DAAD Report: Germany Now Hosts 380,000 International Students, Ranking Second Worldwide After The US

A new record of 380,000 international students were registered in German universities. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) stated in its publication "Wissenschaft weltoffen" released today, that Germany is the second most significant host nation for foreign scholars and researchers, after the United States.  

DAAD President Prof. Dr Joybrato Mukherjee said, "The latest figures show that Germany is the most important European destination for international academics and researchers, even ahead of the United Kingdom.”

He further added, “the rising number of international students is also an extremely positive development for our country, which urgently needs more skilled labour. These trends underline Germany's attractiveness as a location for science and study, which is based in particular on the high quality of German universities and research institutions and their international integration.”

International student numbers reach new highs

In the winter semester of 2023–2024, 379,900 international students were enrolled in German universities, a 3% increase from the year before. The number of international students studying in Germany is still growing. Therefore, approximately 13% of all students are international. 

Prof. Dr. Monika Jungbauer-Gans, Scientific Director of the DZHW, stated, "Even during the coronavirus pandemic, the number of international students at German universities has increased for fifteen years in a row."

“This is an obvious indication of how appealing German institutions and their curricula are, particularly the Master's programs offered in English. We must continue to work to improve students' academic performance in both bachelor's and master's programs if we hope to see a growth in the number of students,” she added.