Bonn International School vs International School Ruhr

	B Bonn International School Dusseldorf, Germany	I International School Ruhr Dusseldorf, Germany
Snapshot	Snapshot
Fees / year	Fees / year €12,763 - 23,088	Fees / year €12,250 - 19,000
Age range	Age range 3 - 19 years	Age range 3 - 18 years
Type	Type Co-educational	Type Co-educational
Curriculum	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP)	Curriculum IB (PYP), IB (MYP), IB (DP), Cambridge IGCSE
Pupils	Pupils —	Pupils —
Typical class size	Typical class size —	Typical class size —
Instruction language	Instruction language English	Instruction language English
Opened	Opened 1997	Opened 2010
Bus service	Bus service No	Bus service No
Essentials	Essentials
Location	Location Martin-Luther-King Straße 14, D-53175 Bonn, Germany. The BIS campus is modern, spacious and well equipped, with an excellent IT infrastructure, a Media Centre Library, tournament sports halls, design rooms and labs. The school serves students aged 3–18 from the Bonn region and international communities.	Location Villa Koppers, Moltkeplatz 61, Essen, Germany
Stages	Stages Early Learning (ages 3-6); Primary Years (ages 6-11); Middle Years (ages 11-16); Diploma Years (ages 16-18).	Stages Early Years; Primary Years; Secondary Years
School type	School type The school is an International Baccalaureate World School offering the IB Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme.	School type Private international English-language day school
Pupil nationality mix	Pupil nationality mix 800 students from 80 countries; 80 nationalities represented.	Pupil nationality mix Over 30 nationalities represented.
Additional learning support	Additional learning support The Learning Support Programme empowers students with diverse educational needs to become confident, independent learners. It includes English language support (EAL) for students joining BIS who do not speak English; a team of trained staff provides in-class and pull-out support as needed; additional fees may apply depending on the plan.	Additional learning support —
Country affiliation	Country affiliation Germany	Country affiliation Germany
Religious affiliation	Religious affiliation —	Religious affiliation —
School day structure	School day structure The official school day begins at 8:20 for all grade levels and ends between 15:15 and 15:30 depending on the grade level. After-school care on campus is available until 18:00, and co-curricular activities run onsite until 19:30.	School day structure Early Morning Care starts at 7:30 and ends at 8:15. After School Activities run until 17:00 every day.
Bus service details	Bus service details —	Bus service details —
Fees	Fees
Fee details	Fee details Admission / Application Fees - A one-time Admission Fee applies on acceptance of a place. - Admissions to Early Learning 3, 4 and 5: EUR 2,250. - Admissions to Grade 1 and higher: EUR 4,500. - Admission Fee for each additional child from the same family: EUR 2,250 (one-time). Tuition fees — annual, per-term (approx.), and per-month (approx.) by year group - Annual tuition (shown first) followed by the approximate per-term amount (annual ÷ 3) and approximate per-month amount (annual ÷ 12): - Early Learning 3 (age 3) - Annual: EUR 12,763. - Approx. per term: EUR 4,254.33. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,063.58. - Early Learning 4 (age 4) - Annual: EUR 12,194. - Approx. per term: EUR 4,064.67. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,016.17. - Early Learning 5 (age 5) - Annual: EUR 17,227. - Approx. per term: EUR 5,742.33. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,435.58. - Grades 1–5 (ages 6–11) - Annual: EUR 19,624. - Approx. per term: EUR 6,541.33. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,635.33. - Grades 6–10 (ages 12–16) - Annual: EUR 22,170. - Approx. per term: EUR 7,390.00. