Why join for free?
Already have an account? Log In
Finland, Helsinki
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. Grundschule (Classes 1–5). The school offers German-language and Finnish-language streams for the early years. German-language classes (1A & 1C) admit children who come from German-speaking countries or who have German language skills at native level; Finnish-language class (1B) admits children who have Finnish as their mother tongue, have preschool experience, and will turn seven in the calendar year. Admissions for the first years occur at the start of the school year. Applications for Classes 1–5 follow two tracks: Deutschsprachige Klassen 1A/1C and Finnischsprachige Klasse 1B, with separate admission processes. Applications for Classes 2–5 are accepted for slots that may become available; deadlines include 28 July 2025 for summer vacancies and 16 March 2026 for the 2026–2027 cycle, with additional suitability testing on 1 August 2025 and 9 April 2026 if places exist. Application forms are “Antrag auf Aufnahme in die Klasse 1” and “Antrag auf Aufnahme in die Klassen 2–5.” Tuition is 336.50 Euro per semester. Parents must cover transport and accompaniment costs to the school; the city of Helsinki does not reimburse these costs because the school is private. Contacts: Kristin Hoffmann (German-speaking Primary Coordinator) and Kim Lähteenmäki (Finnish-speaking Primary Coordinator).
Lucie Frischknecht Scholarship: The Lucie Frischknecht scholarship is awarded annually to two recipients based on applications. The six-month scholarship amounts to 250 EUR per month.
Deutsche Schule Helsinki is a private, German-Finnish intercultural school in Helsinki offering bilingual education from early years to upper secondary. The curriculum combines German and Finnish systems across three stages: lower grades (1–5), upper grades (6–9), and upper secondary. In early years German is taught as a foreign language with English, with Finnish as mother tongue and second language, plus life stance education and Evangelical religion. In upper grades many subjects have curricula published in German, including Chemistry, Biology, German, Finnish as mother tongue, English, Ethics, Geography, History, Art, Latin (8–12), Swedish, Russian, and Sport, with Economics also offered. The upper secondary culminates in the Deutsches Internationales Abitur (DIA), a dual-qualification with a German university entrance qualification and a Finnish matriculation certificate; exams include written tests in three subjects in January and oral tests in two in March. The school provides a library, a music school, after-school care, and an activity program at Malminkatu 14, 00100 Helsinki.
