Germany is fast recovering from the pitfalls of international travel bans and has regained its position as a hot favourite for Indian students looking to study abroad.

• According to the snapshot survey by DAAD, at least 330,000 international students are currently enrolled at German universities.

• The number of international first-semester students has also grown again despite the pandemic and, according to DAAD projections, is at least 72,000. Almost 160 German universities participated in the survey.

• The survey predicts the number of international students to continue to rise.

• According to the findings, the surveyed higher education institutions (HEIs) reported an increase in newly enrolled international students from India and a few other countries including Turkey, Iran, Italy and France. On the other hand, decreases in the numbers of newly enrolled students from China, Syria and Cameroon were reported. Around 29% of the institutions surveyed reported over 10% increase in the number of fresh student enrolments from India.

• The rise has been fuelled by a couple of factors. One, there has been a very rapid recovery in the numbers of guest and exchange students (non-degree) at most German HEIs after the significant slump in the previous year. Also, universities in particular are recording significant increases in the number of international degree-seeking students in master's programmes.

• The rise has been fuelled by a couple of factors. One, there has been a very rapid recovery in the numbers of guest and exchange students (non-degree) at most German HEIs after the significant slump in the previous year. Also, universities in particular are recording significant increases in the number of international degree-seeking students in master's programmes.

• Despite the ongoing pandemic, the survey shows a clear return of international students to campus: around 80% of the surveyed universities estimate that at least three quarters of international first-year students are now in Germany.