Admission Steps & Policies

The International School of Hamburg exists to provide a quality international education in English for children in Hamburg.

In general, admission is open to all students who can profit from such an education. The school cannot accept for admission students who:

require a self-contained program of special education separate from the mainstream;
cannot cope with the physical limitations of the buildings;
have a poor previous scholastic or behavioural record.

ISH is a popular choice for families. If the number of students hoping to enrol exceeds our capacities, a waitlist will be created. Qualified applicants will generally be admitted from the waitlist in the order in which they applied to ISH. However, we also consider the individual needs of our prospective students. For example, non-German speaking students who would struggle in the local schools are given priority.

Admissions Steps

1. Schedule a school tour
There is nothing like “feeling out” a school to know whether it will be a good fit. We recommend that you first take a look at our virtual tour and then schedule a visit to our campus, during which you can meet our community members and get all of your questions answered. Our Admissions Officers, Karolin Mutzel (Early Childhood Centre & Junior School) and Margaret Metzler (Secondary School), will look after your visit.

2. Start the Online Application
If you would like to join our ISH community, you will need to apply online. You can find more information here!

3. Pay Application fee
Applications will be assessed only once the Application Fee has been paid. The fee is non-refundable and does not guarantee a space in school.

4. Submit all documents
You will need to submit the appropriate documentation, such as previous school records, to ensure that your application is complete and ready for review. See our checklist below for more details.

5. Placement
At ISH, we ensure that all students are in the best program for them. To that end, students entering grades 6 and above must take placement tests in both English and Mathematics. They can do this at ISH or at their current school. We also recommend that all students entering grade 11 meet with our IB Coordinator, James Dalton, either in person or online. Mr Dalton is always happy to talk about the IB Programme and to help students choose the best subjects for them.

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE
Application Checklist

ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE

Families who are interested in sending their children to ISH should first contact the Admissions Office. Where possible, an appointment should be made for an interview to discuss the transfer and to see the school.

The Online Application can only be considered upon receipt of the completed online admissions process and a paid application fee of 500€. An appointment will be made with the relevant member of the Administration to arrange a placement. Previous school records are important to all decisions in the admissions process and, where possible, should be submitted with the application.

Students are accepted throughout the year but will be placed in a grade or class according to the assessment made by the administration, and after placement testing in English (Grades 6-11).

Application Checklist

In order to successfully complete your application to the International School of Hamburg, the following documents need to be uploaded or provided in the Application Portal:

Student Questionnaire: For this section you will need you child's passport information as well as previous school information.
Demographic Information: Here, we would like you to enter more details about your family, such as siblings, relatives and employer information
Health Form: This form will record your child's medical needs and conditions such as allergies or medical- or food intolerances.
Immunization Records: Due to German law, all families are required to provide proof of two measles vaccinations before the student can attend school.
Learning Support Form: This form is provided by the ISH Student Special Service Team and will record your child's learning support needs and conditions. You will be required to fill in this form even if you child does not need any of the Student Special Services.
Application Photo: We would like you to upload a photo of your child.
Payment of Application Fee: The application fee is 500€ per child and is required in order for us to process your application.
Past report cards: In this step, we would like to see your child's report cards of the last three years. An official transcript from the previous school will be required for all students joining after grade 9 in order to determine transfer credits for graduation.
Passport: Please upload a scan or a legible photo of your child's primary passport. If you child doesn't have a passport please use another official ID.
Teacher Recommendation: A current teacher must complete a confidential recommendation form online. You will be able to enter the teacher's email address so that an automated email is sent out to the relevant teacher.
Placement Tests: In order for us to determine which language courses are best suited for your child, we are asking that your child complete a placement test. This should be administered by your child's current teacher, who will then return the results to us. Should it not be possible to administer the test at your current school, you can still take them at our school a few days before school starts.

ECC

ECC Playground at the International School of Hamburg

Junior School

Secondary School

Need assistance? Contact:Early Childhood Centre
and Junior School:
Karolin Mutzel kmutzel@ishamburg.org
Secondary School:
Margaret Metzler mmetzler@ishamburg.org
Tel: +49 40 8000 50 0 (International)
Tel: 040 8000 50 0 (Local)Admissions OfficerS

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