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German European School Manila
German European School Manila (GESM) is an established multilingual day school in Better Living, Parañaque, offering German Abitur, IB Diploma, and IGCSE pathways for around 700 students aged 3-18. Annual fees range from PHP 417K (Kindergarten) to PHP 1.14M (Grade…
In brief
The German half of the Eurocampus in Paranaque, sharing a two-hectare site with the French Lycee, founded in 1980 and running both German curriculum and IB Diploma in English or bilingual format.
GESM started in 1980 as the Jose-Rizal Schule and joined the French school on a shared campus in 1992, the first Eurocampus model in the world. The school offers a German section that follows the German national curriculum and an English-language European section, with IB Diploma and IB Career-related Programme in the senior years. CIS-accredited and supported by the German government's ZfA.
Around 700 students from 30-plus nationalities, with strong language teaching across German, English, French, Filipino, and Spanish. Alumni cite the multicultural atmosphere and the time-management discipline the IB instills. The fit is obvious for German-speaking families and very strong for European families who want IB exit options without committing to a fully Anglo-American school. Paranaque location works for Makati and BGC commutes outside peak hours.
Fees
| Fee | Age | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten 1-2 (age 3-4) | 3 | Annual | ₱417,183 |
| Kindergarten 3 (age 5) | 5 | Annual | ₱585,855 |
| Grade 1-4 (age 6-9) | 6 | Annual | ₱810,665 |
| Grade 5-8 (age 10-13) | 10 | Annual | ₱901,937 |
| Grade 9-10 (age 14-15) | 14 | Annual | ₱948,812 |
| Grade 11-12 (age 16-17) | 16 | Annual | ₱1,142,705 |
| Association Fee (annual) | One-time | ₱10,438 | |
| Entrance Fee (non-refundable - new students) | One-time | ₱130,000 | |
| Refundable Deposit | One-time | ₱130,000 |
Reviews
- Online signal is light but consistent. The school shares the Eurocampus site in Parañaque with the Lycée Français de Manille, which most parents writing online treat as a structural strength rather than a complication.
- The clearest independent review is on Expat Exchange, where a parent describes a curriculum that prepares children to slot into other international systems, language progression that adds French by Grade 4, and active parent involvement around the Student-led Conference and the Summerfest.
- Facilities feedback is positive: pools, football pitch, gym, air-conditioned classrooms.
- The IB Diploma and CP, plus the German Abitur and IGCSE pathways, give an unusually wide exit-curriculum spread for a Manila school. Parents and r/Philippines_Expats name it among their international-school shortlist when asked.
- No serious negative thread surfaces. Commentary outside the official channels is mostly logistical: location in Parañaque, the bilingual German-English split through Grade 10, and the move from European International School branding to Eurocampus.
Head of school
Christoph-Boris Frank
Christoph-Boris Frank began his career in Asia at the German Swiss International School (GSIS) in Hong Kong. After returning to Germany to serve as principal of Waldparkschule Heidelberg, he returned to Asia as a Head of Department at the German School Tokyo-Yokohama. He later served as principal of Elbinselschule in Hamburg, a multicultural institution recognized as a leading primary school. Mr. Frank joined the German European School Manila (GESM) as Head of School in 2018. His leadership focuses on intercultural understanding and holistic development, and he is responsible for introducing the IB Career-related Programme to GESM.
Accreditations
- Council of International Schools 01
Academic results
- IB Diploma 2024 average 95% passing rate
- IGCSE 2024 average 95% passing rate
Location
75 Swaziland Street, Better Living Subdivision, Parañaque City, 1711 Metro Manila, Philippines