Since then, more than 300 international students from 45 countries have been recruited to study here—ranging from three-week summer courses to a full high school program culminating in the Abitur. Currently, about 40 international students attend the boarding school, making up approximately 45% of the boarding student body. The majority come from China, which is partly due to the high value placed on education there and the excellent academic prospects in Germany. A German Abitur provides the ideal foundation for future college studies, as students are already familiar with the language, culture, and educational system. Particularly encouraging: About 95% of international students have successfully passed the Abitur to date.
The school’s reputation abroad is built primarily through specialized placement agencies. The school maintains a network of over 100 partners worldwide. To establish and nurture new contacts, the school regularly attends international education fairs—mostly in European countries. There, the Schloss-Schule competes directly with boarding schools from England, the U.S., and Canada.
Internationality also shapes daily life at the boarding school. Different cultures, values, and experiences come together and enrich the community. At the same time, everyone involved learns to navigate diversity, understand differences, and benefit from one another. Linguistic and cultural barriers are part of the experience, but it is precisely these challenges that foster personal development.
International students show great dedication in class. Moving to a new country, learning a foreign language, and adapting to an unfamiliar school system requires an enormous amount of adjustment. That is why targeted language support and close collaboration between subject-specific classes and German language courses play a central role.
An important milestone was the founding of the school’s own language institute in 2022. Previously, many students attended external institutions such as the Humboldt Institute. Today, they can develop their German language skills right on campus while remaining in their academic and social environment. The intensive course prepares them to join regular classes within a year.
Today, internationalism is an integral part of the school’s identity. It opens up new perspectives for young people from all over the world—while also enriching the entire school community. The strategic decision made in 2010 has thus made a lasting contribution to positioning the Schloss-Schule as a forward-looking and diverse institution.
