Online School & Homeschool in Germany
Live online Cambridge IGCSE, A-Level, Pearson Edexcel, IB Diploma, American AP, and Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD through a partner school) for Germany-resident families — Berlin (Berlin International School Charlottenburg + Berlin British School + BBIS Kleinmachnow + Berlin Metropolitan School + JFK School Zehlendorf alternative), Munich (Munich International School Starnberg + Bavarian International School Haimhausen + European School Munich alternative), Frankfurt (Frankfurt International School Oberursel + European School Frankfurt + ISF Wiesbaden alternative), Hamburg (International School of Hamburg Blankenese alternative), Stuttgart (International School of Stuttgart Sindelfingen alternative), and Düsseldorf (International School of Düsseldorf Kaiserswerth + Japanese International School alternative). Legally viable for expat families with foreign passports at recognised international schools, Sixth Form students (16+) beyond German Schulpflicht, supplementary Cambridge / A-Level tuition alongside German Gymnasium, and international corporate rotational families.
From USD 423/month (~EUR 389/month). Small live classes 4-6 students, meaningfully more affordable than German premium international schools (BIS/FIS/MIS EUR 14,000-28,000/year — substantial fee savings). IMPORTANT: Homeschool is ILLEGAL in Germany for German citizen children under Schulpflicht (Article 7 Grundgesetz). Smartious does NOT serve as homeschool alternative for German citizen children of compulsory school age. Serves legally viable segments: expat families with foreign passports (fee arbitrage on Germany's recognised international schools), Sixth Form students 16+ post-Schulpflicht (full Cambridge A-Level pathway), supplementary Cambridge / A-Level tuition alongside German Gymnasium (UK Russell Group / US Ivy League preparation), international corporate rotational families (BMW / Mercedes-Benz / Porsche / Bosch / Siemens / Allianz / Deutsche Bank / ECB / Airbus / Beiersdorf / Henkel / Panasonic Europe portable curriculum), third-culture families temporarily in Germany maintaining Cambridge / IB continuity for imminent moves.
Where our Germany-resident families are
Smartious Germany-resident families concentrate across Berlin (federal capital — Charlottenburg BIS/BBS, Mitte Berlin Metropolitan, Kleinmachnow BBIS, Zehlendorf JFK School, plus Silicon Allee tech Zalando/N26/Delivery Hero/Google Berlin/Meta Berlin/Amazon Berlin and 150+ diplomatic embassies), Munich (Bavaria — Starnberg MIS lakeside, Haimhausen BIS, Neuperlach European School, plus BMW HQ Milbertshofen + Siemens HQ + Allianz HQ + IBM Deutschland + Airbus Defence), Frankfurt (Hesse — Oberursel FIS 1961 established Europe's oldest, Wiesbaden ISF, Rödelheim European School, plus European Central Bank + Deutsche Bank + Commerzbank + post-Brexit UK banking Goldman Sachs / JPMorgan Chase / Morgan Stanley relocations), Hamburg (northern Germany — Blankenese ISH, plus Airbus Hamburg-Finkenwerder 14,000 employees second-largest Airbus site globally + Beiersdorf NIVEA + Otto Group + Port of Hamburg Europe's third-largest), Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg — Sindelfingen ISS + Degerloch ISS, plus Mercedes-Benz Group HQ Untertürkheim + Porsche HQ Zuffenhausen + Bosch HQ Gerlingen + Stihl + Daimler Truck), and Düsseldorf (North Rhine-Westphalia — Kaiserswerth ISD + Japanese International School Little Tokyo, plus Japanese business capital of Europe with 11,000+ Japanese residents Panasonic Europe/Sharp Europe/Mitsubishi Europe + Henkel + E.ON + Vodafone Deutschland + Metro AG). Each city has its own local context — Berlin diplomatic + tech, Munich BMW/Siemens/Allianz, Frankfurt ECB + post-Brexit banking, Hamburg Airbus aerospace, Stuttgart Mercedes/Porsche/Bosch automotive, Düsseldorf Japanese business + Rhine-Ruhr Europe's largest metro — but all share the same live online delivery infrastructure in CET UTC+1 with morning delivery matching Nairobi afternoon teaching hours.
