Germany · Starnberg
MIS offers English-medium IB education at Schloss Buchhof in Starnberg, with German for every pupil. Check older-year English requirements, the commute and tuition plus three years of entrance fees.
Munich International School (MIS) offers English-medium International Baccalaureate (IB) education for ages 4–18 on the Schloss Buchhof estate in Starnberg, south of Munich. It is worth considering for families seeking IB continuity and German study at every stage, provided the commute and multiyear costs are workable.
MIS is a not-for-profit day school, not a boarding school. Speak to its Transportation Office before signing a lease: a place at the school does not resolve housing or guarantee a convenient bus journey.
The 2026/27 fee overview describes MIS as serving mainly internationally mobile families coming to Germany temporarily, while also accepting permanent residents with an international background. In Bavaria it is an approved Ersatzschule in Grades 1–9, a private alternative to compulsory state schooling, and an Ergänzungsschule in Grades 10–12, a different private-school category.
Its curriculum does not replicate a German Gymnasium. German university recognition of the IB depends on meeting the subject requirements of the Kultusministerkonferenz, the German states’ education ministers. Discuss the pupil’s actual subject combination rather than assuming the IB automatically equals the Abitur.
The programmes are organised as follows:
These leaving routes are not interchangeable qualifications. MIS says over 90% of Grade 12 pupils attempt the full IB Diploma, with routine pass rates of 95–100% among those candidates. It reports 106 diplomas and a 95% pass rate in 2025, averaging 35 points against a stated world average of 31. For 2026 it reports a 35-point average and two perfect scores. These are school-reported outcomes, not a forecast for an applicant.
English is the teaching language. Every pupil studies German from Early Childhood through Grade 12, in ability groups. Confirm teaching hours and placement for a newcomer rather than assuming German study guarantees a particular level.
English as an Additional Language (EAL) support operates in Grades 1–8, including for beginners. Grades 9–12 require a specified level of English proficiency; ask admissions how this is assessed before paying the application fee. Spanish, French and Mandarin begin in Grade 6.
A Mother Tongue Programme supports home languages, but availability and charges for the individual language need confirmation. The parent association reports coffee mornings in 22 languages; that is family support, not classroom language provision.
The Junior School handbook describes EAL assessment through observation and a parent language survey, with learning support in groups, individually or in class. Agree the provision and any additional optional-programme cost for the child before accepting. MIS aims for classes of 18–22; that is not an individual staffing guarantee.
The estate has gardens, five age-appropriate playgrounds, sports courts, a track and field, outdoor making and building areas, and separate Junior School sports facilities. The Fitness and Athletics Building includes a large gym complex, dance and fitness spaces, changing rooms and a canteen.
Junior School has a library and an 80 m² making space for coding, robotics, woodwork and prototypes. Middle School facilities include an auditorium, food-design kitchen and science laboratories. The Language Arts & Design Center adds arts, design and workshop provision: media production, electronics, robotics, textiles, ceramics, digital fabrication and bike repair. Visit the pupil’s ordinary teaching and dining spaces as well as the castle.
MIS reports Three-Star Eco School recognition and a 95% carbon-neutral figure. These are school sustainability claims; the quoted percentage needs its methodology and reporting year to be meaningful.
| Stage | Published school-day information |
|---|---|
| Early Childhood, ages 4–6 | Starts 09:05; published end times include 13:20, 15:15 and 16:20 depending on booking |
| Junior School, Grades 1–4 | 09:05–15:15 |
| Middle and Senior School, Grades 5–12 | 09:05–16:05 |
Early Childhood has four fee bookings: morning, short, regular and extended day. Morning, short and extended bookings have no afternoon bus; parents collect. Confirm the precise timetable for the selected booking.
Junior after-school care runs to 16:00 Monday–Thursday, excluding early-release and noon-finish days. Junior activities run 15:15–16:15, some until 16:45, Monday–Thursday. Older-pupil activities run 16:15–17:45 Monday–Friday. A separate Friday care option is priced below.
Applications are online; booked tours are available on most days. Contact admissions@mis-munich.de or +49 (0) 8151 3660.
The dated 2025/26 Junior School handbook bases placement on space, age on 1 October, present grade relative to MIS, language and any necessary screening. Evidence may include English-language reports, an interview, school-readiness testing, special-needs documents, health records and a confidential recommendation.
