East Bay German International Preschool: Preschool and Kindergarten Now Enrolling for 2025-2026
The East Bay German International School (EBGIS) is a dual-language immersion IB World School offering preschool through high school programs. Its integrated curriculum combines bilingual German and English instruction from preschool through grade eight with project-based learning and cross-cultural experiences. The on-site East Bay International High School (EBIHS) is a college preparatory school offering the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and offers multiple language tracks with beginner to native speaker level language and literature courses in German, French, and Spanish as well as introductory Mandarin. The language of instruction for other high school courses is English. Small class sizes allow EBGIS teachers to nurture and support each student based on their unique needs.
The EBGIS Early Childhood Program – including preschool and kindergarten – employs a play-based and project-oriented approach widely used in Europe. Its highly trained and experienced international faculty employ early immersion principles to expand children’s communicative competencies in both German and English. Multi-dimensional in-class projects are developed by an interdisciplinary team based on seasonal rhythms and students’ observed interests. The pre-academic curriculum covers language, intercultural studies, science, mathematics, music, movement, and art in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way. Projects are complemented by free and guided play. The development of social and emotional skills infuses every school day.
No prior knowledge of German is needed for admission to the EBGIS Preschool and Kindergarten Programs. Students acquire German through immersion including developmentally appropriate curricular content, daily routines, activities, and interactions. Teachers nurture language development through intentional conversations, visual materials, gestures, and modeling.
EBGIS preschoolers and kindergarteners – more than half of whom do not speak German at home – transition successfully to German-language classroom instruction in EBGIS’s Elementary School Program. They then continue developing their German and English in the Middle School Program with the addition of either French or Spanish starting in sixth grade. When they enter the East Bay International High School (EBIHS), located on the EBGIS campus, students qualify to earn the Bilingual International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. Developed in Switzerland, the IB is an academically rigorous, internationally oriented approach often referred to as the “gold standard” in high school education. Bilingual IB Diploma graduates represent just a quarter of IB graduates worldwide, thereby enjoying an even further advantage in university admissions.
EBGIS accepts preschool students beginning at 24 months of age. The regular school day runs from 8 am to 2:30 pm with a drop-off window from 8-9 am and a pick-up window from 2:15-2:30 pm. Extended day options, including age-appropriate enrichment classes, are available until 6 pm.
The spacious and centrally located campus features large modern classrooms with ample natural light, a dedicated early years bilingual library, and generous play space. The Preschool Program includes a dedicated mini-campus adjacent to the main campus, a tumbling room, and several gardening areas to provide preschoolers with indoor and outdoor spaces of their own while allowing participation in all-school celebrations and activities.
Register here for an Open House or Online Information Session or contact us at admissions [at] ebgis.org (admissions[at]ebgis[dot]org).