School Immersion in Germany – 15-17 years – 2 months to 1 academic year
Discover our High School Programme in Germany, specially designed for motivated young students aged 15 to 17 who want a unique experience of school exchange and cultural immersion. By choosing this language stay in Germany, participants will be able to study from 2 months to 1 academic year in a German secondary school, while sharing the life of a warm host family. This German language programme offers an exceptional opportunity to develop your language skills and discover German culture on a daily basis.
Why Germany?
Germany is one of the world’s leading powers. Over the last few decades, it has shown exceptional dynamism in economic, cultural and artistic terms.
It is also a country of great diversity, combining modernity and tradition, cultural creativity and commercial dynamism. It is made up of 16 Länder, each with a high degree of autonomy. German is the most widely spoken language in Europe and has official status in 6 countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Placements can take place anywhere in Germany. For those who prefer to choose their host region or town, we offer 2 options at extra cost.
You attend a state secondary school (Realschule or Gymnasium), generally in grade 10. As the last 3 years of schooling (11th, 12th and 13th) are preparatory classes for the Abitur, the secondary school leaving examination, German schools do not like to place international students in these years of study.
The choice of school depends on where your family lives, your academic level and your language level. Schools are carefully selected to ensure that they offer young people the best possible cultural environment. The choice of class is the sole responsibility of the head teacher and cannot be negotiated. Schools generally do not accept foreign students in classes 11, 12 or 13, so our participants can attend classes with 15-16 year-olds, even if they are older.
In gymnasium, students generally take 12 subjects per year. Up to Year 11, subjects are compulsory. The most common subjects are German, English, French, history, geography, maths, physics, chemistry, biology, social sciences, physical education, art or music and computing. From Year 11 onwards, students must select their subjects according to their chosen stream (language, science, etc.).
We cannot guarantee the subjects you will have in Germany, but our partner offers a paying‘choice of subject’ option which guarantees you a choice of one of the following subjects: Latin, French, History, Maths, Spanish, English, Biology, Chemistry or Physics.
German students attend fewer lessons than their Belgian or French neighbours. Classes last 45 minutes and are generally held from 8am to 3pm. The rest of the afternoon is usually free and can be devoted to sports or extra-curricular activities at school or in external clubs.
International students cannot take the Abitur exam, which allows them to enter university, but they must obtain good marks in the various assessments.
Typical timetable (given as an example only)
| Timetable/Days | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
| 07:55-08:40 | Math | Social Sciences | English | Geography | History |
| 08:45-09:30 | Religion | Math | Geography | Geography | Math |
| 09:45-10:30 | Art | German | Chemistry | Math | Social Sciences |
| 10:35-11:20 | Art | History | Religion | French | English |
| 11:30-12:15 | German | French | French | German | EP |
| 12:20-13:05 | French | French | German | English | EP |
| 14:00-14:45 | Music | English | Chemistry |
Note: the subjects offered vary from school to school. The subjects listed above are common, but are not necessarily offered in all schools.
Regional choice :
- North : ideal for discovering the cities of Hamburg and Bremen. Close to Denmark, the Netherlands and Poland
- West : ideal for discovering the renowned cities of Frankfurt, Cologne, Dortmund and Düsseldorf. Close to France, Belgium and Luxembourg
- South : ideal if you want to live close to cities such as Munich, Stuttgart, Nuremberg or Heidelberg
Choice of city :
- Berlin
- Hamburg
- Frankfurt
- Cologne
The Abitur is awarded at the age of 18 (without completing Grade 13) in the following Länder: Baden-Württemberg, Lower Saxony, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. The Gesamtschule leads to a diploma from one of the other 3 types of school, depending on the direction chosen.
Primary school(Grundschule) lasts 4 years. Pupils are then allocated to the different types of secondary school(Gymnasium, Realschule, Hauptschule, Gesamtschule) according to their abilities. The Gymnasium offer a 12- or 13-year course of study that prepares students for university, the Realschule offer a 10-year course of study that focuses more on foreign languages, economics, technology or the social and health sciences, while the Hauptschule are vocational schools (9 years). The Gesamtschule (10-year course) combines the other three streams, for pupils who want to avoid an early start.
If they wish, Hauptschule graduates can continue their education at the Realschule, just as Realschule graduates can go on to the Gymnasium.
From Year 11 onwards, students have the right to replace certain compulsory subjects with electives based on their interests (foreign languages, natural sciences, etc.).
The education system is the responsibility of the Länder. There may therefore be variations from one Land to another, although a degree of uniformity is ensured by the “Standing Conference of the Länder Ministers of Education”, which has been set up for this purpose.
Host families are selected by the local correspondent on the basis of their genuine desire to welcome a young foreigner and share their culture with him or her through everyday life.
The local correspondent visits the family’s home and ensures that they can offer the participant a balanced environment.
Your stay can take place in a medium-sized city or a small town. Wherever it is, you’ll really experience the daily life of your German host family.
