FAQs on a school year abroad

That depends above all on the German school at home, but of course also on the students’ own performance. As a rule of thumb for students from Germany: at G9 schools — now the norm in most German federal states — longer stays are often possible without having to repeat a year. Where the G8 system is still taught, a stay of up to six months is realistic.

In Great Britain, all students attend school up to Year 11. Compulsory schooling ends with Year 11 and the GCSE qualifications; in England, education or training is then compulsory until 18. Most young people in England and Wales then choose either A levels or the International Baccalaureate (IB). In Scotland, some schools then offer Scottish Highers, and in Ireland the qualification is called the Leaving Certificate.

Yes, that is no problem! With A levels in particular, however, some rules must be observed regarding the choice of subjects and the total number of school years. Anyone returning from Great Britain with the IB has it easier because of the broader range of subjects.

There are very different schools in Great Britain. Some are extremely demanding academically and expect top grades from applicants. Others see themselves as all-round schools that also accept and support young people with less good grades.

You should of course have some knowledge of English, but the private schools in particular offer very good language support for students from abroad. Students with less good grades in English can therefore also apply.

In addition to the usual subjects such as mathematics, history or French, British schools also have many subjects on their timetables that are rather unusual for us. How about design, technology, psychology or business studies, for example? A subject such as Latin, on the other hand, is offered less often, so here too the preselection has to be right.

The boarding schools offer airport transfers – at some, the cost is included in the price; at others, it is charged extra. If you choose the host family option, the transfer is arranged by our partner organisations.

At British schools, school uniform is usually always worn up to Year 12. In the sixth form, it is then usually replaced by business dress. At some schools, students wear the uniform for longer. In Ireland, school uniform is generally worn in all year groups.

Sport is a big deal at British schools. It is offered as a leisure option or at a high level as elite sport. Almost every sport is represented – from riding, golf, swimming and tennis to sailing, judo or dance. The most important traditional sports at private schools include rugby, rowing, hockey and cricket. But of course we can also find great football schools and many other sporting options.

That depends on the boarding school. Most boarding schools usually close during the holidays. All boarders then go home to their parents. Some schools, however, make exceptions to this rule.

The school fees at our partner schools are usually between 9.000 £ and 18.000 £ per term. The costs of private boarding schools vary depending on the school and its facilities — talk to us and we will be happy to prepare a specific overview for the schools you are interested in.

All private schools award scholarships that students from abroad can also apply for. However, the requirements are very high and there are several deadlines to meet. We will be happy to advise you on this.

Since Brexit, Great Britain has been treated as a third country for tax purposes. School fees for a boarding school in England can therefore generally no longer be deducted as special expenses. Please clarify your individual case with your tax adviser or tax office. For other countries, we will be happy to look into this individually on request.

That depends entirely on whether you choose a boarding school or a host family. All schools have pastoral staff and tutors who are always willing to listen to the young people. In the boarding houses, the houseparents are there for the students around the clock; in a host family, of course, it is the host parents. If you have a guardian, they can also be a point of contact. And of course we remain your contact throughout the stay.

If the parents do not live in Great Britain, most schools want a guardian to be appointed. The guardian can act on site on behalf of the parents. Guardianship can be taken on by family members, friends or acquaintances. There are also agencies that offer this service for a fee. Some schools do not require guardians. We will tell you which schools these are and, if necessary, help you find a guardian.

Our local partners know the host families best. They select them and check them regularly. To find a family that really suits your child, you should fill in the application documents carefully and in this way give the organisations plenty of details about your children.

If it does not work out after all, our local partners will be on hand to help and advise the students. Should a move to another family be necessary, it can be organised quickly and without red tape.