Number of students in German universities in winter semesters 2002/2003-2023/24

In the winter semester 2023/24, around 2.87 million students were enrolled in German universities. This was a slight decrease compared to the previous year, but still around 250,000 more than ten years ago, demonstrating that higher education is becoming a more popular option for people in Germany. 

Students at German universities

The majority of students in Germany are studying to get a bachelor’s degree, however, a significant growing number of students also go on to do a master’s degree. German universities offer students the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects - humanities as well as sciences. The most popular subjects to study among German students in recent years have been law, economics, and social sciences, followed by engineering. Although there are different institutions at which students in Germany can pursue higher education, most students opt to study at a university or university of applied sciences. These types of institutions also offer the most courses for students to choose from.

Private universities

As well as having state-funded universities, there are also private universities in Germany. As the name suggests, this means that they are not funded by the state, and therefore students must pay the fees for each semester themselves. This model of higher education is more similar to the one found in England or the U.S. Despite the higher tuition fees, the most popular university in Germany is currently a private one, suggesting that there are possibly some advantages to paying more for your education. It is important to note that comparatively only a very small percentage of students attend private universities. This is likely since they are more expensive, and shows the importance of keeping university affordable so that everyone can have the opportunity to pursue further education.