Despite the domestic enrollment decline, Germany continues to attract a growing number of international students.
Despite the domestic enrollment decline, Germany continues to attract a growing number of international students.
There is a continued decline in student enrollment in German higher education institutions, recent data released by Destatis, the official German statistical office, revealed.
In the winter semester of 2023-2024, a total of 2,871,500 students were enrolled, reflecting a 1.7 percent decrease compared to the previous year’s enrollment of 2,920,300, as reported by Erudera.
Citing a report from Studying-in-Germany.org, the decline extends further, showing a 2.5 percent drop in the number of students compared to the winter semester of 2021-2022, which had 2,946,100 students attending German higher education institutions.
Destatis highlighted that the decline is not uniform across all types of universities. In the winter semester of 2023-2024, there was a 2.4 percent reduction in students at universities and equivalent institutions compared to the previous year.
Additionally, there was a 0.5 percent decrease at universities of applied sciences. Administrative colleges saw a 3.0 percent decline with 57,800 enrolled students, while art colleges experienced a 1.9 percent increase with 37,400 students.
However, amidst the overall decrease, there is a positive trend in the number of first-year students, which increased by 1.2 percent in the winter semester.
“In the 2023 academic year (summer semester 2023 and winter semester 2023/24), 479,300 people began studying at a German university for the first time,” the report stated, attributing the rise to an influx of international students.
The report noted that the increase in first-year students in the 2022 academic year was primarily due to a rise in the number of foreign students choosing Germany for their studies.
Despite the domestic enrollment decline, Germany continues to attract a growing number of international students.
This year, the country welcomed a total of 458,210 international students, marking an increase of around 18,000 students compared to the previous year.
Over the past decade, from the 2013-2014 academic year to 2023, the number of international students in Germany has seen a 52 percent increase. This growth is particularly notable since the introduction of tuition-free education in 2014, resulting in a surge in international student numbers from 301,350 to 458,210.
The most recent data from the German Academic Exchange Service positions Germany as the third most popular country for international students, having attracted nearly 370,000 international students in the winter semester of 2022-2023.
India has also overtaken China as the top source of international students in Germany, comprising 12 percent of the total, while Chinese enrollments decline for the second year. This shift may relate to geopolitical factors and India’s growing middle class seeking education abroad.
Over 40 percent of international students in Germany focus on engineering programs, reinforcing the country’s standing in STEM fields. A 140 percent rise in enrollments in Applied Science universities over the past decade also further solidifies Germany’s appeal.
Beyond India and China, a 43 percent increase in Ukrainian students and a 58 percent surge from North Africa and the Middle East diversify Germany’s student population.
Another finding is that 45 percent of international students remain in Germany a decade after graduation, establishing the country as a hub for skilled migration. However, this growth necessitates continued investment in education and support services to address infrastructure and accommodation challenges.
A severe shortage of affordable student housing is causing widespread challenges for university students in Germany. A study by the Eduard Pestel Research Institute highlighted a deficit of over 700,000 apartments, particularly in major university cities, leading to sharp rent increases, as reported by Deutsche Welle.
The head of Germany’s Student Association, Matthias Anbuhl, described the situation as “deplorable,” with approximately 32,000 students on waiting lists for dormitories managed by the DSW.
In major cities like Berlin, the housing crunch is pushing students to relocate to the outskirts or even neighboring areas due to unaffordable rents.
International students face additional hurdles, as they often can’t meet financial guarantees required by landlords. The lack of investment in social infrastructure to accommodate the growing student population is raising concerns, with the fear of creating a two-class society where only financially well-off students can afford education and housing.
To address the crisis, Germany’s coalition government has pledged €500 million in 2023 as part of the “Junges Wohnen” youth housing scheme.
However, the housing crisis continues to worsen, with a significant decline in new apartment construction permits, attributed to rising costs and diminished profit margins.
Beyond Germany, a survey by the European Students’ Union and the Erasmus Student Network in November 2022 highlighted housing challenges across Europe.
Scams, lack of information about housing conditions, and excessive deposit payments were common issues, emphasizing the need for improved support and awareness in the housing market.
Variations among countries, such as a higher incidence of scams in Italy compared to Finland, further underscore the diverse housing challenges faced by European students.
