In the winter semester of 2023/24, the **************** of students in Germany were enrolled in universities, followed by universities of applied sciences. Smaller numbers were distributed in higher education establishments with a specific subject focus. Class in session In general, for higher education the German academic year is split into the winter and summer semester. Actual class starting and ending dates may differ depending on the type of university or college attended, as well as the type of course. In most cases, the German winter semester starts in October and ends in March, while the summer semester begins in April and ends in September. The time during the semester when no classes take place is called the non-lecture period (vorlesungsfreie Zeit), otherwise known among students as semester vacation (Semesterferien). On average, German university graduates who completed their first degree studied for * semesters. It is not uncommon to consider a second degree, after getting a Bachelors, for example a Masters. Tuition-free First-year student numbers have dropped between 2019 and 2022, most probably due to universities being closed and only operating online, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, numbers have been increasing again since 2023. Optimistically so, the number of students taking out a loan to finance their studies has been generally decreasing, as all ** German states have abolished tuition fees for first degrees, although there has been an increase again after a low during the corona pandemic.

In the winter semester 2024/25, 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.