 for Huguenot families, it is the oldest Gymnasium in Berlin and the oldest French school in the AEFE network worldwide.
When do Lycée Français de Berlin applications open?
As a public school with a French language model, places are allocated under its own admission rules rather than open year round international enrolment, and demand is high. Families should contact the school early, confirm how the French and German sides apply to their child and expect waiting lists.
Where is the Lycée Français de Berlin?
The school is in the Tiergarten area of central Berlin. It enrols around 810 students from about 50 nationalities and teaches mainly in French while preparing students for both French and German qualifications.
