Germany spent €191.5 billion on public education in 2024, enrolled close to 2.9 million university students, and trained over 1.2 million apprentices through its dual vocational system. It also recorded its lowest-ever PISA scores and faces a projected teacher shortage that could exceed 100,000 by 2035. These education in Germany statistics, pulled from OECD, Eurostat, DAAD, and German federal data, cover spending, enrollment, international students, vocational training, and student performance as of 2025/26.
Education in Germany Key Statistics (2025/26)
- Public education spending reached €191.5 billion in 2024, equal to 4.5% of GDP.
- Germany enrolled 2.9 million university students in winter semester 2024/25.
- Approximately 420,000 international students are forecast for WS 2025/26, up 6% year-over-year.
- Around 1.22 million people are in dual vocational training across 300+ state-recognised professions in 2025.
- PISA 2022 math scores fell 25 points from 2018, the steepest decline Germany has recorded.
How Much Does Germany Spend on Education?
Total public spending on education in Germany hit €191.5 billion in 2024, split between the federal government, the 16 Länder (states), and local authorities. The Länder shoulder most of the cost at €130.9 billion. That total equals roughly 19.6% of Germany’s public budget.
Per-student spending exceeds the OECD average at every education level. Primary spending runs $12,829 per student (OECD average: ~$11,400). Secondary spending jumps to $17,077 ($12,500 OECD average). Tertiary costs, which include research and development, reach $19,500 per student — about 29% above the OECD mean of $15,102.
The federal government also set aside €6.5 billion from its special infrastructure fund in 2025 for childcare and digital education.
Total Student Enrollment in Education in Germany
Close to 2.9 million students were enrolled at German higher education institutions in winter semester 2024/25. Growth has largely levelled off after years of rapid expansion through the 2010s. The total never quite reached the 3 million mark.
| Institution Type | Share (%) | Approx. Students |
|---|---|---|
| Full universities (Universitäten) | 57.6% | ~1.7 million |
| Universities of Applied Sciences | 38.1% | ~1.1 million |
| Other (admin, art/music, theology) | 4.3% | ~125,000 |
Private institution enrollment has grown nearly tenfold since WS 2004/05, when their share was just 2.3%. The IU Internationale Hochschule alone now exceeds 100,000 students, making it Germany’s largest university by headcount. Women make up 51.2% of the student population as of WS 2024/25, up from 44.5% in 1998/99.
International Students in Germany
Germany ranks as the sixth most popular destination worldwide for international students and third in Europe. A total of 402,083 international students enrolled in WS 2024/25. The DAAD projects that number will rise to approximately 420,000 for WS 2025/26.
India overtook China as the top source country. Indian enrollment reached about 59,000 in WS 2024/25, a 20% jump from the prior year. China follows at 38,600, with Turkey, Austria, and Iran rounding out the top five. Engineering draws 43% of international students, followed by economics, law, and social sciences at 25%.
International students also generate long-term fiscal returns. A 2025 study by the German Economic Institute (IW) found that the roughly 79,000 international students who started in 2022 will contribute an estimated €15.5 billion more in taxes and social contributions over their lifetimes than they receive in public benefits. That works out to about eight times the state’s education investment in them.
Around 2,400 English-taught programmes are now available at state-recognised German universities in 2025. If you’re considering learning German through stories, even partial fluency can open doors to the remaining programmes taught in German and help with day-to-day life.
Germany’s Dual Vocational Training System in 2025
About 1.22 million people are currently in dual vocational training in Germany, splitting their time between companies and vocational schools across more than 300 state-recognised professions.
| Sector | Trainees (2025) |
|---|---|
| Trade and Industry | 688,500 |
| Skilled Crafts and Trades | 337,800 |
| Freelance Professions | 111,000 |
| Civil Service | 41,500 |
| Agriculture | 31,700 |
In 2024, 94.5% of recent VET graduates had participated in work-based learning — the highest rate in the EU (average: 65.2%). The employment rate of recent VET graduates was 92.2%, also among the EU’s best compared to the EU average of 80%.
