April 2002 - Nr. 4
Soaring Number of International Students Choose Germany
TWIG - The Federal Republic has seen a marked increase in the number of international students attending German universities and technical schools over the last several years, with a rise of 21% between the 1997/98 and 2000/01 school years. Some 126,000 international students accounted for 11% of all students enrolled at German universities and technical schools in 2000/01.
Preliminary numbers indicate that the number has increased to approximately 140,000 in the most recent school year, according to the German Education and Research Ministry. Germany is the most popular destination in the world for academic study after the United States and Great Britain. Vast increases were seen in the number of students coming from central and eastern Europe, while the number of students from China surged by 83%, to 2,000, between 1997 and 2000.
The expanding international student population in Germany is a win-win situation, said Education and Research Minister Edelgard Bulmahn. "This is even more welcome news because these [students come from] countries that businesses are calling the markets of tomorrow. An education in Germany is, therefore, not only an investment in the future for the individual students, but also for us. We are investing in the people who, in a few years, will help shape the economic, social and cultural processes in their countries. By increasing international cooperation, this investment will surely pay off for both sides."
More and more German universities are offering Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs that appeal to international students in part because they are offered in languages other than German. Through these programs, international students can earn degrees that are more likely to be accepted in the United States and countries with similar academic systems, and they can finish their studies faster than in traditional German university programs.
More Germans are studying abroad, too. In 1999, 45,600 German students enrolled in programs abroad, a 25% increase over 1991. The U.S. and U.K. are the most popular destinations for German students, attracting 44% of those who go abroad. For more information on studying in Germany, go to www.campus-germany.de .
