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In 2025, the number of graduates who received a high school diploma, which qualifies them for admission to German universities, fell by 8%. Approximately 341,700 young people were able to obtain the required grades, with women accounting for 54% of those certified. The main reason for the decline was a sharp drop in Bavaria, where the number of graduates fell by 51%.
The sharp decline in Bavaria—by 27,600 people—is due to the abolition of the G8 system in 2024, which shortened the length of schooling. Because of this change, fewer students completed their studies and passed their final exams in the usual cycle. Without Bavarian data, the national decline would have been only 0.7%.
Other federal states also recorded declines, although not as significant. In Saarland, the decline was 7%, while in Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Saxony-Anhalt, it was 3% each. Meanwhile, in Saxony, the number of certified people increased by 6%, and in Thuringia by 4%.
Despite a 0.9% increase in the 17- to 19-year-old population due to migration, this had little impact on the number of graduates. Of those who successfully completed their studies, 80% received a general or specialized high school diploma ( Abitur ), and 20% received a Fachabitur , which qualifies them for admission to universities of applied sciences. The majority—67%—completed their education in comprehensive schools, while the remaining 33% graduated from vocational schools.
Data for 2025 highlight regional differences in the attainment of university entrance qualifications. Policy changes in Bavaria led to the most significant decline, while some eastern states saw a moderate increase. Overall, the trend shows a slight decline, but the gender balance has remained stable: women continue to constitute the majority of graduates.
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