Under the 2026/27 fee terms, probation covers the first twelve months of physical attendance in Grades 1–12, or six months in Early Childhood. During probation either party may end the contract without cause with one month’s written notice to month-end. Afterwards ordinary notice is three months, effective 31 December or 31 July.
There is no uniform, apart from purchased PE kit from Grade 3. The 2025/26 handbook lists Council of International Schools (CIS) and New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) accreditation, Bavarian approval and IB authorisation; use the current school documentation where formal confirmation is required.
The figures below come from the official fee overview.
| Admission-related charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, each application | €343 |
| Registration, first year with contract | €2,100 |
| Entrance fee, first year | €9,788 |
| Entrance fee, second year | €4,098 |
| Entrance fee, third year | €4,098 |
| Re-enrolment, each later year | €1,043 |
Application, registration and re-enrolment fees are non-refundable. The entrance fee supports campus development and is due each 1 July over its three years. Its refund exceptions are 50% after attendance of 65 days or fewer in that school year, or 100% for withdrawal before the entry date.
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| EC morning, 4–5 hours | €14,120 |
| EC short day, 5–6 hours | €16,066 |
| EC regular day, 6–7 hours | €18,013 |
| EC extended day, 7–8 hours | €20,841 |
| Grades 1–4 | €19,002 |
| Grades 5–8 | €21,744 |
| Grade 9 | €23,863 |
| Grades 10–11 | €27,218 |
| Grade 12 | €28,659 |
Tuition is payable in two equal instalments, on 1 July and 1 December. Fully private payers with no employer contribution may request a special plan from the chief financial officer by the end of May: four direct debits on 1 July, 1 October, 1 January and 1 April, with a €500 service fee.
| Technology, due 1 July | Annual charge |
|---|---|
| Early Childhood | €702 |
| Grades 1–4 | €1,056 |
| Grades 5–8 | €1,119 |
| Grades 9–12, bring your own device | €734 |
Simultaneously enrolled siblings receive tuition reductions of 10% for the third child and 20% for the fourth and subsequent children. A separate School Fee Reduction Programme supports social diversity; eligibility requires an individual check.
A calculated first-year Grade 6 total is €35,094, without sibling reduction: €343 + €2,100 + €9,788 + €21,744 + €1,119. This excludes transport, lunch and optional activities.
Late entrants pay application, registration, entrance and technology charges in full. Tuition is prorated by first attendance month: August/September 100%, October 95%, declining to June 15%. Early-departure tuition refunds after probation follow the PDF’s monthly table; use it alongside the notice terms.
The FAQ gives differing bus-network counts, around 70 or over 80 routes and more than 700 stops. A confirmed route for the home address is more useful than either total. Contact transportation@mis-munich.de or +49 (0) 8151 366 150.
| Bus zone | Distance band, km | Annual return | Annual one-way |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 0–6 | €2,349 | €1,527 |
| B | 7–13 | €3,290 | €2,139 |
| C | 14–20 | €3,860 | €2,509 |
| D | 21–26 | €4,718 | €3,067 |
| E | 27–34 | €5,717 | €3,716 |
| F | >35 | €6,678 | €4,341 |
Late Activity Buses cost €929 for three seasons or €332 per season. Annual return-bus subscribers may use them free after registration. New bus enrolments after 1 January cost 65% of the annual amount. Illness or unused days do not generate refunds.
Grades 1–4 after-school care costs €1,880 for ASC A; €2,370 for ASC B, including on-site Junior School Student Life Programme places subject to availability; or €503 for ASC C, early-release Fridays only until 16:00. Entry on or after 1 January costs 65%.
Student Life Programme activities per ten-week season range from €70 for one weekly hour to €210 for three. Swim club costs €215, and Wildcats athletics or swim team €260. International School Sports Tournament championships and trips outside Bavaria cost extra. Lunch is supplied by Organic Garden; a cafeteria price is not established in the cited FAQ.
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.
BIS 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.
MunichEuropean School Munich offers a multilingual route to the European Baccalaureate, with kindergarten and primary in Fasangarten and secondary in Neuperlach. Category I pupils have an admission entitlement and pay no tuition. Other families need to establish eligibility, available places and fees.
KleinmachnowBBIS 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.
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.
Munich International, Bavarian International and the European School serve different locations and admissions routes. Start with eligibility, qualification and the actual campus.
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.
7 minTuition is only one line of the budget. Separate charges from advance payments, record what each figure includes, and ask the school to confirm your calculation in writing.