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Spain, Bilbao
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The Deutsche Schule Bilbao opened on February 11, 1917, with 17 students on Calle Diputación. In 1924 a new building in Deusto opened for 50 students, and the school was recognized as a Mittelschule by German authorities. After a nearly year-long interruption caused by the Civil War, it reopened in 1937/38 with approval for upper secondary instruction and the Abitur, and the first Abitur examination was held in June 1940. The school moved to Alameda de Recalde 4 in 1951, Rhineland-Palatinate became sponsor in 1954, and in 1961 a new building was inaugurated. In 2017 the school celebrated its 100th anniversary, and in 2022 a modern new building with a rooftop terrace was inaugurated, along with the third Bund-Länder-Inspektion awarding Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule; in 2025 the Sportcampus was inaugurated after more than ten years of planning and construction and Jugend Musiziert Iberien took place in Bilbao.
The Deutsche Schule Bilbao is a school of encounter that promotes integration in a multicultural, democratic Europe and fosters understanding among cultures. It is part of a worldwide network of 140 officially recognized German schools outside Germany, and is supported as part of German cultural policy with staff from Germany. The school teaches in five languages—German (C2), English (C1), Basque (B2), French (B1) and Spanish—and equips students to pursue university study in Germany or Spain. Staff, parents, and students work closely together around the school's mission.
The school has the Asociación Colegio de Bilbao as the initiative forming a parent–teacher association, established to organize and maintain a German school whose primary mission is to spread knowledge of the German language and culture and to foster cultural relations between Germany and Spain.
Deutsche Schule Bilbao is a German school serving ages 1 to 18 with a bespoke curriculum from Krippe to Oberstufe. The Abitur is awarded here, and there is an Abitur-to-Spanish-equivalency table to facilitate Spanish university access. The school follows a continuous language concept across five languages—German (C2), English (C1), Basque (B2), French (B1) and Spanish—supported by a holistic pedagogy that develops study habits, personality and teamwork. The campus spans 33,000 square metres of surroundings near Basílica de Begoña and is connected by Line 3 of the metro. Language courses, MINT initiatives and a Sprachkonzept anchor the academic framework, with enrollment year-round. Founded in 1917, the school celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017 and was awarded Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule in 2022. A modern building with a rooftop terrace opened in 2022, and a Sportcampus opened in 2025. European exchange is central to life here, reinforced by a student government and extracurriculars.
