As the West tightens immigration policies, shutting its doors to foreign students and resulting in visa rejections, Germany has emerged as a very student-friendly destination.
The West has long been a favoured destination for Indian students seeking higher education, but this preference is shifting over time.
Why Are Indian Students Choosing Germany?
The US, Canada, and the UK used to be the top choices for a majority of Indian students in higher education. But now, Germany is the one. This choice is a product of various factors.
The re-election of Donald Trump has increased the chances of stricter immigration policies. “We’re closing the border,” he had said in an interview with Fox News. Thus, it will get more difficult for students and professionals to acquire visas.
Moreover, the increasing costs of education in the United Kingdom for foreign students have led to a fall in applications to the universities there. Due to significant financial challenges faced by colleges, international students are bearing the rising costs of education, as UK citizens benefit from heavily subsidised fees.
Stricter regulations and the difficulty in securing well-paying jobs further reduce the number of overseas students in the UK as the fear of being unable to pay off student debt looms over them.
Adding on, the ongoing diplomatic crisis between Canada and India, over the issue of Khalistani separatists, has led to restrictions on international study permits and as per study abroad platforms, a 60% drop in the number of Indians choosing Canada for further studies is predicted over the next year.
Therefore, amid such problems, Germany has become the most preferred location by Indian students.
Read More: Why Germany Is Experimenting With 4-Day Work Week For Six Months
Why Is Germany Wooing Indian Students?
Currently, Indian students make up the largest group of international students in Germany and the number is expected to surge. The country’s Federal Statistical Office revealed a 15% rise in Indian students in Germany over the last year, reaching 43,483 for the winter semester of 2023-24.
This is because Germany is facing a severe labour crunch and is in dire need of skilled professionals in sectors important to its economy.
“We lack hands and minds,” said German Economy Minister Robert Habeck while presenting the government’s 2024 economic report, adding that the problem will worsen due to a rise in the ageing population. He also revealed that there are currently 700,000 unfilled vacancies, which is why the potential of economic growth in Europe’s largest economy has fallen to 0.7% from 2% in the 1980s and might fall to 0.05% if a sustainable solution isn’t put in place soon.
Habeck also said that approximately 2.6 million people falling in the 20-30 age group possess no professional qualifications. A survey showed that more than 50% of Germans lack incentives to work after the government planned to increase welfare benefits.
At a press briefing in New Delhi, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) president, Dr Joybrato Mukherjee said, “At 43000, Indian students form the largest number of international students in Germany. It is important to make the German labour market attractive for Indian students after they get their educational degrees to address the increasing gap in skilled workers in the German labour market.”
He also revealed that Germany’s newly adopted Skilled Immigration Act, which was put into force on March 1 this year, will ensure a smooth integration of Indian students into the German labour market.
“For Indian students, who have got German degrees many of which are taught in English; the way to getting employment in Germany and other Schengen area countries is now more attractive. We believe in the concept of brain circulation rather than brain drain and we think that international students who are well qualified can follow a very successful professional career path in Germany,” he said.
A survey by ApplyBoard Recruitment Partner Pulse said that 49% of respondents preferred Germany to be the top choice for international students. Another reason for the increase in foreign students in Germany is the affordability of public universities that do not charge any tuition fees even for non-EU (European Union) students.
Moreover, Times Higher Education World University Rankings featured 10 German universities in 2024, further motivating applications from overseas students.
60% of Indian students are enrolled in engineering in the country, 21% are pursuing law, management and social studies and 13% are attracted to Mathematics and Social Sciences.
Sources: The Economic Times, India Today, The Financial Express
Find the blogger: Unusha Ahmad
This post is tagged under: Germany, Indian, students, international, overseas, US, UK, Canada, Donald Trump, law, management, social studies, social sciences, mathematics, engineering, German, Times Higher Education World University Rankings, universities, tuition fees, EU, ApplyBoard Recruitment Partner Pulse, Skilled Immigration Act, labour market, New Delhi, president, German Academic Exchange Service, Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, Khalistani, separatists, immigration, Fox News, higher education, West, visa
We do not hold any right over any of the images used, these have been taken from Google. In case of credits or removal, the owner may kindly mail us.
Other Recommendations:
Here’s Why Indian Students Prefer Germany Over Canada For Further Studies
