Moving to Germany With Kids: Schools, Daycare and Permits

Families moving from the United States to Germany face a different school system, a different calendar and a different set of legal duties. The good news is that public school is free, newcomer children have a defined path into the classroom, and young children have a legal right to a daycare place. The catch is that the rules are set mostly by the 16 federal states, so the details depend on where you live.

This guide explains the national framework, uses Berlin as a worked example, and lists the paperwork to prepare before the move.

Education is a state matter

Germany has no national ministry that runs schools. Each state (Land) has its own school law, curriculum and school types. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) coordinates across states on matters such as standards, recognition of qualifications and the school holiday calendar. Its central office for foreign education, the ZAB, evaluates foreign qualifications and runs the anabin database, which matters for older students and for parents who need a US degree assessed.

The practical consequence: before you sign a lease, look at the school rules of that specific state and, in large cities, of the district.

School attendance is compulsory

In Germany, school attendance is a legal duty, not a choice between school and home education. Berlin is a typical example. Its family portal states that compulsory schooling applies to newly arrived children between 6 and 18, even if they speak little or no German, and that attending a public school is free of charge. Berlin's guidance for schools sets the general duty at ten years of school attendance and extends it to age 18 if it has not yet been fulfilled.

For American parents this means two things. First, you cannot plan a gap of several months between arrival and school while you settle in. Second, a US online or homeschool program does not replace enrollment in Germany once your child lives there.

How newcomer children get a school place

Berlin describes the steps clearly, and other states follow a similar pattern:

1. Contact the coordination office for welcome classes at the school authority (Schulamt) of the district where you live. Bring identity documents, the registration certificate if you have it, and school reports.
2. The office advises on your child's school path, assesses German with a language test and arranges a school medical examination.
3. It tells you which school and class your child will attend, taking age and the test result into account.
4. You then register your child at that school in person, ideally with your identity documents, the child's birth certificate and school reports.

Children aged 6 and 7 usually go directly into the first two grades, the school entry phase. Children from about age 8 who do not yet speak enough German usually start in a welcome class (Willkommensklasse), a small group that teaches German and prepares them for regular lessons. Teenagers from 16 can get advice on welcome classes at vocational schools.

This is why the address registration matters so much for families. The school authority responsible for you is decided by where you are registered. See our guide to address registration in Germany.

Starting school for the first time

If your child will start first grade in Germany, the timeline begins well before the first day. Berlin's welcome center explains that school registration takes place about ten months before school starts, in the two school weeks before the autumn holidays. The steps are an open day at primary schools, the school entry medical examination and registration at the responsible primary school. Parents can apply for a transfer to another school, delayed or early enrollment, after-school care and an assessment of special educational needs.

The school entry examination also assesses German. If support is needed, it can take the form of language support in daycare, preparatory courses, welcome classes or extra lessons at school.

Daycare: a legal right

Federal law gives young children a right to early childhood care. Under Section 24 of Book VIII of the Social Code:

• A child who has completed the first year of life has a right to care in a daycare facility or with a childminder until age three.
• A child who has completed the third year has a right to a place in a daycare facility until starting school.
• Children who start first grade in the 2026/2027 school year or later have a right to all-day care on working days, eight hours a day, from school entry until the start of fifth grade, phased in over time.
• Children under one are entitled to care when their parents work, look for work, study or are in training.

The local youth welfare office has to inform parents about available places and help them choose. In Berlin the process runs through a daycare voucher (Kita-Gutschein) issued by the youth welfare office. The legal right does not guarantee a place next door. Apply as early as you can, and in a large city, apply to several providers at once.

Residence permits for children

Children need their own residence permit. Section 32 of the Residence Act gives a minor unmarried child a residence permit when both parents, or the parent with sole custody, hold one of the residence titles listed in that section, which covers the work, study and family permits most Americans hold. In practice you file the children's applications together with your own at the foreigners authority.

Bring for each child:

• US passport
• Birth certificate, ideally with an apostille and a translation
• Proof of address registration
• Proof of health insurance
• Custody documents if only one parent is moving

School holidays

School holiday dates differ by state. The KMK explains that the summer holidays are coordinated among the states in a multi-year cycle and approved by the conference, while each state sets its other holidays. The KMK publishes an overview of all dates. Families who want to travel to the US in summer should check their state's dates before booking flights, since summer breaks are staggered across the country and taking children out of school outside holidays generally requires permission.

International and bilingual options

Many cities have bilingual public schools and private international schools. Private schools charge fees and set their own admission rules, and places can be scarce. If you plan to stay only a few years, an international school can ease the transition back to a US curriculum. If you plan to stay long term, a public school gives your children fluent German and a local social circle.

A family checklist

1. Choose your city and check the state's school rules before you choose a district.
2. Gather apostilled birth certificates, school reports and vaccination records.
3. Register your address as soon as you move in.
4. Contact the district school authority or the welcome class coordination office right away.
5. Apply for daycare places early.
6. File residence permit applications for the children together with your own.

Common questions

Can my child do US online school instead of German school? No. Once your child lives in Germany, compulsory school attendance applies. In Berlin it covers newly arrived children from 6 to 18 regardless of German level.

What if my child speaks no German? Older children usually start in a welcome class that teaches German and prepares them for regular lessons. Children aged 6 and 7 usually go straight into the first grades.

Is public school free in Germany? Yes. Attendance at a public school is free. Private and international schools charge fees.

Do American children need their own residence permit? Yes. Under Section 32 of the Residence Act, minor children of permit holders get their own residence permit, usually applied for together with the parents.