More than 1,200 students from 60 nations attend Bavarian International School (BIS) in Munich-Schwabing and Haimhausen. The private all-day school offers children ages 3 years old through Grade 12 a personalised, holistic education under the motto "Believe. Inspire. Succeed". Intercultural competence, innovative learning and academic excellence characterise the spirit of BIS, which follows the globally recognised International Baccalaureate (IB).
BIS is the only IB World School in Germany that offers all four IB programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, CP). In the last two years, our students achieved an average IB Diploma score of 37 and 36 points, which is equivalent to the Abitur grade of 1.8 and 2.0 in the state system and well above the worldwide average.
BIS has state-of-the-art learning environments with maker spaces, labs, design studios, etc. Every child from grade 4 onwards gets an iPad, BIS has its own IT team and helpdesk.
BIS offers more than 80 After School Activities per week. At City Campus in Munich-Schwabing we provide After School Care until 5 or 6 pm.
Keep reading about BIS: Why Bavarian International School?
And watch our video: Diversity Rocks! 30 Years of BIS
We have organised the information available for this school into 10 sections and 39 questions. Click or tap on the name of each section to read more.
Nationalities
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Number of students
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More than 1.250 students.
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Number of nationalities represented in the school
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More than 60 nationalities.
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Most common nationality
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German (27%), British (11%), American (11%), Spanish (8%), Indian (5%), Japanese (4%), other various 50 Nationalities (33%)
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Ratio of local students to international students
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Average of 20-25% local students.
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Languages
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Native English speaking teachers
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Yes, all teacher are native speakers or on a high level of English language.
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Language support for students not fluent in English
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The English as an Additional Language (EAL) Programme is designed to equip each student with the social and academic language skills necessary to seamlessly enter the multicultural community and gain unhampered access to learning opportunities at BIS. In the process of additional language acquisition, EAL students transfer literacy and cognitive skills from their Mother Tongue (MT) and thus contribute unique perspectives enriching the learning environment at our school.
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Additional language classes offered by the school
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Despite the regular classes for English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese and Mandarin, we have a very comprehensive Mother-Tongue-Programme offering lesson in 17 languages.
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Classroom
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Max. number of students per class
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Maximum class sizes are 22 in Early Childhood and 24 across the rest of the school, with the exception of Grades 11 and 12 where the maximum class size is 18.
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Average number of students per class
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20 students
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Does the school employ teaching assistants?
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Yes
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Use of technology in the classroom
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Bavarian International School aims to prepare students to meet the challenges of a dynamic global society in which they collaborate, contribute and flourish through universal access to people, information and ideas.
Twenty-first century learning is lifelong learning with technology. Using educational technology as a tool for learning, students develop the capacity to locate, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information to create knowledge.
We have a 1-to-1 Laptop Programme for students as of grade 7, 1:1 iPads in grades 4-6 and 1:2/1:3 class-sets in younger classes.
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Do students practice religion at the school? What religion?
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No
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How does the school accommodate non-religious students or students of a different religion?
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Yes
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Academics
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External examinations or assessments available
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SAT, PSAT, IB Diploma
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Results in these examinations
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July 2017: 95% IB Diploma passes | 33.0 average IB points | 100% High School Diploma passes
July 2018: 94% IB Diploma passes | 34.6 average IB points | 100% High School Diploma passes
July 2019: 94% IB Diploma passes | 34.3 average IB points | 100% High School Diploma passes
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Do teachers assign homework to their students?
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Yes
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Approximate hours of homework given
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A total of max. 30 minutes per day.
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Percentage of students who pursue further education post-graduation
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Most students continue their education at colleges and universities after graduating, only a few decide to take on a gap year before continuing their education.
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Student support
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Dedicated staff/programs for students with special learning needs
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The Learning Support teachers in the Primary and Secondary Schools provide support to both formally identified students and those struggling students who have been informally identified by a teacher. Additionally, the Secondary School has implemented a pastoral care programme, strengthening the cooperation between Mentor teachers, Counselors and Learning Support teachers.
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Learning support offered
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The purpose of the learning support is to identify student’s learning style, scaffold their learning and differentiate the curriculum in order to highlight their true potential. The focus is on the differentiation of learning. We believe effective learning support utilises a collaborative approach, supporting students, teachers and parents in developing an environment that results in optimum learning.
