According to a snapshot survey conducted by the German Academic Exchange Service or Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD), the number of international students in Germany has increased dramatically during the current winter semester. The survey says over 4,00,000 international students are now studying at German universities.
This report was produced based on information submitted by 200 universities from around Germany, according to a report by The Indian Express.
According to the DAAD's projection, about 90 per cent of universities indicate a steady or increasing number of newly enrolled international students. More than half of the universities polled reported increased numbers, with one-third reporting a significant increase (ten per cent or more).
Another third reported no change, while 10 per cent of universities reported a decrease.
Based on the responses, the DAAD anticipates over ,405,000 international students for the current winter semester 2024/25, compared to approximately 3,80,000 in the previous winter semester. This would indicate approximately 7 per cent growth for the current winter semester.
In addition, the data showed that the number of overseas first-semester students increased to 88,000 this winter semester, up from roughly 82,000 the previous year.
Similar to 2023, this increase is attributable to the development of regular international students who aim to graduate. This is especially true for master's students; more than half of the universities polled (56 per cent) reported significantly higher numbers, while less than a fifth (16 per cent) reported a decrease.
Even though the number of international students is rising, the German government has also responded to some of the concerns expressed by the universities, including the cost of living and studying (69 per cent), the availability of affordable housing (75 per cent), and issues with entry policies or the visa allocation process (83 per cent).
