Some students frequently change their course of study for a variety of reasons, with around a quarter of all German students dropping out in 2020. This figure represents a 28% abandonment rate for bachelor's degrees and a 21% discontinuation rate for master's degrees. Interestingly, despite expectations of increased dropouts due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase was relatively modest.
Particularly affected are courses in humanities, natural sciences, and mathematics, with a reported dropout rate of around 50% in 2020 for mathematics and natural sciences, and 49% for humanities and sports. In contrast, dropout rates are significantly lower for other courses, such as engineering sciences, art or art history, law, economics, and social sciences, where only about 21% of students leave their studies, and agriculture, forestry, and nutritional sciences, with a dropout rate of about 18%. Teacher training courses display the lowest dropout rate, with only 10% of students abandoning their courses in 2020.
Declines in student enrollment have been reported in several regions, including Lower Saxony, Hamburg, and Berlin. The reasons for college dropout can be quite diverse, ranging from academic pressure and self-motivation struggles to financial difficulties.
In terms of related topics, it would be interesting to investigate whether ministry-affiliated programs falling under the rural doctor quota exhibit similar trends. Among the courses with the highest dropout rates in Germany, mathematics and natural sciences have been particularly affected, with approximately 50% of first-year students deciding to drop out in 2020.
General factors contributing to high dropout rates include subject-specific challenges, financial stress, and individual learning difficulties. In mathematics and natural sciences, for instance, strong logical reasoning and problem-solving skills are essential. Psychological distress, such as anxiety and burnout, can result from academic workload, high expectations, and competition.
For A-Level Psychology, high information retention requirements and the demand for essay-writing skills can be daunting for some students, contributing to higher dropout rates. In Biology, a theory-based subject with considerable independent work required, students face challenges due to the subject's foundational nature. Similarly, mathematics courses might be affected by academic workload, financial stress, and individual learning difficulties, although specific dropout rates are not provided.