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Student access to education psychologist
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The Counselling Department at BIS provides a comprehensive support system for the entire community including students, parents and staff. Our counsellors are trained in effective strategic student planning and counselling techniques that serve to nurture the growth of our students.
Professional school counsellors play a vital role in maximising student achievement and supporting a safe learning environment. They work to safeguard the human rights of all school community members.
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Admissions
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Entry evaluation for students
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Testing and screening will take different forms based on grade level, academic ability, social and behavioural characteristics, and language proficiency.
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Brief description of entry evaluation required
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Requirements may include, but need not be limited to, the review of confidential teacher references, consideration of past school reports (translated into English, as needed) or individual student portfolios and a personal interview, as well as subject-specific tests in English.
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Waiting list
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Yes, for some classes.
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Deadline for registration (new academic year)
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We accept applications throughout the year.
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Students can join after academic year begins
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Yes
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School day
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School start time
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9:00 at Haimhausen Campus | 8:20 at City Campus
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School finish time
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16:00 at Haimhausen Campus (14:20 on Friday) | 15:20 at City Campus (13:40 on Friday)
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Supervised care before/after school
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We have a diverse After School Activity Programme for both campuses & we also offer an after school care programme in cooperation with Play2Learn.
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School bus service available
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We provide a bus system which serves over 80% of the BIS community. Our families appreciate the very individual service, which offers a pick up and drop off point within an approximately five – ten minute walk from the home. This transportation service is optional, with prices calculated to cover costs only.
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School provided lunches
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The BIS Cafeteria is catered by Aramark, which is one of the world’s leading catering companies. We place our trust in the outstanding quality of their ingredients. With a wide range of dishes and plenty of variety, Aramark ensures that the daily meals are always prepared with fresh produce rich in important nutrients and vitamins.
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Food alternatives for special dietary needs (ie. vegan, kosher, halal etc)
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Your child may choose from two dishes changing daily. One menu is with meat or fish the second menu is always vegetarian. A small salad is always included. Students will also have the possibility to buy a small dessert. The weekly menu is published on the BIS community intranet. A café with sandwich-style meals is also available. Students may also bring food from home. If your child has a food allergy, a special menu can be arranged.
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Uniform required
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No, but BIS is a professional, multi-cultural learning and working environment. As such, students should dress in appropriate, considerate, safe and comfortable clothing.
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Facilities
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Sports facilities at the school
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With five indoor court spaces, dance studios, a fitness centre and track, as well as field space in abundance, students are never short of variety in their educational endeavours.
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About the school
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Qualities and characteristics best defining the school
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Bavarian International School is one of only 2 schools in Germany that is authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to offer all four programs. BIS provides excellent education for children of different linguistic and cultural backgrounds! BIS offers a full-time program for students from all over the world, from pre-school to successful graduation. The motto of the school: "Believe. Inspire. Succeed." Our goal is to provide children and adolescents with the intellectual, social and critical perspectives they need as adults. One of the things that parents and students value most about BIS is its friendly family-oriented school feeling and strong sense of community.
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Teaching approach of the school
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BIS believes in continuous innovation and pursues a "fail-forward" philosophy. Teachers are encouraged to adopt innovative teaching methods. The school provides an international curriculum through innovative pedagogical techniques to encourage students to inquire, become knowledgeable and, more importantly, become caring individuals.
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Learning
The only IB World School in Germany with the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for ages 3-12, through the Middle Years Programme for ages 13-16, and the Diploma and Career-related Programmes for ages 16-19.
Our mission: Inspiring and challenging young minds as a caring and committed international community to achieve excellence, assume responsibility and pursue life-long learning.
City Campus
Opened in January 2016, the BIS City Campus on Leopoldstrasse 208 in Munich is a beautifully renovated facility that caters to primary school students in Early Childhood (EC, 3 years old) to Grade 5. The campus is easily accessible via a range of convenient public transportation options and excellent road links. The downtown location is ideal for families with young children living in and around Munich.
Children attending our City Campus have the option to continue their secondary education at the BIS campus in Haimhausen. The Haimhausen Campus will continue to offer both Primary and Secondary education.
Haimhausen Campus
BIS moved to its Haimhausen campus in August 1998. The School occupies five main buildings on a single site in the village of Haimhausen, approximately 10 kilometres north of the Munich City boundary. It is situated in beautifully landscaped parklands and surrounded by environmentally protected woodlands. A number of purpose-built modern buildings have been added to the campus to provide the range of facilities required for a high-quality EC1 to Grade 12 international school.