Information about the school system in Thüringen can be found at:
https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/bildung/schulwesen/schulsystem/
Information about the school system in Thüringen in different languages can be found at: http://apps.thueringen.de/de/publikationen/pic/pubdownload1690.pdf
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://bildung.Thüringen.de/schulen/weitere-schulinfos/schulen-in-freier-traegerschaft/schulen-in-freier-traegerschaft/).
After primary school, there are four secondary school types:
Community School
The "Thüringer Gemeinschaftsschule" covers the grades 1 to 12 and allows longer joint learning up to grade 8. Depending on regional characteristics, a community school may also start with grade 5. The offer for grades 1 to 4 is guaranteed here by a primary school. The community school offers all students the opportunity, according to their abilities and achievements, to acquire the general education qualifications (lower secondary school leaving certificate, qualifying lower secondary school leaving certificate, middle maturity, general university entrance qualification/Abitur) that are possible in Thüringen (https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/bildung/schulwesen/schulsystem/gemeinschaftsschule/index.aspx).
Regular school
The regular school covers the grades 5 to 10 and is aimed at the acquisition of the lower secondary school leaving certificate and the middle maturity. It provides a general and vocational education and thus prepares for the demands of the professional and working world. With appropriate performance, at the request of the parents at the end of grade 5 and 6 the transition to a Gymnasium is possible.
With the successful attendance of the 9th school year the lower secondary school leaving certificate is acquired. If the pupil successfully participates in a central exam, he receives the qualifying lower secondary school leaving certificate. With the successful attendance of the 10th school year and passed final exam, the middle maturity is achieved (https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/bildung/schulwesen/schulsystem/regelschule/index.aspx).
Gymnasium
The Gymnasium covers grade 5 to 12. Gymnasium provides pupils with a broad and in-depth general education, which usually leads to general university entrance qualification (Abitur) after grade 12.
With transfer to grade 10 a level of education equivalent to that of the lower secondary school leaving certificate is confirmed. At the end of grade 10, all pupils have to take part in a central test that significantly influences the transition to the qualification phase of the upper secondary school. Transition to grade 11 confirms the level of education equivalent to middle maturity.
https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/bildung/schulwesen/schulsystem/gymnasium/index.aspx
Comprehensive school
In Thüringen there are comprehensive schools in Erfurt, Gera, Gotha and Jena. The comprehensive school starts with grade 5. It leads to the lower secondary school leaving certificate or to the qualifying lower secondary school leaving certificate after grade 9, to the middle maturity after grade 10 or in connection with a upper secondary level of Gymnasium to the general university entrance qualification (Abitur) after class 13 (https://www.thueringen.de/th2/tmbjs/bildung/schulwesen/schulsystem/gesamtschule/index.aspx
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 (https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen and
Vocational high school
The vocational high school gives a deepened general education and
professional knowledge, in the fields of economics, health and social affairs or
Technology. It leads in a three-year course to the Abitur, the general higher education entrance qualification. In a double qualifying variant, the vocational high school can be supplemented with a class 14, which provides professional skills in economic, health-social or technical specialization and leads to the acquisition of a professional degree as an assistant.
(Https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen/berufliches_gymnasium).
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.
If good performances for the completion of vocational school have been achieved, as well as adequate knowledge of foreign languages, a qualification equivalent to the middle school diploma can be obtained. Pupils with a middle school diploma can, in addition to their professional qualifications, also acquire the university of applied science entrance qualification by attending the vocational school.
School-age adolescents without a school-leaving certificate or without an apprenticeship are prepared for vocational training at the vocational school.
(https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen/berufsschule)
Specialist vocational school (Berufsfachschule)
Pupils with a vocational maturity can obtain a vocational qualification or partial vocational qualification at the specialist vocational school. Under certain conditions, they can also achieve a qualification equivalent to the middle school diploma. The vocational qualification is acquired after one year, two years or three years, depending on the chosen occupation. (Https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen/berufsfachschule)
Higher specialist vocational school
Pupils with a middle school graduation can achieve a vocational qualification in several professions at the higher specialist vocational school in two to three years of education.
At the higher specialist vocational school, the university of applied science entrance qualification can also be acquired.
(https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen/hoeher_berufsfachschule)
“Fachoberschule”
The "Fachoberschule" leads after the middle school graduation in a two-year full-time education to the university of applied science entrance qualification. Pupils with completed vocational training enter directly into the second half of the program. For individual subject areas the suitability of the applicants can be determined by an entrance examination.
(https://www.schulportal-thueringen.de/lehrplaene/berufsbildende_schulen/fachoberschule)