- Online school in Berlin
- Online school in Munich
- Online school in Frankfurt am Main
- Online school in Hamburg
- Online school in Stuttgart
- Online school in Düsseldorf
Homeschool laws and regulation in Germany
CRITICAL: Homeschool is ILLEGAL in Germany for German citizen children under Schulpflicht (Article 7 Grundgesetz + Compulsory Education Act). Both the German Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights have upheld this position. Physical attendance at state-recognised school is required for German citizen children ages 6-17. Smartious does NOT serve as homeschool alternative for German citizen children of compulsory school age. Smartious serves specific legally viable segments in Germany.
Article 7 Grundgesetz + Schulpflicht
Article 7 of the German Basic Law (Grundgesetz) establishes state oversight of education, and each Bundesland's Compulsory Education Act (Schulpflicht) requires physical attendance at state-recognised school for German citizen children typically ages 6-17 (varies slightly by Bundesland). Homeschool as replacement for physical school attendance is prohibited for German citizen children of compulsory school age.
German Constitutional Court + European Court of Human Rights
The German Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) has upheld Schulpflicht multiple times, most notably in Konrad v Germany (2003). The European Court of Human Rights confirmed the position in Konrad v Germany (2006) and Wunderlich v Germany (2019) — homeschool is not a protected right under European human rights law when state schools are available. Parents who homeschool German citizen children face fines and, in extreme cases, custody consequences.
Recognised international schools satisfy Schulpflicht for foreign passport children
Berlin BIS/BBS/BBIS, Munich MIS/BIS, Frankfurt FIS, Hamburg ISH, Stuttgart ISS, Düsseldorf ISD, plus other recognised international schools (Ergänzungsschulen anerkannte) satisfy Schulpflicht for children with foreign passports at fees of EUR 14,000-28,000/year. Smartious as SUPPLEMENTARY tuition works alongside physical international school attendance for these families.
Sixth Form 16+ post-Schulpflicht flexibility
German compulsory school age (Schulpflicht) ends at 16 in most Bundesländer (Berlin, Hamburg, Bavaria, others end at 16; some have vocational obligations to 18). Sixth Form students (Years 12-13, ages 16-18) may pursue full Cambridge A-Level or IB Diploma via Smartious as primary Sixth Form pathway.
Supplementary tuition alongside German Gymnasium
German Gymnasium students preparing UK Russell Group applications may add Cambridge A-Level or IGCSE alongside German Abitur as supplementary tuition — Smartious delivers structured Cambridge preparation without replacing German school attendance.
Ontario OSSD pathway for Canadian universities
Smartious, with our Ontario partner school, delivers the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. For older Sixth Form students, this pathway to Canadian U15 universities via OUAC opens as post-Schulpflicht option.
Why Germany families choose Smartious
Legally accurate positioning respecting German law
Smartious is transparent that homeschool is illegal in Germany for German citizen children under Schulpflicht. Rather than misleading families into legal jeopardy, Smartious serves only legally viable segments: expat families with foreign passports at recognised international schools (as supplementary or where legally applicable), Sixth Form 16+ students post-Schulpflicht (primary pathway), German Gymnasium students (supplementary tuition), international corporate rotational families with foreign passports.
Substantial fee savings vs Germany premium international schools
Smartious from USD 5,076/year (~EUR 4,670/year) vs Frankfurt FIS Oberursel EUR 22,000-28,000, Munich MIS Starnberg EUR 20,000-27,000, Düsseldorf ISD Kaiserswerth EUR 20,000-26,000, Berlin BIS/BBIS EUR 15,000-24,000, plus Hamburg ISH, Stuttgart ISS, Berlin British School — identical Cambridge / IB / American / OSSD qualifications and university pathway.
Sixth Form 16+ Cambridge A-Level pathway
Post-Schulpflicht Sixth Form students (Years 12-13, ages 16-18) pursue full Cambridge A-Level or IB Diploma via Smartious as primary Sixth Form pathway — UCAS applications to UK Russell Group (Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL) or Common App to US Ivy League + UC system continue seamlessly.
Supplementary Cambridge / A-Level for German Gymnasium
German Gymnasium students preparing UK Russell Group applications add Cambridge A-Level or IGCSE alongside German Abitur — enhances UCAS profile beyond Abitur equivalents alone. Particularly strong for Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial STEM (Cambridge A-Level Mathematics + Further Mathematics + Physics + Chemistry).
