Germany · Salem, Lake Constance · Founded 1920
Schule Schloss Salem
Germany's most famous boarding school, founded by Kurt Hahn and Prince Max of Baden, with the Abitur and the IB and a service ethic built into the timetable.
The character
Salem is the German school that the English public schools were compared with: fire service, mountain rescue and technical relief service as pupil duties, an Abitur of serious quality, an IB track for international pupils and campuses in a former monastery and a castle. It suits families who want Germany's best school-leaving certificate with an ethos of responsibility.
Good for
German and German-speaking families, the Abitur with an international outlook, children who want to serve
Less suited to
Families who need an English-only environment
Getting in
Apply a year ahead with reports, a trial week in Salem and interviews. Entry points at 10, 12, 14 and 16 (the IB entry at 16 is international).
What it costs in total
At about € 48,000 a year for boarding, the 6 years from 13 to 19 add up to roughly €323,000 in today’s money including typical extras, before fee increases, tutoring and flights. The Education Cost Calculator adds inflation, extras and a second child.
Fees are rounded 2025/26 figures from the school’s own schedule and change every year. The school’s current fee sheet prevails. The picture is an impression of the setting, not a photograph of the campus.
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