Indian enrolments at German universities rose by 17.5% to a record 69,816 in the winter semester 2025/26, making Indians the country’s largest international student group.
Almost 10,400 Indian students were added in a single year, according to figures highlighted by DAAD India, reflecting growing demand for Germany’s relatively affordable higher education, research opportunities, industry connections and graduate career pathways.
Germany now has 2,864,160 university students, including 516,820 students with foreign citizenship, according to the latest figures. International students account for 18% of the total university population.
Indian students represent 13.5% of Germany’s international student population and 2.4% of its overall student population.
DAAD India described the figures as evidence of the deepening academic and scientific relationship between Germany and India, with growing numbers of students choosing the country not only to obtain degrees but also to pursue research, innovation and international careers.
“As Germany’s international student community continues to grow, the strong presence of Indian students stands out as one of the great success stories of international academic mobility and a testament to the enduring partnership between our two countries,” it said.
The increase comes as rising costs, visa uncertainty and changing post-study work policies in the US, UK, Canada and Australia lead more Indian students to consider alternative destinations.
As Germany’s international student community continues to grow, the strong presence of Indian students stands out as one of the great success stories of international academic mobility and a testament to the enduring partnership between our two countries
DAAD India
Previous reporting by The PIE News found that Germany’s appeal was also expanding beyond India’s major metropolitan centres, as students in tier-II and III cities increasingly assessed overseas education through the lens of cost, employment prospects and longer-term migration opportunities.
“Germany offers globally respected degrees without the $60,000–$100,000 debt load associated with the US or UK, which fundamentally changes the risk calculus for a middle-income family,” Divyansh Chaudhari, founder of TerraTern, previously told The PIE.
Most German public universities do not charge tuition fees, although students generally pay semester contributions and exceptions apply. This has made the country especially attractive to families seeking to limit borrowing.
Germany’s expanding selection of English-taught programs and comparatively transparent post-study work and skilled-migration routes have also helped broaden demand.
However, the headline growth comes amid concerns that the experience of some Indian students, particularly those entering fee-charging private and hybrid programs, differs significantly from the affordable, employment-focused opportunity marketed to them.
A March 2026 DW documentary, The Cost of a Dream: Indian Students in Germany, documented cases of students facing debt, insecure employment and immigration uncertainty after enrolling in such programs.
One student featured in the report paid around €500 per month in tuition and €450 for a shared room and worked in a restaurant to meet his costs after depositing €11,904 in a blocked account as proof of sufficient funds.
The concerns have also surfaced in a wider dispute involving IU International University of Applied Sciences in Berlin.
By January 2026, around 300 international students enrolled in its hybrid programs had reportedly received notices affecting their right to remain in Germany. The notices had been issued from March 2025 onwards after the city’s immigration authority concluded that physical presence in the country was not essential to completing their studies.
IU said the authority changed its approach to visas for hybrid programs without informing the university and said it would adjust its provision to meet face-to-face teaching requirements. In March 2026, the Berlin Administrative Court suspended a deportation order against one IU student, although a conflicting earlier ruling left the broader legal position unresolved.
The cases underline the distinction between Germany’s largely low-cost public university system and its fee-charging private providers, as well as the need for students to verify the delivery model and immigration eligibility of individual programs before enrolling.
Germany is also introducing an additional assessment requirement for some Indian applicants.
From the summer semester of 2027, the Digital Master Test will become part of APS documentation for selected Indian master’s applicants whose previous degrees are in engineering, commerce, accounting, finance, economics, business or management.
The computer-based assessment is intended to give German universities a standardised reference point when considering applicants from India’s large and varied higher education system. It will not replace APS document verification, degree recognition or universities’ own admissions processes.
“The dMAT should not be understood as a simple pass/fail barrier. A low score does not automatically prevent the issuance of an APS certificate, provided the other APS requirements are met,” a German Embassy spokesperson previously told The PIE.
