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Official sources reviewed on 2026-09-01

Study Abroad Anywhere · Education pathway report

School transition report for two children of a researcher’s family moving to Germany

Family relocation with a son in Korean primary Grade 3 and a daughter in upper-secondary Year 2 at an international school in Mexico

Case: Case A · Anonymous consultation case
Review date: 2026-09-01
Status: Consultation report · Before school confirmation

Work records

Record author

Enter the name or initials of the person making the records, such as an adviser, administrator, or parent. Do not enter students’ real names or contact details.

Name or initialsRole

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Executive summary

Key assessment

The family’s decision sequence should be “daughter’s qualification continuity → commuting area for the research institution → son’s public school and German support → housing”. A primary pupil has more scope to adjust through local placement and language support, while changing an older student’s German-language demands, subject sequence, and graduation qualification at once may delay graduation.

Recommended directionDo not choose a city before the workplace is confirmed. First check places at schools where the daughter can continue her qualification within a 45–60-minute commute of work. Look for housing where that school’s travel area overlaps the son’s public-school catchment.

01 · Family profile

Conditions currently confirmed

For families and consulting teams

Family member	Current situation	Main goal	Initial difficulty
Parent or guardian	Planning to relocate to a German research institution	Stable schooling for both children within commuting distance	Work city and start date unconfirmed
Student A	Grade 3 at a Korean primary school	Adjustment to the local class, German support, and peer relationships	Medium
Student B	Equivalent to upper-secondary Year 2 at an international school in Mexico	Preserve the graduation qualification and continuity of grades and recommendations for university applications	High

This report does not store student legal names, birth dates, passports, addresses, or transcript files. During consultation, narrow routes using only grades, curricula, languages, and timing.

02 · Routes for each child

Student A and Student B need different transition routes

For families and consulting teams

German KMK guidance explains that foreign schooling before graduation is not centrally recognised in one uniform process. Schools and education authorities may decide grade placement through trial lessons, interviews, or other individual assessment. The app must therefore not present “Korean primary Grade 3 = a fixed German grade” or “Mexican Grade 11 = a fixed German grade” as settled facts.

Primary school (Grundschule) covers Grades 1–4 in most states, but Grades 1–6 in Berlin and Brandenburg, so a change in workplace can also change Student A’s school stage.

Student	Priority route	Alternative route	Questions to confirm with the school
Student A	Local public school for the home address, with German support for newly arrived pupils	Consider bilingual or international schools if German preparation is insufficient or waiting times are long	Is placement possible on arrival; is there a separate welcome class; what are the criteria and expected timing for mainstream integration?
Student B	First check places in English-medium international graduation programmes compatible with the current programme, such as IB DP	Choose upper-level German Gymnasium only after written confirmation of language, subject recognition, and graduation timing	Which current subjects will be recognised; are transfers into Grade 11 or 12 possible; what subjects, exams, and language standards are needed to graduate?

03 · Area research

Find an area that works for both children’s schools and the research institution

For families and consulting teams

These are areas to investigate after the workplace is confirmed, not statements of admission feasibility. Recheck places, fees, and travel times for the relevant year.

Area	Student B continuity indicators	Student A adjustment indicators	Points to verify
Berlin–Potsdam	English-medium routes at Berlin International School, BBIS, and others can be researched	District guidance on welcome classes and public-school registration is available	Address-based catchment school, international-school waiting lists, and actual commute to the research institution
Frankfurt–Rhine-Main	Check Frankfurt International School’s Grade 9–12 and IB DP routes	Public or international primary-school options	Campus locations, transport, and both children’s school routes
Heidelberg–Rhine-Neckar	Check Heidelberg International School’s English-medium and IB routes	Research combinations of research-city living areas and primary schools	Places by grade and workplace location
Munich area	Research upper-secondary routes at Bavarian International School and others	Research public and international primary-school options	Housing costs, school travel distance, and waiting lists

04 · School enquiry package

Make anonymous preliminary enquiries before sending personal documents

For families and consulting teams

Send a one-page enquiry summary containing only the desired entry month, current country and curriculum, each student’s grade, language of instruction, and German level.
Ask Student B’s candidate schools in writing about expected grade, graduation programme, and graduation timing based on current subjects.
Ask Student A’s candidate schools or education authority about address requirements, language assessment for new arrivals, welcome classes, and mainstream integration procedures.
Submit originals or certified copies only during the formal application stage, through the school’s required channel. Do not store transcripts, passports, or vaccination documents in the app.

