Admissions process for Berlin secondary schools

Process and Deadlines

The enrollment process follows a fixed schedule each year:

1. 1Research (from autumn)

   Schools invite families to open days. It is worth looking beyond the home district. The Directory of Secondary Schools published by the Senate Department gives an overview.

2. 2Förderprognose and Probeunterricht (January/February)

   At the end of January, children receive the Förderprognose (academic recommendation) together with the mid-year report. It is decisive for the Gymnasium: if the grade sum is not sufficient, the central Probeunterricht (trial lessons) is the only remaining route to Gymnasium eligibility. Registration for it runs through the primary school in early February, and the test day falls at the end of February. The result is available before the registration period in March.

3. 3Registration (March)

   In March, parents register their child at the desired first-choice school. This requires the registration form and the Förderprognose provided by the primary school. A second and third choice can also be named.

4. 4Selection process (April–May)

   Schools conduct their admissions process. If there are more applications than places, the legally defined selection criteria apply (see below).

5. 5Decision letter (June)

   The admission decision arrives by post. If the child does not get a place at the first-choice school, they are assigned to another school.

Dates of the most recent round (transition to school year 2026/27): mid-year report with Förderprognose on 30 January 2026, registration for the Probeunterricht on 9/10 February, Probeunterricht on 20 February, registration period from 5 to 12 March, decision letters sent on 10 June 2026. The Senate Department is expected to announce the dates for school year 2027/28 in January 2027.

First, second, and third choice

Up to three schools can be named when registering. The first-choice school has priority. Only if no place is available there will the second and third choices be considered.

The choice is not limited to the home district: schools anywhere in Berlin are possible.

How often a choice works out has been put in figures by the Senate Department for the transition to school year 2026/27: across Berlin, 81% of children were given a place at their first-choice school and 90% in total a place at one of their three chosen schools.

The share covers every school in Berlin and does not carry over to a single school. How tight it was at one particular school is what that school's application figures show. The figures are provisional: the places created after the city-wide Ausgleichskonferenz are not yet in them.

Selection criteria when oversubscribed

When a school receives more applications than it has places (oversubscribed), places are allocated according to a legally regulated process:

• Hardship cases and siblings (up to 10%): Places for special hardship cases and children with siblings at the school.
• School selection (60% of places): The school selects based on its own criteria, e.g. grade average, competencies in specific subjects, interviews, or tests.
• Lottery (30% of places): The remaining places are allocated by lottery. Siblings are given preference in the draw.

Gymnasium specifics

The deciding factor is the grades in German, Mathematics, and the first foreign language. Each subject contributes one grade from the 2nd semester of grade 5 and one from the 1st semester of grade 6, 6 grades in total.

• Grade sum of 14 or less = eligible for Gymnasium
• Since the 2024 School Act reform, the Gymnasium no longer has a probationary year. Eligibility is determined before enrollment.

The rule has a measurable effect: since it took hold, first choices for a Gymnasium have fallen markedly while those for secondary schools have risen. See the enrolment analysis

ISS and Community Schools

• At Integrated Secondary Schools and Community Schools there is no entry restriction based on the Förderprognose. All children can apply.
• Many ISS and Community Schools offer their own upper secondary level (Oberstufe) or cooperate with an upper secondary center, making the Abitur possible here as well.

Special regulations

• Bilingual and classical language tracks: Some schools offer special profiles (e.g. bilingual English, Latin/Greek). Special admission criteria may apply.
• Admission from Grade 5: Some Gymnasien admit students from 5th grade. A separate process applies.
• Music or sports-focused schools: These schools may conduct aptitude tests.

Tips for parents

• Visit several open days: the personal impression matters.
• Check the demand ratios on this website: oversubscribed schools mean not all children can be admitted. Enrollments
• Choose the second and third choices carefully and strategically. They should be schools where the child would also feel comfortable. However, very popular schools will likely be unable to consider second or even third choices due to the high number of first-choice applications.
• Learn about the selection criteria of individual schools. They can differ from school to school.

Official information and sources

• 'Wohin nach der Grundschule?' brochure from the Senate Dept. for Education
• Directory of Secondary Schools from the Senate Department (PDF)
• Allocation of school places from year 7: guidance and registration at the Senate Dept. (PDF)
• Berlin School Act (SchulG), Admissions and Transfers section
• Secondary Level I Ordinance (Sek I-VO) with the admission regulations
• Administrative regulation on the transition to year 7 with the binding schedule of dates (PDF)
• Transition to secondary school at the Senate Dept. for Education, Youth and Family
• Written inquiry 19/26317 with the wish fulfilment figures (PDF)
• Probeunterricht results for the transition to school year 2025/26 in the Senate Dept. press release
• Probeunterricht results for the transition to school year 2026/27 in the Senate Dept. press release
• Results of the 2026/27 admissions round in the press release of 26 June 2026 (27,767 registrations, over 90% at a preferred school)
• Online School Directory Berlin