DON’T MISS
IamExpat FairIamExpat Job BoardIamExpat Webinars
Newsletters
EXPAT INFO
CAREER
HOUSING
EDUCATION
LIFESTYLE
EXPAT SERVICES
NEWS & ARTICLES
Home
Education
German news & articles
Germany is now the 4th most popular study destination in the world
Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy

Germany is now the 4th most popular study destination in the world

Never miss a thing!Sign up for our weekly newsletters with important news stories, expat events and special offers.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy
or
follow us for regular updates:



Related Stories

One-third of international students stay in Germany long-term, study findsOne-third of international students stay in Germany long-term, study finds
QS 2023: 11 German universities among best 200 in the worldQS 2023: 11 German universities among best 200 in the world
More people studying at German universities without Abitur qualificationMore people studying at German universities without Abitur qualification
22 German universities ranked among top 200 in the world in THE 202222 German universities ranked among top 200 in the world in THE 2022
Munich named second-best student city in the worldMunich named second-best student city in the world
How do Germany's federal states compare on quality of education?How do Germany's federal states compare on quality of education?
11 German universities named among top 200 in the world by QS ranking11 German universities named among top 200 in the world by QS ranking
The German states and cities with the highest and lowest starting salariesThe German states and cities with the highest and lowest starting salaries
For expats of all colours, shapes and sizes

Explore
Expat infoCareerHousingEducationLifestyleExpat servicesNews & articles
About us
IamExpat MediaAdvertisePost a jobContact usImpressumSitemap
More IamExpat
IamExpat Job BoardIamExpat HousingIamExpat FairWebinarsNewsletters
Privacy
Terms of usePrivacy policyCookiesAvoiding scams

Never miss a thing!Sign up for expat events, news & offers, delivered once a week.
Keep me updated with exclusive offers from partner companies
By signing up, you agree that we may process your information in accordance with our privacy policy


© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
© 2025 IamExpat Media B.V.
Aug 19, 2019
Abi Carter

Editor in chief at IamExpat Media

Abi studied German and History at the University of Manchester and has since lived in Berlin, Hamburg and Utrecht, working since 2017 as a writer, editor and content marketeer. Although she's happily taken on some German and Dutch quirks, she keeps a stash of Yorkshire Tea on hand, because nowhere does a brew quite like home.Read more

Germany has overtaken France to become the most popular non-English-speaking study destination, a new report has found. International students are particularly attracted by the quality of education and the lack of tuition fees. 

Studying in Germany increasingly popular 

After the United States, Britain and Australia, in 2016 the most foreign students were enrolled in universities in Germany. That makes it not only the fourth most popular destination overall but also the number one non-English-speaking country for international students worldwide. This was made clear in the new “Wissenschaft weltoffen” report by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Centre for Higher Education and Science Research (DZHW). 

Student enrollment numbers from 2016 (the most recent year for which sufficient data are available) show that almost 252.000 so-called Bildungsausländer (those who did not complete secondary education at German schools) were studying at Germany universities that year, 16.000 more than the year before and 6.000 more than in France. Since 2016, the numbers have continued to rise, with more than 282.000 international students enrolling in Germany for the winter semester 2017 / 2018.  

Foreign students attracted by quality education and zero fees

The report also showed that certain nationalities are especially prominent among Germany’s foreign student population. Topping the list was China, with nearly 37.000 students enrolled in German universities in 2018. The next most common countries of origin were India (17.294), Austria (11.130) and Russia (10.795).

Considering the motives of the internationals who come to Germany to study, the report referred to an earlier study, published in 2016, which found that three-quarters of foreign students were attracted by the high quality of education in the federal republic. 

An additional 80 percent said that they would recommend studying in Germany to friends and acquaintances from their home country. That report also speculated that financial considerations played a role: unlike many popular study destinations, German universities do not charge tuition fees, even to foreign students.

By Abi Carter