Information about the school system in Niedersachsen, also in different languages can be found here: https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/allgemein_bildende_schulen/
There are state schools in the majority. Some schools are in ecclesiastical sponsorship, but awarded the state-recognized degrees. There are some private schools that charge different levels of school fees (https://www.landesschulbehoerde-niedersachsen.de/themen/schulorganisation/schulen-in-freier-traegerschaft).
In Niedersachsen, there are five types of secondary schools after primary school.
Hauptschule
Hauptschule covers grades 5 to 9. A 10th grade can be set up. The attendance of a 10th grade at Hauptschule is voluntary. Hauptschule gives its pupils a basic general education and an individual vocational orientation. A special focus is on action-based learning. At the end of grade 9, a lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) can be acquired. At the end of class 10, the following qualifications may be obtained: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity), Middle Maturity and a leaving certificate entitling to attend the introductory phase of upper secondary level of Gymnasium. https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/allgemein_bildende_schulen/hauptschule/hauptschule-6423.html).
Realschule
Realschule includes the grades 5 to 10. It provides their pupils with an extended general education and a general vocational orientation. After the 9th grade, the lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity) can be acquired. The following degrees can be obtained at the end of grade 10: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity), Middle Maturity and a leaving certificate entitling to attend the introductory phase of upper secondary school of Gymnasium.
Oberschule
Oberschule covers the grades 5 to 10. By promoting basic skills, self-reliant and social learning, pupils acquire the skills needed to continue their educational career both, professionally and in a study-related manner. The following degrees can be obtained at the end of grade 10: lower secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity), Middle Maturity and a leaving certificate entitling to attend the introductory phase of upper secondary school of Gymnasium.
Gymnasium
Gymnasium covers the grades 5 to 13. Gymnasium gives its pupils a deepened general education and allows the acquisition of the general higher education entrance qualification (Abitur) at the end of class 13. Depending on their achievements, pupils receive at the end of class 10 one of the following degrees: secondary school certificate (Vocational Education Maturity), Middle Maturity or a leaving certificate entitling to attend the introductory phase of upper secondary school of Gymnasium. https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/allgemein_bildende_schulen/gymnasium/gymnasium-6319.html
Comprehensive school
The comprehensive school covers the classes 5 to 10 or the classes 5 to 13, if the school has an upper secondary level of a Gymnasium. The aim of the comprehensive school is to provide pupils with different learning prerequisites common learning experiences and to promote them individually through differentiated instruction. At comprehensive school, pupils can obtain the same degrees as at Hauptschule, Realschule or Gymnasium.
Vocational schools
At VET schools, young people have diverse opportunities for vocational training and the opportunity to obtain various educational degrees. This can be done before, during or after vocational training as well as in other specialized educational programs.
An overview of the vocational schools in Niedersachsen in different languages can be found on the website: https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/
Vocational high school
The vocational high school in the fields of economics, technology (with a focus on construction technology, electrical engineering, mechatronics, metal technology, information technology and design and media technology), health and social issues (with a focus on agriculture, ecotrophology, health care and social education) provides in addition to an in-depth general education also occupational competencies in the chosen subject area and leads in a three-year course at the end of grade 13 to the Abitur, the general university entrance qualification (https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/berufliches_gymnasium/das-berufliche -Gymnasium-6474.html).
Vocational School (Berufsschule)
Young people attend vocational school during their vocational training and learn vocational and general skills (Dual education). The vocational school usually takes three years. With completion of the training and the vocational school, the pupils receive a degree in the respective vocational training and a vocational school degree.
Under certain conditions the acquisition of the middle school degree, the acquisition of the permission to attend the upper secondary school and the acquisition of the university of applied science entrance qualification are possible.
Career entry school
This type of school includes the vocational preparation year (BVJ), in particular for pupils of foreign origin with insufficient German language skills and the career entry class (BEK) for pupils who have no secondary school diploma or a school leaving qualification on a low level. In the BVJ individual promotion with language support and individual case-related objectives is in the foreground, in the BEK the common goal is the graduation from Hauptschule (vocational maturity) or the improvement of the training maturity (https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/berufseinstiegsschule/die-berufseinstiegsschule-6457.html)
Specialist vocational school (Berufsfachschule)
A profession can be partially or completely learned in a full-time vocational school, the specialist vocational school. In a full-time vocational training in recognized training occupations, pupils with graduation from Hauptschule or Middle school qualification have the opportunity to acquire a basic education in the chosen subject area or a vocational qualification. Depending on the chosen course of vocational training, the tuition lasts from one year to two years (https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/berufsfachschulen/die-berufsfachschulen-6478.html).
Fachoberschule
The “Fachoberschule” builds on a middle school degree and provides
advanced general education and work-related knowledge, skills and abilities. The “Fachoberschule” awards the university of applied science entrance qualification after passing the final exam (https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/fachoberschule/die-fachoberschule-fos-6473.html).
Berufsoberschule
At vocational secondary schools (Berufsoberschulen), the subject-related higher education entrance qualification and, if the necessary knowledge in a second foreign language is proved, the general university entrance qualification can be obtained in a two-year full-time school education (classes 12 and 13). The Berufsoberschule enables pupils to focus on specific subject areas and enables them to continue their education in corresponding study programs at a university (https://www.mk.niedersachsen.de/startseite/schule/unsere_schulen/berufsbildende_schulen/berufsoberschule/die-berufsoberschule- bos-6475.html).