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Australia, Melbourne
Let the school know you're thinking of applying — they can share their prerequisites and help you through the process.
It's best to ask — circumstances can change at any time.
1. When to apply: Places at Deutsche Schule Melbourne are limited, so applying early gives your child the best chance of securing a place. Applications are accepted year-round and start dates are flexible depending on availability. Submitting the application well in advance helps families plan around the school calendar.
2. Enrolment requirements: Deutsche Schule Melbourne welcomes families from all cultural and language backgrounds and provides a supportive, inclusive learning environment. No prior German language skills are required for entry into Foundation Year, Year 1 and Year 2. For Foundation Year, the child must have completed a recognised four-year-old Kindergarten program, be five years old by 1 January in the year they begin Foundation Year, and children who turn five between 1 January and 30 April may be considered subject to a School Readiness Assessment. For entry into Year 2 and above, the enrolment meeting will review the child's linguistic background and readiness for the bilingual program, covering their experience with German and English, openness to bilingual learning, and how the school can support a smooth transition. The meeting also reviews recent school reports and discusses the option of a trial day, and may arrange a more formal language assessment if needed.
3. Start your child's journey: How to apply:
• Submit an Application: Complete the Application for Enrolment and provide supporting documents such as birth certificate, passport, visa (if applicable), immunisation record, and any relevant reports.
• Attend an Enrolment Meeting: Foundation Year applicants are invited to meet the Principal around 14 months before the intended start date; for mid-year starts or later year levels, enrolment meetings are scheduled on demand.
• Receive an Offer: If a place is available, a written Offer of Place is issued. To confirm enrolment, return the signed Enrolment Acceptance Form and pay the required amounts by the stated deadline: A$1,400 enrolment fee (non-refundable) and A$3,000 capital contribution (applied over the first three school years).
• Confirmation of Place: Once the signed Enrolment Acceptance Form and payment are received, the place is confirmed. The place is typically secured around one year before the child begins, enabling planning with confidence.
4. Transitioning to School: The school aims for a positive, smooth start for every child. Foundation Year offers two transition lessons in November before the school year begins, during which the child visits a Foundation Year classroom, meets future teachers and classmates, and is paired with a Buddy for day-one support. The first six Wednesdays of Term 1 are free for Foundation Year students to ease the transition. For students starting in later year levels or during the school year, an individual welcome and ideally a trial day are provided; if a trial day isn't possible, the school works with families to support a smooth transition into the school community.
The Deutsche Schule Melbourne Scholarship Fund invites donations to support families facing temporary financial hardship so they can continue their child's education at DSM or enable a new family to join the DSM community. Donations can be made via an electronic payment form or by filling in a Donation Form and submitting it to DSM.
Deutsche Schule Melbourne is a German-English bilingual primary school in Fitzroy North. It delivers a dual curriculum that blends the Victorian Curriculum with the Thüringen curriculum, enabling a smooth transition between systems. The school is VRQA-compliant and KMK/ZfA-recognised as a German Auslandsschule, emphasising cross-curricular connections and bilingual, intercultural learning. In Foundation Year, about 80% of instruction is in German and 20% in English; by Year 3 the German component balances to 50/50. Core subjects include German, English, Mathematics (German in the early years, bilingual from Year 3), Sachunterricht, HPE, Art, Music, Ethics and Class Council, with French introduced from Year 5. The program uses immersion, CLIL and explicit language instruction with a one-teacher–one-language approach, taught by German and English native speakers. Facilities at 96 Barkly Street include a library with German, English and French resources, an Instrumental Program, and after-school care. Extra-curriculars span sport, choir, chess, circus, theatre and garden clubs.