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,847.50. - Grades 11–12 (ages 16–18) - Annual: EUR 23,088. - Approx. per term: EUR 7,696.00. - Approx. per month: EUR 1,924.00. Learning support and additional mandatory fees - Additional annual Learning Support Fees apply where a student is placed into the school's Learning Support Programme after assessment: - Tier 0: no additional fee. - Tier 1: EUR 4,000 per year. - Tier 2: EUR 8,000 per year. - Tier 3: EUR 12,000 per year. What is included in the published tuition - The published tuition includes: school day trips, provision of iPads for Early Learning through Grade 7, university and careers advisory, counselling services, English language development, access to science, design and Apple computer labs, books, instruments and core learning materials, and the Co-Curricular Programme. Other costs and optional fees - After-school care (KidzKlub) is available on campus and is charged separately. - Optional activities outside normal school provision (for example some camps, seasonal trips or externally arranged activities) and any specific material or travel costs connected with certain optional programmes may incur additional charges; standard included items are listed above. Boarding - Boarding is not offered. Students attending the school must live with their parents or guardians while enrolled. No boarding fees apply. Billing schedule and payment terms - Invoicing is issued after the admission is confirmed. Payment may be made in one of the following ways: - In full (single payment). - Quarterly or monthly instalments drawn from a German bank account. - In full by a third party payer (company, sponsor). - The school can make bespoke arrangements for invoicing or instalments in consultation with the Accounting Office. Bank details and payment methods - Bank transfer capability is provided; the school's account details are given for transfers (Commerzbank; IBAN: DE15 380400070386444400; SWIFT-BIC: COBADEFFXXX). Payments from German bank accounts are supported for instalments. - The school accepts third-party full payment and supports quarterly or monthly payment plans from a German bank account; specific acceptance of credit cards is not published in the main fee documents available. Refunds and withdrawal (summary of published position) - The publicly published fee schedule provides the Admission Fee and the Annual Tuition levels and notes invoicing and instalment options; a detailed, itemised public refund schedule (for example precise refund percentages by withdrawal date or term-specific invoice due dates) is not published in the main fee sheet. For cases requiring financial assistance, a Financial Assistance Programme with eligibility guidelines exists. Summary of key practical points for parents - One-time Admission Fee on acceptance: EUR 2,250 (EL3–EL5) or EUR 4,500 (Grade 1+); siblings EUR 2,250. - Annual tuition by year-group is listed above; approximate per-term and per-month figures are shown for quick budgeting (annual ÷ 3 or ÷ 12). - Learning Support Fees are charged separately according to tier if placement in the programme is required. - Invoicing occurs after admission; payments may be made in full, by quarterly or monthly instalments from a German bank account, or in full by a third party; bank transfer details are provided for payments. Note on items not publicly specified in the published fee brief - The published fee documents specify admission fees, annual tuition levels and learning support tiers and list what is included in tuition. A detailed public schedule showing exact invoice due dates, a term-by-term official invoice calendar, explicit credit-card acceptance options and a step-by-step refund/withdrawal schedule with refund percentages by withdrawal date are not included in the publicly available fee brief. Fees for specific optional services (exact KidzKlub rates, optional residential trip charges or other one-off charges) are not published in the single-page fee summary and are handled as separate charges. For those specific items and precise payment deadlines, the school's Accounting/Admissions team provides the operational invoice and terms at admission.	Fee details Annual tuition and one-time fees (2025/2026 academic year) - Early Years (EY1–EY3, ages 3–6): EUR 12,250 per year. Additional care options: - Early morning care (07:30–08:00): EUR 675 per year. - After-school care (15:30–17:00; Wednesdays 12:30–16:00): fee depends on booked activities (amounts not listed). - Primary School (Grade 1–5): EUR 17,300 per year. Additional care options: - Early morning care (07:30–08:00): EUR 675 per year. - After-school care (15:30–17:00; Wednesdays 12:30–16:00): fee depends on booked activities (amounts not listed). - Secondary School: - Grades 6–8: EUR 17,650 per year (08:15–15:35; Wednesdays until 12:35). - Grades 9–10: EUR 17,650 per year (08:15–15:35; Wednesdays until 12:35). Exam fees: charged separately according to published IGCSE exam fees. - Grades 11–12 (IB Diploma Programme): EUR 19,000 per year (08:15–15:35; Mondays + Thursdays coaching until 16:00). Exam fees: charged separately according to published IB exam fees. - One-time fee at enrolment / admission: - Admissions fee (one-time): EUR 3,500. Additional charges and inclusions - The published annual tuition amounts include online course books and materials, access to teaching and learning software, subsidies towards some school field trips, and pastoral support included within the school fees. - Exam fees for external examinations (IGCSE and IB) are not included in the annual tuition and are charged according to the examination bodies' published rates. - After-school activity charges are billed separately where applicable; specific per-activity amounts are not shown in the published fee schedule. Boarding - The school operates as a co-educational day school; no boarding fee line items are published. Billing schedule and payment terms - The published 2025/2026 school-fee document lists annual tuition amounts but does not specify a billing schedule, instalment options, invoice timing, or late-payment terms in the published fee overview. (The school calendar for 2025/26 shows an academic structure with a first-semester end date of 30 January 2026 and 180 school days, but that calendar does not define fee instalment dates or payment deadlines.) Other costs not itemised with amounts in the published fee document - No explicit amounts for school uniform, transport/bus fees, catering/meals (if charged separately), insurance, or specific extracurricular activity fees are shown in the published 2025/2026 fee summary. Exam and certain activity fees are listed as charged separately. Refunds - A refund policy (for example, pro-rata refunds on withdrawal, refund deadlines, or conditions for refund of the admissions fee) is not specified in the published 2025/2026 fee document. Fee payment options - The published fee overview for 2025/2026 does not specify accepted payment methods (bank transfer, SEPA, credit card, direct debit, or other). Brief note on gaps in the published fee information - The school's published 2025/2026 fee overview provides clear annual tuition figures by year group and a one-time admissions fee, and it lists early-morning-care pricing where applicable. The published document does not supply per-term instalment amounts, a formal billing schedule, payment-method options, a detailed list of extras (uniform, transport, meal plans) with prices, nor a stated refund policy; exam fees and after-school activity fees are indicated as payable in addition to tuition but specific amounts are not given.
Diving deeper	Diving deeper
Boarding arrangements	Boarding arrangements —	Boarding arrangements —
Uniform requirement	Uniform requirement —	Uniform requirement —
Food options	Food options —	Food options —
House system	House system —	House system —
Governance and ownership	Governance and ownership —	Governance and ownership —
Academics	Academics
Curriculum details	Curriculum details The school offers International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes: Middle Years Programme (11–16 years) and Diploma Programme (Diploma Years, 16–19 years).	Curriculum details IS Ruhr is an IB World School offering education from early years to the IB Diploma Programme. Primary Years follow the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for ages 3–11, with inquiry-based and transdisciplinary learning. Grades 6–8 follow an inquiry-based approach and IS Ruhr is a candidate school for the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP). Grades 9–10 follow the Cambridge International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). Grades 11–12 pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP). Mittlere Reife is recognised after grade 10 via IGCSE, and Internationales Abitur after grade 12, while the IB Diploma entitles graduates to study at universities worldwide.
Student teacher ratio	Student teacher ratio Average class size: 18 students.	Student teacher ratio —
Exam results	Exam results Average graduation points: 35 out of 45; graduates access universities of their choice.	Exam results IB Diploma results since 2020 surpass the world average. The Diploma Programme is described as a preparation for university worldwide.
Higher education progression	Higher education progression Graduates access universities of their choice.	Higher education progression Graduates have access to top German and international universities through the dual Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma programmes. The IB Diploma is generally recognised as a school-leaving certificate in Germany and is widely accepted by universities worldwide.
