For parents new to the Düsseldorf-Rhein-Ruhr region, finding a school which best suits a child's needs presents a dilemma between choosing the traditional but inflexible German public school system, or a private but very expensive alternative.

German schools represent more than just an opportunity for your child to learn a second language and experience a foreign culture. Enrolling your child in a German school can aid in the integration of both the child and the parents in the community. What's more, the public education system is government-subsidized and is therefore tuition free.

International schools are accustomed to dealing with children from all over the world and with varied linguistic backgrounds. One advantage of the international education system is portability and continuity of the curriculum, which helps prevent learning gaps if the family moves to another location or returns home. And as private schools, they can often afford better facilities, extensive extracurricular activities and longer hours - in some cases up to 6 p.m. But you pay for the privilege: tuition fees can run to well over 17,000 euros a year.

In recent years, a number of bilingual (German-English) primary schools have opened with tuition that ranges from 220 to 1000 euros per month. What follows is a brief overview of the major international and bilingual schools in Düsseldorf, Cologne, Bonn and the Ruhr region

• International School of Düsseldorf
• Internationale Schule am Rhein in Neuss
• International School Heiligenhaus
• St. George's English International School
• Cologne International School
• Bonn International School
• Independent Bonn International School
• Montessori International Day Care and Pre-School
• Noah's Ark Pre-School
• Phorms School Cologne
• Vincerola International Montessori Day Nursery

• Bilingual/German Schools
• Bilingual Kindergartens and Day Care
• French Schools
• Japanese Schools

Higher Education

• Universities and Business Schools

Deutsch and more Deutsch

• Learning German
• Language Schools