Lina Haider, an eleven-year-old girl from Afghanistan, is likely the youngest student to have successfully obtained the Abitur (higher education diploma) in Germany and entered university.
Reports indicate that Lina Haider, an 11-year-old girl residing in Bonn, succeeded in obtaining her Abitur at Sankt-Adelheid-Gymnasium, a school affiliated with the Diocese of Cologne, in the summer of 2025.
It is further noted that Lina Haider, a resident of Bonn and from an Afghan immigrant family, has earned the title of “youngest student” in the country. She completed her secondary education in six years, while German students typically complete this stage in 12 or 13 years.
According to reports, Lina has achieved success in her final exams (Abitur) due to her high intelligence, exceptional focus, and family support. She is now preparing to continue her studies in the field of medicine.
She states, “I am happy anyway. I finally made it.” She did not spend much time in class and overall completed only six years of schooling.
Mikhail Germann, a coordinator for supporting talented students, says, “When you first see Lina, you might wonder what this six-year-old is doing here and why her parents brought her. But once you engage in conversation with her, you quickly realize: Oh, this is the right place, or at least it can be the right place.”
Christoph Oldöheime, the director of Sankt-Adelheid-Gymnasium in Bonn, describes this transition: “The leap from eighth grade to this gymnasium was truly difficult. It was a significant jump. Suddenly, we were faced with a child who was nine or ten years old in a secondary school setting. A bridge had to be built here.”
Lina is recognized as a highly gifted child (hochbegabt), but this has also presented challenges for the school. They had to provide support for her while continually adjusting the path to ensure everything remained manageable for her.
Kristiane Graf, the coordinator for psychosocial counseling at the school, states: “We always tried to maintain balance; that she could remain a child while also growing intellectually.”
The Abitur is the final document of secondary education in Germany, issued after successful completion of nationwide exams and is a fundamental requirement for entry into universities in the country. Typically, German students obtain this document at the age of 18 or 19.
Lina Haider’s success at such a young age is not only an extraordinary event among Afghan immigrants but also across Germany. German media has reported that she is from the Hazara community in Afghanistan and was able to enter Germany through migration.
