What Bavarian International School does

Bavarian International School (BIS) is a non-profit international school founded in 1991 and headquartered in Haimhausen, approximately 15 km north of Munich, Germany. The school operates across two campuses — the Haimhausen Campus (Primary and Secondary, Kindergarten through Grade 12) and the City Campus in Munich-Schwabing (Early Childhood and Primary, opened in 2016) — and serves approximately 1,260 students from 70 nationalities with around 180 teachers drawn from 29+ countries, achieving a 7:1 student-teacher ratio and maximum class sizes of 18-24 depending on grade level.

BIS is one of only two schools in Germany accredited by the International Baccalaureate Organisation to deliver all four IB programmes — the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP) — with the MYP and DP additionally recognised by the German Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education (KmK) as equivalent to Mittlere Reife and Hochschulzugangsberechtigung respectively. Academic outcomes are materially above the global IB average (35 points vs. 30.24 in 2023, 96% pass rate, 17% of the 2025 class scoring 40+ points). The school complements the IB framework with a 1:1 iPad programme in Primary School (Grades 3-5), a 1:1 laptop programme in Secondary School, multilingual instruction across six taught languages plus 17 home languages, and roughly 80 weekly extracurricular activities. It is currently building a €25 million Creativity & Innovation Centre (CIC) on the Haimhausen Campus, with completion targeted for early 2027.

BIS is organised as a non-profit stock corporation (gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft) under German law since April 2018, with each enrolled family eligible to hold one share, a nine-member volunteer Supervisory Board, and an Executive Board comprising the Head of School (Dr. Chrissie Sorenson, who will be succeeded by John Barker on 1 August 2026) and the Business Director. Revenue is generated primarily through annual tuition fees ranging from €18,500 for Early Childhood to €24,850 for Grades 10-12, supplemented by one-time application (€200) and registration (€2,250 new / €1,125 returning) fees, a non-refundable three-year entrance fee totalling €14,790 allocated to capital development, bus transportation, and modest after-school activity and athletics charges. Demand-side partners include Munich-area employers who rely on BIS to attract expatriate talent.

Name

Bavarian International School

Legal name

Bavarian International School (BIS) gemeinnützige Aktiengesellschaft

Website

https://bis-school.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Bavarian International School is a non-profit international school in Munich, Germany, delivering all four International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP, MYP, DP, CP) to approximately 1,260 students aged 3-19 from 70 nationalities across two campuses in Haimhausen and Munich-Schwabing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Curriculum Early Learning Academies (e.g., IB Early Years) (EDACADAK)

Keywords

• International education
• Baccalaureate curriculum
• Primary school education
• Secondary school education
• International school

Headquarters

HQ city

Haimhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition fees charged per grade level, ranging from €18,500 for Early Childhood to €24,850 for Grades 10-12. This is the primary revenue stream for the non-profit school.
2. Application and Registration Fees: One-time application fee of €200 for new students and registration fee of €2,250 (new students) or re-registration fee of €1,125 (returning students).
3. Entrance Fee: Entrance fee of €14,790 total over three years (€7,760 upon admission, €4,550 in second year, €2,280 in third year) used for capital development and facility improvements.
4. Transportation Services: Bus shuttle service fees based on distance from school campuses in Haimhausen and Munich-Schwabing.
5. After School Activities & Athletics: Minimal fees charged per activity and term for participation in Lunch and After School Activities and Athletics Programme.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bavarian International School delivers International Baccalaureate (IB) education across all four IB programmes — Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP), Diploma (DP) and Career-related (CP) — to approximately 1,260 students aged 3–18 at two campuses in Haimhausen and Munich-Schwabing, Germany. Educational services are bundled with 1:1 iPad/laptop technology integration, multilingual instruction, after-school activities, athletics, transportation and university/career counselling, funded primarily through tiered annual tuition fees.

