Family

International Schools

Karlsruhe is fortunate to have a range of international education opportunities.

The European School of Karlsruhe  teaches in English, French or German from kindergarten and leads up to examinations for the European Baccalaureate.

A little further afield you can find the Heidelberg International School and International School of Stuttgart as well as the bi-lingual German-English Swiss International School near Stuttgart.

Local German Schools

If you wish to educate your children in German there are a number of excellent state schools. See below for an overview of the German education system. For a complete listing of schools in Karlsruhe check here. 

This is not always an easy route, especially if the parents don't speak German. Anecdotally, it takes about 4 months or more for the children to begin to assimilate — and these can be rough. The prize is learning the language and culture as good as a native speaker.

Courses to bring the kids up to speed are offered by some schools — they are called VKL (Vorbereitungsklassen) (Preparation classes) and concentrate mostly on language learning for non-native speakers.

Pre-Kindergarten (Kita)

Pre-Kindergarten places (for children younger than three) are few and far between. As of August 2013, the state guarantees a spot for one to three year olds, but it may not be at your first choice and not necessarily close to your work or home. 

• German educational policy varies somewhat between States but generally requires that children are educated in schools after the age of six. No home-schooling is allowed! State schools are free of cost.
• It is common for expatriate parents, whose children are being educated outside of Germany, to be required to complete a form confirming that their child is indeed enrolled in full-time education. Do not be surprised if you are asked to provide this information.
• Creches and day care facilities for the under 3's are difficult to find. Creches and Day Care Centers often require early enrollment which limits space for people who relocate. As of August 2013, the state guarantees a spot for the one to three year olds, but you still need to search. Costs will depend on your income and the hours spent at the facility.
• Kindergarten attendance is not obligatory, but most children attend at some time between 3 and 6 years of age. It is a good opportunity to interact with other children, socialize and learn the language. Applications usually need to be made in the spring for entry in the fall. There are costs involved which will depend on the kindergarten and how many hours are spent there.
• Primary School (Grundschule) is obligatory for ages 6 to 12. Children must attend their local Grundschule unless, as in the case of expatriate families who educate their children outside the state system, you can show a need to attend an alternative school. 
• While schooling is free of charge, expect costs for books, notebooks, writing utensils, sport clothes, outings etc. Primary school pupils will get a list of what they need to purchase before the beginning of the school year. Often the school day ends at 1 pm. The city offers day care (Kinderhort) for the rest of the day in which time lunch is eaten, homework is supervised and group activities are organized. The Kinderhort is not free of charge.
• In their final year of Grundschule students are tested to see if they will attend a University-oriented high school (Gymnasium). This will lead on to  A-level or Advanced Placement type exams (Abitur) after grade twelve.
• If students do not make the cut into Gymnasium they will attend a more vocationally-oriented school either a Realschule or a Hauptschule. Families may select the secondary school they wish to attend.
• Public Universities are either free or extremely low-cost in Germany. Many Universities offer both undergraduate and graduate programs in English. Private Universities can cost quite a bit.
• There are a number of private schools in Germany as well as schools offering the International Baccalaureate program. 
• It's quite common for students in high school to spend a year or longer attending an English language school abroad either as a boarder or as a home-stay student. This is becoming rarer, as the high school system had moved from 9 years (G-9) to eight years (G-8) to be more like other European countries.
• Unlike the US or UK systems, German students are not under pressure to secure a University place in the last year of high school or by age 18/19 and they tend to attend University later, and for longer, than in other countries.

German law says children under 12 who are less than 1.5 meters (59 inches) in height must ride in a booster seat (Kindersitz). This seat must be appropriate for the weight of the child.

All EU residents who live or work in Germany are entitled to a child benefit/allowance (Kindergeld) under the same conditions as German citizens.

Non-EU residents may also be entitled to a child benefit/allowance — this will depend on the the type of visa you have and the length of intended stay.

You are entitled to this support until your children are 18 years of age or while they remain in full-time education.

To receive Kindergeld in Germany you must not receive child support from any other country.

Where to apply

The Family Benefits Office (Familienkasse), which is part of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit - BA) is responsible for the paperwork.

More Information

You can read all about it in English here.

• Germany does not have an official curfew for teenagers. The laws meant to protect youth have only determined how late the teenager may stay in specific venues such as discos, youth gatherings, or movie theaters. The cut-off ages are 14, 16 or 18. For example, you must be at least 16 to go to a disco and may not stay past midnight. Another example is that under 14s can go to the movies alone as long as the film is over before 8 pm. If in doubt, ask at the Jugendamt. 
• Over 18s are considered adults.
• Parents are ultimately responsible for their children and the actions of their children and are the ones to determine at what time a child is to be at home. Similarly, if a child is accompanied by a parent, he/she may stay in a movie theater as long as the parents are also there.
• Beer and wine cannot be sold to anyone younger than 16 years of age. This age group may not consume alcoholic beverages in public.
• Spirits cannot be sold to anyone younger than 18.
• Cigarettes cannot be sold to anyone younger than 18. If you are under 18, you are not allowed to smoke in public spaces.

Parents money (Elterngeld) is meant for those wanting to be primary caregivers during the first 14 months of a child's life and can thus not work full-time. Conditions apply as to who is eligible. This time can be split between parents and it is possible to work part-time and still collect financial help. Because it is so complicated, it is best to apply directly to the address provided below.

Starting in 2015, and applicable to parents of children born on or after January 1, 2015 is a new additional program Elterngeld Plus making part-time work for one or both partners more lucrative.

EU citizens have the same rights as German citizens, but this does not apply if you are receiving financial assistance from your home country.

Non-EU-citizens may also receive Elterngeld, but it depends on the type of visa and your length of stay.

Where to apply

For all of Baden-Württemberg, the responsible bureau is the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (L-Bank). Information in German can be found here.

E-mail:  familienfoerderung(at)l-bank.de

Telephone:  0800 6645 471 (M-F between 8:30 am and 4 pm)

There are so many wonderful playgrounds (Spielplatz) in and around Karlsruhe.

Lucky for us - the city has a convenient list of them with maps and photos.

Particularly charming is the Schlossgartenbahn a little train (diesel and steam) that runs around the Schloss Park.

Ticks (Zecken) are part of life in and around Karlsruhe in spring and summer. Outdoor life is so pleasant and so much part of daily life here, so it's quite easy to pick up a tick while biking, walking or playing outdoors.

Ticks are an arachnid that can transmit diseases to humans and domestic pets. The longer an infected tick feeds, the greater the chance of infection.

You should check yourself, your children and pets for ticks on a regular basis. They most commonly attach themselves under the arms, around the ears, inside the belly button, the back of the knees, under the arms, around the hair line and the groin area.

Should you discover a tick, seek medical advice as incorrect removal may lead to further complications.

Vaccinations against infection from ticks are considered part of life here and you should be prepared for your doctor to offer you a vaccination against tick-borne encephalitis.  Do your research in advance and decide if you want to have vaccinations.