Nearly half of Vietnamese students in Germany opt for engineering

Revealing this information, Felix Wagenfeld, head of the German Academic Exchange Service office in Vietnam, said there are more than 7,060 Vietnamese undergraduate students in Germany, a slight increase from the previous year.

He said 98% of graduates find employment after completing their studies, with technical fields offering particularly strong career prospects.

Speaking at a career orientation event organized in Hanoi last month by the German embassy, the German Development Cooperation Organization and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Vietnam, he highlighted Germany's growing need for skilled workers.

The country is projected to face a shortage of around seven million skilled workers by 2035 due to its aging population.

Key sectors facing shortages include STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), healthcare, nursing, and education.

To address the gap, DAAD has urged the government, universities and businesses to get more international students and increase the number who remain after graduation, targeting 50,000 per year by 2030.

Oliver Brandt, director of the Goethe-Institut in Hanoi, said Vietnamese students tend to favor training in engineering, nursing and hospitality.

"As long as you pass the training facility's exams, you will get a job. We need more skilled workers to come to Germany to work long-term, or even permanently."

He said vocational schools and companies in Germany value Vietnamese trainees for their diligence, noting that they often have higher hiring rates than other nationals.

Experts at the event highlighted several advantages for Vietnamese students studying in Germany. Since March 2023, Germany has eased regulations for international students, allowing them to work up to 140 days per year, increasing the vocational education age limit from 25 to 35 and reducing German language requirements.

The average starting salary for recent graduates in many fields ranges from 2,300 to 3,500 euros (US$2,560–3,890) per month, comparable to the average national salary.

But language remains a barrier for Vietnamese students.

During the 2024–2025 academic year Germany is expected to get over 405,000 international students for the winter semester, up from nearly 380,000 the previous year, according to DAAD.

A survey by Study in Germany, the official portal for German study abroad information, identified three main reasons why Germany attracts international students.

First, public universities do not charge tuition fees and students only have to pay an administrative fee of 150-250 euros ($160-268) per year.

German higher education is also highly rated, with over 500 bachelor's and master's programs taught in English.

The Times Higher Education global rankings feature 49 German universities.

Second, the average cost of living for international students in Germany is around 930 euros ($1,000) per month, which is significantly lower than in the U.K. ($1,500) and the U.S. ($1,250).

Finally, after graduation students have the opportunity to stay and work for up to 18 months with an extended residence permit.

Surveys show that nearly 70% of international students wish to stay in Germany to find employment after graduation.