The number of Ukrainian schoolchildren in Germany has reached its highest level since the war

After the start of the full-scale invasion of Russia, millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their homes and go abroad. Among them are hundreds of thousands of children who escaped from under shelling together with their parents, finding themselves in a foreign country without understanding the language, without familiar friends and a school environment. One of the key countries that accepted the most Ukrainian refugees was Germany. For Ukrainian schoolchildren, the school system of Germany became the first space for adaptation, integration and gradual return to normal life in the conditions of forced resettlement.

Growth dynamics: from emergency adaptation to stabilization

As of the second quarter of 2025, a record number of children and adolescents from Ukraine – approximately 227,000 – are studying in German schools. Such official data made public Conference of Ministers of Education and Culture of the Federal Lands (KMK). This figure is the highest for the entire period after February 2022, when the wave of Ukrainian refugees began to arrive in the countries of the European Union.

By the end of 2022, the number of Ukrainian students in Germany had already reached 200,000. Since then, despite the partial return of some families to Ukraine or migration to other countries, the total number of children integrated into the German school system continued to grow. This testifies to the stability of the stay of a significant part of Ukrainian refugees in Germany and to the gradual rooting of families in a new environment.

In Germany, the total number of students is about 11 million. Thus, Ukrainian schoolchildren make up approximately 2% of all students in the country — this is a significant share for a system that was not oriented to such a large-scale integration in a short period of time. The fact of a steady increase in the number of Ukrainian students is recorded against the background of a general decline in the birth rate in Germany itself, which further strengthens the weight of these statistics.

Geography of integration: three leading federal states

The largest number of Ukrainian children and adolescents study in schools of three federal states:

• In Bavaria – almost 38 thousand;
• In Baden-Württemberg – about 34 thousand;
• In North Rhine-Westphalia – more than 32 thousand.

These regions traditionally have a strong educational infrastructure, a high level of social services and extensive experience in working with migrants from different countries. In many cases, Ukrainian children join so-called “preparatory classes” — separate groups where they learn the language and adapt to the curriculum. At the same time, more and more schoolchildren are already integrated into ordinary classes at the place of residence of the family.

Educational challenges: from language to status

For a large part of Ukrainian students, the German language remains a barrier. In elementary grades, this challenge is less visible, while in middle and high schools, the complexity of subjects, language level, and preparation for certification stages are a real obstacle. Because of this, there is a gap in opportunities: those children who adapt more quickly to language are able to develop in the usual rhythm, while others risk being on the periphery of the system.

There is a separate issue of legal status. Most children are in Germany with their mother or one of their parents on the basis of temporary protection. This imposes restrictions on the length of stay, access to additional services, and also creates uncertainty about the future — whether the children will be able to complete the full cycle of education or return to Ukraine earlier.

The reaction of the German education system

German federal states have different approaches to the organization of education for Ukrainian children. In some regions, the emphasis is on integration into general classes immediately after a short language training. In others, children can stay in specialized classes for up to two years. These approaches reflect the internal heterogeneity of German education policy, which is the responsibility of the Länder, not the central government.

In general, German educational structures try to support Ukrainian students: new places have been created in many schools, Ukrainian-speaking assistants are employed, and psychological support is provided. But at the same time, the load on teachers, administrations, and municipal budgets is increasing, which increases the internal tension in the educational environment.

The number of Ukrainian schoolchildren in Germany continues to grow. This means that the integration is not short-lived. The educational policy of the Federal Republic of Germany must respond to the challenges of the long-term inclusion of a large community of students from a military context. The Ukrainian state, for its part, should maintain contact with these children, provide mechanisms for the recognition of education obtained abroad, and create conditions for the return of those who wish.

Some of the children currently studying in schools in Germany came from regions that were bombarded and occupied. Their experience is the trauma of losing their home, separation from their father, who remained in Ukraine, and an interrupted childhood. For them, school is not only a place to acquire knowledge, but also a space for psychological rehabilitation, stability and structured time. Many of them have the experience of studying online or occasionally attending classes in Ukraine, so returning to the regular school rhythm is often accompanied by emotional stress.

For children of war, school in Germany is a temporary area of safety. But whether the generation that grew up in the evacuation will be able to find their place in the future reconstruction of Ukraine will depend on the quality of this education, the extent to which the children will feel included in the process and able to move on.