← Back to the rankingBBIS Berlin Brandenburg International School
Kleinmachnow, Germany · est. 1990 · Private
Illustration · Kleinmachnow
BBIS Berlin Brandenburg International School is a private, non-profit international day and boarding school on a forested campus in Kleinmachnow, on the border of Berlin and close to Potsdam, for ages 3 to 19. The school dates from 1990, when the state accepted its registration, took its first eight students in 1991 in Potsdam, and has been in Kleinmachnow since 2001; boarding opened in 2008. Teaching is in English across three IB programmes: the PYP in early education and grades 1-5, the MYP in grades 6-10 and the Diploma Programme in grades 11-12; students not taking the full diploma can earn the school's High School Diploma with individual IB certificates. In grades 1-10 the school is a state-approved Ersatzschule of Brandenburg, and in grades 11-12 a recognised Ergänzungsschule. All students learn German from grade 1 in groups by level, French and Spanish are added in secondary school and Mandarin in the Diploma Programme; there is a Home Language programme. About 800 day students and several dozen boarders (grades 9-12) from more than 60 countries attend, with over 200 staff from more than 40 countries; classes usually have fewer than 20 students. In 2026, 103 graduates earned the IB Diploma with an average score of 33.4.
Key facts
Tuition
≈ $17 285–28 356 a year
15 300–25 100 EUR
Programmes
IB · PYP, MYP, DP
Admits from
3 years · Pre-School
Languages of instruction
English
Languages taught
German, French, Spanish, Chinese
Students
about 800 day students and about 50-70 boarders
Class size
usually fewer than 20 students; in grades 1-5 the target is 20 and the maximum 24, with an assistant added above 20; in grades 6-12 usually fewer than 18, at most 24; early education groups of 13 to 24 children
Registration fee
≈ $113
100 EUR
About the fees Annual fees for 2026-2027: early education ages 3-4 15300 EUR, age 5 16400 EUR (after deduction of standard services paid by the Potsdam-Mittelmark county); grade 1 19400 EUR, grade 2 20000, grade 3 20300, grade 4 21400, grade 5 21600, grade 6 22500, grade 7 22700, grade 8 22900, grade 9 23900, grade 10 24200, grade 11 25000, grade 12 25100 EUR (excluding IB exam fees). Fees are paid in two instalments: 60% by 1 August and 40% by 1 January. Boarding for grades 9-12 costs an additional 26400 EUR per year (meals included), with a single-room supplement of 6100 EUR per year. For grades 1-10 there is an income and asset based School Fee Reduction Programme (for gross income below 100000 EUR and main residence in Germany): the grade 1 fee can fall as low as 175 EUR per year.
Admissions The school welcomes students of all nationalities and accepts online applications year-round, subject to space. Requirement: the family lives in the greater Berlin/Brandenburg area and the child lives with at least one parent, or the student enrols in boarding (grades 9-12). Early Education starts at age 3 and grade 1 at age 6 by 30 September. Required: report cards for three years (in English or German), a teacher recommendation, special educational needs records, proof of measles protection and a valid visa or residence permit by the start of school. Depending on age and language, there may be an interview, a class visit and tests in Maths, German and English (to determine English support). Priority order: siblings of current students, new expatriate and international families, families enrolling all their children, then host country nationals with and without prior English-language schooling; when a grade is within four places of its limit, local students may be waitlisted to keep places for international students. Admission of students with additional needs may be limited by school resources. After acceptance the family signs the contract and pays the registration fee within three weeks.
Stages and year groups Early Education (ages 3-6, age-based groups, up to 78 children) and grades 1-5 follow the IB Primary Years Programme; grades 6-10 follow the IB Middle Years Programme with a Personal Project in grade 10; grades 11-12 follow the IB Diploma Programme: in language and literature - English and German literature, language and literature in English and German, and a self-taught native language; language acquisition - English B, German B, French B, German ab initio, Spanish B, Spanish and Mandarin ab initio; individuals and societies - business and management, economics, geography, history, psychology, global politics; sciences - biology, chemistry, physics, design technology, environmental systems, sports science, computer science; two Mathematics courses; arts - music, visual art, film. Students taking two Group 1 languages earn a bilingual diploma. Other pathways: the school's BBIS High School Diploma with or without IB certificates in individual subjects (internally assessed). Status: state-approved Ersatzschule and all-day school in grades 1-10, recognised Ergänzungsschule in grades 11-12.
Accreditations and programmes verified against official registries
IB · PYP, MYP, DP · authorised programmeCIS · accreditationMSA · accreditationThe school is listed in the IB register and runs the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma programmes. The school is accredited by CIS. The school is accredited by MSA (Middle States Association).
school is in an official registryconfirmed by a school document, by membership or by taking part in a networkclaimed by the school, no confirmation, not counted in the scoreGuide to all organisations → What stands behind each entry
IBInternational Baccalaureate
A Swiss non-profit, working since 1968. Its programmes are among the most widely recognised school programmes in the world. Authorisation is granted stage by stage, so a school with the final stage does not necessarily run the younger ones; which stages this school holds is set out in the line below.
What the badge means for this school. The school is allowed to run this programme and to award its certificate. This is a confirmation of the programme, not a judgement on the school as a whole. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it. At this school: PYP (ages 3-12), MYP (ages 11-16), DP (ages 16-19). PYP is the primary stage, ages 3 to 12. It is not a set of subjects but a frame for the whole school: learning is built around lines of inquiry, and there are no exams at the end. MYP is the middle stage, ages 11 to 16. There are no exams here either; at the end an optional electronic assessment of pupils' work is possible. DP is the final stage, ages 16 to 19: six subjects plus a compulsory core of theory of knowledge, an extended essay and CAS. The diploma is accepted by universities all over the world, and in a number of countries it counts for admission on the same footing as the local leaving certificate.