There is no such thing as a typical family, each one is unique and reflects the society and way of life in this country. Host families come from many different backgrounds. They are not necessarily traditional families with father, mother and children. They may be single parents with or without children, or parents whose children no longer live at home. But they all share the same motivation: to open their doors to a foreign student and share their way of life and culture.
Students have a single or shared room, depending on the host family. All meals are included, with the exception of meals taken outside the home, such as meals taken in the school canteen during the week.
Communication and exchange are key to the success of this stay, as are open-mindedness and the desire to adapt to another way of life.
Our partner has a network of local correspondents throughout Germany. These are experienced people who are used to working with young people, who may themselves have had a high school experience abroad, who know the host families and who stay in regular contact with the students.
The local correspondent is therefore your key contact on the ground. A few days after your arrival, he or she will organise an orientation meeting to give you all the practical information you need. They will be in regular contact with you throughout your stay to answer your questions and make sure that everything runs smoothly. The local correspondent can act quickly in the event of a problem.
Finally, you will be given an emergency number so that you can contact someone locally at any time if you need to.
When you arrive, you will be welcomed by your family or by the local correspondent.
Online German courses
It is in the participants’ interests to have sufficient knowledge of German to enable them to participate actively in family and school life. This is why our German partner offers a German course before the start of the programme.
This course is optional for students with a German level of B1 or above. It is compulsory for students whose level is below B1.
Students will have the opportunity to review basic grammar and vocabulary, learn useful expressions and take part in quizzes and games. During the course, students will practise listening, speaking, reading and writing. Some of the topics covered will be
- German culture
- Life with a host family
- School life
- Daily habits
- and much more!
Students who do not wish to take part in these courses will have an individual interview with our German partner to assess their language level.
Orientation (optional) – 4 days / 3 nights
To get their stay in Germany off to a good start, students can take part in a Welcome Camp organised in August and January in Berlin.
This 2-night/3-day integration stay allows students to settle in smoothly, meet other young people from all over the world, and prepare calmly for their new life in a host family and at school.
Supervised by the local team, the Welcome Camp combines team-building games, on-campus activities and guided tours of Berlin to combine relaxation, cultural discovery and preparation for immersion. It’s also a great opportunity to ask questions and receive final advice before the official start of the programme.
The Welcome Camp includes: 3 nights in a youth hostel, full board, a city tour, transfers from the airport to the hostel and to the host family.
Example given for information only:
Dates 2026-2027
The year is divided into 2 school terms. The school calendar, duration and dates of holidays vary from one state to another, but the holiday periods are generally organised as follows:
- July / August : 6 weeks of summer holidays
- October: 1 or 2 weeks autumn holiday
- December: 2 or 3 weeks of Christmas holidays
- February: 1 week of winter holidays
- April: 2 or more weeks of Easter/Spring holidays
- May: some public holidays
Dates of stay :
- School year: end of August to June
- School term: end of August to mid-January or mid-January to June
- 3 months: end of August to end of November
- 2 months: end of August to end of October
Rates for 2026-2027
| Tuition, accommodation & meals, administrative costs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | Price | |||
| 2 months | € 5.550 | |||
| 3 months | € 7.195 | |||
| 1 semester (5 months) | € 8.995 | |||
| 1 academic year (10 months) | € 10.695 | |||
| Supplements | 2 months | 3 months | 1 semester | 1 academic year |
| Choice of region (north, west or south) | - | € 500 | € 750 | € 1.000 |
| Choice of city (Hamburg, Frankfurt or Cologne) | - | € 1.000 | € 1.500 | € 2.500 |
| Choice of city (Berlin) | - | - | € 2.500 | € 3.500 |
| Special dietary requirements (vegan, gluten-free, coeliac, other) | € 200 | € 300 | € 500 | € 1.000 |
| Vegetarian / allergy to cat or dog hair | € 100 | € 150 | € 250 | € 500 |
| Special request (year of study, subject, sport) | € 100 | € 150 | € 500 | € 1.000 |
| Other supplements | ||||
| Welcome Camp in Berlin | € 700 | |||
| German course before departure | € 600 | |||
Our prices include:
- German and English level tests and pre-application interview
- Registration formalities at the school for the selected length of stay
- Accommodation with the host family, half board during the week and full board at weekends and during school holidays
- Assistance, support and follow-up from the local correspondent throughout the stay
- Regular contact and evaluation reports
- Official certificate of participation
- Transfers at the beginning and end of the stay from the designated station/airport to the host family
Not included:
- Return journey to destination
- Lunches during the week
- Local transport
- Books and school supplies
- Extra-curricular activities
- Pocket money (€200-300 per month)
- Online German courses (compulsory for students with a level of German below B1)
- Choice of region/city
- Any extras (allergies, special diets, sport, etc.)
- Welcome Camp in Berlin
- Cancellation insurance
- Late registration fee (€250), if applicable
- Visa fees, if applicable
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