Silicon Allee + BMW + Mercedes + ECB + Airbus corporate rotation portability
German corporate rotational cycles supported without curriculum switching — Berlin Silicon Allee (Zalando, N26, Google Berlin, Meta Berlin, Amazon Berlin), Munich (BMW, Siemens, Allianz, IBM, Rohde & Schwarz), Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank, ECB, plus post-Brexit UK banking Goldman Sachs / JPMorgan Chase / Morgan Stanley relocations), Hamburg (Airbus Finkenwerder + Beiersdorf + Otto Group), Stuttgart (Mercedes / Porsche / Bosch / Stihl / Daimler Truck), Düsseldorf (Panasonic Europe + Sharp Europe + Mitsubishi Europe + Henkel + E.ON + Vodafone).
Diplomatic corps portability across 150+ Berlin embassies
British, American, European (French, German, Italian, Netherlands), Japanese, Korean, Chinese diplomatic families continue Cambridge / IB / American / OSSD curriculum through Berlin posting and onward postings globally.
Third-culture family curriculum continuity
Families temporarily in Germany awaiting next international assignment maintain Cambridge / IB / American / OSSD curriculum without disruption or German school integration.
Ontario OSSD pathway for Canadian universities
Germany-resident families targeting Canadian U15 (Toronto, McGill, UBC, McMaster, Waterloo, Western, Queen's) complete Ontario Secondary School Diploma through our Ontario partner school — apply via OUAC as Ontario secondary graduate.
German university pathway via uni-assist
Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma recognised by uni-assist for German public university admission (TU Munich, LMU Munich, Heidelberg, Humboldt Berlin, RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, KIT Karlsruhe, Freiburg, Göttingen) at extremely attractive semester fees EUR 100-350 including for international students.
Morning Germany delivery matching Nairobi afternoon
CET UTC+1 (CEST UTC+2 summer) delivery 11 AM – 2 PM Germany local (Nairobi 1 PM – 4 PM winter teaching) — practical Germany morning school-day window and natural Nairobi afternoon teaching hours.
Fees and admission
From USD 423/month for Primary, payable termly; varies by curriculum and level. One-to-one tuition: USD 15/hour.
Frequently asked questions
Is homeschool legal in Germany?
NO. Homeschool is ILLEGAL in Germany for German citizen children under Schulpflicht (Article 7 Grundgesetz + Compulsory Education Act). Both the German Constitutional Court and the European Court of Human Rights have upheld this position. Physical attendance at state-recognised school is required for German citizen children ages 6-17 (varies slightly by Bundesland). Smartious does NOT serve as homeschool alternative for German citizen children of compulsory school age. Smartious serves specific legally viable segments detailed below.
We're expat family with foreign passports in Germany. How does Smartious help legally?
Germany's recognised international schools (Berlin BIS/BBS/BBIS, Munich MIS/BIS, Frankfurt FIS, Hamburg ISH, Stuttgart ISS, Düsseldorf ISD) satisfy Schulpflicht for children with foreign passports at fees of EUR 14,000-28,000/year. Smartious provides live online Cambridge / IB / American / OSSD from USD 5,076/year — substantial fee savings — as SUPPLEMENTARY tuition alongside physical international school attendance for younger children, or as primary pathway for older Sixth Form students (16+) beyond compulsory school age. Consult German legal counsel for specific family situation.
Our child is 16+ and past German compulsory school age. Can Smartious be primary Sixth Form?
Yes. German compulsory school age (Schulpflicht) ends at 16 in most Bundesländer (Berlin, Hamburg, Bavaria; some have vocational obligations to 18 — verify per Bundesland). Sixth Form students (Years 12-13, ages 16-18) may pursue full Cambridge A-Level or IB Diploma via Smartious as primary Sixth Form pathway. UCAS applications to UK Russell Group (Oxbridge, Imperial, LSE, UCL, Warwick) or Common App applications to US Ivy League + UC system continue seamlessly.
Our child is at German Gymnasium. Can Smartious be supplementary?
Yes. German Gymnasium students preparing UK Russell Group applications may add Cambridge A-Level or IGCSE alongside German Abitur as supplementary tuition. Enhances UCAS profile beyond Abitur equivalents alone. Cambridge A-Level Mathematics + Further Mathematics + Physics + Chemistry particularly strengthens Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial STEM applications. Smartious does not replace German school attendance for German citizen children of compulsory age — operates alongside.