Register to check for yourself, and the full guide →CISCouncil of International Schools
It accredits international schools and is a paying association at the same time. It examines governance and ownership, the curriculum, teaching, student wellbeing, staff and premises; a team of volunteers from other CIS accredited schools visits the school. Membership and accreditation are different things here, and schools confuse them more often than anything else.
What the badge means for this school. The school has been through this organisation's accreditation. It was judged as a whole: governance, safeguarding, staff, premises, teaching. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it.
Register to check for yourself, and the full guide →MSAMiddle States Association of Colleges and Schools
One of the oldest American accreditations, working since 1887 in more than a hundred countries and linked to the Office of Overseas Schools of the US State Department. It judges the school as an institution across twelve areas, including finances, governance, premises and student support.
What the badge means for this school. The school has been through this organisation's accreditation. It was judged as a whole: governance, safeguarding, staff, premises, teaching. The entry stands in the organisation's public register - anyone can check it.
Register to check for yourself, and the full guide →Exams and destinations from the school's official website
Average IB score
33.4 (world average 30.88)
Exam results IB Diploma 2026: the largest graduating class in the school's history, 103 students earned the diploma with an average score of 33.4 and a course average of 5.31; 31 earned bilingual diplomas, 15 scored 40 points or more, and the top score was 44. Average grade across all subjects: 4.9 in 2023, 5.1 in 2024, 5.0 in 2025 against a world average of 4.7.
Where leavers go: Free University of Berlin · Technical University of Berlin · Technical University of Munich · Bucerius Law School · WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management · Bocconi University · Leiden University · Erasmus University Rotterdam · Maastricht University · IE University · Oxford University · University of Cambridge
and others, 21 universities in the school's list in allCounsellors help with applications to universities in Germany, Europe, the UK and elsewhere: career orientation tests, seminars for students and parents, university fairs and visits, the BridgeU platform, entrance exam registration, transcripts and references, and support for gap year students. The school publishes a long list of universities that have accepted its graduates in Germany, Europe, the UK, North America and Asia.
Facilities from the school's official website
·Swimming poolnot stated on the website
✓Sports hall
✓Laboratories
✓Theatre or assembly hall
✓Library
✓Catering
✓School transport
✓Boarding
Also on site: Sports ground or field · Art studio · Playground · Makerspace
Clubs and activities: Duke of Edinburgh's International Award · Model United Nations · World Robotics Olympiad · First LEGO League · Choir · Guitar Orchestra · Instrumental Programme · Drama Club · Debate Club · Creative Writing Club · Green Team · Social Justice Committee · Chess · Pottery and Sculpting · Bouldering · Karate · Football · Basketball · Volleyball · Badminton · Swimming · Track and Field
Teaching staff from the school's official website
·Teachers listed by namenot published
✓Teacher qualifications
·Number of teachersthe school does not say
✓Students per teacher or class sizein the key facts above
What the listings show: School counsellors hold postgraduate training in school counselling, counselling psychology or social work and belong to professional associations; EAL teachers are highly qualified specialists; private music lessons are given by experienced musicians.
More than 200 staff from over 40 countries; in the primary school learning assistants support each grade, and in the secondary school assistants support specific subjects. There are learning support teachers, EAL specialists, academic coaches for grades 11-12, counsellors for the primary, secondary and boarding school, and a careers and college counsellor. The staff page profiles 24 people by name.
Safety and wellbeing from the school's official website
·CCTVnot stated on the website
✓Security staff
·Access controlnot stated on the website
✓Nurse or medical room
✓Counsellor
✓Child protection policy
·Staff trainingnot stated on the website
·Anti-bullying policynot stated on the website
The campus has around the clock security, and the school has a strong child protection policy. Nurses are on campus all day, including during activities and sports, and visit the boarding house daily. School counsellors run prevention workshops and help with social and emotional difficulties; in the primary school, grade 4-5 students train as Peacemakers to help resolve conflicts at break times. In boarding each student has a mentor, and a counsellor is available during the day and in the evenings.
Reviews
No reviews yet. The community rating counts towards the score once a school has five verified reviews - until then we do not show a zero, so as not to mislead.
Criteria breakdown criterion weight in brackets
Academics and programmes (16%)95 Community rating (16%)no dataparent reviews are needed: the criterion switches on at the fifth verified one Exams and destinations (12%) scored on disclosed data80 Safety and wellbeing (12%) scored on disclosed data80 Accreditation and verifiability (10%)95 Teaching staff (10%) scored on disclosed data55 Facilities (10%) scored on disclosed data90 Clubs and activities (8%) scored on disclosed data78 "Scored on disclosed data" stands where we count only what the school has written about itself on its own site: exams and destinations, safety and wellbeing, teaching staff, facilities, clubs and activities. A low score here means the school does not write about this, not that the school does not have it: a school with good security and a sparse site will score low. A school can fill in its profile, and the score will be counted again.
The score is counted from 8 of the 9 criteria.Only those with checkable data count: programmes and accreditations from official registers, the fee from a published price list. Where it says "scored on the median", the school has no data and the middle of the list is put in its place, so that a gap gives no advantage. Admissions, teaching staff and reviews come in as their data arrives.
The full methodology → Similar schools in the country