Germany · Berlin
JFKS charges no tuition and offers German-American education in Zehlendorf. Check the child-and-parent citizenship requirements, language category, Berlin residence and application deadline before planning around a place.
John F. Kennedy School (JFKS) is a tuition-free Berlin public day school combining German and American education. It is a strong option for eligible families seeking the Abitur, the American High School Diploma with Advanced Placement, or both. Citizenship, language and Berlin residence must be checked before treating it as a realistic application.
The co-educational school is at Teltower Damm 87–93, 14167 Berlin, in Zehlendorf. It does not offer IB or boarding.
Admission requires a vacancy, German or US citizenship (or both) for the child, and German or US citizenship for at least one parent or legal guardian. The admissions page also requires age-appropriate first-language proficiency, or a dominant language for multilingual children, corresponding to the child’s citizenship.
The FAQ separately says Grades 1–12 applicants need fluent English but not German. This does not remove the citizenship-linked language rule. In particular, a German-citizen applicant should obtain clarification of the applicable language assessment rather than rely on the FAQ sentence alone. The school says its German-language admissions regulations are legally binding.
Entrance Class and Grades 1–12 require residence within Berlin’s city limits. A relocating family must provide proof before the first school day. Living in Brandenburg does not meet that condition.
JFKS includes Entrance Class, Elementary Grades 1–6 and secondary Grades 7–12. Advanced Placement (AP) provides advanced subject courses and examinations alongside the American diploma; it is not the IB Diploma. Ask which combination of Abitur, American diploma and AP subjects fits the pupil’s prior study and university plans.
The school reports close to 1,600 pupils, an average class size of 23, more than 190 faculty and staff and over 160 German and American teachers. Its reported AP pass rate is 93% across more than 15 examinations. These are school-wide figures, not guarantees for an individual class or applicant.
For 2026/27, Entrance Class applications are closed. The eligible birth range was 1 October 2020–30 September 2021; the public table shows no active Grades 1–12 window for that year.
For 2027/28, the published windows are:
| Applicant group | Application period |
|---|---|
| Entrance Class, living anywhere | 1 October 2026–31 January 2027 |
| Grades 1–12, living in Germany | 1 October 2026–31 January 2027 |
| Grades 1–12, living abroad | 1 October 2026–31 March 2027 |
Entrance Class birth dates are 1 October 2021–30 September 2022. The admissions page also publishes 2028/29 dates. Use the appropriate year’s form; late applications cannot be considered.
Admission is selective, using previous records and tests where applicable, and is probationary. Entrance Class lottery results follow the April drawing. Elementary admissions begin in May, with possible August vacancies after withdrawals, non-arrivals or unsuccessful language tests. Grades 7–12 letters are sent by the end of May. Submitted applications remain valid for late admission until 30 September; this does not permit new late applications.
Listing JFKS as a Wunschschule, a preferred school, on Berlin’s transfer form neither replaces the JFKS application nor guarantees admission.
JFKS charges no tuition. Any private bus contract is between the family and the provider, Firma Der Spandauer, rather than the school. The cited FAQ does not establish every personal or materials cost.
The FAQ says no tours, in-person meetings or open houses are currently offered. Send school questions to welcome@jfksberlin.org or call +49 30 90189-6800. Applications go to admissions@jfksberlin.org, not the welcome office. Assess the Zehlendorf commute independently before committing.
See the Berlin guide and Germany guide for context.
Official pages and documents we read. If a figure matters to your budget or your application, open the link and confirm it is still current.
Friendly orientation, not an application. Dates, fees, and programme details move. Confirm everything with the school.
BBIS offers English-language education from age three through Grade 12, with boarding from Grade 9. Its Kleinmachnow location and the separate tuition, registration and boarding charges are central to the decision.
BerlinCanisius-Kolleg offers two German-medium routes in one Jesuit day school. Grade 5 Gymnasium entry and a new Grade 7 Pedro Arrupe ISS cohort are open for 2027–28, while fees depend on family income.
MunichBIS is an English-medium day school with primary provision on both campuses and secondary provision in Haimhausen. It offers all four IB programmes, but its Grade 11–12 routes do not carry the same recognition. Admissions are rolling and capacity-led.
BonnBonn International School offers the full IB continuum in English, with German taught in every grade. It is a day school in southern Bonn, not a Düsseldorf campus. Its current online fee table is undated, so families planning for 2026–27 should confirm the figures in writing.
Compare a public German-American school in Zehlendorf, an English IB school in Brandenburg and a German Jesuit school by the Tiergarten. Eligibility and location come first.
5 minAn American-style school may offer a familiar curriculum, but its diploma, courses, language support, and admissions rules need individual checks. Start with the child’s next educational step.
7 minStart with the qualification your child would actually receive. Then check its subjects, language demands, and recognition in the countries where they may study next.
7 minStart with your child and the family's likely plans. Define the non-negotiables, verify the school's claims, compare three realistic options and visit with specific questions.