Study abroad: Best cities for students in Germany, top universities and more
QS Best Student Cities 2026 includes three German cities. Here is a detailed look.
Germany is emerging as a top choice for Indian students planning to study abroad. As per last year's data, international students represented 13 per cent of the total students in the country. India was leading with 42,578 students followed by China with 39,137 students.
Also read: Seoul best city for students in the world, Tokyo second; Mumbai among top 100 in QS rankings
Germany has some of the top-ranked higher education institutions in the world, a key factor that a student planning to study abroad would consider. However, there are other things one should look at before choosing an institution in a foreign country. Some of them are the cost of living, diversity, employment opportunities, and student satisfaction.
The recently announced QS rankings for the best student cities in the world could help in making this decision. QS Best Student Cities 2026 includes three German cities. Here is a detailed look.
Munich
{{/usCountry}}Munich
{{/usCountry}}Munich is fourth overall in the list of the best destinations in the world for students in the QS rankings. The rankers say desirability, employer activity and affordability indicators due to the city’s lower prices compared to other European hubs, quality of life, ease of getting around, nightlife and Bavarian friendliness helped the city to achieve this rank.
- Top universities in Munich: Technical University of Munich (QS rank: 22), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (QS rank 58)
- Ratings as per QS: Student View: 94.8, Student Mix: 88.3, Employer Activity: 90, Desirability: 87.4, Affordability: 52
- Career opportunities: Munich ranks well for employer activity in the QS rankings. The city is a strong business hub with companies like BMW, Allianz, PWC, Accenture and Deloitte all having headquarters in the city's economic districts, generating opportunities for young graduates across industries and sectors.
Munich is fourth overall in the list of the best destinations in the world for students in the QS rankings. The rankers say desirability, employer activity and affordability indicators due to the city’s lower prices compared to other European hubs, quality of life, ease of getting around, nightlife and Bavarian friendliness helped the city to achieve this rank.
- Top universities in Munich: Technical University of Munich (QS rank: 22), Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (QS rank 58)
- Ratings as per QS: Student View: 94.8, Student Mix: 88.3, Employer Activity: 90, Desirability: 87.4, Affordability: 52
- Career opportunities: Munich ranks well for employer activity in the QS rankings. The city is a strong business hub with companies like BMW, Allianz, PWC, Accenture and Deloitte all having headquarters in the city's economic districts, generating opportunities for young graduates across industries and sectors.
Also read: University of Southampton opens campus in Delhi-NCR, to offer programmes in 5 fields initially
Berlin (Global rank: 7)
While the German capital may not stand out as an academic hub compared to cities like London, Paris or Boston, three universities in Berlin feature in the QS World University Rankings.
Freie Universitaet Berlin (QS rank: 88)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (QS rank: 130)
Technische Universität Berlin (TU Berlin) (QS rank: 145)
Here's how Berlin performs in various indicators for QS best student cities rankings:
Student View: 100
Student Mix: 77.6
Employer Activity: 85.5
Desirability: 84.2
Affordability: 53.7
Stuttgart (Global rank: 119)
Stuttgart is the capital and largest city of Baden-Württemberg. The city has two universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings:
Universität Stuttgart (QS ranking: 355)
University of Hohenheim (801-1000)
More about Stuttgart
Around 17 per cent of Stuttgart's student population is international. QS has ranked the city 26th for desirability this year, which is one of two indicators where the city has improved its rank. The other is student view.
Average fees: US$4,100
Desirability rank: 26th
Employer Activity rank: 99th
Affordability rank: 63rd
Student View rank: 115th
Students who want to study in Germany should know that no tuition fees are charged for undergraduate students at public universities in the majority of the country, regardless of nationality.
