How Well Integrated are Indian Students and Expats in Germany?

Germany is a popular destination for international students and expats, with the Indian community forming a significant portion. How does their integration experience compare to others?

This article explores how well Indian students and expats are integrating into German society. The data is drawn from our comprehensive study on the integration of internationals in Germany.

Über die Studie

From July to September 2022, we asked our customer base about their integration experiences in Germany. A total of 9,106  international students and expats from 126 countries, shared insights on integrating in Germany, offering valuable information for internationals.

Aus dieser Studie haben wir Daten abgeleitet, die sich speziell auf indische Ausländer in Deutschland und ihren Integrationsweg beziehen.

Demografische Daten

Laut der Studie ist der durchschnittliche indische Ausländer männlich und zog im Alter zwischen 18 und 25 Jahren nach Deutschland . Nur ein Viertel der indischen Befragten war weiblich. Fast 30 % der Befragten waren zwischen 26 und 35 Jahre alt, als sie nach Deutschland zogen.

Who Guided Indian Students and Expats on Their Way to Germany?

More than half of Indian students and expats moved to Germany without any help and organised everything by themselves. Friends or family guided almost a third, while 11% received support from a study abroad consultant.

Integration Among Indian Students and Expats in Germany

Respondents were asked to rate how well integrated they felt in Germany on a scale from 1 to 10. Only 5% of the Indian respondents felt they were “not well integrated” (1-3), while more than half felt “somewhat integrated” (4-7). 40% of Indian students and expats felt “very well integrated” (8-10).

This is much higher than the 32% of all respondents from the general study, who felt “very well integrated”. On average, Indian students and expats seem to experience a higher perception of integration in comparison to other internationals.

Deutsch lernen als Schritt zur Integration

On average, Indian respondents seem to have lower German language skills in comparison to their counterparts from other countries. 12% of the Indian students and expats did not speak German yet, while 60%  had beginner A1-A2 German skills.

Ein Viertel der indischen Befragten verfügte über Deutschkenntnisse auf B1-B2-Niveau. Dies ist ein niedriger Wert im Vergleich zu den allgemeinen Daten. Nur 4 % besaßen ein C1-C2-Zertifikat der deutschen Sprache. Dies ist ein deutlicher Rückgang gegenüber den 17 %, die von der Gesamtzahl der Befragten angegeben wurden.

Teilnahme an außerschulischen Aktivitäten

Indian students in Germany appear to take more advantage of extracurricular activitiesoffered by their universities. Slightly more than half of the respondents reported to have participated in extracurricular activities. This is a 10% increase in comparison to the general data.

Participating in extracurricular activities gives students the chance to acquire new skills and establish new connections. Therefore, one can consider it as one of the most readily accessible opportunities for integration.

Entscheidungen nach dem Studium, Karrierepläne und Erfahrungen bei der Arbeitssuche

The study indicates that Indian students are more likely to stay in Germany after graduation. Nearly 70% reported that they intend to stay in Germany, while 30% were unsure. Only 4% did not plan on extending their stay in Germany after completing their studies.

In correspondence, Indian respondents showed more readiness to start a career in Germany after their studies. 80% of Indian students planned to purse a career in Germany, when 18% had not decided yet. Merely 2% of the respondents had no intention of starting a career in Germany.

More than 80% of Indian respondents said they felt “very prepared” to “somewhat prepared” to start a career in Germany. The general study shows that international students who feel more integrated are better prepared to start working in Germany.

Reasons for this include the ability to communicate effectively in German and a better understanding of German culture. An additional measure international students could take to prepare themselves is to network during their time in university. Options include attending job fairs and career events as well as doing internships during semester breaks.

Die Mehrheit der indischen Befragten fühlte sich bereit, eine Karriere in Deutschland zu beginnen. Allerdings empfanden fast 40 % von ihnen den Prozess der Arbeitssuche in Deutschland als "mäßig schwierig" bis "sehr schwierig". Weitere 40 % gaben an, dass ihre Erfahrungen bei der Arbeitssuche in Deutschland weder einfach noch schwierig waren. Etwa 20 % bezeichneten ihre Erfahrungen bei der Arbeitssuche als "mäßig leicht" bis "sehr leicht".

Joining an Indian student association could help Indian students in Germany in their job search by providing access to resources such as career counseling and resume workshops. Student association often also offer a platform for networking with professionals and finding potential internship opportunities.

Weitere Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen aus der allgemeinen Umfrage finden Sie hier.