Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany

Germany: Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal was 3.3% in 2023. ▲ Rising

Latest (2023)
3.3%
Change on year
up 0.8%
World rank
21st
of 51 countries
All-time high
3.4%
in 2016
All-time low
0.2%
in 1990
Years of data
29
1990–2023

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany, 1990–2023

01231990200620231990: 0.165 %1991: 0.208 %1996: 0.775 %1997: 0.771 %1998: 0.622 %2000: 0.954 %2001: 1 %2002: 1.2 %2003: 1.7 %2004: 2.4 %2005: 2.6 %2006: 2.4 %2007: 2.7 %2008: 3 %2009: 2.8 %2010: 3 %2011: 3.1 %2012: 2.9 %2013: 2.9 %2014: 2.9 %2015: 3.1 %2016: 3.4 %2017: 3.2 %2018: 3.2 %2019: 3.3 %2020: 2.6 %2021: 2.8 %2022: 3.3 %2023: 3.3 %

Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in %.

Analysis

The most recent figure for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany is 3.3%, measured in 2023.

That represents a change of up 0.8% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany peaked at 3.4% in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 1990.

Germany ranks 21st of 51 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 29 years of available data.

Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 55-64 years old, both sexes (%) in Germany, 1990 to 2023.
Year % Change
1990 0.2%
1991 0.2% +26.0%
1996 0.8% +272.4%
1997 0.8% -0.5%
1998 0.6% -19.3%
2000 1.0% +53.3%
2001 1.0% +8.1%
2002 1.2% +13.8%
2003 1.7% +45.1%
2004 2.4% +39.4%
2005 2.6% +8.4%
2006 2.4% -7.2%
2007 2.7% +11.9%
2008 3.0% +12.2%
2009 2.8% -5.2%
2010 3.0% +4.0%
2011 3.1% +4.5%
2012 2.9% -6.5%
2013 2.9% -0.5%
2014 2.9% +1.8%
2015 3.1% +5.6%
2016 3.4% +11.5%
2017 3.2% -6.4%
2018 3.2% -1.6%
2019 3.3% +4.7%
2020 2.6% -21.2%
2021 2.8% +6.0%
2022 3.3% +17.1%
2023 3.3% +0.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1990s 0.5% 0.2% 0.8% 5
2000s 2.1% 1.0% 3.0% 10
2010s 3.1% 2.9% 3.4% 10
2020s 3.0% 2.6% 3.3% 4

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 18 Belarus 6.8% compare
  2. 19 Luxembourg 6.7% compare
  3. 20 Romania 3.6% compare
  4. 22 Australia 3.1% compare
  5. 23 Hungary 2.8% compare
  6. 24 Cyprus 2.6% compare

See the full ranking of 78 places →

More education data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany?
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany was 3.3% in 2023, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
What is the highest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 3.4% in 2016.
What is the lowest participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 1990.
How does Germany rank for participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal?
Germany ranks 21st out of 51 countries with data for 2023.
Is participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Germany data come from?
The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 55-64 years old, both sexes (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Retrieved 12 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/participation-rate-of-youth-and-adults-in-formal-and-non-formal-education-and-training-in-17/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Participation rate of youth and adults in formal and non-formal education and training in the previous 12 months, 55-64 years old, both sexes (%)
Unit
%
Source
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
Licence
CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics)
Coverage
78 places, 1,544 data points, 1990–2025
Last refreshed

February 2026 Data Release