Controversy in Germany surrounding private schools for foreign students. Young people, often Indians, arrive in Germany with a student visa. But once there, they face tuition fees, precarious low-paying jobs, and sometimes even visa cancelations before completing their studies.
From our correspondent in Berlin, Promad met us in a café in Charlottenburg, Berlin, where he found a part-time job in a burger kitchen. Promad, a 30-year-old Indian student, arrived in Berlin in 2023 with dreams of Germany, the land of Mercedes, BMW, technology, and social security. Two and a half years later, he expresses bitterness towards the system of private schools for foreign students. These schools attract thousands of English-speaking youths online, mostly Indians.
“Some Indian students were expelled before completing their studies,” reports say. Around 60,000 Indians have obtained a student visa in Germany, making them the largest community among foreign students. Despite the country’s desperate need for skilled labor, many students face high costs and poorly paid jobs that prevent them from attending classes.
According to Aju John from Humboldt University in Berlin, foreign students often work in food delivery, Amazon warehouses, or fast-food restaurants, without union support or labor law enforcement by customs authorities. The Berlin administration has even started revoking visas for students engaged in mixed online and in-person courses, leading to the expulsion of dozens of mostly Indian students.
Promad’s family went into debt to fund his studies, but he has not completely given up on his German dream. He left his private school for a nearby international public school near Berlin.
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