How many international students are currently studying in Germany?
According to a recent snapshot survey conducted by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which included responses from over 200 German universities, over 405,000 international students are expected to study in Germany by 2024/25 winter semester compared to nearly 380,000 in winter semester 2023/24.
Top 15 source markets
While India remains the largest source market for international students in Germany with over 49,000 students in 2023/24, China is the second largest at nearly 39,000, according to DAAD.
The Asian giants are followed by Türkiye, Austria, Iran, Syria, Russia, Italy, Ukraine, Pakistan, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Cameroon, and France.
International students in Germany’s post-graduate work stream
A DAAD survey conducted during the winter semester of 2023/24, involving approximately 20,000 international students and doctoral candidates as part of the “Benchmark Internationale Hochschule” (BintHo) project, revealed insightful findings about students’ post-graduation plans.
The survey found that nearly two-thirds (65%) of respondents pursuing a degree in Germany intended to remain in the country after graduation, with over a third (36%) having already made a definitive decision to stay.
In contrast, only 8% of respondents considered it likely or certain that they would leave Germany upon completing their studies. The remaining 28% were undecided about their post-graduation plans at the time of the survey.
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Retention rates can only be accurately determined for first-year students from non-EU countries, as they require a residence permit to study in Germany and are therefore registered in the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR).
According to a recent calculation by the Federal Statistical Office, 55% of students recorded in the AZR who began their studies in Germany between 2006 and 2012 were still in the country five years later. After 10 years, this figure stood at 46%.
Number of new applications/enrolments for the current year
According to DAAD’s latest forecast, the number of newly enrolled international students (in their first university semester) is projected to increase from approximately 82,000 in the winter semester of 2023/24 to approximately 88,000 in the winter semester of 2024/25.
This represents a relative growth of about 7%, which is notably higher compared to the 3% increase observed in the previous year.
