School in Berlin: compulsory schooling, enrollment, welcome classes
The German version of this page has been changed, this translation has not. Please rely on the German page.
In Berlin, compulsory schooling begins at age 6. This applies to newly arrived children who do not yet speak German, too.
For newly arrived children, the process usually runs through the district's Koordinierungsstelle (coordination office): registration, a language assessment (Sprachstandstest) and a school-medical examination, then assignment to a school or class. Many newly arrived children first attend a Willkommensklasse (welcome class), intended to last around one year, before moving into a regular class.
For regular school enrollment (Einschulung) for the school year starting August 2027, in-person registration takes place from 5 to 16 October 2026, for children born between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2021.
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- Contact the district KoordinierungsstelleFor newly arrived children, contact your district's Koordinierungsstelle (coordination office). Bring: identification, the child's birth certificate, a Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate, if already available), and any school reports.
- Language assessment and school-medical examinationThe child takes a Sprachstandstest (language assessment) and a schulärztliche Untersuchung (school-medical examination) carried out by the district's Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitsdienst (child and youth health service).
- Receive school and class assignmentThe Koordinierungsstelle assigns the child to a school and class, often initially a Willkommensklasse (welcome class), intended to last around one year (a soft target, not a hard limit), before a gradual transition into a regular class, usually starting with subjects like art, music, or sport.
- Complete enrollmentThe parent or guardian completes the formal enrollment with the assigned school.
- For regular Einschulung: register in person within the windowFor school-year start August 2027, register in person 5–16 October 2026, for children born 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2021. Bring: parents' or guardians' identification, the child's birth certificate and ID, and, if wanted, an application for eFöB (extended free-of-charge after-school care) with supporting documents.
- Sources differ slightly on age ranges for welcome classes: the Familienportal names “from age eight” for Willkommensklassen with ages 6–7 typically joining the Schulanfangsphase (early-school phase) instead, while Steglitz-Zehlendorf runs separate hours for elementary-age and secondary-age (up to 15) children. Exact admission ages per district are not confirmed.
- The roughly one-year target for Willkommensklassen is a soft planning target, not a fixed legal limit — actual duration can differ by child and district.
- Costs for counseling, school assignment, learning materials, school transport, and eFöB are not confirmed.
- Language support after a child leaves the Willkommensklasse and moves into a regular class is not confirmed.
- Koordinierungsstelle contacts for most of Berlin's 12 districts, beyond the Steglitz-Zehlendorf example given here, were not individually confirmed — contact your district's Schulamt (school office) directly.
In depth · Legal basis, figures and practice – for counsellors and professionals
Compulsory schooling
Compulsory schooling in Berlin begins at age 6 and applies to all children resident in Berlin, including newly arrived and non-German-speaking children.
Process for newly arrived children
(1) Contact the district Schulamt's Koordinierungsstelle with identification, the child's birth certificate, a Meldebescheinigung if available, and any school reports. (2) The child takes a Sprachstandstest (language assessment) and a schulärztliche Untersuchung (school-medical examination) by the district's Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitsdienst. (3) The Koordinierungsstelle assigns a school and class. (4) The parent completes enrollment. A Willkommensklasse is typically the first placement; attendance is generally intended to last at most one year, followed by gradual transition into a regular class. Lernstandsberichte (progress reports) are used instead of grades during this phase.
Regular Einschulung (school year starting August 2027)
In-person registration: 5–16 October 2026, for children born 1 October 2020 – 30 September 2021. Required documents: identification of parents or guardians, the child's birth certificate and ID, and optionally an application for eFöB (extended free-of-charge after-school care) with supporting documents. The nearest public elementary school is generally responsible; the district Schulamt communicates the specific school assignment and allocates the school places; a school-medical examination by the district's Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitsdienst follows. Deferral (Zurückstellung) applications are due by 26 February 2027. Early enrollment is possible for children born 1 October 2021 – 31 March 2022, if proof is given that no language support is required (via the QuaSta form or BeoKiz). School start for the 2027/28 school year is 23 August 2027.
