A new survey reveals that Germany is the most attractive country in the EU for international students.
The newly published Study.EU rankings sees Germany take top spot ahead of the UK and the Netherlands.
For the study, 30 European countries were ranked based on scores in three dimensions: Education, Cost, and Life & Career. Germany achieved high ranks across the board, offering high-quality teaching at many well-ranked universities. While the UK scored well for academic reputation and the number of available study programmes, it was the most expensive country in the sample.
The ranking is published against the backdrop of major political shifts in Europe and the world. “Two significant political developments will influence global higher education for years to come,” explained Study.EU CEO Gerrit Bruno Blöss. “First, there is the Trump presidency, driving international students away from the US to other countries – in many cases, Europe. And then there is the upcoming Brexit, of which neither the time line nor the consequences are foreseeable.
“Many prospective students expect deteriorating conditions in the UK, and they start looking for study-abroad experiences elsewhere in Europe.”
In recent years, the number of students enrolled in English-taught programmes in continental Europe has been growing at an annual rate of 13 per cent. With the US and UK – the world’s two most popular destinations – likely to become less attractive to international students over the next couple of years, Blöss expects the continental growth to accelerate.
“We have seen tremendous growth over the past decade, but still only 2 per cent of all university students in continental Europe study in English. We expect this ratio to double over the next three to four years, fuelled by a growing demand from students. This is a chance for smaller, often overlooked countries to gain a stronger international presence as alternative study destinations. At the same time, a British Pound weakened by Brexit may improve the UK’s attractiveness to non-European students. We certainly have exciting years ahead of us.”
Study.EU top 10 country ranking 2017
- Germany
- UK
- The Netherlands
- France
- Sweden
- Russia
- Switzerland
- Italy
- Belgium
- Norway
Article published 4th April 2017