Planning To Study In Germany? Here Are Top Cities For International Students
Germany has emerged as a preferred study-abroad destination, especially for Indian students. As per recent data, international students make up about 13% of the total student population in Germany. Of these, Indian students lead the pack with 42,578 enrolments, followed by China with 39,137.
What draws students to Germany is not just the globally ranked universities but also factors like affordability, quality of life, career prospects, and a diverse student environment. For those exploring their options, the QS Best Student Cities Rankings 2026 can be a helpful guide in identifying ideal cities for studying in Germany.
Top German Cities in QS Best Student Cities 2026
Munich (Global Rank: 4)
Munich ranks fourth globally in the QS Best Student Cities 2026. It scores highly for desirability, employer activity, and overall affordability.
Leading universities:
Technical University of Munich (QS rank: 22)
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (QS rank: 58)
While living costs in Munich are on the higher side compared to cities like Berlin or even London, its excellent infrastructure and high standard of living make it an attractive choice. The city is also a major economic hub, home to global giants such as BMW, Allianz, Deloitte, and Accenture-making it ideal for career growth. In employer activity, Munich ranks 90 in the QS index.
Berlin (Global Rank: 7)
Berlin is another top performer, placed seventh globally in the rankings. It is home to three universities featured in the QS World University Rankings:
Freie Universität Berlin (QS rank: 88)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (QS rank: 130)
Technische Universität Berlin (QS rank: 145)
Berlin's QS Performance Highlights:
Student View: 100
Student Mix: 77.6
Employer Activity: 85.5
Desirability: 84.2
Affordability: 53.7
The city scores the highest in the "Student View" category, indicating strong satisfaction levels among students. Its thriving cultural life, affordable education, and rich academic legacy make Berlin a top choice for international students.
Stuttgart (Global Rank: 119)
Stuttgart, the capital of Baden-Württemberg, is also gaining popularity among international students. About 17% of its student population is from outside Germany.
Key universities:
Universität Stuttgart (QS rank: 355)
University of Hohenheim (QS range: 801-1000)
In QS rankings, Stuttgart stands out particularly for desirability (ranked 26th globally) and student experience. With a strong industrial presence and academic resources, it offers a balanced student lifestyle.
No Tuition Fees At Public Universities
One major benefit for international students in Germany is that most public universities do not charge tuition fees at the undergraduate level-regardless of the student's nationality.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Value Chain
5 minutes ago
- Fashion Value Chain
Footfall Surge: Malls in NCR Redesign Strategies to Attract Footfall
Delhi-NCR's retail landscape is seeing a compelling revival. Footfall in malls has not only bounced back post-pandemic but is surpassing pre-COVID levels during weekends, holidays, and festive periods. This resurgence reflects a deeper shift in consumer behavior, where physical spaces are once again central to how people shop, socialize, and unwind. Retail Redefined: NCR Malls Transform from Shopping Hubs to Experience-Driven Destinations In response, mall operators and developers are reimagining these spaces to go beyond transactions. By blending entertainment, community engagement, and curated experiences, they are aligning with the expectations of experience-hungry, digitally aware consumers. Indias retail sector is poised for historic expansion, with a record 16.6 million sq. ft. of Grade A mall space expected to be completed across the country's top seven cities by the end of 2026, as per Anarock's report. Leading this growth are Hyderabad and Delhi-NCR, which together will contribute nearly 65% of the new retail space, reaffirming their position as the country's most promising consumption hubs. The research reflects a broader trend of rising consumer demand, fuelled by increasing incomes, urbanisation, and the entry of global retail brands into the Indian market. The report also notes that leasing activity remains robust, with over 12.6 Mn sq. ft. projected to be leased across 2025 and 2026. A key driver of this momentum is the entry of more than 60 international brands across fashion, electronics, lifestyle, and food & beverage sectors in the past four years. As a result, mall developers are increasingly focusing on quality and location, with a clear shift toward Grade A developments. Arjun Gehlot, Director, Ambience Malls – Gurugram and Vasant Kunj, says, 'In the NCR region, malls have become central to redefining how modern India experiences retail. Consumers are seeking deeper, more curated interactions, placing value on ambiance, events, personalisation, and lifestyle integration. In Gurugram, rising disposable incomes, strong metro connectivity, and significant infrastructure upgrades have made the city a magnet for top-tier Indian and global brands, rivalling even Delhi. At Ambience Malls, we've responded to this shift by creating immersive, multi-sensory environments, combining gourmet food, wellness zones, art installations, and entertainment arenas. We've also integrated sustainable design elements and eco-conscious dcor to align with evolving consumer values. Our malls are designed to be places where people not only shop but build lasting emotional connections and experiences they return to.' As malls evolve into holistic lifestyle destinations, developers are rethinking how space is planned and experienced. Fashion, F&B, entertainment, and essential services are being blended more intelligently to guide consumer flow and maximise engagement. Theres a clear move toward premiumisation of the tenant mix, with high-end brands and gourmet experiences gaining ground, but without distancing the broader, value-conscious audience. Pankaj Jain, Founder and CMD, SPJ Group, says, 'Gurugram's commercial growth has been a catalyst for the city's thriving retail ecosystem, driving strong momentum in leasing activity. We're seeing a clear shift in consumer expectations-people now gravitate toward spaces that offer more than just