Schulformwechsel in das Gymnasium Bewilligung

Find out more about the transition to the Gymnasiale Oberstufe here.

In order to acquire the general higher education entrance qualification directly, students have the choice between the upper secondary schools at secondary schools, grammar schools and school centers, the vocational grammar schools with different specializations and the double-qualifying courses of the vocational school for assistants.

When choosing a school, you also have to decide on a profile, as all of these courses are organized into profiles. These are made up of a combination of at least three subjects (one advanced course and at least two foundation courses). In the profiles, certain learning content is taught across subjects in a fixed learning/profile group right through to the Abitur. The choice of school and profile allows school careers to be tailored to the individual strengths and inclinations of the students.

Gymnasiale Oberstufe (GyO)

The Gymnasiale Oberstufe, offered at Oberschulen, Gymnasien and individual upper secondary school centers, leads students through a one-year introductory phase, which mainly takes place in class, and a two-year qualification phase in the course system to the Abitur examination. When choosing a school, students must decide on a focus according to the profiles offered. In addition to the Abitur examination, some locations also offer examinations for international qualifications and university entrance qualifications.

Vocational grammar school (BGy)

The Berufliches Gymnasium is aimed at students who are already interested in a specific career field. Like the Gymnasiale Oberstufe, the Berufliches Gymnasium leads students through a one-year introductory phase and a two-year qualification phase to the Abitur (general higher education entrance qualification). Teaching is organized in the form of a system of advanced and basic subjects, with one advanced subject representing the vocational profile. The profiles are based on specific occupational fields and are named after them. Depending on the location, the subjects of business, technology, design and health and social work are offered, each with different profile options.

Double-qualifying courses at the vocational school for assistants with a general higher education entrance qualification (BFS Assistenten DQ)

The vocational school for assistants offers two different double-qualifying courses leading to the Abitur: On the one hand, the commercial assistant course with a focus on foreign languages, and on the other, the information technology assistant course with a focus on information and network systems technology.

The former is aimed at students who want to focus on learning foreign languages and can imagine working in a commercial profession later on, while the latter appeals more to students with an interest in technology.

Both courses lead to both the Abitur and a recognized vocational qualification within four years. They have fixed subject profiles so that lessons take place in class throughout. The dual-qualification courses are offered exclusively at the upper secondary school center in Utbremen (municipality of Bremen).

• Notes on the required registration forms

  Registration is required to attend a Gymnasiale Oberstufe, a Berufliches Gymnasium and the double-qualification courses.

  Students in the 9th grade (eight-year course leading to the Abitur) or the 10th grade (nine-year course leading to the Abitur) will receive the corresponding registration forms from the school they attend (in the city of Bremen after the fall vacations, in the city of Bremerhaven after the Christmas vacations). For pupils from private schools, the documents can be obtained directly from the Senator for Children and Education or the Bremerhaven Education Authority. This also applies to interested parties who have not attended a school in Bremen in the current school year. Registration forms for the double-qualifying courses of education can be obtained directly from the upper secondary school center in Utbremen.

The prerequisite for attending a Gymnasiale Oberstufe, a Berufliches Gymnasium or a dual-qualification course at a Berufsfachschule für Assistenten with a general higher education entrance qualification is a corresponding qualification (promotion), which is shown on the school report. Pupils receive the entrance qualification at the end of lower secondary level if it is expected that they will be able to work successfully in upper secondary level and achieve the Abitur. This usually happens at the end of year 9 at the Gymnasium and at the end of year 10 at the Oberschule.

Pupils who obtain the intermediate school leaving certificate in the written examinations in mathematics, German and English with average satisfactory results and at least satisfactory results in the oral examinations as part of the one-year pre-vocational vocational school are also entitled to attend the aforementioned courses.

Admission to the Berufliches Gymnasium is also granted to students who provide proof of an intermediate school leaving certificate obtained at a vocational school with an average grade of at least 2.0 in the vocational school leaving certificate and participation in a counseling interview. Under certain conditions (e.g. after attending a vocational school or technical secondary school), students can also enter the qualification phase of the vocational grammar school directly. Further information can be obtained from the vocational grammar schools.

Admission requirements for one of the two double-qualifying courses at the vocational school for assistants with a general higher education entrance qualification are, in addition to the entitlement to attend the Gymnasiale Oberstufe (promotion), proof of satisfactory performance in the two subjects relevant to the respective course.

Admission to the double-qualifying course of study for commercial assistant with a focus on foreign languages requires that Spanish or French has been studied as a second foreign language in the lower secondary level for four years or that corresponding knowledge can be demonstrated. The two subjects relevant for admission are German and English.

For admission to the double-qualifying course for information technology assistant with a focus on information and network systems technology, the two subjects relevant for admission are mathematics and physics.

More detailed information on the admission requirements for the double-qualifying courses can be obtained from the secondary school center in Utbremen.

Regardless of the first or second choice of school, the registration form must be submitted to the public lower secondary school currently being attended. Students who wish to select the HIGHSEA profile in Bremerhaven should submit the application form directly to the Alfred Wegener Institute (Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven). Applicants who are currently attending a private school or are not currently attending a school in Bremerhaven should hand in the application form directly to the first school they have chosen.

Please note that each student may only submit one application form for the admission procedure. Only the double-qualifying courses of education are an exception here: in addition to the application for one of the two double-qualifying courses of education - which must be submitted directly to the upper secondary school center in Utbremen - it is also possible to apply to a Gymnasiale Oberstufe or a Berufliches Gymnasium.

The admission procedure will be carried out at the schools until the Easter vacations. All students will then receive a letter of admission.

Pupils who wish to attend the Gymnasiale Oberstufe at their previous school or at a school assigned to it will receive a school place there with their first choice - however, they are not entitled to take all the subjects they wish.

Note for students from Lower Saxony:

Pupils who are resident in Lower Saxony can be admitted to a Gymnasiale Oberstufe, a Berufliches Gymnasium or a double-qualifying course of education in Bremen if they have previously obtained the Extended Secondary Certificate I and have a so-called declaration of exemption from the state school authority responsible for their place of residence in Lower Saxony. For pupils who live in the old district of Wesermünde and wish to attend a school in Bremerhaven, no declaration of exemption is required. The registration form and the declaration of exemption must be submitted directly to the selected school.

Applicants who do not have their primary residence in the state of Bremen and are therefore not subject to compulsory schooling in the state of Bremen will be given lower priority than applicants from Bremen, subject to available capacity. In principle, there is no entitlement to admission.