Product overview

Bavarian International School (BIS) is an International Baccalaureate World School offering a complete IB education across two campuses in Munich and Haimhausen, Germany. The school provides four IB programmes: Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP), Diploma Programme (DP), and Career-related Programme (CP) for students aged 3-19. BIS complements its academic programmes with comprehensive technology initiatives including 1:1 iPad programmes in Primary School and 1:1 laptop programmes in Secondary School. The school is currently developing the €25 million Creativity & Innovation Centre (CIC), a STEAM facility scheduled for completion in 2027. Financial support is available through scholarship programmes and fee reduction initiatives. The institution serves approximately 1,260 students from 70 nationalities with 180 teachers from 30+ nations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Primary Years Programme (PYP) International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme for students aged 3–12 (Kindergarten through Grade 5), focusing on inquiry-based learning and holistic child development. Offered at both Haimhausen and City campuses for families seeking an internationally recognised primary education.
• Middle Years Programme (MYP) IB Middle Years Programme for students aged 13–16 (Grades 6–10), emphasising interdisciplinary learning, service action and preparation for the Diploma Programme. Delivered at the Haimhausen Campus as part of BIS's secondary school.
• Diploma Programme (DP) IB Diploma Programme for students aged 16–19 (Grades 11–12), a rigorous pre-university curriculum recognised by universities worldwide, including German institutions. Officially accepted under KmK as equivalent to Hochschulzugangsberechtigung.
• Career-related Programme (CP) IB Career-related Programme for students aged 16–19, integrating career-oriented education with academic study to provide practical skills alongside IB qualifications.
• Bus Shuttle Transportation Distance-based school bus shuttle service operating between the Haimhausen and Munich-Schwabing campuses and surrounding areas, available to enrolled families for an additional recurring fee.
• After School Activities Programme Approximately 80 weekly after-school activities across sports, arts, music, coding, theatre and fitness, offered to enrolled students for per-activity per-term fees to support holistic development beyond the IB curriculum.

Quantifiable outcome

• IB Diploma average of 35 points, nearly 5 points above global average of 30.24
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Educational Collaborative of International Schools (ECIS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational schools organization providing resources and training including certified child protection safety courses required for all BIS staff members.
• International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal education foundation established in 1968 with presence in 150+ countries. BIS is one of only two international schools in Germany offering all four IB programmes.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Schule Schloss Salem: Schule Schloss Salem is one of Germany's most prestigious private boarding schools, offering IB DP alongside German Abitur with a strong international student body. Comparable to BIS in premium positioning, IB delivery, and affluent international families, though it adds a residential/boarding dimension BIS does not offer.
• Frankfurt International School: Frankfurt International School is a large IB World School offering the full PYP/MYP/DP/CP continuum to a diverse international student body. Comparable to BIS in target customer (corporate expat families), curriculum (IB), and non-profit positioning, though it serves the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main region rather than Munich.
• International School of Luxembourg: International School of Luxembourg is a premium IB World School serving a corporate-expats-driven student body in another major European financial/industrial hub. Comparable to BIS in mission, IB continuum, premium pricing, and non-profit/cooperative structure, providing a useful cross-border benchmark for the BIS model.
• International School of Düsseldorf: International School of Düsseldorf is a long-established IB World School serving the corporate expatriate community in the Rhine-Ruhr region. It is directly comparable to BIS in mission, IB curriculum breadth, and premium pricing model, but operates in a different German metropolitan market.
• International School of Stuttgart: International School of Stuttgart is an IB World School serving the international and corporate expatriate community in Baden-Württemberg. Comparable to BIS in IB curriculum and target customer base, though located in a different German industrial hub serving automotive and engineering multinationals.
• St. Gilgen International School: St. Gilgen International School is an IB World School in Austria serving multinational and corporate expat families in the Salzburg/Lake District region. It competes with BIS for internationally mobile families in the greater Munich-Bavaria-Salzburg corridor and offers the full IB continuum similar to BIS.
• Munich International School: Munich International School is the most direct competitor to BIS, also serving the international community in the Munich metropolitan area with an IB-based curriculum from Early Years through Grade 12. Both schools compete for the same expatriate and globally mobile family segment in southern Bavaria.
• Berlin Brandenburg International School: Berlin Brandenburg International School is a leading IB World School in the Berlin-Brandenburg region serving a similarly international and corporate-expats-driven student body. It is comparable in offering the full IB continuum and serving premium expatriate families, though it operates in a different German metro.

Regional players

• International School Augsburg: International School Augsburg is a newer IB World School serving the Augsburg/Bavaria region with growing international demand tied to local industry. It targets a similar expat family demographic to BIS but operates at smaller scale and in a geographically distinct catchment area within Bavaria.

Broad incumbents

• Swiss International School (SIS) Group: Swiss International School is a multi-campus bilingual school group operating several locations across Germany and Switzerland with an IB-aligned curriculum. Comparable to BIS in serving international families with premium education, though it operates a broader multi-site network rather than a single concentrated two-campus footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrjNd5A0e5z762FZQvnVE1w
• Facebookfacebook.com/bisschool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/781011
• Instagraminstagram.com/bavarian_international_school

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bavarian International School