Gifted and talented	Gifted and talented —	Gifted and talented —
Academic calendar	Academic calendar —	Academic calendar —
Wellbeing & support	Wellbeing & support
Social & emotional learning	Social & emotional learning —	Social & emotional learning —
Special educational needs (SEN)	Special educational needs (SEN) —	Special educational needs (SEN) —
English as an additional language	English as an additional language —	English as an additional language —
Mental wellbeing	Mental wellbeing —	Mental wellbeing —
Safeguarding	Safeguarding —	Safeguarding —
Safeguarding policy	Safeguarding policy —	Safeguarding policy —
Facilities	Facilities
Facilities overview	Facilities overview —	Facilities overview —
Sports facilities	Sports facilities —	Sports facilities —
Academic facilities	Academic facilities —	Academic facilities —
Extra curricular facilities	Extra curricular facilities —	Extra curricular facilities —
Parent experience	Parent experience
History	History —	History —
Community	Community —	Community —
Parent teacher association	Parent teacher association —	Parent teacher association —
Extra-curricular	Extra-curricular
Academic & intellectual	Academic & intellectual —	Academic & intellectual —
Arts & creative	Arts & creative —	Arts & creative —
Cultural & language	Cultural & language —	Cultural & language —
Social & hobbies	Social & hobbies —	Social & hobbies —
Community & service	Community & service —	Community & service —
Leadership & professional	Leadership & professional —	Leadership & professional —
Lifestyle & wellbeing	Lifestyle & wellbeing —	Lifestyle & wellbeing —
Language provision	Language provision
Language provision	Language provision —	Language provision —
Bilingual teaching	Bilingual teaching —	Bilingual teaching —
Immersion programs	Immersion programs —	Immersion programs —
Reputation	Reputation
Awards	Awards —	Awards —
Accreditations	Accreditations —	Accreditations —
Admissions	Admissions
Admissions	Admissions Getting started: information is collected during the application to place your child in the appropriate grade level and guide subject choices. Apply via OpenApply, where you submit all details and upload documents. BIS accepts children year‑round with no application deadline, but admission depends on the availability of places in the requested grade level, and some grades may be full. The 2025‑2026 school year began on August 18, 2025. What you need for your application: a copy of your child's passport, your child's measles immunization record, a confidential recommendation from the child's current school (required for Grades 1–12), and two years of previous school reports. A full application must be completed on the BIS OpenApply site before a review of the student application takes place. Grade level placement may involve age guidelines, and language and mathematics testing may be used; admissions tests in Mathematics, English and/or German may be administered at the Principal's discretion.	Admissions IS Ruhr welcomes new students year-round. Entry is possible at any time, provided age and academic requirements are met. To begin the process, complete the enquiry form on the online platform MySchool; an admissions team member will contact you to continue. During online admission, upload a confidential recommendation from your child's current school (Grades 1–12), three years of previous school reports, a copy of the child's passport, and the immunization record against measles. Admissions by stage: Early Years 1–3 accepts entrants at any time if age and academic requirements are met; Primary Years 1–5 can start at any time if space is available, with all documents received and up to three trial days in the potential class before a final decision; Secondary Years 6–12 can start at any time if places are available, after a placement test in English and Mathematics, followed by trial days and, for Grades 9–12, an interview with the Head of Secondary Years. The final stage is signing the contract and being informed of the start date. Apply now—limited places available. There is a Parent Referral Programme; for 2025–26 there are waiting lists in the Primary Years, so the Early Years Centre is the best route to secure a place.
Scholarships	Scholarships Financial Assistance Programme: BIS offers financial assistance for families who can demonstrate need. Applicants must be legally resident in Germany. Financial Assistance is awarded on the basis of need after submitting the Financial Assistance Application Form and necessary supporting documents for review by the Financial Assistance Committee (Director, Business Manager and others as determined by the Director). Applications should be received by 15 February for the following school year, and a scholarship can also be applied for at enrolment during a school year. Interviews may be part of the process. Scholarships are awarded based on household income, using a table that links income bands and family size to the percentage of support. Financial Assistance covers Admission and Tuition Fees for Early Learning through Grade 12. All applications must be in English and can only be considered once a place application has been submitted and approved. Decisions are final. Recipients are expected to maintain good attendance, strong effort and appropriate behavior.	Scholarships Scholarships/Financial Assistance is available only for students entering Grades 1–12 (not for Early Years). Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are welcome from December to 31 January 2026. Applicants submit an Application Form, a confidential recommendation from their current school (for new students), full academic reports from the past two years, a personal statement, and family tax/financial documentation as requested. Short-listed candidates are invited to an interview at school and must complete an English proficiency test; final offers will be communicated by mid-March 2026. Scholarships/Financial Assistance are reviewed annually and are not guaranteed beyond the first year. Applications must be submitted in English.
Waitlist	Waitlist —	Waitlist There are waiting lists in the Primary Years; Early Years has spaces, making the Early Years Centre the best way to secure a place.
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