Exclsive: ApplyBoard launches in Germany

The new location is ApplyBoard’s sixth destination and its first in Continental Europe, reflecting the rising interest in non-traditional study abroad markets.  

The organisation currently has partnerships with more than 10 institutions in Germany, which has seen a marked increase in student interest and is set to welcome over 400,000 international students in 2025.  

“As international student mobility continues to evolve, we’re seeing increasing demand for diverse study options beyond traditional English-speaking destinations,” Meti Basiri, ApplyBoard co-founder, told The PIE News.  

“We’ve set an ambitious goal to have 20 destinations on the platform by the end of the decade. Germany is number six and we really see it as a window to the whole of Europe,” said Basiri.  

Founded in 2015, ApplyBoard has partnerships with over 1,500 primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions across the US, Canada, UK, Australia and Ireland, where it launched in 2022.  

“In early 2000, there were about 1.6 million students studying abroad globally, and the four or five major destinations were hosting about 70% of these students,” said Basiri. 

“In 2024, the overall number of students [studying abroad] is four times more, and the top five destinations host about 43%, so effectively there are new destinations coming up every year.” 

We’ve set an ambitious goal to have 20 destinations on the platform by the end of the decade

Meti Basiri, ApplyBoard

A recent snapshot survey from DAAD, the German organisation for international academic cooperation, revealed a 7% rise in the number of international first-semester students this winter as compared to the previous year.  

This builds on decades of steady growth of international enrolments since 2010, largely driven by the increase in English-taught programs at master’s and PhD level and the welcoming culture of German universities. 

“Partnering with ApplyBoard opens the doors of German education to the world. The platform simplifies the application process for international students, making it easier for them to navigate,” said Bryan Palmer, interim chief commercial officer EMENA at Global University Systems, one of ApplyBoard’s partners in Germany.

“For our institutions, it means attracting a diverse and talented group of individuals who enrich our classrooms and communities,” added Palmer. 

The affordability of Germany was highlighted as a key factor driving student interest, with nearly three-quarters of education counsellors surveyed by ApplyBoard identifying it as the most economical destination of its six partner countries.  

“When you combine this with Germany’s strong academic reputation and recent policy changes supporting international students, it’s clear why student interest is surging,” said Ian McRae, ApplyBoard’s head of emerging markets.  

Basiri also highlighted the “exciting opportunities” for international students offered by Germany’s industrial needs in the automotive and machine building industries that set it apart from other G7 countries and are leading to increased demand for STEM graduates.  

“So, the destinations that we choose are destinations where we know students can add significant value in the short-term, medium-term and long-term, but also vice versa for students that go back home and contribute to their own society,” said Basiri.

Access to German institutions on the ApplyBoard platform will roll out in phases, with select recruitment partners gaining early access in January 2025, followed by full availability to all customers by mid-April 2025.

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