In Germany, educational advancement is often seen as a promise, but it is far from being a reality. A study by the Stifterverband shows that educational success depends heavily on social background. While 79% of primary school pupils from academic households go on to university, the figure for children from non-academic families is only 27%. What causes and structural barriers lead to these significant differences?
Educational opportunities at the first major transition
The social imbalance is particularly evident at the threshold between school and university. The step into higher education is considered a decisive factor in determining career prospects. While the majority of children from academic households find their way to university, this option is a rare and often closed path for many children from non-academic households.
However, social inequality in Germany is not only evident in the transition from school to university, but begins much earlier in the educational system. Even after primary school, social background plays a decisive role in determining which secondary school children attend and what opportunities for university admission this will give them later on. Numerous studies show that pupils from privileged families are significantly more likely to be recommended for grammar school and consequently achieve higher educational qualifications than children from less privileged families (wuebben-stiftung-bildung.org). But even among those who are eligible to study, social background continues to determine whether they actually take up a place at university (bildungsbericht.de).
Structural causes: economic, cultural and psychological barriers
These patterns not only reflect individual life choices, but are also an expression of structural mechanisms. Contrary to the assumption that these disparities can be explained simply by differences in school performance, the 2024 Education Report suggests that the latter only play a minor role. Much more decisive are the different cost-benefit assessments of a university education depending on social background.
Students from non-academic families often consider the costs of studying to be higher and the chances of success to be lower. At the same time, children of academics benefit from implicit starting advantages. They find it easier to get support in choosing courses and universities, can ask questions about complicated-sounding university jargon (e.g. ‘Dies Academicus’ or ‘14 Uhr c.t.’) and receive financial support much more often. In addition, different educational preferences of parents play a major role.
At the same time, new perspectives are coming into focus: researchers at the Stifterverband point out that not only economic factors but also mental barriers play a decisive role. A lack of experience and academic role models in their immediate environment means that children from non-academic families are less likely to believe they can succeed at university and perceive the challenges of higher education as more daunting (Meyer-Gaukel et al., 2021). These psychological barriers are often underrepresented in public debate, but they are relevant because they make it difficult to go to university even with good school grades.
Germany in international comparison
In international comparison, Germany continues to be one of the countries with the lowest social mobility in its education system. The OECD study ‘Education at a Glance 2025’ finds that social background has a greater impact on educational success in Germany than in many other OECD countries. Looking at investment, it is clear that Germany spends comparatively little on the education sector as a proportion of GDP.
Where change must begin
Targeted measures are needed to effectively promote equal opportunities in the German education system. It is particularly important to systematically remove financial, mental and informational barriers in order to give children from non-academic backgrounds better access to higher education and academic degrees. A more accessible BAföG system can significantly reduce financial barriers. The Stifterverband advocates establishing information services on studying at an earlier stage in schools or offering tandem buddies for the first semester.
The Berlin study ‘Best up’, for example, found that the probability of children from non-academic backgrounds taking up a place at university increased by 12 percentage points if they took part in a short workshop in which they were informed about the costs, financial support options and benefits of studying (Peter et al., 2018, 2021).
Equal opportunities as a social obligation
The key task for Germany remains to effectively reduce social inequality in access to education. However, it must also be emphasised that success and social value do not depend solely on academic qualifications. In view of the shortage of skilled workers, vocational training offers attractive career paths, and many systemically important occupations are based on qualified training. Genuine equal opportunities therefore mean promoting both academic and vocational paths equally. The figures from the Stifterverband remind us that social background will remain a decisive factor in educational attainment in 2025 and that structural changes are needed if genuine equal opportunities are to be more than just a political slogan.
