North Rhine‑Westphalia education enrollment & graduations

The 2025/26 winter semester saw master‑level enrolments in North Rhine‑Westphalia hit a record 158,200 students, a 4.6 % increase over the previous year. Master enrolments rose 6.1 % and now represent a larger share of total higher‑education participation, with economics, computer science and psychology remaining the most popular fields. Anticipating a decline in Abitur graduates after the G9 reform, the University of Duisburg‑Essen lifted the Numerus Clausus for 12 programmes to broaden access.

Mid‑2026 data showed extensive secondary‑level certification activity. Agricultural schools in Münster, Herford, Cologne and Essen awarded more than 500 certificates and master‑craft diplomas, including 371 qualifications for state‑certified agribusiness managers and horticulture specialists. The Realschule in Laichingen granted 96 school‑leaving certificates, underscoring strong academic performance.

In July 2026, graduation ceremonies across Germany reaffirmed the trend. At the Fachschulen of the Landwirtschaftskammer Nordrhein‑Westfalen, the same 371 students received agricultural and horticultural qualifications, confirming the earlier figures. Additional ceremonies in Bavaria and elsewhere highlighted hundreds of vocational diplomas and secondary school certificates, but the NRW data remained central to the picture of expanding higher‑education enrolments and secondary qualifications in the state.