'Don’t take out huge loans and go into debt': Indian entrepreneur warns students off private German unis' scam

An Indian-origin entrepreneur based in Berlin has put out a blunt warning to students considering private universities in Germany, and the response online suggests it hit a nerve.

Mayukh Panja, founder of AI firm Populations, posted on X, urging aspiring international students not to take on large loans to attend institutions he described as low-quality and exploitative. "I want to do a public service announcement for people who are desperate to come to Europe," he wrote. "Please don't take out huge loans and go into debt to get admitted to third-rate private universities here."

What he says these universities are selling

According to Panja, a section of private universities in Germany actively markets itself to international students as a straightforward route to a European career and a better life. The reality, he argued, is considerably grimmer.

He described some of these institutions as "visa mills," with low admission thresholds, poor teaching quality, and degrees that carry little weight with employers. "These universities are very scammy, have a low barrier to entry and extremely low teaching standards," he wrote.

What he has seen on the ground

Panja said his concerns are grounded in what he has witnessed directly in Berlin. "I have seen many, many desperate Indian students doing 12 hours of delivery, restaurant and gig work, extremely underpaid and abused in Berlin," he wrote.

Financial pressure, he argued, pushes students into exploitative work, only for them to eventually discover their qualification offers little advantage. "And then they realise that their university degree is pretty much worthless. Both in Germany and in India," he added.

What he recommends instead

Panja's advice is straightforward: if Germany is the goal, target public institutions. "If you do want to come to Germany, apply to the state-run universities here," he wrote, pointing to their affordability, academic standards, and competitive standing.

He also urged families to think carefully before making major financial sacrifices. "Please don't take out a Rs 30 lakh loan, or sell family land to fall for a scam. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true," he cautioned.

Germany is still worth it, for the right reasons

Panja was careful not to write off Germany entirely. He pointed to its research institutions and engineering sector as genuinely world-class. "Germany has top-tier research institutes in the fundamental sciences, though. Among the best in the world. It still has kickass engineering (not software) companies," he wrote.

The post drew widespread agreement online, with several users adding their own observations, among them that strong German language skills at the B2 level are often a prerequisite for well-paying roles, and that salary growth tends to be slower than many students expect.