German firms invest about €28 billion per year in apprenticeship training. Average gross training costs are around €18,000 per apprentice annually, of which roughly €12,000 is recovered through productive work — leaving a net cost of about €6,000 per apprentice. Women made up 36% of new vocational training entrants in 2024.
A new law, the Vocational Training Validation and Digitisation Act (BVaDiG), took effect in July 2024. It lets individuals without formal qualifications have their practical skills evaluated and certified against dual training standards.
Education in Germany PISA 2022 Scores
Germany posted its lowest-ever PISA results in 2022. Scores fell across all three subjects compared to 2018.
| Subject | Germany (2022) | Germany (2018) | OECD Avg (2022) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 475 | 500 | 472 |
| Reading | 480 | 498 | 476 |
| Science | 492 | 503 | 485 |
The 25-point drop in mathematics placed Germany among the steepest fallers alongside the Netherlands, Norway, Iceland, and Poland. Still, Germany scored at or slightly above the OECD average in all three subjects. In math, 70% of students reached Level 2 proficiency or higher (OECD average: 69%).
Socioeconomic background remains a strong predictor of outcomes. The link between family socioeconomic status and math scores in Germany is tighter than in many peer countries. Grade repetition is also unusually high: 19% of German students reported repeating a grade at least once, compared to an OECD average of 9%.
Education in Germany Teacher Shortage Projections
Germany faces a projected shortfall of 49,000 teachers by 2035 according to the KMK (Standing Conference of Education Ministers). Independent estimates run much higher. A 2025 peer-reviewed study in the Journal of Education for Teaching put the range at 68,000 to 177,500 depending on the model.
The shortage is concentrated in STEM subjects and is most severe in rural and eastern German regions. In the 2021/22 school year, Germany had approximately 709,000 teachers for about 8.4 million pupils — already down from 783,000 teachers two years earlier. The early childhood sector faces its own gap: an estimated 51,000 to 88,500 ECEC positions could be vacant by 2030.
Tertiary Attainment and Labour Market in Education in Germany
Tertiary attainment among 25–34 year-olds reached 40% in 2024, up from 33% in 2019. The OECD average for that age group is 48%, so Germany still trails its peers. Master’s degree holders account for 15% of the 25–34 cohort, close to the OECD average of 16%.
One unusual feature of the German labour market: the unemployment gap between tertiary and upper-secondary educated workers is nearly zero. Tertiary-educated workers aged 25–64 had a 2.5% unemployment rate; those with only upper secondary qualifications came in at 2.6%. The degree does pay off in earnings though — a 50% premium over upper-secondary-only workers, close to the OECD average of 54%.
At the same time, 15% of 25–34 year-olds lack an upper secondary qualification, up from 13% in 2019. Among EU OECD members, only Italy, Portugal, and Spain have higher shares of young adults without this baseline credential.
FAQ
How many university students are there in Germany?
Close to 2.9 million students were enrolled at German higher education institutions in winter semester 2024/25, with 57.6% at full universities and 38.1% at universities of applied sciences.
How many international students study in Germany?
Germany enrolled 402,083 international students in WS 2024/25. The DAAD forecasts approximately 420,000 for WS 2025/26. India is now the top source country at ~59,000 students.
How much does Germany spend on education per student?
Germany spends $17,960 per student across all education levels (PPP-adjusted), about 20% above the OECD average of $15,023. Tertiary spending reaches $19,500 per student.
What is Germany’s dual vocational training system?
Around 1.22 million trainees split time between companies and vocational schools across 300+ professions. The employment rate of recent VET graduates is 92.2%, well above the EU average of 80%.
How did Germany perform on PISA 2022?
Germany scored 475 in math, 480 in reading, and 492 in science — its lowest-ever PISA results. All three scores declined from 2018 but remained at or slightly above the OECD average.