05 · Community and settling in

For families with two or more children, consider language and cultural networks too

For families and consulting teams

Korean family support: start with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Germany and Korean networks in Germany; recheck whether local Korean-language schools and family groups are currently operating.
For Student B, who has attended an international school in Mexico, opportunities to maintain Spanish, Latin American communities and cultural activities, and Spanish subjects at school may help adjustment.
Community recommendations do not replace admissions rules. Separate sources: schools and education authorities for requirements, expatriate and parent communities for lived experience.

06 · Ready-to-use checklist

Compare candidate areas using the same criteria

For families and consulting teams

Item to check	Current status	Source to check	Outcome to record	Owner
Student B graduation route	Top priority; unconfirmed	Candidate school admissions office	Recognised subjects, expected grade, and expected graduation date	Consultation team or family
Student A public-school placement	Check after workplace confirmation	Local education authority and catchment school	Catchment area, German support, and possible entry date	Family or consultation team
School places for both children	Unconfirmed	Each candidate school	Places by grade, waiting times, and tuition	Consultation team
Overlap of work and school travel areas	Calculate after school confirmation	Public transport and school transport guidance	Actual weekday journey times and number of transfers	Family
Housing options	Hold off signing until schools are confirmed	Catchment address and lease terms	Area suitable for both schools and the research institution	Family

Record a verification link and date in each row so the evidence for each area can serve directly as the consultation record.

Use this task sheet directlyCheck completed items and record verified links, verification dates, and response summaries. Records without personal information are saved automatically in this browser.

Tasks ready to start0/3 complete

Start with the information currently available.

Confirm research institution location, start date, and commuting limit
Confirm Student B’s curriculum and diploma-awarding body
Build school lists for each candidate area

Work notesBrowser autosave

Points requiring further verification0/3 complete

A response from the institution or school is needed.

Expected grades and places for both children
Student B subject recognition and expected graduation date
Student A German and welcome-class support

Work notesBrowser autosave

Medium- and long-term tasks0/3 complete

Continue from school confirmation through settling in.

Compare travel areas for both schools and the research institution
Finalise housing options
Review language, academic, and social adjustment after entry

Work notesBrowser autosave

Ask candidate schools to confirm Student B’s graduation qualification and recognition of current subjects
Owner Consultation team or family Completion date Within 2 weeks
Completion criteria · School’s official guidance link or response record
Confirm Student A’s catchment public school and German support arrangements
Owner Family or consultation team Completion date Immediately after the work area is confirmed
Completion criteria · Responsible authority’s guidance link and department
Compare weekday school and work journey times for both schools and the research institution
Owner Family Completion date Before signing a housing contract
Completion criteria · Routes by time of day and actual travel time

Germany: recognition of foreign educational qualificationsOfficial starting point for grade and qualification decisions Find IB schools in GermanySearch IB World Schools by city and programme Embassy of the Republic of Korea in GermanyOfficial guidance for nationals abroad and local settlement

Action plan

Action schedule

This week
Confirm the research institution’s address, work start date, and acceptable commute, and Student B’s curriculum and diploma-awarding bodyFamily + employer
Within 2 weeks
Send anonymous preliminary eligibility and place enquiries to at least 3 schools for Student B in each candidate areaConsultation team
3–4 weeks
Confirm Student A’s public-school placement authority and language support, then map the overlap of both schools’ travel areasConsultation team + family
After a response confirms possible entry
Narrow housing options and submit only the official documents specified by the school directlyFamily
4–6 weeks before departure
Practise essential German, subject vocabulary, school travel, emergencies, and the school dayStudent + family

Related preparation resources

Linked KSSR.Press resources

German preparationIntroductory German and school-life vocabulary routes for Student A/B IB preparationCheck structure and assessment if Student B chooses an IB continuity route

Official source list

Official sources

Recognition of school qualificationsKMK Central Office for Foreign Education · Checked 2026-09-01
The Education System in GermanyKMK · Checked 2026-09-01
Schools and welcome classesBerlin Welcome Center · Checked 2026-09-01
Working in Germany: researchGerman Federal Government · Checked 2026-09-01
Find an IB World School in GermanyInternational Baccalaureate · Checked 2026-09-01
Measles Protection Act FAQGerman Federal Ministry of Health · Checked 2026-09-01
Embassy of the Republic of Korea in GermanyMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea · Checked 2026-09-01