How prevalent is racial discrimination against foreign students in German universities in 2025?
Executive summary
Reports and surveys show racial discrimination in Germany remains substantial and visible to international students: a 2024 university survey found 28% of students reported first‑hand discrimination with 12.5% citing “non‑German origin” as a ground [1], and national monitoring in 2024–25 documents broad patterns of racism affecting people perceived as immigrants or Muslims [2] [3]. Recent 2025 reporting finds rising complaints — the federal Anti‑Discrimination Agency received record numbers and NaDiRa’s March 2025 monitoring details pervasive attitudes — creating a climate of unease among overseas students after political shifts [4] [2] [5].
1. What the numbers say: surveys and complaint trends
Multiple, recent surveys point to nontrivial levels of discrimination that touch the university population. An academic study of German university students in 2024 found 28% reported experiencing discrimination firsthand and 45% had witnessed it; non‑German origin accounted for 12.5% of reported discrimination grounds [1]. On the national level, the NaDiRa monitoring project surveyed up to ~20,000 people in early waves and ~9,500 in late 2024, and its March 2025 report highlights entrenched racist attitudes and measurable experiences of discrimination across society [2]. The federal Anti‑Discrimination Agency logged record complaint volumes in 2024, with racism/ethnic origin forming a large share of cases [4] [6].
2. How this shows up for foreign students on campus
Available research and reporting document both direct incidents and a broader institutional climate. Students and researchers report exclusion, stereotyping and microaggressions in higher education, and university working groups and events testify that racism is an ongoing concern inside universities [7] [8] [9]. The academic survey found that among those who experienced discrimination, most saw it repeatedly (68%) or regularly (15.5%), indicating persistence rather than isolated incidents [1].
3. Regional and political context: why 2024–25 matters
The political environment has amplified anxieties. Reporting in 2025 links an increase in anti‑immigrant sentiment and the visible rise of the AfD in elections to a “sense of unease” among overseas students; students interviewed said public politics affected their feeling of belonging even when their day‑to‑day experiences were mixed [5]. Simultaneously, national monitoring in early 2025 found those perceived as immigrants or Muslims most affected by discrimination regardless of actual background [3].
4. Structural and institutional factors
Scholars and advocacy groups argue discrimination is not just interpersonal but structural. Event series and studies note that German higher education often frames diversity in terms like “migration background” instead of explicitly naming race, which can obscure and limit action on racial discrimination [9]. Human Rights Watch and research institutes have documented systemic blind spots in institutional responses and public debate, and government‑commissioned studies are investigating racism within public institutions [10] [11].
5. Limits of the evidence and what we don’t know
Available sources show clear patterns but stop short of providing a single prevalence rate specific to “foreign students in German universities in 2025.” The university survey [1] includes student self‑reports but does not isolate only international students; national monitors [2] [3] survey broader populations. Therefore, precise incidence among foreign students in 2025 is not specified in the cited material — available sources do not mention a definitive, nationally representative prevalence figure limited to international students.
6. Competing interpretations and policy responses
Sources offer competing emphases. Some university and government actors point to anti‑discrimination offices and working groups as evidence of institutional readiness to respond [12] [8]. Critics and scholars say those measures are insufficient without explicit race‑focused policies, better data collection, and acknowledgement of structural racism [9] [13]. NaDiRa and the Anti‑Discrimination Agency argue for stronger legal coverage and expanded monitoring to address findings [2] [6].
7. What this means for prospective or current international students
Expect a mixed picture: many report positive experiences and campus support, yet substantial minorities encounter repeated discrimination or witness it [5] [1]. Institutional resources exist — international offices, complaint mechanisms and university working groups — but scholars warn these may not fully address structural and everyday racism without broader policy change [12] [8] [9].
Final assessment: evidence from 2024–25 shows racial discrimination in German universities and in wider society is significant, often repeated, and shaped by structural factors and political currents; but a precise prevalence rate specifically for foreign students in 2025 is not provided in the available reporting [1] [2] [5].