Germany continues to be a hub for advanced academic pursuits, with the number of doctoral candidates climbing to 212,400 in 2024, marking a four percent increase from the previous year. Aspiring PhD students across the country are exploring diverse fields, from cutting-edge medical research to innovative engineering projects, making Germany an attractive destination for ambitious scholars. The steady rise in candidates, combined with a nearly balanced gender ratio, highlights the growing opportunities and inclusivity in the nation’s higher education system.
A total of 212,400 individuals were enrolled in ongoing doctoral programs in 2024, representing a rise of 7,500 candidates compared to 2023. The share of women among doctoral candidates remained nearly unchanged at 49 percent, with 103,500 female candidates, up slightly from 48 percent in the previous year. The average age of doctoral candidates in 2024 was 31 years for both men and women. Of the total, 52,800 candidates, or 25 percent, held foreign citizenship, reflecting the growing international presence in German academia.
Human medicine and health sciences remained the most popular field, with 60,300 candidates, or 28 percent of all doctoral students, pursuing degrees in these disciplines. Mathematics and natural sciences followed with 47,700 candidates, representing 22 percent. Engineering sciences accounted for 39,200 doctoral candidates, or 18 percent, while law, economics, and social sciences attracted 33,300 candidates, or 16 percent.
Significant gender differences were evident across subject areas. In engineering sciences, approximately three out of four doctoral candidates (77 percent) were men, while two-thirds (67 percent) of candidates in the arts and art sciences were women. In absolute terms, men were most represented in engineering, with 30,000 candidates, while women led in human medicine and health sciences with 37,400 candidates.
In 2024, 34,700 individuals, or 16 percent of all doctoral candidates, began their doctoral studies for the first time, an increase of eight percent from the previous year. Among these new doctoral candidates, 9,500, or 27 percent, were international students, slightly higher than the overall share of foreign doctoral candidates.
Doctoral studies were notably concentrated in a few institutions. Seventeen percent of all doctoral candidates were enrolled at just four universities. The Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich led with 9,700 candidates, representing five percent of the total. It was followed by the Technical University of Munich with 9,400 candidates, the Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg with 9,300 candidates, and the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen with 7,900 candidates, each accounting for four percent of all doctoral students.
This rising enrollment and diverse representation underscore the opportunities available for aspiring doctoral students in Germany. With a supportive environment for both domestic and international candidates, Germany continues to be a dynamic hub for advanced research, making it an attractive destination for students aiming to pursue a doctoral degree and contribute to cutting-edge academic work.
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