Munich Ranks Best City in Germany for International Students, Berlin 6th on List

Munich is currently the best city in Germany for international students, according to new research.

The study conducted by Studying-in-Germany.org, the largest resource for international students seeking information about studying and living in Germany, found that Munich, home to nearly 55,300 international students, has been ranked the best student city in Germany with a total score of 53.2.

“Munich claims the top spot for students in Germany in 2024. As the capital of Bavaria, it is the central hub hosting a significant portion of the state’s 55,291 international students. Unsurprisingly, this vibrant city known as “the Village of a Million People” also ranks among the world’s best student cities,” the website states.

The city, known as one of Germany’s most popular destinations, especially between September and October during the annual Oktoberfest celebration, attracts talent from all over the world, Erudera.com reports.

The capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria, Munich is also known for an exceptional safety record, with the lowest crime rates in Germany. The city has a safety index score of 79.01, according to Numbeo. The website shows Munich has a crime index value of 21 out of 100, meaning it is a leader in Europe.

Munich is home to 20 universities, including the top-ranked Technical University of Munich (TUM), which has over 23,000 international students, and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, where 17 percent of all enrolled students are international.

According to the study findings, Aachen, Cologne, and Bonn secured the next spots on the list of best student cities in Germany, with the same count of international students, totaling 77,199. The three cities have a safety score of 66.22, 58.36, and 59.1, respectively.

Stuttgart ranks fifth, with 34,375 international students, while surprisingly, Germany’s capital city, Berlin, claimed the sixth spot on the list. While Berlin has the largest number of universities, it comes with a higher cost of living than the other top-ranking cities.

Frankfurt, Dresden, Leipzig, and Hamburg rounded out the top ten cities for international students in Germany, with Dresden providing the best quality of life, the highest quality of healthcare facilities, as well as more affordability.

The study by Studying-in-Germany.org assessed cities based on the number of international students, safety, affordability, quality of life, healthcare, and the number of universities.

According to the 11th edition of the QS Best Student Cities, London is the world’s best student city for the fifth year in a row, followed by Tokyo in second place, Seoul in third, and Melbourne in fourth. In contrast, Munich fell to fifth place this year on this prestigious list.

Last year, Munich once again ranked the second-best city for students globally, securing the spot with an outstanding overall score of 95.1 out of 100.

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