Secondary

Overview

Information on key aspects of a country’s education system, including governance, instructional language, and other structural features defined by national or regional regulations.

Ministry Responsible

Federal system, State-level ministries of education

Language of Instruction

German

Duration

5 to 9 years (ages 10 to 15/18) (varies by stream and state)

Grades 5 to 12

Levels

Lower secondary (Hauptschule/Realschule): 5 or 6 years (compulsory)

Upper secondary (academic/vocational tracks): 2, 3, or 4 years (compulsory)

Qualifications, Curriculum, Grading

Not all awards or study patterns are included.

Institutions

Types and number of officially recognized institutions providing secondary education.

Source: Bildung in Deutschland, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education

Grading System

Examples of the most commonly used grading scales.

Enrollment

Total Enrollment

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Gross Enrollment Ratio

Total enrollment in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the eligible official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education in a given school year.

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

International Benchmarks

PISA 2022 Mathematics

Germany

474.8

Global Rank

25 of 81

International Average

472.4

Source: OECD

PISA 2022 Science

Germany

492.4

Global Rank

22 of 81

International Average

484.6

Source: OECD

PISA 2022 Reading

Germany

479.8

Global Rank

22 of 81

PIRLS Scale Centerpoint

475.6

Source: OECD

TIMSS 2023 Mathematics Grade 8

Germany

N/A

Global Rank

N/A

International Average

478

Source: Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center

TIMSS 2023 Science Grade 8

Germany

N/A

Global Rank

N/A

International Average

478

Source: Boston College, TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center

Lower Secondary Mathematics: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in mathematics.

Germany

70.5% (2022)

Global Rank

31 of 103

High Income Countries Average

70.9% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics

Lower Secondary Reading: Percentage of Proficient Students

Proportion of students at the end of lower secondary education achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in reading.

Germany

74.5% (2022)

Global Rank

31 of 94

High Income Countries Average

80.5% (2019)

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics