| 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
| Category | Number | |||||||||||||||||||
15 to 19 year old population
2) | 4,835,789 | 4,762,364 | 4,642,964 | 4,479,630 | 4,317,072 | 4,140,394 | 4,027,946 | 4,038,105 | 4,040,497 | 4,066,788 | 4,189,964 | 4,172,869 | 4,080,567 | 4,003,477 | 3,939,243 | 3,856,774 | 3,826,980 | 3,864,600 | 3,945,710 | 3,966,047 |
| 739,168 | 751,562 | 788,956 | 776,047 | 728,484 | 729,577 | 741,023 | 726,560 | 716,040 | 698,115 | 698,420 | 707,625 | 712,550 | 723,890 | 724,610 | 655,265 | 682,200 | 683,915 | 692,990 | 691,165 | |
| 417,649 | 412,083 | 386,864 | 358,969 | 344,515 | 316,494 | 281,662 | 259,730 | 255,400 | 252,670 | 266,190 | 302,880 | 283,140 | 263,930 | 249,980 | 234,600 | 224,850 | 239,520 | 251,260 | 259,430 | |
First-year students
6) | 356,076 | 344,967 | 361,459 | 396,800 | 424,273 | 444,719 | 518,748 | 495,088 | 508,621 | 504,882 | 506,580 | 509,760 | 513,166 | 511,997 | 508,689 | 490,355 | 472,354 | 473,665 | 481,962 | 490,304 |
| Category | Share (%) | |||||||||||||||||||
Development of the 15 to 19 age group (2005=100%)
2) | 100.0 | 98.5 | 96.0 | 92.6 | 89.3 | 85.6 | 83.3 | 83.5 | 83.6 | 84.1 | 86.6 | 86.3 | 84.4 | 82.8 | 81.5 | 79.8 | 79.1 | 79.9 | 81.6 | 82.0 |
Development of new entrants in the vocational training sector (2005=100%)
4) | 100.0 | 101.7 | 106.7 | 105.0 | 98.6 | 98.7 | 100.3 | 98.3 | 96.9 | 94.4 | 94.5 | 95.7 | 96.4 | 97.9 | 98.0 | 88.6 | 92.3 | 92.5 | 93.8 | 93.5 |
| 100.0 | 98.7 | 92.6 | 85.9 | 82.5 | 75.8 | 67.4 | 62.2 | 61.2 | 60.5 | 63.7 | 72.5 | 67.8 | 63.2 | 59.9 | 56.2 | 53.8 | 57.3 | 60.2 | 62.1 | |
Development of first-year students (2005=100%)
6) | 100.0 | 96.9 | 101.5 | 111.4 | 119.2 | 124.9 | 145.7 | 139.0 | 142.8 | 141.8 | 142.3 | 143.2 | 144.1 | 143.8 | 142.9 | 137.7 | 132.7 | 133.0 | 135.4 | 137.7 |
Development of the 15 to 19 age group (2010=100%)
2) | 116.8 | 115.0 | 112.1 | 108.2 | 104.3 | 100.0 | 97.3 | 97.5 | 97.6 | 98.2 | 101.2 | 100.8 | 98.6 | 96.7 | 95.1 | 93.1 | 92.4 | 93.3 | 95.3 | 95.8 |
Development of new entrants in the vocational training sector (2010=100%)
4) | 101.3 | 103.0 | 108.1 | 106.4 | 99.9 | 100.0 | 101.6 | 99.6 | 98.1 | 95.7 | 95.7 | 97.0 | 97.7 | 99.2 | 99.3 | 89.8 | 93.5 | 93.7 | 95.0 | 94.7 |
| 132.0 | 130.2 | 122.2 | 113.4 | 108.9 | 100.0 | 89.0 | 82.1 | 80.7 | 79.8 | 84.1 | 95.7 | 89.5 | 83.4 | 79.0 | 74.1 | 71.0 | 75.7 | 79.4 | 82.0 | |
Development of first-year students (2010=100%)
6) | 80.1 | 77.6 | 81.3 | 89.2 | 95.4 | 100.0 | 116.6 | 111.3 | 114.4 | 113.5 | 113.9 | 114.6 | 115.4 | 115.1 | 114.4 | 110.3 | 106.2 | 106.5 | 108.4 | 110.3 |
Source: Federal Statistical Office (Statistischer Bericht Studierendenstatistik, Integrierte Ausbildungsberichterstattung, GENESIS-Online database - 12411 Current updating of population figures, Fachserie 11 Reihe 4.1); German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies, calculations
Notes:
1) iABE = integrated reporting on vocational training (see glossary). Discrepancies with regard to earlier publications are due to data revisions.
2) Findings are based on Census.
3) As of 2012, data are rounded to ensure privacy.
4) In 2024, data are preliminary, source: integrated reporting on vocational training (Statistischer Bericht Schnellmeldungen).
5) Transition system: integration into training.
6) Summer semester and following winter semester (e.g. 2005 = SS 2005 and WS 2005/2006).
Last update: August 20, 2025
This work is licensed under a Data licence Germany attribution 2.0.
(https://www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0)
(https://www.govdata.de/dl-de/by-2-0)