14 Sep 2026 • 2 views

Germany Says 34% Foreign Students Stay Until Retirement - DAAD Study

TODAY 14 September 2026 - Berlin - New DAAD German Academic Exchange Service study by Institute of German Economy IW reveals long-term stay rate.

Key Findings from Microcensus Data

• 34% of foreign students who begin studies in Germany remain until retirement age and work in skilled professions - both EU and non-EU
• For cohort of 82,000 foreign starters in 2023: lifetime value added €127 billion, public surplus €23.1 billion
• Previous 2025 forecast was €15.5bn - new estimate 49% higher
• Taxes and social contributions exceed public spending on their education just 2 years after graduation
• Two-thirds of international students intend to stay after graduation, about half seek long-term employment

Current Situation 2026

Fact	Number
Indian students in Germany 2025	59,419 all-time high - up from 28,905 in 2020
German public universities still free?	Mostly yes - except TUM €2,000-€6,000/sem and Baden-Württemberg €1,500/sem since 2017
University of Stuttgart lottery	Bachelor places open after admissions - apply via C@MPUS 14-20 Sept 2026
NMU student selected	Hayley Britz Physics MSc to Heidelberg Laureate Forum Sept 2026 - 200 global students

DAAD President Prof Joybrato Mukherjee: "International students pay more into public after 2 years work than Germany invests - crucial for Fachkräftesicherung skills shortage."

Source: DAAD.de, UA.NEWS, The Local Germany TODAY 14 Sept 2026

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