In Germany every child needs to go to school, it is cumpulsory. All children are going to primary school for the first four years and after they are send to a secondary school: special school (Förderschule), high school (Oberschule), integrative comprehensive school (integrative Gesamtschule (IGS)) or grammar school (Gymnasium). There they can get different degrees depending on the type of school. These are important for going to university or making an apprenticeship.
At all schools the classes are from either 08:00 O’Clock until around 13:00 O’Clock or in full time schools until around 16:00 O’Clock.
Parents can decide to which secondary school their child should go to after the forth year of primary school.
The schools in Germany are generally public, but there are also private schools. The quality between these two types of schools is not different, in all schools the same knowledge is transferred to the children.
The elementary school are the school years 1 to 4 and children between 6 and 10 years old are attending it. In Oldenburg exist 28 public schools. Three of them are Catholic Elementary Schools with a special confessional offer. In addition there are one Montessori School and three Waldorf Schools.
Information about the elementary schools you could find under:
Tip: On the first day of the school year in the elementary school every child brings a school bag/ sugar bag, where pencils and other materials for the everyday life in the school need are, plus sweets are in. Those school bags can somebody, in the beginning of the school year in the Supermarkets buy.
Hort (from the Latin Hortus which means Garden)
If primary schools do not offer all-day care, there is the option of after-school care for which a fee is charged. In children’s groups (Hortgroup), children are usually cared for five days a week in the afternoons after school lessons. During the school holidays the care of the children is for the whole day. In Oldenburg Hort groups Horten, mainly primary school children are cared for. Some groups Are also accepting children until they are 14 years old. The places are given primarily for working parents.
Oberschule
The Oberschule consists from the classes of the school years 5 to 10 and the children, are between 10 and 16 years of age. The target of the Oberschule is the mediation of a basic, extended and deepened general education and specialization.
In Oldenburg there are 6 public Oberschule. In addition there is a Paulus-Schule with a special confessional direction sponsored from the Catholic Church and also a Montessori School called the Montessorischule FREIraum.
In the Integrated Comprehensive School (IGS), are attending pupils from the 5th to the 13th class (Age between 10 and 19 years of age). A degree is also available after the 9th or 10th class. The school provides a basic, expanded and in-depth general education and allows an individual specialization. In Oldenburg exists 3 public Integrated Comprehensive Schools. In addition there are 3 free Waldorf schools.
Here the pupils are attending the school classes between the 5th and 13th (Children between 10 and 19 years of age), the awarded degree at the graduation is called Abitur. In Oldenburg there are 6 public Gymnasien, in addition there are 2 more: the Night Gymnasium which is for working persons that they want to have their graduation and the Oldenburg-Kolleg (college) for people who want to get their graduation later but fulltime.
Pupils that they have learning disabilities and they need a special help from teachers with specific experience and education in pedagogic for children with learning disabilities can attend those schools. The pupils in those schools are between 6 and 16 years of age. In Oldenburg exists various public Förderschulen, where each one covers different needs.
You can find more info in :
The berufsbildenden Schulen have a special profession orientation with the target, the pupil to start an apprenticeship. All oft he berufsbildenden Schulen have also a higher level where a pupil can get his/her abitur with a degree in technical, finance, social or other directions and those years are called gymnasialen Oberstufe
The children start going to school at the age of 6. In which elementary school should a child go, its depending in where the child lives. The parents are getting an invitation letter from them and their child, 15 months before the start of the school year of their child, from the school that they belong for a School entrance examination (School maturity test) Also an enrollment in the same year is possible. Ask for this in the School and Education public Service (Amt für Schule und Bildung).
In the secondary schools the parents are responsible to enroll the children.
In the Berufsbildenden Schulen and the Universities the enrollment should being done after the middle year certificate (in February) or in the Universities in Summer. More info for this issue you can get in the School and Education public Service (Amt für Schule und Bildung) by phone in 0441-2352534.
Costs for Schools and University
In Germany there are no costs for studying in public schools. If the child goes to a seconday school, there are costs only if this school is a private one. The costs for books an othe school materials are costs that the parents pay but they can also be covered from the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (see question 42).
There are different child care possibilities for children between 0 and 6 years old, they are listed further down. Child care and schools are always taking place from Monday till Friday, in the morning and/or in the afternoon. At the weekends both institutions are closed.
