227,000 Ukrainian children have started the school year at German schools. For many, this means not only lessons and homework, but also an important step towards integration and a new life in Germany.
With the start of the new school year in Germany, millions of students returned to their school desks. Among them are tens of thousands of children from Ukraine, for whom German schools have become an important part of their integration and building a new life in a different country.
According to data from the Federal Statistical Office and studies, the number of Ukrainian students in Germany reached a record high in 2025. These are not just dry figures – behind them are stories of families adapting to new living conditions, learning the language, and building a future here in Germany.
How many Ukrainian students are studying in Germany?
In the second quarter of 2025, more than 227,000 children from Ukraine attended German schools. That is about 2% of all students in the country (there are a total of about 11 million students in Germany).
The leading regions by number of Ukrainian students are: Bavaria – almost 38,000, Baden-Württemberg – about 34,000, North Rhine-Westphalia – about 32,000.
At the beginning of 2025, there were 8,551 Ukrainian students in Berlin, almost a third of whom continue to be taught in special welcome classes for refugees. The rest are already integrated into regular classes.
Language as the key to integration
One of the biggest challenges for Ukrainian children remains mastering the German language. When they arrived, most of the students had hardly any knowledge of German. But they made rapid progress: by the summer of 2024, 51% of Ukrainian students rated their knowledge as good or very good, with a further 35% rating it as average.
This enabled most children to transfer to regular classes: only 9% continue to learn partly in special classes and only 6% exclusively there. School environment and sense of belonging Integration encompasses not only knowledge and teaching, but also emotional perception. Studies show that Ukrainian children feel even less “at home” in German schools than their native peers. This is particularly evident among adolescents.
However, the situation is changing: those who speak German better and plan to stay in Germany long-term feel much more secure in the school community.
Challenges for the education system
The burden on schools in Germany is increasing. Today, around one third of all pupils have a migrant background, and in large cities such as Berlin and Hamburg, the figure is even higher than half.
This is leading to discussions at the political level. In particular, a proposal is being discussed to limit the proportion of migrant children in a class to 30 to 40% in order to facilitate the learning process and improve its quality. However, this idea has been met with much criticism and opposition from educators and social organizations.
What does this mean for migrant families?
The story of Ukrainian students in Germany shows that, despite all the difficulties, integration is progressing rapidly. Each new school year brings not only challenges but also opportunities—opportunities to learn the language, make new friends, and build a future in Germany.
This is an important signal for parents and children: the education system is open, and with the support of schools and their own efforts, Ukrainian students have every chance of successful integration.
Author: Maryna Bets
