Recent data shows that there are nearly 10,000 Pakistani students attending colleges and universities in Germany. This figure is second only to the United Kingdom which issued over 35,000 student visas to Pakistanis in 2024. The second most popular destination for Pakistani students is Australia which is hosting nearly 24,000 students from Pakistan as of 2023, according to the ICEF Monitor.
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| Top Countries of Origin For International Students in Germany 2024. Source: Study in Germany |
Here's a list of the top 15 countries of origin of foreign students in Germany in 2024:
India 49,008
China 38,687
Turkey 18,084
Austria 15,379
Iran 15,159
Syria 13,379
Russia 10,593
Italy 10,154
Ukraine 9,914
Pakistan 9,873
Egypt 8,060
Morocco 7,398
Tunisia 6,852
Cameroon 6,789
France 6,759
This year, Pakistani students won 114 Erasmus Mundus EU Scholarships, the highest number in the world. This makes Pakistan the top country receiving these scholarships for the fourth consecutive year. The Erasmus Mundus Scholarship is a prestigious European scholarship program for graduates, funding joint master's degrees at prestigious universities across multiple countries.
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| Pakistani Students Received the Highest Number of EU Scholarships in 2025. Source: EU |
Here's the list of top countries of EU Scholarship Winners in 2025:
1. 🇵🇰 Pakistan: 114
2. 🇮🇳 India: 96
3. 🇧🇩 Bangladesh: 95
4. 🇲🇽 Mexico: 93
5. 🇳🇬 Nigeria: 75
6. 🇧🇷 Brazil: 73
7. 🇪🇸 Spain: 65
8. 🇺🇸 USA: 62
9. 🇪🇬 Egypt: 61
10. 🇩🇪 Germany: 61
Pakistan is third, after only China and India, in terms of the size of its college-aged population, according to the United Nations. The British Council expects growth in Pakistani outbound mobility to be among highest in the world over the next decade, along with China, India, Nigeria, and Bangladesh.
Acceptance rate in Pakistani universities and degree colleges was just 13.5% in 2022. Only 541,043 students were accepted from 4,085,185 students who applied. The country produced 471,306 university graduates in 2020-21. Of these, 157,102 were in STEM fields, including 43,000 graduates in information technology (IT).
Pakistan’s gross tertiary enrollment (GER) ratio was only 13% in 2023, according to UNESCO. This is much lower than in India, and lower than in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka as well. Of 109 countries UNESCO profiled in 2021, Pakistan’s tertiary GER was 100th. Given Pakistan’s huge college-aged population, there is serious unmet demand for higher education, according to the ICEF Monitor.
Recent data on which destinations are hosting the most Pakistani students include:
UK: 34,690 in 2022/23 (+50% y-o-y)
China: 28,000 before the pandemic
UAE: 24,865 in 2020 according to UNESCO
Australia: 23,380 in 2023 (+49%)
US: 10,165 in 2022/23 (+16%)
Germany: 8,210 in 2022/23 (+22%)
Kyrgyzstan: 6,000 in 2020 according to UNESCO
Malaysia: 5,000 in 2023
Canada: 4,750 in 2023 (+101%)
Turkey: 2,385 in 2020 according to UNESCO
Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sweden, Qatar: At least 4,000 in 2020 according to UNESCO
Related Links:
2021: A Banner Year For Tech Startups in Pakistan
Pakistan Projected to Be World's 6th Largest Economy By 2075
Digital Pakistan 2022: Broadband Penetration Soars to 90% of 15+ Population
Working Women Seeding a Silent Revolution in Pakistan
Pakistani-American's AI Startup Commands $18 Billion Valuation
Over A Million Pakistani University Students Enrolled in STEM Fields
Pakistan at 75
Growing Presence of Pakistani Women in Science and Technology
Riaz Haq's Youtube Channel
4 comments:
Dear Sir
Asalam Alaikum
Isnt it surprising to know and see that in the list of total number of foreign students studying in the universities of Germany,
India is at the top of the list?
Although according to Indians, India has a much better academic or educational system as compared to Pakistan, and their colleges and universities are better than that of Pakistan in terms of quality and standard.
If this is true then why many Indians apply for foreign universities for higher studies?
Thanks
@Ahmed
How is Prof. Rias going to answer above question :-)
Reason why Indians (and perhaps also Pakistanis) apply to German universities is cost effectiveness. Higher education in India is costly, barring some state funded colleges. Germany offers cheap and yet good quality alternative to domestic and also better than other international options like UK.
Seeing that they overlooked the market, there is also very active marketing by german universities. Some of the degrees are mickey mouse degrees or overspecializations and I doubt their potential.
Ahmed: "If this is true then why many Indians apply for foreign universities for higher studies?"
In addition to quality, there's also insufficient supply of university seats relative to demand (especially for advanced STEM degrees) in China, India and Pakistan. These three countries have the top three college-age populations in the world, according to the United Nations.
𝔻𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕒𝕒 🇨🇦 🇺🇲
@KaleshiBua
There is a global backlash against India and its rogue Modi-RSS regime.
https://x.com/KaleshiBua/status/1950534404885119363
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Schengen visa crackdown on Indians: Germany, France, Italy reject several visa applicants
Data from 2024 shows over 165,000 Indian applications were rejected, marking one of the steepest barriers yet for tourism, business and study-related travel to the EU
https://www.businesstoday.in/nri/visa/story/schengen-visa-crackdown-on-indians-germany-france-italy-reject-several-visa-applicants-486767-2025-07-29
Students and professionals hit hardest
The sharp rise in rejections is affecting not only tourists but also students, professionals and small businesses. Germany, long seen as a student-friendly destination, has become harder to access.
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Experts warn the India-EU travel corridor could suffer long-term damage if rejection rates remain this high. Applicants are advised to prepare stronger documentation, apply well in advance, and brace for extended delays, or consider alternative destinations.
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Indian travellers eyeing Europe in 2025 are facing unprecedented visa hurdles, with Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland leading a wave of Schengen rejections that have cost Indian applicants over ₹136 crore in lost fees and bookings.
Data from 2024 shows over 165,000 Indian applications were rejected, marking one of the steepest barriers yet for tourism, business and study-related travel to the EU. Consulates are citing incomplete paperwork, vague travel plans and stricter scrutiny, especially from Germany, which has scrapped its informal appeal process for Indians, leaving legal action as the only recourse.
France, Switzerland, Germany among the worst for visa denials
France alone accounted for 31,314 rejections, nearly a ₹25.8 crore financial loss for Indian travellers. Switzerland followed with 26,126, while Germany and Italy denied over 15,000 applications each. The Netherlands also contributed significantly with 14,569 refusals, according to Schengen News.
Applicants are also losing money on non-refundable hotel bookings, flights and insurance, with many left scrambling to revise or cancel plans.
Germany ends fast-track appeals, delays pile up
In a policy shift this July, Germany ended the remonstration process, a relatively quick method to appeal rejected visas, forcing Indians to go through full legal proceedings. The move has added both cost and uncertainty to an already strained system.
Adding to the chaos are appointment delays of up to two months at some consulates, particularly during the busy summer travel window. Germany and France are experiencing the worst of the backlogs, with consulates struggling to keep up with volume.
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