Nelson Mandela School is one of the most distinctive of the international schools in Berlin because it is not private at all. Set up in 2000 by the Berlin Senate and named after the South African statesman, it is a public comprehensive that runs an international bilingual programme from the first year of primary right through to the final year of upper secondary. Its formal name, the Nelson Mandela State International School Berlin, captures what makes it unusual: a state school that teaches in two languages and prepares students for both German and international leaving qualifications without charging tuition.
Nelson Mandela School at a glance
| Curriculum and exam boards | Bilingual German and English; Berlin framework curriculum, the MSA, the bilingual Abitur and the International Baccalaureate Diploma |
|---|---|
| Stages | Primary grades 1 to 6 and secondary grades 7 to 12 or 13 |
| Founded | 2000, by the Berlin Senate |
| Accreditation | Public Berlin school; authorised IB World School since 7 April 2005 |
| Language | German and English, with English the language of the IB Diploma |
| Fee band | Tuition free (state school) |
| Campus area | Pfalzburger Strasse, Wilmersdorf, west Berlin |
Curriculum and academics
The school integrates two systems so that one timetable satisfies both the Berlin Senate and the expectations of an international school. German and Mathematics follow the Berlin framework curriculum, while other primary subjects draw on the National Curriculum for England, and instruction runs in both languages from the start. The aim through grades 1 to 6 is genuine bilingual fluency rather than English as a bolt on, which is what allows students to branch into either national route later.
The pivot comes after grade 10, when students sit the MSA, the Berlin middle school certificate. They then choose between two upper secondary pathways: the bilingual German Abitur or the two year International Baccalaureate Diploma, which the school has delivered as an authorised IB World School since 2005 with English as the language of instruction. The IB option is rare in the state sector and gives families an internationally portable qualification without leaving the public system. For where this sits among the capital's English and bilingual options, our guide to the best international schools in Berlin sets out the alternatives.
Work out the real cost of a place
Even a tuition free school carries extras. Use the fee calculator to plan materials, meals, trips and exam entries before you commit. Free and independent.
Nelson Mandela School fees
Nelson Mandela School fees are, in the conventional sense, nil. As a public school funded by the Berlin Senate, it does not charge tuition, which sets it apart from the fee paying campuses that make up most of the international school fees in Berlin. For relocating families the practical hurdle is not affordability but securing a place, because demand for the bilingual state route is high.
Families should still budget for the costs that sit outside tuition at any school. Those include learning materials and books, lunches, school trips and exchanges, and the external examination entries for the IB Diploma in the final two years. There may also be a voluntary parents' association contribution. Because the headline number is zero, the questions worth asking the school early are about eligibility, the correct entry grade and the German and English levels expected of your child.
Admissions
Admission follows Berlin state school rules rather than open international enrolment, and the school is regularly oversubscribed. Where demand exceeds places, allocation at primary entry draws on the educational recommendation and grade average, and from grade 7 onward the school gives priority to children of particularly mobile families, reflecting its international remit. Both factors mean a place is never guaranteed and waiting lists are common.
Because teaching is bilingual from the first year, the suitable entry point depends on a child's German and English. Families relocating to Berlin should contact the school as early as possible, confirm how the bilingual model applies to their child and gather recent school reports. Allow time too for the German residence and registration steps that run alongside any school place, since these can affect eligibility for a state school.
Location and who goes there
The school is on Pfalzburger Strasse in Wilmersdorf, part of the Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf district in the west of the city, with the primary campus close to the secondary site. The area is well connected by U-Bahn and bus, which suits a community drawn from across the western and central districts rather than a single catchment, and it sits among the leafy residential streets that have long appealed to families.
The intake mixes German families who want a bilingual state education with international and mobile households posted to Berlin who value an English language pathway that costs nothing. Many live in Wilmersdorf, Charlottenburg, Schoeneberg and the neighbouring central districts. For the wider 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 Nelson Mandela School fees?
There is no tuition. Nelson Mandela School is a state school run by the Berlin Senate, so a place is free for families who secure one. Households budget only for the usual extras such as materials, meals, trips and external IB Diploma examination entries rather than annual tuition.
What curriculum does Nelson Mandela School follow?
It is a bilingual German and English state school. Primary teaching blends the Berlin framework curriculum for German and Mathematics with the National Curriculum for England. After grade 10 and the MSA, students choose between the bilingual Abitur and the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which the school has offered as an IB World School since 2005.
Is Nelson Mandela School a state school?
Yes. Nelson Mandela School, formally the Nelson Mandela State International School Berlin, was founded in 2000 by the Berlin Senate as a public international bilingual school. It is one of very few state schools in Germany authorised to deliver the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
When do Nelson Mandela School applications open?
As an oversubscribed state school, places are allocated under Berlin admission rules rather than open year round international enrolment. Demand is high and waiting lists operate, so families should contact the school early and confirm the entry point and bilingual requirements for their child.
Where is Nelson Mandela School?
The school sits on Pfalzburger Strasse in Wilmersdorf, part of the Charlottenburg Wilmersdorf district in the west of Berlin, with the primary campus close to the secondary site.
