In 2025, about 1.9 million people in Germany began tertiary studies, started vocational training, entered a transition programme between school and employment, or set out to obtain a university‑entrance qualification. According to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the number of new entrants in these sectors remained almost unchanged compared with 2024 (+0.1 % or 1 100 people).
Of the 1.9 million new entrants, 688 200 started a vocational training after completing lower secondary school, which is 1.2 % (8 200 people) fewer than in 2024. In contrast, the number of students enrolling in university after upper secondary school rose by 1.6 % (7 700 people) to roughly 502 300.
About 262 200 young people began a transitional programme that bridges school and vocational training. This figure grew by 0.7 % (1 700 people) from 2024, marking the fourth consecutive year of growth. Sixty‑one per cent of participants in these programmes were male. The programmes aim to provide basic vocational skills, teach German, or help students catch up on a school diploma.
Roughly 463 800 students pursued the path toward the Abitur or another university‑entrance qualification-either in high‑school upper grades or at professional schools-without any change from the previous year.
Foreign‑national participants had shown strong growth across all sectors in 2024, but this trend did not continue into 2025. New increases were limited to two areas: 132 500 foreigners began vocational training, an 11 % jump of 13 500 people over the prior year, and 49 900 foreigners started a programme for a university‑entrance qualification, up 7 % (3 400 people). Foreign university entrants rose only 1.7 % (2 400 people) to 148 100 individuals. In the transitional sector, foreign starters actually fell slightly by 1.1 % (1 200 people) to 108 500.
Statisticians suggest that the gains in foreign participation across these three sectors are mainly due to young migrants who gradually integrate into Germany’s diverse educational pathways.