The Gesamtschule starts with the 5th grade. Here, your child will have the opportunity to obtain any school-leaving certificate: the Hauptschulabschluss (after the 9th grade), the Realschulabschluss (after the 10th grade) or the Abitur (after the 13th grade). There are two types of Gesamtschule:
- Kooperativen Gesamtschule: Here, there are three different divisions, based on the school-leaving certificate students would like to obtain - Hauptschule level, Realschule level, and Gymnasium level. Your child must choose a level, but it is also possible to switch between them.
- Integrierte Gesamtschule: Here all children study together (up to the 10th grade) regardless of the school-leaving certificate they are planning to obtain. Starting from the 7th class, there are at least two courses per subject, each of which demands different performance levels.
Your child can start a vocational training with any of these three school-leaving certificates. With an Abitur, he/she can also go for university education.