Day Nursery (Krippe):
In day nurseries children under the age of 3 are taken care of half day or whole day. If your child has not yet reached the age of three, you can register him or her for care with a day care worker throughout the year.
Kindergarten
In the kindergarten children from 3 until 6 years of age are taken care of half day or whole day. During the last year of kindergarten before the enrollment at school language support classes will be hold by primary school teachers.
In the day nursery or in the kindergarten the children always should be equipped with rain gear.
They are often playing outside and the clothes can get dirty. The children should also take slippers with them.
1.1. Registration at the day nursery or the kindergarten
The registration has to be made in January via the „Betreuungsbörse“. You can find it at www.oldenburg.kitaav.de »
Also during the ongoing daycare year a registration is possible at all times, this will be done via the service office „Kindertagesbetreuung“ (day care facility for children), Bergstraße 25, Telephone 0441-2353736 or 0441-2353739 or 0441 235-3753.
You can decide to which kindergarten or day nursery your child should go. However sometimes all places are full, then you also can decide for another kindergarten/day nursery.
1.2. Costs for day nursery and kindergarten
Since 1 August 2018, parental contributions are no longer charged for children from the age of three until school enrollment if the child is cared for in a facility for which the state provides financial assistance according to the Act on Day Care Facilities for Children. Costs for any lunchtime meals are still due. Nursery until the child reaches the age of 3 is chargeable. Parents who are earning money have to pay a monthly fee. The parents who are entitled to benefits for education and participation (unemployment benefits II, social welfare, income support, housing benefits, additional child benefits or benefits according to the benefits law for asylum seekers) don’t have to pay additional fees. Regarding other costs that may occur: see question 42.
In case of urgent need for day care for children under 3 years of age you can get in contact with the „Fachberatung Kindertagespflege“ (expert advice for child day care): „Amt für Jugend und Familie“ (office for children and family), Bergstr. 25.
100 first Questions – Education
40. Which structure does the school system in Oldenburg have?
In Germany every child needs to go to school, it is cumpulsory. All children are going to primary school for the first four years and after they are send to a secondary school: special school (Förderschule), high school (Oberschule), integrative comprehensive school (integrative Gesamtschule (IGS)) or grammar school (Gymnasium). There they can get different degrees depending on the type of school. These are important for going to university or making an apprenticeship.
At all schools the classes are from either 08:00 O’Clock until around 13:00 O’Clock or in full time schools until around 16:00 O’Clock.
Parents can decide to which secondary school their child should go to after the forth year of primary school.
The schools in Germany are generally public, but there are also private schools. The quality between these two types of schools is not different, in all schools the same knowledge is transferred to the children.
You can find further advice on the subject of schools at https://www.oldenburg.de/fileadmin/oldenburg/Benutzer/PDF/55/Elternflyer_dinlang_8seiter_barrierefrei.pdf
The elementary school are the school years 1 to 4 and children between 6 and 10 years old are attending it. In Oldenburg exist 28 public schools. Three of them are Catholic Elementary Schools with a special confessional offer. In addition there are one Montessori School and three Waldorf Schools.
Information about the elementary schools you could find under:
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/grundschulen.html
and for school enrollment under https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/themen-rund-um-schule/einschulung.html
Tip: On the first day of the school year in the elementary school every child brings a school bag/ sugar bag, where pencils and other materials for the everyday life in the school need are, plus sweets are in. Those school bags can somebody, in the beginning of the school year in the Supermarkets buy.
If primary schools do not offer all-day care, there is the option of after-school care for which a fee is charged. In children’s groups (Hortgroup), children are usually cared for five days a week in the afternoons after school lessons. During the school holidays the care of the children is for the whole day. In Oldenburg Hort groups Horten, mainly primary school children are cared for. Some groups Are also accepting children until they are 14 years old. The places are given primarily for working parents.
The Oberschule consists from the classes of the school years 5 to 10 and the children, are between 10 and 16 years of age. The target of the Oberschule is the mediation of a basic, extended and deepened general education and specialization.
In Oldenburg there are 6 public Oberschule. In addition there is a Paulus-Schule with a special confessional direction sponsored from the Catholic Church and also a Montessori School called the Montessorischule FREIraum.
