German students in major host countries, 2019–2021

There is not yet any internationally comparable student data (e.g. based on UNESCO statistics) for the reporting year 2022 that would allow a comprehensive global analysis of the international mobility of German students and how it is affected by the Corona pandemic. However, some of the most important host countries of German students seeking a degree abroad have meanwhile published national student figures for the year 2022 or the academic year 2021/22. On the basis of these data, a first estimate of the development of German students’ mobility abroad in the first Corona years can be made.

In summary, it can be said with regard to the degree-related international mobility of German students that the development in the first Corona year varied greatly depending on the host country and that declining numbers were not recorded in all host countries. Particularly worthy of mention here are the developments in Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland, with some surprisingly significant increases among German students.

As far as the further development of degree-related international mobility of German students is concerned, it can therefore be assumed at the present time that it will vary greatly depending on the host country. In the case of host countries within Europe in particular, a relatively rapid recovery of international mobility to a pre-Corona level is to be expected. With regard to non-European host countries, on the other hand, this recovery is likely to take somewhat longer, especially for countries that have been subject to pandemic-related entry restrictions for a particularly long time, such as China and Japan.