'Don’t trust your...': German envoy warns Indian students applying to universities as visa rejections rise

Germany has emerged as a top destination for Indian students, with over 60,000 now enrolled at its universities. But amid this surge, Philipp Ackermann, the German Ambassador to India, has issued a clear warning: “don’t trust your agents too much.”

Ackermann revealed that Berlin’s missions in India reject about 25 percent of student visa applications. He linked this to the role of private education agents, some of whom work on contracts with lesser-known private universities, as reported by The Print.

“Out of the 60,000 Indian students in Germany, the overwhelming majority are going to very good schools. There is a small group of people who, I think, listens carefully to their agents,” he told Print. “It is clear that private universities, some of them being non-German, have a contract with these agents. They (the agents) get money for recruiting (students).”

He cautioned against falling for such pitches: “My appeal to every Indian student who wants to consider going to Germany is: don’t trust your agents too much because the agents have their own agenda. They want to make money, and if they propose a university for EUR 10,000, it is very beneficial for them. You should not forget that when you go to a public university in Germany, it is for free.”

Ackermann noted that some private institutions do not issue German degrees, but certificates from other countries, leading to disappointment for students who felt misled. He also pointed out that agents often “tune” visa applications in ways that undermine their credibility, contributing to higher rejection rates.

While the U.S., Canada, the U.K., and Australia continue to be popular destinations, Ackermann underscored Germany’s appeal. He highlighted the country’s liberal migration system, which offers graduates 18 months to find employment. “I would say that Germany, with its liberal immigration and a long tradition of absorbing foreigners, even foreigners from non-European cultural environments, is in a relatively good place,” he said.

He added that migrants play an essential role in supporting Germany’s social welfare system, noting that many Syrians admitted in 2015 have since joined the workforce. “We cannot afford to be passive spectators in a world where decisions elsewhere determine our destinies,” he said, stressing the importance of legal and fair migration channels.