We're Silicon Allee tech / BMW / Mercedes / ECB / Airbus corporate rotational family with foreign passports. How does Smartious support us?
Very common Germany family situation. Berlin Silicon Allee (Zalando, N26, Google Berlin, Meta Berlin, Amazon Berlin), Munich (BMW, Siemens, Allianz), Frankfurt (Deutsche Bank, ECB, post-Brexit UK banking Goldman Sachs / JPMorgan Chase / Morgan Stanley), Hamburg (Airbus Finkenwerder), Stuttgart (Mercedes, Porsche, Bosch), Düsseldorf (Panasonic Europe, Sharp Europe, Mitsubishi Europe, Henkel) corporate rotational cycles (2-4 years typical) supported without curriculum switching across Germany → global postings. Cross-country cohort provides social continuity.
We're post-Brexit UK banking family relocated London-to-Frankfurt. How does Smartious support us?
Post-Brexit UK banking London-to-Frankfurt relocated families (Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Citi, Standard Chartered Frankfurt operations) with children in Cambridge IGCSE / A-Level continue seamlessly with Smartious — same UK curriculum without disruption. UCAS applications to UK Russell Group continue seamlessly.
Where do Germany-resident students sit Cambridge IGCSE and A-Level examinations?
Cambridge Assessment International Education has authorised centres across Germany — British Council Berlin plus major international schools accepting external private candidates: Berlin International School (BIS Charlottenburg), Berlin British School (BBS), BBIS Berlin Brandenburg (Kleinmachnow), Munich International School (MIS Starnberg), Bavarian International School (BIS Haimhausen), Frankfurt International School (FIS Oberursel), International School of Stuttgart (ISS Sindelfingen), International School of Hamburg (ISH Blankenese), International School of Düsseldorf (ISD Kaiserswerth). Smartious handles examination registration logistics.
How does live class scheduling work given CET and Nairobi teaching hours?
Central European Time (CET UTC+1, CEST UTC+2 summer) is 2 hours behind East Africa Time (EAT UTC+3) in winter, 1 hour behind in summer. Smartious live classes 11 AM – 2 PM Germany local time = 1 PM – 4 PM Nairobi teaching (winter) or 12 PM – 3 PM (summer) — practical Germany morning school-day window and natural Nairobi afternoon teaching hours. Evening 4 PM – 7 PM CET slot also available. Recorded sessions 24/7.
Can Cambridge A-Level or IB Diploma be used to apply to German public universities?
Yes. German public universities (TU Munich, LMU, Heidelberg, Humboldt Berlin, RWTH Aachen, TU Berlin, KIT, Freiburg, Göttingen) accept Cambridge A-Level and IB Diploma via uni-assist for international students (direct application for German citizens with international qualifications). Public German university semester fees EUR 100-350 including for internationals — extremely attractive fee point. Cambridge A-Level Mathematics + Physics + Chemistry directly supports TU Munich / RWTH Aachen / KIT engineering; A-Level Sciences supports Charité Berlin Medicine or LMU Munich Medicine.
What German cities does Smartious serve?
Berlin (Charlottenburg, Mitte, Kleinmachnow, Zehlendorf, plus 150+ diplomatic embassies + Silicon Allee tech), Munich (Bogenhausen, Grünwald, Solln, Starnberg, Haimhausen + BMW/Siemens/Allianz), Frankfurt (Oberursel, Bad Homburg, Wiesbaden + ECB + post-Brexit UK banking), Hamburg (Blankenese, Othmarschen, Harvestehude + Airbus Finkenwerder), Stuttgart (Sindelfingen, Vaihingen, Möhringen + Mercedes/Porsche/Bosch), and Düsseldorf (Kaiserswerth, Oberkassel, Little Tokyo + Panasonic Europe + Henkel + Rhine-Ruhr metro Europe's largest). Also broader Germany via live online delivery — Cologne, Bonn, Leipzig, Dresden, Nuremberg, Bremen, Hannover.
Guides for families in this country
What parents say
Rated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 130+ reviews. Read our Google reviews
“What stands out most about Smartious Homeschool and Tuition is their dedication to each learner. They don't rush through topics but ensure the child fully understands before moving forward. The progress my child has made in a short time is impressive. I would definitely recommend them to any parent.” — Google reviewer, Google review