shopping. Interestingly, Gurugram's next big retail story is emerging from high-potential yet untapped micro-markets, and we see a significant opportunity in locations like Old Gurgaon, where curated, experience-led retail formats will strike the right balance between convenience and discovery.' Ishwin Singh Hora, Director, Reach Group, says, 'High Street formats are gaining traction due to their well-designed, open-format spaces that offer visibility, adaptability, and a deeper connection with the community. Unlike traditional mall environments, high streets allow brands to craft more personalised and immersive narratives, while benefiting from easy accessibility and a vibrant street-level presence. Thus, with strong interest from both national and international brands, we see high street retail as the next frontier in urban shopping experiences, especially in dynamic cities like Gurugram.' Prakash Mehta, Chairman and Managing Director, Ocus Group, says, 'Retail leasing in NCR is growing momentarily, particularly with the renewed focus on organised high-street formats and evolving investment preferences. We're seeing global and domestic brands increasingly drawn to strategically located, well-planned high streets. Emerging corridors like Sohna Road and sectors along it like Sector 68 are gaining traction for their connectivity and development potential. Thus, we see the market clearly shifting toward projects that go beyond conventional retail.' Thus, the resurgence in mall footfall across NCR signals more than just a return to pre-pandemic normalcy-it marks a redefinition of what retail spaces mean to communities. While the numbers are encouraging, the real challenge lies in sustaining engagement over time.
Economic Times
5 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Valuations High, Earnings Weak — Markets May Pause
Despite geopolitical tensions, global equity markets, including India's Nifty, have shown resilience. While domestic investor participation provides support, a significant breakout requires stronger earnings growth, currently facing tepid levels. India's robust macros and potential trade deal outcomes could drive future earnings recovery, particularly in the banking sector, though elevated valuations suggest patience is warranted. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads What are the possibilities of a breakdown below 24500 or a breakout above 25500? Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads A big learning from stock market experience is that the market's long-term trend is largely predictable; but the short-term trend is almost impossible to predict. The long-term trend of the market is dictated by earnings; but in the short-term, many non-fundamental factors impact the market, rendering predictions almost interesting feature of the behavior of global equity markets this year has been their resilience despite serious geopolitical turbulence. Even wars didn't trigger any significant correction in markets . Markets climbed all walls of worries that emerged from the geopolitical turbulence in May and June. In the mother market US, S&P 500 and Nasdaq set many new records this year. This resilience of global equity markets has been reflecting in the performance of the Indian market, too. Nifty has been oscillating between 24500-25500 since often, than not, triggers for correction come from unexpected developments. That's the unknown area. An important event that can influence the market in the near-term is the outcome of the India-US trade negotiations . An interim trade deal is likely. The unknown element is the tariff rate that will be imposed on the tariff rate is lower than 20 percent, that would be a positive. If it is much lower at around 15 percent, the market would respond positively since that would place India in an advantageous position vis-à-vis our trading news on the tariff front can impact the market pulling Nifty below the recent support level of 24500. But a sharp and sustaining correction appears unlikely since domestic buying can lift the market.A strong pillar of support for the rally which took the Nifty from the COVID low of 7511 in March 2020 to the recent peak of 26277 in September 2024 has been the active participation from domestic the FII selling, the market rallied. The sustained rise in the numbers of unique investors, demat accounts and SIP accounts have been a pillar of support for the market. The continuous fund flows into equity and hybrid funds enabled fund managers to buy every dip in the market. This trend can continue, providing resilience to the a clear breakout above Nifty 25500, taking the index to higher levels needs fundamental support from earnings . This is the challenge which the market is facing now. After sharp spurts in earnings in FY21, FY22 and FY24, earnings growth turned tepid in FY25. For FY25 PAT growth was a pedestrian 5.6 percent for Nifty FY26 the present trend indicates only about 10 percent earnings growth for Nifty 50. This modest earnings growth potential cannot facilitate a sustained rally in the are expected to grow beginning from Q3 FY26. India's macros are strong – GDP growth is the best among large economies; fiscal deficit and current account deficit at 4.8 percent and 1 percent of GDP respectively are under control; forex reserves are ample at around $700 billion, CPI inflation (2.1percent in June) is well within RBI's Government provided big fiscal stimulus through massive personal income tax cuts in the 2025 Budget and the MPC has complemented the fiscal stimulus with a 50 bp rate cut and 100 bp CRR cut in the June policy meet. This provides the ideal setting for an earnings Trump's tariff tantrums and the uncertainty that has triggered has impacted all economies including India. International trade has been impacted and exports are sluggish. This is a drag on the economy in the near-term but stability is expected to return after the initial strong macros will soon start reflecting in corporate earnings. This is likely to happen starting from Q3 when the banking sector starts reporting superior earnings benefiting from the CRR cut. Hopefully, credit growth too will start picking up soon responding to lower interest valuations in India, coupled with tepid earnings growth, is not a favorable market construct that can trigger and sustain a rally in the market in the near-term. This is the time to remain patient for better times, which are not far away.(The author is Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services : Recommendations, suggestions, views, and opinions given by experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Economic Times