You can find all the Oberschule here:
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/oberschulen.html
In the Integrated Comprehensive School (IGS), are attending pupils from the 5th to the 13th class (Age between 10 and 19 years of age). A degree is also available after the 9th or 10th class. The school provides a basic, expanded and in-depth general education and allows an individual specialization. In Oldenburg exists 3 public Integrated Comprehensive Schools. In addition there are 3 free Waldorf schools.
You can find all the schools here :
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/integrierte-gesamtschulen.html
Here the pupils are attending the school classes between the 5th and 13th (Children between 10 and 19 years of age), the awarded degree at the graduation is called Abitur. In Oldenburg there are 6 public Gymnasien, in addition there are 2 more: the Night Gymnasium which is for working persons that they want to have their graduation and the Oldenburg-Kolleg (college) for people who want to get their graduation later but fulltime.
You can find more info in: https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/gymnasien.html
Pupils that they have learning disabilities and they need a special help from teachers with specific experience and education in pedagogic for children with learning disabilities can attend those schools. The pupils in those schools are between 6 and 16 years of age. In Oldenburg exists various public Förderschulen, where each one covers different needs.
You can find more info in :
https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/foerderschulen.html
The berufsbildenden Schulen have a special profession orientation with the target, the pupil to start an apprenticeship. All oft he berufsbildenden Schulen have also a higher level where a pupil can get his/her abitur with a degree in technical, finance, social or other directions and those years are called gymnasialen Oberstufe
In Oldenburg exists 4 public berufsbildende Schulen: https://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wissenschaft-bildung/schule/schulen-in-oldenburg/berufsbildende-schulen.html
You can find more info in : (http://www.oldenburg.de/startseite/wirtschaft/service/publikationen/weiterbildung.html).
In Oldenburg someone can study in the following Universities:
This one has also a special offer for reugees:
https://uol.de/gefluechtete, Tel. 0441 798-4783
Also here there is an offer for refugeees:
https://www.jade-hs.de/international/an-die-jade-hochschule/
www.study-in.de/de/refugees
Enrolling in school and University
Costs for Schools and University
In Germany there are no costs for studying in public schools. If the child goes to a seconday school, there are costs only if this school is a private one. The costs for books an othe school materials are costs that the parents pay but they can also be covered from the Bildungs- und Teilhabepaket (see question 42).
39. Which child care and support possibilities exist for children until they are send to school?
There are different child care possibilities for children between 0 and 6 years old, they are listed further down. Child care and schools are always taking place from Monday till Friday, in the morning and/or in the afternoon. At the weekends both institutions are closed.
In day nurseries children under the age of 3 are taken care of half day or whole day. If your child has not yet reached the age of three, you can register him or her for care with a day care worker throughout the year.
In the kindergarten children from 3 until 6 years of age are taken care of half day or whole day. During the last year of kindergarten before the enrollment at school language support classes will be hold by primary school teachers.
In the day nursery or in the kindergarten the children always should be equipped with rain gear.
They are often playing outside and the clothes can get dirty. The children should also take slippers with them.
1.1. Registration at the day nursery or the kindergarten
The registration has to be made in January via the „Betreuungsbörse“. You can find it at www.oldenburg.kitaav.de »
Also during the ongoing daycare year a registration is possible at all times, this will be done via the service office „Kindertagesbetreuung“ (day care facility for children), Bergstraße 25, Telephone 0441-2353736 or 0441-2353739 or 0441 235-3753.
You can decide to which kindergarten or day nursery your child should go. However sometimes all places are full, then you also can decide for another kindergarten/day nursery.
1.2. Costs for day nursery and kindergarten
Since 1 August 2018, parental contributions are no longer charged for children from the age of three until school enrollment if the child is cared for in a facility for which the state provides financial assistance according to the Act on Day Care Facilities for Children. Costs for any lunchtime meals are still due. Nursery until the child reaches the age of 3 is chargeable. Parents who are earning money have to pay a monthly fee. The parents who are entitled to benefits for education and participation (unemployment benefits II, social welfare, income support, housing benefits, additional child benefits or benefits according to the benefits law for asylum seekers) don’t have to pay additional fees. Regarding other costs that may occur: see question 42.
In case of urgent need for day care for children under 3 years of age you can get in contact with the „Fachberatung Kindertagespflege“ (expert advice for child day care): „Amt für Jugend und Familie“ (office for children and family), Bergstr. 25.
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