Germany university enrollment: Most students stay in home states

higher education university enrollment student mobility Germany academic year 2025/26

Data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) regarding the 2025/26 winter semester reveals that a significant majority of students in Germany—69 percent—begin their studies in the same federal state where they obtained their university entrance qualification.

Regional trends vary significantly. In North Rhine-Westphalia, 82 percent of students remain in the state, whereas in Brandenburg, only 33 percent do so, with many moving to neighboring Berlin. Saxony shows a 67 percent retention rate, while Thuringia reports 56.9 percent.

In Bavaria, universities are experiencing a major surge. The state reports over 403,000 enrolled students, with first-year enrollments increasing by nearly 19 percent. This growth is attributed to investments in specialized fields like AI and the transition from the G8 to the G9 school system. Notably, Bavaria has also achieved gender parity, with women making up exactly half of the student population.

Factors influencing these patterns include the diversity of academic offerings, local living conditions, and geographic proximity to home.

Entities

Bayern · Berlin · Brandenburg · International University (IU) · Markus Blume · North Rhine-Westphalia · Sachsen · Statistisches Bundesamt · Thüringen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] 69 percent of first-year students began their studies in the same federal state where they obtained their higher education entrance qualification during the 2025/26 winter semester. radioosnabrueck.de · bildungsklick.de · presse-augsburg.de
[● 3 SOURCES] Proximity to home and the diversity of academic offerings are key factors in determining where students choose to study. radioosnabrueck.de · bildungsklick.de · presse-augsburg.de
[● 3 SOURCES] In Brandenburg, only 33 percent of students began their studies in the state, while 32 percent moved to neighboring Berlin. radioosnabrueck.de · bildungsklick.de · presse-augsburg.de
[● 3 SOURCES] In North Rhine-Westphalia, 82 percent of first-year students remained in the state for their studies. radioosnabrueck.de · bildungsklick.de · presse-augsburg.de