5 minutes ago
- Economic Times
IPO or M&A? Why Indian promoters are choosing both
From Backup Plan to Built-In Strategy What Has Changed? Live Events IPO vs. M&A: What Founders Stand to Gain Real-Time Instances: How India Is Playing The Dual Game Dual-Track Being Execution-Heavy Is Worth It What H2 2025 Will Bring The Bigger Picture (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel As India steps into the second half of 2025, the country's most ambitious Founders are exiting differently. IPO and M&A are no longer a binary choice. This is the dual-track exit era: When companies prepare for an IPO but keep strategic or financial M&A discussions alive. Long considered a hedge in Western markets, this approach is now an intentional and predominant playbook in this is not just talk. IPO filings of over INR 1.1 lakh crore (USD ~12.7bn) in H1, and more than USD 20bn in disclosed M&A deals, including inbound interest in fintech, NBFCs Q-commerce , and defence, speak for themselves. However, the untold story lies deep beneath the filings, where Founders are engaging in a parallel choreography of multiple used to be the aspirational route, while M&As always seemed to be Plan B. But 2025 has replaced this thinking. Today, founders prepare for IPOs to unlock M&A premium and vice regulatory uncertainty posed roadblocks at the structural level. The reverse flip, i.e., the relocation of Indian-origin startups from Delaware/Singapore back into India, is now quite routine. Several high-growth companies have demonstrated that it is not only feasible but also rewarding, particularly with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) increasingly attending to technological intricacies in IPO vetting, along with MCA/RBI setting up easements in compliance late-stage capital has become selective, thereby forcing Founders to bake in some measures of optionality. The mere preparation of a Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP), with its rigour in compliance, disclosures, and governance, forces a company to become exit-ready, however, whichever door it walks market volatility exists. What might seem like a golden IPO window in Q1 can suddenly be gone by Q3. Running a synchronised M&A process provides a fallback or, in many cases, a much speedier, cleaner pave the way for long-term growth capital, boost brand visibility, and create a public currency for future deals. M&As bring speed, valuation clarity, and the potential for strategic synergies. Today, Founders are not choosing one over the other; they are leveraging both. Dual tracking is no longer a fallback; it's a forward-looking strategy to maximise value, retain leadership, and shape the future on their terms.A leading fintech unicorn filed its DRHP to raise INR 2,600 crores, post its reverse-flip back to India in April 2025. No M&A deal is prima facie announced; however, indications suggest that the company is setting IPO valuation as the pricing anchor for strategic a prominent quick commerce player has quietly advanced its dual-track agenda. After re-domiciling to India in 2024, its path to IPO was always expected. However, multiple suitors are reportedly circling, and the company seems to be using M&A interest as a pricing test before officially filing its the industrial space, a major building materials company has taken a textbook dual-track approach. While it has SEBI's nod for an INR 4,000 crore IPO, it is also actively exploring inorganic expansion via distressed asset acquisitions under India's Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) framework. This two-pronged play supports growth and enhances the company's appeal to both public investors and strategic are no longer isolated cases, but structural changes affecting the exit planning side, as well as the way Indian companies view liquidity strategy in comparison with timing, readiness, and true dual-track process is by no means a passive hedge, but an execution-intensive strategy. Companies must maintain two parallel data rooms - one for IPO diligence and the other for private buyers. The narrative must be tailored differently - growth, governance and scalability for public markets; synergies and market consolidation for strategic buyers. Advisors such as bankers, lawyers, and consultants need to be coordinated to run parallel but distinct processes. Public disclosures like DRHP filings must be timed with precision. They can be used tactically to spark or strengthen M&A conversations, creating price tension across both IPO calendar for H2 2025 is packed, with several large companies across infrastructure, fintech, and consumer sectors preparing to test public market appetite. Meanwhile, strategists sit on record dry powder. Global majors in defence, payments, and consumer internet are scouring India not for early-stage bets but for exit-ready, governance-strong dealmaking is likely to accelerate, particularly for companies in the INR 500–2,000 crore revenue band, where public market appetite may remain sector-sensitive or ambiguous. Dual-track exits will also expand beyond tech into new verticals such as renewables, EV infrastructure, healthcare delivery, and the DRHP itself is gaining a new role, less as a declaration of IPO intent, more as a pricing discovery tool. Increasingly, founders and boards are using it as the new term sheet, signalling readiness and setting valuation benchmarks that strategic buyers must react believe the rise of dual-track exits marks more than just a tactical shift; it signals a maturing of India's private capital ecosystem. This is where Founder ambition meets institutional discipline. Companies are no longer reactive to market sentiment; they're proactively shaping outcomes with optionality built into every decision. Dual tracking is not about indecision, but intelligent design. For founders, it means greater control over timing and valuation. For investors, it offers more flexible exit pathways. And for India Inc., it points to a new era of dealmaking, one that blends global capital sensibilities with India's appetite for innovation and growth.(The author is , Partner, Deal Value Creation Services, BDO India)