Willkommensklassen
Per the Familienportal, children from around age 8 typically join Willkommensklassen for German-language instruction, while children aged 6–7 typically join the Schulanfangsphase (early-school phase) instead. The age figures differ slightly between sources: the Familienportal names „ab acht Jahren“ ("from age 8"), while the district of Steglitz-Zehlendorf holds separate office hours for elementary school and for secondary school up to age 15. The exact admission age per district: no confirmed information is available for this.
Koordinierungsstellen
Each of Berlin's 12 districts has its own Koordinierungsstelle, plus one additional coordination office for vocational schools and Oberstufenzentren (upper-secondary vocational centers) for youths aged 16 and older. Individual contacts for most districts were not confirmed. Example — Steglitz-Zehlendorf: Koordinierungsstelle im Rathaus Zehlendorf, Kirchstraße 1–3, 14163 Berlin, Zimmer A 10, Tel. 90299-5192. Office hours: Monday and Wednesday 9:00–12:00 (elementary age), Tuesday and Friday 9:00–12:00 (secondary age up to 15). Bring: registration confirmation, identification, school-medical results, and school reports. Mitte coordinates enrollment within its Sprachförderzentrum (language support center), according to unconfirmed information only. Other districts are not confirmed.
Youths aged 16 and older
A separate Koordinierungsstelle exists for vocational schools and Oberstufenzentren. Specific requirements, age ranges, and offerings for this group are not confirmed.
Information materials
The Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie (Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family) publishes a parent brochure, “Neu in Deutschland?” (German-language PDF), and a further integration guide; the guide's specific claims were not fully evaluated and are therefore not included on this page.
Gaps
The available sources do not tie school registration to a residence title; residence (Wohnsitz) in Berlin is the connecting factor. Not evaluated: exact statutory text of SchulG §§ 41/42; costs for counseling, materials, transport, and eFöB; language support after transition out of a Willkommensklasse; individual district Koordinierungsstelle contacts beyond the Steglitz-Zehlendorf example.
- What is “School in Berlin” about?
- Compulsory schooling starts at age 6 and applies to newly arrived children too — how enrollment and welcome classes (Willkommensklassen) work in Berlin.
- Which deadlines and figures matter?
- 5 October to 16 October 2026: Registration for the 2027 school start (children born between 1 October 2020 and 30 September 2021 become subject to compulsory schooling on 1 August 2027); school start 23 August 2027 (Senatsverwaltung für Bildung, Jugend und Familie, Schulanmeldung zum Schulanfang, berlin.de)
- By 26 February 2027: Application to defer school enrollment (Zurückstellung) (Senatsverwaltung, Schulanmeldung zum Schulanfang, berlin.de)
- Generally at most one year: Duration of attending a Willkommensklasse (welcome class) (soft target) (Berliner Familienportal, Willkommensklassen in Berlin)
- No registration deadline for newly arrived children is stated in the sources: Registration with the district's Koordinierungsstelle (coordination office) (Berliner Familienportal; § 41 SchulG Berlin (nach nicht bestätigte Übersicht, Volltext nicht abgerufen))
- What should I do first?
- Contact the district Koordinierungsstelle: For newly arrived children, contact your district's Koordinierungsstelle (coordination office). Bring: identification, the child's birth certificate, a Meldebescheinigung (registration certificate, if already available), and any school reports.
- Language assessment and school-medical examination: The child takes a Sprachstandstest (language assessment) and a schulärztliche Untersuchung (school-medical examination) carried out by the district's Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitsdienst (child and youth health service).
- Receive school and class assignment: The Koordinierungsstelle assigns the child to a school and class, often initially a Willkommensklasse (welcome class), intended to last around one year (a soft target, not a hard limit), before a gradual transition into a regular class, usually starting with subjects like art, music, or sport.
- What should I watch out for?
- Sources differ slightly on age ranges for welcome classes: the Familienportal names “from age eight” for Willkommensklassen with ages 6–7 typically joining the Schulanfangsphase (early-school phase) instead, while Steglitz-Zehlendorf runs separate hours for elementary-age and secondary-age (up to 15) children. Exact admission ages per district are not confirmed.
- The roughly one-year target for Willkommensklassen is a soft planning target, not a fixed legal limit — actual duration can differ by child and district.
- Costs for counseling, school assignment, learning materials, school transport, and eFöB are not confirmed.
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